Oh, yes! The 1980’s, unicorn-loving, rainbow obsessed teenager in me is completely in love… and I can almost smell that watermelon from here! This is a series by New York based artist Larry Mantello, titled “Sense Lusts”. At first glance, I thought they might have come directly from the pages of my pre-teen sticker book, but no, on closer inspection… they’re air fresheners! Put on some Bon Jovi and I might as well be at the drive-in. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Larry.

Perhaps it’s because we’ve been snowed in for the last three days, but oh, these paintings are calling my name! Can you smell those peonies? Ahhhh, yes. These oil paintings are the work of Stanley Bielen, a Polish painter that now lives in Philadelphia {and teaches at the Fleisher Art Memorial of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.} I do love a cozy winter fire, but oh, these have me counting the days till spring.

Leave it to a Canadian to take insane photographs of snowflakes. Yep, armed only with a camera and a black mitten, photographer Don Komarechka captures these diamonds of the sky in all of their natural glory. Here’s how…

“Some people don’t believe my images are real, and that’s when I know I’ve created something worth talking about. Of course, some people simply think I’m crazy watching me take pictures of an old mitten in a snow storm.

The entire crystal cannot be completely in focus in any one frame, so multiple images are used to put the final photograph together. 30-50 images on average are used in the creation of the snowflake photograph, though hundreds of images are taken to ensure that no slice of focus is missed. Each snowflake is shot entirely handheld, without the use of a tripod. The images are created outdoors in cold temperatures so the snowflakes do not melt, and only the freshest snow will do; Snowflakes that have been resting for even an hour will begin to lose their delicate crystalline features. Timing is everything!”

Ah-mazing.

Sigh. So dreamy. Fractured landscapes that look, to me, like delicate pastel irises. This is the work of UK based photographer Liz Orton, from Deltiologies – “a series of collages that both celebrates and challenges the tradition of landscape photography.” The images are scans of early twentieth century photochromes. This is Liz’s description of this work:

“I have categorized the postcards according to recurring motifs such as lakes, snowy peaks, waterfalls and villages. Subject and composition are endlessly repeated. My approach to this work is to disassemble and reassemble fragments, and produce new arrangements of landscape in which it is harder to locate oneself as a viewer. The circularity is unbalancing  – it disturbs the viewer’s expectation of a horizon and an expanding view. I play with the circle as a metaphor and a means to draw attention to the eye and the photographic lens, as instruments of vision.”

Stunning.

Happy Sweet ’16, everyone!

Ok, hopefully you’ve had your morning coffee, because it’s heart-on-sleeve time…

This new year feels HUGE. Full of possibilities, opportunities, new plans. Deep breath. It’s exciting and terrifying, wrapped into one sparkly package. I have more resolutions than I’ve ever had. There are lists. Lots of lists. I wasn’t going to talk about this but my fingers just keep typing, so I guess this is happening. After almost seven years of writing “The Jealous Curator”, I’ve decided that in July of 2016, when I wrap up my current design job, I will finally make the jump and take TJC from my “side project” to my “only project”… I’m not going to say “job” because I don’t see it that way. This little corner of the interweb has never felt like a “job” to me. No, not even close. It’s the place where I’ve met all of you. It allows me to share the art that I covet. It’s given me the opportunity to start a podcast and write books … which still kind of blows my mind. On top of all of that, my own artwork has improved so much, and although sharing my work has always seemed like a terrifying thing to do, this community is just so amazingly supportive, I finally feel like I can.

This is where it gets a bit scary. In the fall, my new book will be released. It’s different than the first two. No interviews like Creative Block, and more than a collection of work like Collage. This book is ten chapters. Ten chapters of me… writing. Writing about self-doubt, and inner critics, and blocks, and inspiration, and failing, and finding your tribe, and remembering the joy of just making stuff. And this is where it gets a bit meta… my inner-critic has always lived in my art studio. He has never, ever, come over to Jealous Curator land – until I started writing this book. I was writing about inner critics, and so perhaps he saw that as a fancy letterpress invitation to come on over. Anyway, he showed up. He questioned every word, every chapter title, every little f’n thing. But I kept writing. I cried a bunch of times, wanted to quit a few times, but I kept writing. Slowly but surely I was able to actually take my own advice {meta}, and by the end of it all my inner critic was kind of on my side. I don’t want to call him a friend just yet, but we’re working on it. However, as I head into this new year, this HUGE year, he has a few things to say:

You’re going to put everything you’ve got into this Jealous Curator thing? Really?! What if you fall on your face? That could totally happen.

Yeah… jerk. We may need a therapist.

