Artwork of the Week: Ocean Abstract

Ocean Abstract by Gao Cheng

ink on paper, 54.3 x 54.3 x 3.9"

$4000 from Saatchi Art

It's rained for three days straight. Three days cooped up in a house at the beach with an 18 month old has tested all of our mettle. We went to the aquarium. Two days in a row. We've watched more episodes of Curious George and Peppa Pig than I can count. We made a blanket fort (that Graham promptly tore down) and splashed in the puddles outside (until he got down on his hands and knees to lap up the dirty water). Hopefully tomorrow will be brighter. And drier. And outside! 

You can see more work from Chinese artist Gao Cheng on saatchiart.com/gaocheng

- Cathleen 

[Image via booooooom]

More Cool Movie Posters

Since I posted about movie posters a few weeks ago, I thought I would follow up with some more. These aren't actual posters for movies, but rather a marketing campaign for a company called Minke. As far as I can tell, they provide graphic and printing services from stationary and screen printing to bookbinding.

The images are very abstract and would be hard to guess the movies without the titles to go along with them.

-Brian

Artwork of the Week: Kew Cacti House

Kew Cacti House by Alicia Galer

oil pastel, acrylic paint, watercolor pencil on paper, 41 x 29 cm, 2013

Bad news. I'm pretty sure my Venus Flytrap is no longer with us. The traps are turning black and dropping off like...well, you know. I even hand fed it a dead bug I found on our windowsill last week. I don't do that for just anyone. I'm thinking I might have to invest in some hard to kill cacti instead. These do look pretty nice. 

Alicia Galer's work is available for purchase through thegardenedit.com and you can see more of her art on her website aliciagaler.com

- Cathleen

Mast Brothers

So, I know Christmas is pretty long past for most people, but Dan and I just finished enjoying one of his presents the other day. This year, like most other years, he found a couple of Mast Brothers chocolate bars in his stocking (from me) and we were both super excited.

Mast Brothers chocolate is one of my favorite things in life, combining chocolate with little else, wrapped in gold foil and then again in gorgeous Italian paper. Each bar has its own beautiful design printed on the paper and I often have difficulty picking the bars for their flavors as opposed to their wrapping. (I'm one of those people that do judge books by their covers.) A friend of mine has been to their location in NY and got to witness the wrapping of the chocolate bars. That image has haunted me ever since and I'm pretty sure it might be my dream job.

Apart from the aesthetics, the chocolate is amazing. Mast Brothers source from small cacao farms around the world and then they do the rest: sorting, roasting, winnowing, stone grinding, aging and tempering. The result is an amazing bar that usually has four ingredients or less: our Christmas bars had cacao, cane sugar, black truffles, and sea salt in one and cacao, cane sugar, and sea salt in the other. And they were incredible! So, new project for Swings and Arrows readers: try Mast Brothers chocolate as soon as possible!

Have a sweet weekend!

-Alissa

Artwork of the Week: System of Space 1

System of Space 1 by Alexander Kori Girard

Gouache on paper, 30 x 23 in, 2010 

This guy paints and draws some pretty cool stuff. And also makes some pretty trippy videos out of felt (!). 

Oh! And he's the grandson of famous print designer Alexander Girard, friend and colleague of slightly more famous Charles and Ray Eames.

You can see more cool work by the next generation of Girard on his website alexanderkorigirard.com

- Cathleen 

Artist of the Week: Aimee Baldwin

Scarlet Ibis -- Eudocimus ruber 2011

Aimee Baldwin is the wonder woman responsible for these fine feathered friends. Sculpted from white pellet foam, paper clay, crepe paper, paint, wire, resin, and glass taxidermy eyes, every bird is individually hand-crafted and unique. She creates lovely framed botany specimens as well. You can read more about her construction technique and see photos of all of her work on her website vegantaxidermy.com, where no plants or animals are harmed in the making of her beautiful art. Brava!

