Tossed and Turned

On first impression this was my favorite piece.
Hanging alone on it's high perch separate from the rest of
the pieces...  Something about it was so stunning.  It
was the smallest piece, but still the most memorable. 

A new favorite artist of mine was found during the 2013 Biennale in Venice was Thierry De

Cordier.  Albeit this post is quite late, it could not be ignored any longer.  De Cordier's work is prominently dark, not just in subject matter, but in tone as well.  He uses blue ink, charcoal and other dark hued paints in order to get these deep portraits of thrashing bodies of water.  His work has been described as "both somber and hostile, at times making him the target of impromptu censorship".
He recreates these waves, icy peaks and skies in frigid, overcast tones, as if sympathetic to their coldness and severity.  I was fortunate enough to see the collection in person, and was utterly taken aback when I walked into the room.  

The space was free of other artists.  Simply devoted to De Cordier's work.
And I was extremely grateful for that.

I need him to make more pieces.

That's me, wearing God-knows-what, completely mesmerized by the artworks.

I took these close-ups to try to show the texture of the paintings, but it doesn't do it any justice.

Just a spoonful.

If you have never heard of Kina Grannis; You're Welcome.

Her sweet sweet voice melts like a spoonful of honey on your tongue.

This is just one of her may covers on youtube, so be sure to check the rest out!

Something about her simplicity, tone, mood... basically everything... just reels me into her work.

She is not only talented, but incredibly sweet -- she deserves all the recognition in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kinagrannis/videos

Drip back down the thread of time.

Chino Otsuka is a talented photographer who was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan (Holler!) before moving (and now residing) in London.  In this photo series "Imagine Finding Me", she cleverly manipulates old photographs from her pasts by adding her present imagine within them.  By doing so, she is able to create new images in which her old self and new self live together; just like time-travelling.  

"The digital process becomes a tool, almost like a time machine, as I'm embarking on the journey to where I once belonged and at the same time becoming a tourist in my own history."

The project reminds me of having a sort of guardian angel.  But in this case, you go back and guide yourself to grow into the person you are now. Her amazing attention to detail: noise, shadow, exposure etc. really helps the photographs look completely authentic.

http://chino.co.uk

Melting the World

Sunga Park, South Korean designer and illustrator creates these lovely watercolor landscapes of various cities across the world including London, Paris, Busan, Istanbul, venice and Oxford.  These paintings are stunning in numerous manners; obviously aesthetically brilliant but also in a more resounding way.  One looks at each of these pieces and feels a lost memory, something everyone can relate to.  Something you wish you could remember perfectly, but is hazy with a few lines of details that you cannot shake.  The creation of a memory is a beautiful thing in and of it self, but I feel that Park truly captures these moments on paper.  I wish she could do a time-lapse of making these pieces, and truly save the movement and flow of a memory.

The Power of Empathy

This powerful short helps us understand the difference between "empathy" and "sympathy".  These words often get misused and miscommunicated in our daily lives.  The animation encompasses the two words in a simple, clear manner and allows the audience to truly understand (and enjoy) the power of empathy as opposed to sympathy. 

"Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuine empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our own fragilities." 

Voice: Dr Brené Brown

Animation: Katy Davis (AKA Gobblynne) www.gobblynne.com

Floating Underwater

We all remember the glorious Japanese artist who painted photorealistic goldfish -- not on a canvas, but literally within the folds of their natural habitat.  

Well the impressive technique continues to thrive under Boston-based artist Jessica Dunegan's very talented hand.  "Working with epoxy resin, poured in layers with acrylic paint, the artist's creations are almost sculptural works of art as the pigments are encased within different levels of the translucent material." via MyModernMet

月

to the moon

Art thou pale for weariness

Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth,

Wandering companionless

Among the stars that have a different birth,

And ever changing, like a Joyless eye

     That finds no object worth its constancy?

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) 

Photography: Klaus Kampert