dear ada

jean arnold.

What I'm particularly liking about these abstract paintings by jean arnold is their color palettes. There's a freshness and energy about them that draws me in and keeps me paying attention. I find myself thinking of citrus flavors, warm breezes and a buoyant mood when I look at these. And I'm always up for anything that feels that good!

irene suchocki

I'm really liking the colors and blurry warmth of these photographs by irene suchocki. Moody and veiled they have a nostalgic reverence about them that happily steers clear of preciousness. Plus they remind me that summer is coming (supposedly) and I'm always up for a little hope expressed beautifully!

bryan hopkins.

I like the structures and textures of these ceramic pieces by bryan hopkins. They remind me a bit of buildings before and after they've been finished. We see the bones and the external surfaces here, inside and outside revealed. Simple and lovely.

tal r.

I'm loving this bold, rough painting and crisp, energetic print by tal r. The color palettes are fabulous and I love the patterning of the compositions. There's an exuberance in these pieces like the deeper story is pushing to get out of the page. I'm intrigued by their apparent playfulness, layered on top of what seems to be a more serious view. I love that.

tod muehling.

I'm feeling in the mood for some glamourous perfection so who better to fill that need than todd muehling for nymphenburg? I mean come on, does porcelain get more delicate or beautiful or fantastic than this? This stuff just makes me so happy, that it's even made in the first place and of course, how it looks and feels. Modern, organic, bold and precise at the end of the day it's just so pretty, pretty, pretty, pure and simple!

elaine pamphilon.

Aren't these paintings by elaine pamphilon charming. I love the rawness of the hand used to depict these everyday scenes of birds on a boat and a view of a town. Ordinary celebrated. I love that.

Thanks to indigo alison for the original link.

isabelle scurry chapman.

I'm liking these small mixed media pieces by isabelle scurry chapman an awful lot. Sacred, intimate shelters, decorative and reverent at the same time. These lovely pieces make me want to build something like this in my backyard, quiet, private and safe, and in the absence of that in the immediate future, at least imagine I could do so at some point. I like it when art reminds me of the possibilities in life, especially in such a pleasing and contemplative way.

lisa sanditz.

I like the roughness and worry in these paintings by lisa sanditz. To clarify I mean the way that they are painted rather than their intent. Paint pushed around, layered on top, raw and unfinessed. I love the tension of that technique juxtaposed with the almost delicate and pretty subject matter, chandeliers, fields of flowers, interior spaces. "What's going on here?", I find myself wondering, which is always a great feeling. Curiosity, a bit of confusion and skilled technique always add up to art I want to know more about. And these terrific examples are certainly no exception.

claude schmitz.

One thing I've learned in writing dear ada is that I love jewelry. Not necessarily to wear, but most definitely as sculptures, small treasures of craft and storytelling. These wonderful brooches by claude schmitz are two shining examples of that very thing. Modern and beautifully edited to their purest state, they have an elegance and simplicity that belies their complex crafting. Plus the color combinations and mix of materials are remarkable. Yum, yum indeed.

the infinite library.

What is it about altered books that moves me so much? I don't know why but the very idea of it, of taking an existing book, one made for a particular purpose and then changing it, adding to it, removing from it, deconstructing it and then reconstructing it, in a different order or with another book, all of it just makes my heart sing. Which is why I'm so very beside myself with joy about the the infinite library project. Not only is it all the things I described above, but the results are so stunningly beautiful that it brings tears to my eyes. It just doesn't get better than this as far as I'm concerned.

Original link via i heart photograph.

valeria nascimento.

Textures, layers and geometries are all subjects that are being nicely explored here in the ceramics of valeria nascimento. I'm really loving their compositions and forms so reminiscent of botanical and sea shell patterns as well the tight, simple color palette (mostly white, a little black) that expresses them. Just lovely.

holly farrell.

I really like these paintings by holly farrell. Beautifully crafted, there's a lovely dryness and distance to the objects even as they're being realistically depicted. And the ordinary subject matter reminds us nicely that there is beauty in the everyday things that surround us.

kareem iliya.

I love the simplicity and elegance of these illustrations by kareem iliya. Their skillful mastery of the watercolor medium, fresh compositions and amazing color make the heart skip a beat or two. I'm of course loving these botanical studies especially but the rest of his mostly fashion focused portfolio is a sight to behold in it's own right. Fabulous definitely abounds here!

audrey corregan.

Yikes, these photographs of birds, shot from behind by audrey corregan are absolutely breathtaking. We're so used to seeing images of birds from the front, animated with faces and personality. But seen from this vantage point we're forced to focus on the amazing texture and layering of their feathers and forms. Such beauty is quite humbling really.

Original link via the lovely grijs.

yuko yamamoto.

Aren't these simple paper illustrations by yuko yamamoto fantastic? I love the flatness of them as well as the yummy, subdued color palettes. Very nice, yes indeed.

pamela dimauro.

I love these etching and aquatint prints from pamela dimauro. Their line work and the soft burnished feel are so indicative of this wonderful medium. The drawing skill it takes to create such beautiful depictions of flowers and plant forms is remarkable, especially using traditional printmaking techniques. And the warm, rich color palettes are as lovely as the already beautiful compositions. I love, love, love these.

Thanks to cherry coloured for the original happy link!

jenny mendes.

I'm liking these funny ceramic sculptures by jenny mendes very much. Whimsical, colorful and nicely crafted, they have a playful, joyful spirit about them that's always welcome in my day. They remind me a bit of the spirit of the recently rereleased toys by alexander girard. So very playful and fun!

gemma draper.

These brooches by gemma draper are made from wood, bone and semi precious stones. I love how blunt and primal they are, driven in great part by the materials they're made from. But it's more than that too. Nothing is too pretty or fussy here, resulting in a unique and very powerful beauty. I'd love to hold one of these pieces in my hand for some reason. Amazing!

frederick hayes.

I'm loving these simple, graphite studies by frederick hayes. Cityscapes, architecture, geometry. They're modern and powerful in their narrow scope in both subject matter and medium, and oh so pleasing to view because of it. Love them!

michael brennand-wood.

A few weeks back I posted about michael brennand-wood who's layered assemblages and 3 dimensional forms make the heart sing. Well since then he's launched his own site where there's plenty more where that comes from. Enjoy!