Belted Kingfisher -- Megaceryle alcyon 2011

Detail of Acorn Woodpecker -- Melanerpes formicivorus 2010

Detail of Cedar Waxwing -- Bombycilla cedrorum 2010

- Cathleen


[All photos courtesy of the artist's website & Etsy shop]

Our Christmas Tree

Since Micky and I planned extended visits with our families for Christmas this year, we decided to forgo the real 4-foot needle shedder we usually get and try something different this time around. Three-and-a-half rolls of dark and lime green wrapping paper later, this is the understated tree-ish-shaped beauty that stands before us. I spent a leisurely three or four nights covering the tallest of our book collection while watching White Christmas, Sleepless in Seattle and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation---so really, it took practically no time at all to transform our ordinary bookcase into a festive holiday display. Full disclosure: I started to run low on paper towards the end and only covered the spines of some of the smaller books, but figured as long as you couldn't see any of the cover peaking out, no one would be the wiser. Except for the people I told this to. I'm thinking of adding a string of white Christmas lights and a paper snowflake at the top, but packing for our trip and wrapping actual presents in paper has suddenly taken precedence. The only adornment that now stands is a pickle ornament I got for my birthday from Micky's mom. Whoever finds it first gets a special Christmas surprise! 

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!

- Cathleen 

Artist of the Week: Darrah Gooden

Felix Fox Print, 8.5"x 8.5"

$14 from tinyfawn on Etsy

These sweet animal portraits are reproductions of original paper collages on canvas created by artist Darrah Gooden of Dallas, TX. They remind me a lot of Eric Carle and Ezra Jack Keats illustrations; so simple and eloquent. I think they'd look perfect in a child's room or nursery, don't you? Check out more of Darrah's handiwork in her shop, Tiny Fawn on Etsy. 

Francis Bird, 8.5"x 8.5"

$14 from tinyfawn on Etsy

Ember Bunny, 8.5"x 8.5"

$14 from tinyfawn on Etsy

Linus Bear, 8.5"x 8.5"

$14 from tinyfawn on Etsy

Tito Tortoise, 8.5"x 8.5"

$14 from tinyfawn on Etsy

- Cathleen 

Artist of the Week: Elsa Mora

Paper Sculpture Miniature Bee 

$150 from elsita on Etsy

Elsa Mora is a Cuban artist who creates in multi medias. Drawing, painting, miniature books, animation, collage, assemblage, and jewelry, but her papercut and porcelain work are my favorite. She lives and works in Los Angeles, and sells some of her most delicate papercuts under Elsita on Etsy. The rest of her work, along with her occasional musings, can be found on her personal blog: elsita.typepad.com

- Cathleen

[All images from the artist's webstie: elsita.typepad.com]

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks the first anniversary of Swings & Arrows! And since the traditional first anniversary gift is paper, and the modern gift is clocks, what could be a more perfect marriage of the two than a beautiful paper cuckoo clock from hellopetie on Etsy? 

We thought that in honor of our first year in existence we'd also launch a new look for the blog today. Let us know what you think! 

Grace and I want to thank you all so much for making this such a successful first year at Swings & Arrows. We appreciate your readership and feedback more than you'll ever know—so keep coming by for a look-see and keep commenting—and we'll keep working hard to bring you beautiful things to brighten your days. 

Love, 

Cathleen & Grace

Isabelle de Borchgrave

Hello everyone! The weekend is about to kick off and I'm hoping to make it to the interesting exhibit Pret-a-Papier at the Hillwood Estate, Musuem and Garden.

Looks neat, right? 

Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchegrave has manipulated paper to replicate couture fashion of the 18th century. 

What are your plans this weekend?

See you Tuesday!

- Grace

Artist of the Week: Simon Schubert

Simon Schubert is a German artist who does lots of things, but his folded paper drawings are the most mind-boggling. I really get excited by art made from unconventional materials, and I especially like this work because the marks of these particular drawings are made without pencil or pen, but rather by folding the paper at various points to create a recognizable image that somehow doesn't end up a hot crumpled mess. Call me impressed.

- Cathleen

[Images courtesy of www.simonschubert.de]