Girls! Girls! Girls!

I'm loving the whimsical femininity that is coming through the art world now.  The strong, sometimes even brutal, nudes still exist but it seems the feminine is coming back in all its sweetness and light, or wild and mysterious nuances.  Perhaps this is because we are an era when the fashion magazine is muse, or perhaps it is because the green movement and its appreciation of the handmade and crafted (traditionally the area of woman) is allowing women to celebrate their own aesthetic and the things they find pretty, sweet or enchanting?

Elisa Mazzone is an incredible illustrator who is reponsible for the amazing works featured today. They remind me of fashion shots but are softened with the use of pencil, fabrics, and dreamy watercolour washes. 

Elisa is an illustrator and designer from Adelaide. Her work has been featured in Sumptuous magazine, Next magazine, Cupcake* magazine, Once Upon Sydney, DisBand Sydney, and SALA. 

Want to own some of this goodness for yourself, you can contact her via her website, and her pieces will be available on Leeloo soon.

Enjoy!

Illustration... {Book Worm}

I thought this post from etsy's blog, was fascinating.  The job of an illustrator must be a tough one. They must take the vision of the author, the sales focus of the publisher and the meaning of the book and create something that is both eye catching, and representative of the above parties. 

Coralie Bickford Smith

I have a list of favorite authors but would be hard pressed to create a list of illustrators.  Its a shame because the cover is the first thing you think of when someone mentions a book you've read.  I would even go as far to say that if I don't know the author I will choose books based on the cover illustration and the title first, and the blurb second.  The blurb is the defining factor in the choice but I wouldn't even pick up a book if the cover doesn't look to be 'my taste'.  It got me thinking of the under appreciated role of illustrators.  And in my  research I discovered that Quentin Blake (the one illustrator I can name, due to his quintessential partnership with Roald Dahl) is working to change all this with the founding of the House of Illustration in the UK.

Roberto De Vicq de Cumptich

So today in celebration of that we pay homage to the book illustrator!!
Have an Illustrous week!!!

David Drummond

 
Please let me know if you think of any more talented illustrators (especially those from the Southern Hemisphere) you think I should check out! Thanks

Images 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6,

These blog's:  'The Book Cover Archive' & 'Book Covers Anonymous', are both about fabulous cover illustrations if you fancy seeing more!

Huffer {Friday Finds}

Whenever I go home back to NZ I stop into the surf and skate shops and stock up on Huffer tees and hoodies.  But Huffer is offers more than the funky tees made world famous by Orlando Bloom, they have an awesome fresh take on street fashion.  I've been prowling their website and have seen lots of bits that I want...
like these:

Looks like tights and skinny jeans will be a must have again this winter!

To see more, and to shop (they now ship internationally YAY!) visit the website

In the Beginning {art hist 101)

1. Venus of Willendorf approx 22'000 - 21'000 BC

In the beginning we made art.
It was as intricate and beautiful and spiritual as any art done since...

2. Cueva de las Manos (Spanish for Cave of the Hands) in the Santa Cruz province in Argentina

3. Painting of a Horse from the Lascaux caves in France Approx dated to 15'000 BC

Wanna know more, try links below, or read the very interesting 'How Art Made the World' by Nigel Spivey

Have a great week!!

Images: 1, 2, 3

Rainbow Bright {Friday Finds}

I've been inspired by the rainbow joy I've recently noticed around.  First there was this cake (freak'n amazing), then there was Squint Ltd's range of eccentrically elegant home wears featured at decor8. 

For my sisters birthday I had to get her this ring (ain't it awesome!) by Elle F Bijouxand (find her here)

And now I've stumbled across these cute but elegant works by Kathy Panton on etsy.  Pretty enough for any room of the house, weather it be nursery, office or living space.

By the Water Print

Balloons or Trees You Tell Me Print

Ice cream Print

Hope you enjoy!
Have a great Weekend!

Eating Air {book worm}

I've just finished Eating Air by Pauline Melville

It is a beautiful book. The story follows the a small group who shared an apartment in the 70's. There were the revolutionaries fighting to over throw capitalism, and the dancer, Ella and her husband, the untamable wanderer Donny, who lived above them. Thirty years on the narrator unveils the fortunes and tragedies their dreams, beliefs and actions have brought about... But its not the story as such that resonates when the book is finished - its the poetically breathtaking descriptions that pull the story out of the confines of revolution, reaction, and terrorism (with it's lust and greed and hope and ideology), and into the realm of beauty and magic that can be found in the mundane, the sublime and the tragic moments of humanity.

Read it. Quite simply it is a beautiful book.

Spreading the Love!

Have you come across Brusse yet? 

It is art that makes me  laugh out loud!

His street art in particular is about "Creating an interaction between people and love represented by objects, words or paintings on the streets, in order to make people thing and rethink their relationships, their own situation and love itself ".

Imagine walking past this on the way to work! It would make my day? Would it make yours?

See more, read his manifesto or even buy his prints... I think the book would make a fun tongue and cheek wedding gift!

Have an inspired week!!

*K*