Art for Hours

Last weekend I decided to take a different route to Philadelphia than I usually do. Typically I hop right on the AC Expressway for a straight shot to freedom, friends, and fun. This time, I decided to take the back roads, which I had never done before. In doing so, I saw MANY interesting things. Things I had only thought could be found deep in Texas. I took the scenic route. In doing so, I spotted a 20 foot pyramid made completely of rims. What kind of rims, you may ask? Car wheel rims, the kind that many rappers like to talk about. 

A pyramid of rims sparked a question. What other things have artists created with recycled car parts? In my research, I found that some fashion designers have made jewelry and shoes out of old car parts. Cute or not, it is pretty cool. It was a challenge administered by Lexus. 

Do you think that jewelry made by a Toyota’s old car parts are as expensive as jewelry made from old Lexus car parts? I wonder… how does that work?

Fuel for thought. 

Thanks!

Brianne

I actually came across Charmaine Olivia through Instagram (an iPhone app where users can share their photos through different filters). Since I am a sucker for artists who have the incredible ability to express realistic images on a canvas, naturally I love Olivia’s work. She is much like a favorite artist of mine that I previously featured in Art for Hours-Alyssa Monks (spiked with a little of Kat Von D’s style). 

Olivia focuses all of her artwork on the female form, through fashionable symbols such as bows and tattoos. Despite Olivia’s definitive dark style, a sense of girly-ness and beauty is very clear in all of her pieces. I find Olivia to be one of the most inspirational artists I have featured so far!

She also does an incredible job at keeping up with her social media presence!

www.charmaineolivia.com

Gracias por leer,

Bri :)

I’m a little disappointed in myself that I haven’t written in a week but I have found some inspiration! I came across Alisa Burke’s blog this week, and I absolutely adore her work. She fills her pages with step by step arts and crafts for the holidays, everyday life, and projects to do just for the hell of it. 

I especially like her sketch book designs; she uses these for holiday gift tags throughout the year. Burke also figured out a way to turn a paper bag into beautiful wrapping paper, including bow and flower decor-all made of a paper bag! Her blog amazes me.

She also offers online classes for craft stuff.. cool gift idea!

Yeah, this is a blog post about other blog posts. Is that breaking the rules?  Whatever, check out her stuff! 

http://alisaburke.blogspot.com/

I had to re-blog this! I cannot think of anything more perfect than a panda painting.

usagov:

Image description: Picasso or Panda? Giant panda Tian Tian gets his paws dirty with non-toxic water-based paint at the National Zoo. Painting is one among many activities that fall under Animal Enrichment—a program that provides physically and mentally stimulating activities and environments for the Zoo’s residents.

Art produced by many of the Zoo’s mammal and bird residents will be available for purchase at the National Capital chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Art Show, which will take place spring 2012.

Photo by Smithsonian’s National Zoo

I had the opportunity to see Pamela Sienna’s work in person at Drink Philly’s most recent First Friday event. Her work is truly mesmerizing. My friend and I stood and stared at a particular piece (photo 2- “Specific Abstraction”) for the majority of our stay. The three dimensional effect her technique takes on is uncanny.

The urge to touch the paintings was overwhelming. 

The rope looks as though it can be unraveled with a tug of a finger. The colored paper; as though it can be picked up and pieced right back together. Sienna invites the viewer into her canvases of fabrics, ropes, paper, and duct tape to play with the objects she paints.

What is inside those boxes covered in fabric and rope? 

G’day,

Brianne

(Source: pamelasienna.com)

These are not photographs, they are paintings. Alyssa Monks is amazing.

Every color, angle, and expression of line has to be perfect in order for the paintings to fulfill themselves as one of the most realistic collections of today. It is as if the subjects of the paintings are about to start speaking, to tell the viewer their story. 

Most of Monks’ paintings involve my favorite element- water. She suds it up with scenes from showers, baths, and bathroom floors. Each painting provokes a question. What are these girls thinking about? 

I feel as though Monks’ paintings are not just every man’s dream: girls in showers. They portray a woman’s most vulnerable moment. Many women will vouch that they spend the majority of their thinking about life, love, relationships, stress…what have you… in the shower. Through steam and water, Monks portrays these thoughts and fears in every woman. 

Take a look for yourself.

With Love,

Brianne