BEAUTY: Painting--David Palmer

These floral still lives by artist David Palmer walk a great line between Impressionism and Pop Art...the colors are wonderful! And I love the rough color fields behind the blossoms.

Visit his site to buy originals or prints!
https://davidpalmerstudio.com/index.html

BEAUTY: Clothing--Wooyoungmi

Youngmi Woo said she was thinking of a return to elegance both externally as well as internally when she created her Wooyoungmi FW '25-'26 collection shown at Paris Fashion Week. She thinks the world has lost its, how I interpret her remarks, state of individual self-respect. And I must agree with her. To live a life of self-respect, of elegance, means to slow down, and to value oneself enough to live with grace and gentility.

As I say at the beginning of every fashion season, I look forward to seeing how designers take an inspiration, an idea--sometimes an abstract or complex idea--and manifest it within their medium. Like any artist. And here, this state of elegance manifested itself in beautifully tailored suiting (look at those nipped waists) adorned with flowers as a brooch, but in the same suiting material (or leather!). An elegant statement, indeed. Florals and botanicals floated through the rest of the collection. But in the grand scheme of things, the clothing is unimportant... it is the inner state of wanting to make life--yours and the world around you--as good as it can be that will heal the world.

https://en.wooyoungmi.com/

Happy Thanksgiving 2024!

Once again, we find ourselves approaching a holiday season with uncertainty in our nation and indeed, the world. Such challenges make us look to what we have in our own lives, close to us, and cherish those people, things, and places even more. On this holiday of gratitude, let's give thanks for the things that make us good, strong, honorable, and loving human beings. Let's give thanks to the people who bring light and calm and love to our lives and to the world. Let's give thanks for the generous actions and goodwill in our lives--whether done by others or ourselves--that strengthen the fabric of humanism and the choices to unite, protect, and find value in this existence, and which can combat the turbulence, pain, uncertainty, and darkness. Hold dear these things and live up to these ideals for which we are grateful. Let's find value in ourselves and others, and express this gratitude in our intentions, deeds, and words. Let's be grateful for the value of the human experience, love, and life itself.

Floral arrangement and table setting by Holly Chapple

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

BEAUTY: Watercolor For Easter--Lucy at Craftberry Bush

For Easter, I am inspired by these lyrical hand-painted watercolor florals on craft eggs, created by Lucy over at Craftberry Bush. I love the way the loose, watery medium works on an unexpected surface like an egg.

https://www.craftberrybush.com/2021/03/watercolor-flowers-hand-painted-easter-eggs.html

BEAUTY: Painting--Sonal Nathwani

Sonal Nathwani is a talented painter but it's her casual, daily "sketchbooks" that she shares on her Instagram account that make me gasp. Her use of saturated colors for backgrounds is unexpected. And of course I love her visceral technique which looks to be a cross between Impressionism and Mark Making. It fits nicely with her subject matter which is so gloriously alive and ephemeral. Her instinctive motions with oil pastels mirror the whole dripping bosky redolent messy sticky tumbling living moist cornucopia that swells, bursts, and fades away.

She sells original pieces on her site!
https://www.sonalnathwani.com/

BEAUTY: Painting--Joanne Hastie

I am loving the loose, painterly, Matisse-like still lives of Joanne Hastie. Gorgeous color palette.

https://joannehastie.com/

BEAUTY: Art--Yellena James

I love these highly satisfying images of imaginary botanicals by artist and illustrator Yellena James.

"My latest works further explore the intricate and delicate forms of an imaginary ecosystem, twisting and floating together in an alluring environment. I attempt to create an ethereal place which is hypnotically familiar and yet hauntingly exotic, adding tiny little details in a sort of compulsive meditation, until a perfect balance is created. The intricacy and high detail, along with hints of existing organic shapes lend to the intimacy and believability of each new world."

Yes.

Top to bottom: Avid; Biome; Dulcet; Entice; Glimpse; Maze; Scatter; Spore; Thistle; Vestige

https://yellena.com/

BEAUTY: Painting--Nathaniel Galka

The bosky, fecund images in Nathaniel Galka's oil paintings are gorgeous and satisfying. Look for the little mice...

Top to bottom: a curious thing; dancing in the dappled light; grooving on a lemon branch; it is a playground to us; loves full circle; my lover found me in the grasses; under the willow

https://nathanielgalka.com/