Inspiration

Print of the Week – Lithograph by Vija Celmins

August 17, 2012

Vija Celmins‘ lithographs are absolutely captivating in person. I was lucky to see a solo show of her work a while back (in London, if I remember correctly), and seeing her meticulously detailed drawings of the ocean, views of the sky, and rocky landscapes left quite an impression on me.

The three prints I’ve featured this week are all lithographic prints of her drawings, which perfectly captures the incredible detail of her images. My favorite is “Ocean,” the first image above, which I’ve seen in person recently at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. The image feels so vast, but when I was able to look at it up close, I was completely entranced by the intricacies of her drawing. I couldn’t help but imagine the artist in her workspace, diligently hunched over her drawing, completely absorbed by her task.

Cotton & Flax visits the LA Fashion District

August 16, 2012

I made another trip to the Los Angeles fashion district, where there are blocks and blocks of fabric stores overflowing with things to delight even the most seasoned crafter. I was just picking up some small samples of some of the fabrics I’ll be using for my Fall/Winter line for Cotton & Flax, but I took a few shots of beautifully patterned fabrics with my phone to share here.

Most of the bolts of fabric were not identified by brand, but hopefully I will find some time to track down the makers of these fabrics soon.

These ones I do know… Liberty of London!

Snail Mail Saturday – Bold Shapes

August 11, 2012

Nothing complicated about this collection, I’m just loving the bold patterns and shapes in these awesome snail mail supplies. Talk about making a statement, right?!

1. Semicircle Pattern Card from Sixpenny Letterpress 2. Primary Card Set from Present and Correct 3. TO/FROM Mailing Labels from Krank Press 4. Thank You card from Yellow Owl Workshop 5. Scallop Notecards from Dozi 6. Thank You card from Type A Press

Print of the Week – Lithograph by David Hockney

August 10, 2012

David Hockney is one of my favorite artists, and his series of prints and paintings of Los Angeles, especially the ones featuring pools, are particularly delightful. I love his use of line in the lithograph above, which has the long title, “Lithographic Water Made of Lines, Crayon and Two Blue Washes Without Green Wash.” I found this print while browsing the Tate Museum archive, which is full of great works that I’ll be featuring in the future.

Snail Mail Saturday – Mail I sent this week

August 4, 2012

I kept telling you readers that I would be sharing some of my own snail mail one of these days! Well, the day is here. I sent quite a bit of snail mail this week, a handful of postcards, a few letters, and one poorly timed parking ticket penalty (whoops!)

Supplies rundown, from left: SF MOMA postcard from the Buckminster Fuller show, envelope purchased at Urbanic Paper Boutique, Bizarre Baseball Injuries postcard from Left Field Cards, parking ticket, envelope purchased from Paper Pastries.

I also sent a small handful of Pantone Postcards!

Print of the Week* – Silkscreen by Leah Goren

August 3, 2012

Love the strange forms in this “Fungi” silkscreen by Leah Goren. All her work is great, and you can see more in her shop. She makes some really fantastic clothing, as well, with some of the most interesting patterns I’ve seen lately.

*Print of the Week is becoming a regular feature on Cotton & Flax, showcasing artists working in traditional printmaking (eg: silkscreen, linocut or woodcut, lithography, etching, etc.). I’ve decided to start posting these features each Friday, as an end of the week treat. If you have a suggestion for another artist to feature, I’d love to hear them!