Paper. PAPER! I wrote about LA based artist Huntz Liu almost exactly one year ago to the day. Well, he’s been busy since then! Oh so many stunning, beautifully cut, colorful layers. Sigh. He’s part of a gorgeous two-person show with Michelle Benoit, titled “Dive In”, at the Muriel Guepin Gallery in New York. It opens this Friday, January 6th and runs until February 11th… so if you’re in New York, go look at those lovely layers in person! ps. Huntz will be at the opening, all the way from LA.

I am totally in love, and a tiny bit scared. These pieces, from a series titled “Dolly”, are the work of Vancouver based artist Andrea Hooge. Oil, ink, and handmade scratchboard on wooden cutout. Wooden cutout! That means I could have one of these weird ‘n wonderful doll heads floating on my wall! {I’m wondering if this has something to do with my “Cabbage Patch” obsession as a kid? Hm.}

* Some of her latest work, a show titled “Toy Babies”, will be showing in Vancouver at Hot Art Wet City in February… Feb 3 ~ 25th 2017

GASP! Ceramics? No. Cake frosting? No. Brace yourself, it’s OIL PAINT! Both of these stunning pieces are from a series titled “Under Heaven”, which could not be more accurate! I saw the heavenly work of Chinese artist Xu Zhen when I was at Art Basel Miami Beach last week. It took my breath away, obviously. I wanted to touch it (ok, and maybe taste it), but I controlled myself. Here’s an Instagram video I took, getting up close and personal with that circular piece…

oh. my. word. oil paint?! work by xu zhen “under heaven” #artbaselmiami #artbasel

A video posted by the jealous curator (@thejealouscurator) on Dec 1, 2016 at 1:29pm PST

Oh my word… love at first sight! Cold, forgotten places holding warm sunsets inside… Gor.Ge.Ous. This is the work {oil on linen} of Scottish artist Andrew McIntosh, AKA Mackie. If you’re going to Art Basel Miami this week, stop by the bo.lee gallery‘s exhibit {Pulse Contemporary S 107} to see some of these beauties in person. Happy Monday.

PRETTY / PECULIAR.  Oh my goodness, I could not be more excited about this show! I was invited by the Alison Milne Gallery in Toronto to co-curate an exhibition, which was ridiculously fun because, as you can see, we have a very similar taste in art. Enter “PRETTY / PECULIAR”… yep, two of my favorite things, especially when combined! Here is the curatorial statement, along with a list of the fabulous female artists who are participating:

“Beautiful and odd. Colorful and bizarre. From cashmere-covered deer to plush handguns, from enchanted landscapes to painted gloves and undergarments – the female artists featured in this exhibition create very different work, but with a very similar result. Their work is an invitation to escape into a world of the wonderfully weird. Come on in! Exhibiting artists include (order of images above: Seonna Hong, Natalie Baxter, Martha Rich, Rachel Denny, Tania Love, Tonya Corkey, Tina Berning, and Bunnie Reiss“

That’s right, the work of eight of my favorite artists all hanging in one gorgeous space at the same time. Ah-mazing! Ok, so here’s what you need to know: Dec 1 ~ Jan 7th  //  Opening Thursday Dec 1 , 7~9pm RSVP: gallery@alisonmilne.com  //  134 Osler St, Suite 3, Toronto  //  Enjoy!

Oh. My. This is the work of Scottish artist Emily Moore. Elegant compositions, stunning color choices, and delicate lines. Those branches… sigh. This is some of her work from 2014/2015 but some of her latest pieces can be seen at the Edinburgh Collage Collective Exhibition, which opens this Wednesday night, November 23rd 7~11pm. If you’re in Edinburgh… GO! More info / RSVP right here.

I could not be more proud to have one of my pieces in this beautiful show {that’s my terrarium collage at the bottom of the images, titled “with each spritz, loralee was only enabling mike’s unhealthy obsession with the recent terrarium craze”}. These are just some of the pieces that are part of The Polygon Project, a fabulous exhibition for a wonderful cause, curated by Tasmania based artist/curator Laura E. Kennedy. Not only do I have a polygon in there, but so do two women I’ve interviewed on the podcast… did you see them up there? Catherine Graffam and Amanda Brazier are part of this lovely project too! Here’s what it’s all about:

“This exhibition features over 30 incredible female artists carefully selected from all over the planet by curator Laura E. Kennedy. Each was provided with an identical “logo” shaped panel to work on and the proceeds from sales go to the wonderful Anti-Domestic Violence Charity – White Ribbon.”

See? Beyond proud to be involved with a group of women helping women! The show will be up at the Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart Tasmania until November 13th. Not in Tasmania? No problem… all of this work is available to purchase online, but hurry, because half of the work is already SOLD.

Oh my … they’re like artsy word puzzles for your eyes! Can you read them? All of these messages – some on paper, others made with wood – are the latest work from Brooklyn based artist Scott Albrecht. If you happen to be in LA you can see this work in an upcoming show, titled New Translations. It opens on November 19th at Subliminal Projects in Los Angeles and runs until January 7, 2017. RSVP for the November 19th opening reception right here.

ps. I had to share this little sneak peek into Scott’s process:

Giant diamonds and huge bottles of champagne? Yes, that’s how you do Monday! These are a few of the pieces included in a new show, titled “Stone Sober” featuring the work of South African artist Kurt Pio. This is Kurt’s first solo show in the US so I’m pretty sure he’s opening a bottle of bubbly or two! Here are a few words from the gallery:

Gallery Orange {819 Royal Street New Orleans} is proud to present Capetown artist Kurt Pio’s debut solo show in the US. Kurt’s work has been shown for years by leading edge designers and in such global magazines as Conde Nast and Elle Decoration … Gallery Orange feels a solo show is due, so we are pairing Kurt’s two bodies of work, the established gem collection and the newer champagne collection, in a one stunning show titled “Stone Sober”.

The show opens this Saturday, November 12 through November 22, 2016. An opening reception will be held on November 12th from 6:00- 9:00pm. RSVP @ info@gallery-orange.com

Portraits inspired by the old masters … but with just a touch of animal spirit guides around the edges! LOVE! This is the beautifully bizarre work {oil on linen} of New York / Philadelphia based artist Andrea Hornick. Rich backgrounds, elegant details, lovely ladies and, well, sharks. I love this description of the first piece in this post:

Madame Bonier de la Moson Luxuriates in the Protective Embodiment of Sun Bear; his Hibernation-Harnessed Fortitude Lends Her a Lack of Poise Needed to Play Diana the Huntress.

Yes.