jojotastic | category | art of all kinds

May 22, 2013

Last Monday I had the pleasure of attending the Frieze Art Fair in New York as part of a work trip. Picture this: take a taxi ferry to Randall’s Island, disembark next to a massive Paul McCarthy balloon dog, and wander between stalls of incredible artwork for hours on end. Inside the tent was a veritable maze; each gallery set up a booth displaying thousands of original pieces of artwork, ranging from more traditional artforms like painting and photography to off-the-wall performance art. There was even a giant pizza!

by Barbara Kruger

As a designer, there as one theme throughout the entire art fair that really spoke to me: text. Vintage and pieced-together, electric and illuminated, handwritten and scratchy…I loved it all. One of my favorite booths featured the hilarious work of David Shrigley. A bit satirical and crude, his work just makes me giggle—and isn’t it nice for art to do that sometimes?

This piece by Barbara Kruger also spoke to me on a very personal level. What do you think of it?

top left: Peter Liversidge
top right: Jack Pierson

photos by Jojotastic using Instagram — follow me here!

look what i did

March 29, 2013

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art of all kinds, home decor + interiors, look what i did

Have you shopped Anthropologie’s new arrivals for home lately? During the design process, we were having a bit of an ocean-inspired nautical moment and I couldn’t help myself while designing this Love Knots wallpaper. I was totally inspired by some of my favorite knots used when climbing, but also one very sweetly tied bow! I illustrated each knot and loop by hand, then layered in watercolor washes to make it super painterly. Then I added a touch of silver metallic to define the rope because you always need a little shine!

Be sure to check out my Love Knots Wallpaper for Anthropologie here!

images via Anthropologie

pop prints from Little Things Studio

March 25, 2013

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accessories, art of all kinds

Scarves are one of my favorite accessories because I tend to dress in layers and neutrals. You could be in a totally blah outfit then bam: perk it up with a bright, punchy scarf. I especially love these handpainted silk numbers from Little Things Studio. Each print is one-of-a-kind and hand-painted by Kate Thomas in her Jackson, Mississippi studio. At $80 a pop, they’re is a great way to get a gorgeous wardrobe piece while supporting an independent artisan!

images via Little Things Studio

PS – be sure to head over to Anthology to check out my latest post and what could be the most perfect spoon rest ever!

Reina Takahashi

March 20, 2013

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art of all kinds

Reina Takahashi is a Chicago-based graphic designer who cuts paper in her spare time…but when I say she cuts paper, I mean that she slices brightly colored paper into magical little worlds. All of Reina’s pieces are cut using an Xacto knife without sketching first. That’s right, everything is free-hand. Reina started this practice at first to challenge herself; then it evolved into fun way to work that allows her the freedom to see where her piece will go. And with work inspired by everything from interesting patterns to everyday objects, Reina has plenty of inspiration from which to draw. Or should I say cut?

PS – a little bird told me she might open an shop soon… let’s keep our fingers crossed!

images via Reina Takahashi

get original

February 18, 2013

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art of all kinds, shopping + gift guides

Stop everything. Leif, one of my favorite online boutiques and purveyor of pretty much everything wonderful, has started carrying original works of art! The entire collection can be seen here and emcompasses several different media: collage, watercolor, even hand-cut paper. And, at affordable pricepoints, there are definitely some pieces that have caught my eye…

left / right

two really good things

February 12, 2013

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art of all kinds, deep thoughts, two really good things

Things get tough sometimes… or maybe you just need a gentle (or not so subtle…) reminder. It’s all going to be alright and you just have to keep going. And maybe you’ll find cookies!

links: affirmation banner from Secret Holiday & Co. / print from Marc Johns

the forest feast

January 16, 2013

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art of all kinds, foodie, recipes

I’m a huge sucker for amazing food photography. If it’s photographed well, I don’t really care what the recipe is, I’ll pin it. So imagine my glee when I came across Erin Gleesen’s blog The Forest Feast. Not only does she take mouthwatering photos of her dishes in the forests of Northern California, but she also incorporate gorgeous hand-lettering and watercolored artwork. Talk about tempting… I’m serious, this blog is a wealth of inspiration, both visually and deliciously!

recipe for sweet stuffed peppers available here
recipe for quinoa with squash, figs, and peppers available here

all images via The Forest Feast

target practice

November 30, 2012

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art of all kinds

I am loving Jennifer Davis‘ brightly colored, slightly creepy targets. Available on Etsy, each piece is hand-painted on actual targets… complete with bullet holes! I think they are pretty spot on… (I had to!)

images from Jennifer Davis. via The Jealous Curator.

rainy day love

October 26, 2012

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art of all kinds, seattle

Ohhh boy, it’s FRIDAY and I am pumped. I’m headed to Seattle today and I’m not sure I can properly express my excitement. The weather report calls for rain (of course), but I can’t help thinking of how romantic it is to kiss in the rain with droplets beating down on an umbrella. I remember the night I first arrived in Seattle and the way the air smelled. I’m looking forward to that cleansing smell, a giant bowl of udon, and maybe my first hockey game ever! What have you got planned for this weekend?

left: artist Tracey Emin via Frosted Windows
right: Pinterest {cannot find the original source!}

for a good cause

October 21, 2012

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art of all kinds

Anyone who knows me (or follows me on Instagram…) knows that I am a HUGE animal lover. So, to put it mildly, I was ecstatic over London-based illustrator Hannah Rowlands’ project — Drawing for Dogs. Essentially, for every £12 drawing you purchase, she will make a £10 donation to the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to cover things like food, toys, and blankets. The best part? You can either have a custom portrait drawn or, if you’re dog-less like me, you can get ANY dog! This is one of those everyone-wins situations.

via Design Crush

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