Year in Review - Best Contemporary Painters

I am late getting to this post, but better late than never. At the end of 2007 - which seems like only a moment ago - I published a year-end review of Best Contemporary Painters (see previous post here). This was a popular post, I received many emails asking if I would do such a retrospective again, and this post is an answer to those kind emails. Happy New Year and thank you to everyone who reads my blog! Over the next several days, I plan to present a series of reviews.

If you are here for the first time, welcome to my online gallery. I think of myself as a curator. I am obsessed by art, and adore paintings. It is my belief that art and creativity can save the world. Here I present a review of some of the Best Contemporary Painters. What is the common thread among these artists? It is simply that I adore them. Some of the artists are well known, others will be well known. Many come from a street tradition, or pop art tradition. Pop art is a fascinating genre, but it is the evolution of pop artists that fascinates me. Take Andrea Heimer, for example. She is currently working on a fascinating series called Decadence. Her current work incorporates the cute factor that is so popular, but then adds an edge. See also my series on Chick Art which incorporates creepy with cute.

I am interested in graphic, multi-media and motion. Some of the themes I like are organic or melancholy. Last year one of the artists was offended by my reference to melancholy. It is important to note that these are just my perceptions. I hope to never offend, only to show work that I find beautiful. I have no particular favorite, I love them all! They are not listed in order of importance, they appear in alphabetical order (well more or less, I was having trouble moving stuff in blogger). Without further adieu, I humbly offer my Year in Review - Best Contemporary Painters. Hope you enjoy!

Bell.

I adore Bell's work and have written about her before. This young artist is one to watch. She's a real trendsetter. She does street murals, collabs, and custom toys. I predict that one day Bell will be world famous. Make sure to check out her custom toys, here. Bell, you go girl!

Lynn Beesley.

Amy Boling.

Jennifer Davis.

Lori Early. The romantic, yearning and soulful works of Lori Early can be seen at her flickr set here, and her homepage here. I gotta thing for girls with pink hair.

Shepard FaireyShepard is probably the most influential propaganda artist our time. And I am sure he would bulk at that label. As an artist myself, I bulk at labels. So how about this? Shepard's art is relevant to our times and, blah, blah, blah. How about this? It's just fucking cool.

Eric Feng, more popularly know as Feric.

My gosh. These haunt me, when I visit Feric's site, I am transported to a parallel universe. A universe that is both primitive and futuristic. Where Buddha-like beings co-exist with and form symbiotic relationships with machine-like, organic beings. Forget all the pithy words, Feric's work is not to be missed. His motion work is a delight, and oh yeah, he designed a cool Dunny for Series 3. If you want to see it, click here.

Abbey Hendrickson.

Abbey is a young artist to watch. She has a very specific aesthetic. No matter what she puts her hand to, it turns to gold. I love her multimedia work and her installations. You must see her Susan B. Anthony installation, here. She is great at display, vignettes and decor. Her blog is a witty, eclectic, eccentric delight. Love the name - it's called Aesthetic Outburst. Indeed, that's an appropriate title for Abbey's life.

Andrea Heimer.

I've written about Andrea's work several times. I adore her pop art, but I am especially intrigued with the new direction she is taking. It fascinates me when pop artists become a little more edgy. You simply must see her new Decadence Series, here. Andrea, you go girl! Andrea's home page is here.

Irene Wood.

Koralie.

Koralie uses a myriad of influences from manga, to vintage Japanese photos. The way she interprets the things that interest her is amazing. I would love to have her work all over my home. And, oh yeah, she designed a cool Dunny, for series 5. If you want to see it, click here.

Mar Hernandez.

Mar is an exceptional talent. She creates wonderful paintings, is an exceptional graphic artist, does video and makes plush toys (link)! Her flickr set is here. Her homepage is here.

Beatriz Milhazes.

Images from picsearch. Very difficult to choose just a couple of images. If you want to go on a sublime journey, get your favorite coffee or tea and click this link.

Melissa Moss.

Congratulations to Melissa for the making Creative Influences' year in review two years in a row! I've written about Melissa's work many times. I simply adore it.

Jacqueline Myers-Cho.

Jacqueline states: "I awake every day and create. Sometimes it is art sometimes it is life." She's a beautiful creator. I adore her multi-media work. Images from her Etsy shop, here. Her home page is here. She has a wonderful blog, here.

Jeremy Stenger. I discovered Jeremy's wonderful work in the recent Elle Decor. (See previous post here.) The beautiful home designed by Jamie Drake is a perfect backdrop for this artist's work.

Gina Tolentino.

Gina paints whimsical ladies with long necks, and underwater creatures that make me insanely happy. Each time I look at her work, I am transported to a white sand beach, sipping a pina colada, and the biggest decision I have to make is whether to dye my perfectly cropped hair purple or green. Too divine! Gina's flickr set is here. Her website is here.

Monique Van Genderen.

Mary Ann Wakeley.

Scott Waterman.

Lucy Wu.

Stay tuned for more reviews and some fun changes that will be taking place! Happy New Year!

Year in Review - Best Fashion Designer

Matthew Williamson.

I adore this outfit! I do hope that is faux fur.

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year to everyone who reads my blog! Thank you for your continued support. I wish everyone peace, love, prosperity and happiness. Let's hope 2009 is the year humans lay down their arms and decide to love each other.

