GOTTA HAVE IT

 print by matthew kavan brooks for society6 that i must, that i will, that i need to own. 

can also purchase via urban outfitters right here.   

Loving These .....

Can't get artist Shonna Heath's set designs out of my head .... they are so magical - I just want to climb in and stay awhile ...

**  My little brother is currently in Guam (and thankfully safe & sound) but my heart goes out to all those with family and friends in Japan right now. An easy way to help out is by texting: REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.

The greatest secrets are always hidden

I've been having a no-good-very-bad week so far. And then I happened upon this illustration from Melbourne based designer Amy Borrell, and it made me feel, as the little girl in The Sound of Music says in her sweet little British accent, much much bettah.

Loving these ...

"Moon Games" photographs taken by landscape astrophotographer and astronomy journalist Laurent Laveder.  Laveder's photographs have appeared on NASA sites and international astronomy magazines, and he is part of an international collective of astronomy photographers called The World At Night.  (Um, I'd like to be a part of this too please) His recent project, "Moon Games", has recently been published as a small book in France and reminds me a lot of a favorite childhood book of mine, The Little Prince, who lived on an asteroid moon himself. To check out more of his photography, you can go to Laveder's website. I can't wait until there is a full moon again so I can go out and try this!

Maira Kalman: An Artist

The fantastical Ms. Lily told me about an incredible artist a while back, and I can't believe I've waited this long to share her with you!


Maira Kalman was born in 1949 and is an American illustrator, author, artist, and designer. Born in Tel Aviv, Kalman came to New York City with her family at age 4. Ms. Kalman has authored a series of children's books about Max Stravinsky, the poet-dog. She has done several covers for The New Yorker, including an iconic one she did with Rick Meyerowitz called New Yorkistan. She also created the sets for the Mark Morris Dance Group production of Four Saints in Three Acts, an opera by Virgil Thompson and Gertrude Stein. Kalman is also known for her illustrations for the 2005 edition of the popular guide to writing style, The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White.

Maira Kalman wrote the monthly illustrated blog The Principles of Uncertainty for The New York Times for one year, ending in April 2007. The blog was published in a book of the same title, which was released in 2007 to critical acclaim. Kalman started a new illustrated blog in the New York Times on January 30, 2009. The first entry chronicled her visit to Washington, D.C. for President Barack Obama's inauguration.


Here is some of her recent artwork she did for an article in the New York Times called Time Wastes Too Fast where Maira takes her first trip to to Thomas Jefferson's house, Monticello, in Virgina. She writes and illustrates her trip so beautifully, you feel like you are right there with her. Enjoy!

Artist Profile: Anne Jordan

Anne Jordan grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina and now currently resides in Los Angeles. Anne is a painter, a writer, and an actor. She recently launched her new website, and I had the privilege of getting a tour of her work space as well as a quick interview! Check it out below!


What made you want to become an artist?
I never thought "I want to be an artist." That's just who I am, who I've always been. But my mom was definitely an inspiration. She has a tremendous flair for design and taught me everything I know about color. And I also have three brothers who are very artistic. I've been surrounded by art my whole life


Who are some of your favorite artists?
I love David Hockney. One of my all-time favorite books is David Hockney: A Drawing Retrospective. It's his colored pencil drawings and I can't say exactly what it is I love about them, but they definitely do it for me. I have spent hours pouring over that book. I think all of his works are created with joy, and that's what I respond to. It just seems like he has fun when he draws and paints and that's the way it should be. I keep hoping I'll run into him at Whole Foods. I also like a lot of Alice Neel's stuff, and if you're familiar with her work, you'll know I stole her ultramarine lines. She lays in her paintings with ultramarine blue. Her paintings are very psychological. I get a kick out of the nude self-portrait she did when she was in her eighties. Her breasts are drooping down to her knees. Frida Kahlo's portraits inspire me too. I think she was very daring and honest. Plus, I just love those paper scrolls she used. Balthus is an interesting artist. He did some amazing things with color. Like he'd paint a girl's skin with a grayish tint and use bright colors for her clothes, and the clothes would seem almost to glow (because of the contrast).

What inspires you?
Bookstores. A great exhibit in a museum. Someone's face. A shady street. But mostly just feeling happy. Sometimes when it's a beautiful day and I'm feeling very alive and the feeling is almost too much, I'll think: I want to paint!

For all the Los Angeles artists out there - where do you buy your art supplies?
The Blue Rooster on Vermont. They're convenient, and everything is reasonably priced, especially the canvases. The people who work there are nice. But it's a small store, and sometimes they don't have what I need so then I make the trek to Pearl on La Cienega.


To check out some more of Anne's work, please visit her website at www.annejordan.com