So, on January 1, 2016 I’m going to take my own advice. I’m going to take a deep breath, and instead of allowing that voice to stop me from jumping, I’m going to listen carefully to what it’s nattering on about and translate it… ok, so what if I do “fall on my face”? First of all, what does that even mean? Am I worried about failing? Failing so epically that I will fall on my face and just stay down there for the rest of my life? Well that’s dumb. “Failing” just means you tried something and it didn’t work the way you thought it would, so you get back up and you try it again in another way. If I “fall on my face”, well then, I guess I’ll just get back up and go again. Hm, that doesn’t sound too bad. And besides, the only way I could truly fail, would be if I chickened out and didn’t make this jump… this jump that I should have made a long time ago.

Exhale. So there you have it. Everything out. Shared. Ready {ish} for the new year. I hope your year is filled with exciting/terrifying challenges too… I’ll see you out there! xo  Oh, and ps. the full year, 12 unblocking projects from 2015, can all be found right here if you want to do them again, or try them for the first time. Have fun!

*Art by Trey Speegle

Yes. This is exactly what I hope the next two weeks looks like! This is the decadent work {acrylic and enamel on panel} of American artist Lori Larusso. I wrote about her “shapes” series way back in 2013, but when I found these vintage treats I knew they were the perfect way to say farewell to 2015! And with that, I’m off to eat sugary treats and drink warm beverages with my little family, and I hope you’ll be doing the same… I’ll meet you right back here in January. Have a wonderful, restful, creative, cake-filled holiday ~ danielle xo

ps. So, I’ve decided to make one quick collage every day over the holidays {I’ll post some of them – good or bad – on Instagram}. I’ve never given myself a daily challenge before, and I think it’s finally time. Wanna do it too? 

Yep! It’s a mini pre-holiday episode of Art For Your Ear… the perfect way to wrap up 2015, yes? My plan for this podcast has always been to ask artists questions that the art history books just don’t cover, so, I asked twelve artists to tell me about “the best gift they ever got”… see, I bet the art history books won’t tell you about that! There are a bunch of hilarious childhood Christmas presents, incredibly thoughtful birthday gifts, and even a good report card gift in there too. Have a listen right up there under Jessica Brilli’s “Nova in the Snow”, or you can subscribe on iTunes.

And in case you don’t listen {why aren’t you listening!?}, I’m going to take a moment to get a little sappy. I want to say thank you so much to all of you for not only reading the blog, but also indulging me earlier this year when I decided to try this podcast thing. I was really nervous about it, and wasn’t sure if it would be right for me… but now I’m obsessed! Part of that obsession is thanks to all of you and your insane enthusiasm / support! I’ve received lovely messages from so many of you – stories about listening while you work in your studio, run errands, make dinner, exercise. I get heartfelt emails about episodes that hit a nerve with you, and got you fired up to get back into the studio. It makes me so happy… so happy, in fact, that I’m able to put my phone anxiety on the back burner while I make the next call.

AND, thank you so much to all of the artists who say yes! Yes to evening Skype calls {sometimes with alcohol}, yes to answering all of my crazy fan-girl questions, and yes to the speed round! I appreciate it so, so much. xo

Finally, one more thank you… thank you to Saatchi Art for being so amazing. Before I launched the podcast – before even I knew what it would be like/sound like – I called the lovely folks at Saatchi Art in LA and asked if they’d sponsor the first episode. You never know, right? They might say yes? Well, they didn’t even hesitate! And it has gone long past the first episode – they’ve been supporting me since the beginning. See? Amazing.

Ok. I’m finished typing now. Have a listen to “the best gift ever”, and I’ll be back with more episodes of Art For Your Ear in early January … Happy Holidays! xo

{The twelve artists in this episode: Kelly Puissegur  /  Tiffanie Turner  /  Jessica Brilli  /  Jaime Derringer  /  Stephanie Vovas  / Bobbie Burgers  /  Sidney Pink  /  Debra Broz  / Michelle Kohanzo  /  Jessica Bell  /  Martha Rich  /  Esther Pearl Watson }

Just a gaggle of paint-covered gals… ah, I love what happens when found images and paint come together… so weirdly wonderful! All of these candy-hued pieces are from a series titled,“Forgetting is so long”, by Denver based artist Daisy Patton… another of the talented artists that I chose for Fresh Paint Magazine, December Issue. Love.

Be still my still-life loving heart! This is the beyond lovely work of California based painter Stephanie London. Ceramic birds, coral, funny little animals holding roses in their mouth… sigh… and her color palette. Oh, so gorgeous. I can almost smell my grandmother’s powdery perfume.

{Her oil paintings are available through Kathryn Markel Fine Arts: NYC & Bridgehampton, NY}

Mysterious, elegant, and just the right amount of odd. This is the mixed media work of Netherlands based artist Dorris Vooijs. She is one of the artists I chose when I curated the December issue of Fresh Paint Magazine… I’m sure you can see why!