Stay tuned, lots of exciting things to come in 2009.

Blogging - Elle Decor

Elle Decor is one of my favorite shelter magazines, I never miss it. The editors have outdone themselves in the January/February 2009 edition! Almost every room they feature is stunning. If you are a design lover, it is simply not to be missed. The apartment featuring the work of designer Jamie Drake takes my breath away. I just can't stop staring at it.

Over the last couple of evenings, I have soaked in a bubble bath and studied every inch of this apartment. Apparently, Drake is a lover of lilac and has me thinking seriously about lilac. I want to paint my apartment lilac! Over the long New Year's weekend I plan to work on several paintings, and Drake's work will definitely be influencing mine.

The owners of this apartment are art collectors with an extraordinary eye. Drake fashioned an environment for their fabulous collection. I am in awe of the heavenly collaboration that occurred. I want to move in! Here is a peek at this beautiful apartment:

I just can't help dissecting it. Marvelous colors in the first picture. And of course, the work of glass maker extraordinaire, Joe Cariati, adds to the romance. I adore Cariati's work, I've written about his work before, see previous post here. Cariati makes me think I should collect glass rather than ceramic. Ryan McGinnis' wonderful triptych couldn't ask for a more sublime environment.

The color scheme in the second picture makes me want to put a brush to canvas immediately. Too bad I am short on supplies. That purple with the pale orange of the chair is stunning.

The dining room makes me insanely happy. I adore the combination of blue and orange. This is a fairly new combination for me, that I have been experimenting with over the past year. It's one I never thought I'd use, but now it's one of my favorites. I am so in love with Jeremy Stenger's paintings, I wish I'd painted them!

This apartment is a fascinating study in color. I adore how the color repeats throughout, so while there is a lot of color, the effect is cohesive.

There's more, so you simply must pick up the new Elle Decor. Drake's work will be influencing my creative ventures this weekend. My painting will definitely include the color lilac. I love his use of orange and blue in the dining room. Perhaps my orange and blue ceramic vases will come out of the closet. Stay tuned. And Jamie, thanks for being an inspiration!

My Apartment - For Today

I love my new lamp from Target.

I enjoy moving around accessories.







Oh dear. The new Elle Decor has me thinking about lilac.

My Apartment - The Color Scheme

My Apartment - The Influences

I love experimenting with color. Especially with color combinations I never would have imagined look great, such as blue and orange, or purple and yellow. But, after a foray into color, I always return to white.

I also adore objects, love the thrill of a vintage or second hand store or flea market. I especially love groupings of geometric, simple objects like vases. But - I also adore minimalism. So decorating is always about balance for me. Here are some photos that are influencing me today.

I adore the minimal environment of the amazing organization expert, Laura Cattano. She has created a stylish home in an inhospitable 250 square foot apartment. The apartment is temporary, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't look great while she's there. And it is a marvel of organization, and her incredible style is evident. You simply must check it out. Laura's flickr set is here, and her web page is here.

There is something romantic about being able to quickly pick up and move. I miss the days when everything I owned fit in my car. I sometimes crave the nomadic existence of my earlier years. I sometimes feel bogged down by stuff.  I adore the restrained hand that is evident in her decor. Laura made the cute, simple bookcase.

She and I have something in common - a love of white pottery. I adore the artwork made by her nephew. I'd like to frame some of nephews' artwork.

She uses Tiffany boxes for storage. Nice solution, and nice pop of color.

I adore the curtain separating the sleeping area. I'd like to do this in my home. I have to admit I really don't like the Bertoia side chair. It looks nice and airy, but I'm funny about chairs, I love them, but I think that you should actually be able to sit in them. This chair is absolute torture to sit in. Looks cute, but is not functional, and when you are an organization expert, everything should be functional.

I have a specific aesthetic when it comes to bookcases. They should be merely functional, with no detailing so as not to compete with the books or objects they are holding. I seldom see bookcases I like and have been thinking of buying industrial bookcases.  I was totally convinced that industrial shelves are the way to go when I saw Abby Clawson Low's home on Design Sponge.

They look great! I love them.  I've already professed my love for white many times. I love white rooms with a pop of yellow.

I love this kitchen! This is one of those images - you know the kind - that makes me want to redo my entire apartment! Image from Shelton, Mindel & Associates.

It may be shabby chic (which I am totally over), but... I adore this room! Love the simplicity combined with the boldness of the yellow sofa cover. Image from flicker Ramonah.  I love yellow with white, pink, silver and grey. I am on the hunt for a piece of yellow art glass.

Image from ebay. I adore Blenko decanters.  Here are some pieces I bought at the Salvation Army. I spent about $12.00.


I also bought some silver Christmas ornaments.


And - as if I needed another obsession - I recently discovered a fasination for beads. This one is my sister-in-law's fault. She made the cutest napkin ring holders for Christmas. I'm thinking of making jewelry.


These beads are a present from my lovely friend Susan. Talk about your thoughtful and perfect gifts. I just have them hanging on a wall. I love them.

These are from Pat Catan's. Not sure what I'm going to make yet.  Time to move stuff around in my apartment! The trick is to use pretty objects, but not have it look cluttered. That means somethings will go in the closet. Always a difficult choice. Stay tuned.