golden light

I've finally surrendered to fall...I never thought I would get tired of summer dressing, but I always find that fashion gives way to function in the warmer months of the year. Besides, I miss my sweaters. I'm so not ready to bundle up though; on the contrary, I'm very much a fan of Rachel Comey's approach to fall. Instead of designing just another black-brown-and-red collection full of leathers and cashmere, she "wanted it to feel lighter." And her fall collection is basically the definition of what I want my autumn to look like. I'm looking to retain the bohemian spirit that pervades my sartorial sensibilities in the summer (i.e. fringe, crochet, chunky shoes) while polishing up a little bit and incorporating richer, warmer textures. And I want wear more neutrals. Basically, I want to dress like Abby Lee Kershaw if she was a wood nymph who attended Harvard. Thank you Rachel Comey:









And more fall inspiration:

1. Mimi Parent 2. Louis Vuitton F/W11 3. Dance Class, Edgar Degas 4. Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (my bangs IDOL) 5. random celestial watercolor 6. J.Crew ad 7. Dior by John Galliano Couture show 8. Pablo Picasso and Brigitte Bardot 9. un petit lapin blanc sous un arbre paillettes, de vi.sualize.us 10. Lissy Elle photography 11. J.L. Stanley poem, random Tumblr 12. Bar at the Folies-Bergere, Edouard Manet 13. Natasha Poly photographed by Willy Vanderperre for AnOther, 2008

paper cuts

I've really been loving the local art scene lately, and now that it's summer, I've been using a lot of my extra time to check out some new exhibits and learn about new artists! My two favorite discoveries so far are Whiting Tennis (more on him later) and the amazing Nikki McClure. Nikki does incredible paper cutouts that I fell in love with from the very first time I saw them - and she's based in Olympia! They're exquisitely detailed, and convey more depth, emotion, and feeling then one would think is possible to gain from a piece of paper. I love how she uses the dramatic contrast of black paper on a light background to add import to an otherwise simple scene, like an egg resting in a nest or a woman working in the garden. I'm definitely going to get a poster or two for my walls, and maybe one of her beautiful calendars too!
Some of my favorite images:




So.beautiful.
Urban Outfitters is also carrying this Nikki McClure notebook - this might just be my journal for summer 2010!

P.S. Thank you Nikki for permission to use your images in this post!

like ivy, we grow where there is room for us.

Miranda July is currently my favorite artist.

I like her because of her multimedia work and whimsical, cheeky sense of design. One of my favorite visual art installations of hers is Eleven Heavy Things at the 2009 Venice Biennale (which you can see more of in "her eyes are a blue million miles", lovely video from Lula Magazine). I love the interactive nature of the exhibit:


She also makes films (including the Sundance-and-Cannes award winning film Me and You and Everyone We Know), and I especially love her short piece Are You the Favorite Person of Anybody?

Makes you think.

She even writes! I'm dying to get my hands on her book of short stories:


Even her websites are creative. See here and here for proof.

splashy

aaaaand what I wish I could have on my wall:

you can't be everything at once by Laura Merrett

inky fingers

Lately I've been on the lookout for a simple, colorful, joyful print to greet me each morning as I wake up. My wall decor right now is limited to a hodgepodge of magazine clippings, prayer flags, postcards, coarkboards, and homemade butterflies...I'd like to add some real, grown-up art that lends some authority to my homey but cluttered room. Some finalists in my search...

from charmingwall.com

from the unfortunately named but very talented Etsy seller iheartpugs:


and finally, some favorites from Etsy seller GollyBard...I love the simple way they seem to capture a feeling.

she's a full-on Monet

When I was very little, a relative gave me this book:

...and a life-long love affair with the paintings of Claude Monet began. I remember didn't like the character of Linnea all that much (probably because she looks like a Cabbage-Patch Kid), but I remember being extremely jealous of her. I wanted to explore Monet's garden, too! Before I ever even understood what Paris was, I already knew that I wanted to live in Giverny.

I adore his romanticized women in elegant gowns, always out walking and drinking in the scenery...and the parasols!



And of course, the garden scenes. Walking across this bridge would be the culmination of my lifelong obsession with his Japanese bridge paintings.


I'm fairly certain that early exposure to this picture is responsible for my preference for waterlillies over all other flowers, too.

I think I'll go take a walk and pretend that the park is full of poppies...