Art + Fashion: David Hockney

David Hockney Art
Roberto Cavalli dress
Tory Burch clutch 
Jessica Simpson pumps

I recently was introduced to the artwork by David Hockney in the April issue of Vogue.  As I have said many times before: I love color.  His landscape paintings are so vibrant and enchanting it almost feels like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland.  There are so many pieces to choose from to incorporate a fashionable set I feel like a whole collection could be created using his colors and whimsical aesthetic.  I feel that the Roberto Cavalli dress above gave the perfect illusion of a colorful, enchanting forest and the Tory Burch clutch pulls in a realistic, woody nature feel.

Hockney graduated from Bradford College of Art in 1957 and there's a wonderful timeline of his work broken down by decade on his website.  (I tried to image which painting would fit best in Megan & Don Draper's stylish apartment from the 50's and 60's sections.)

A few works from his site:
50's

Launderette, 1954


60's

Peter getting Out of Nick's Pool, 1966



Beverly Hills Housewife, 1966


70's

Beach Umbrella, 1971



A Large Diver  (Paper Pool 27), 1978



Model With Unfinished Self-Portrait, 1977


80's

Large Interior, Los Angeles, 1988



Under and Out of the Arch,  1989


90's

Garrowby Hill, 1998



Snails Space with Vari-lites, "Painting as Performance" 1995-96


00's

Early Blossom, Woldgate, 2009



More Felled Trees on Woldgate, 2008

All images via

Artist Spotlight: Cayce Zavaglia

Cayce Zavaglia's needlework embroidery pieces are some of the most beautiful, yet haunting artwork I've ever seen.  I would love to see her work in person.  I can only imagine how much more intriguing they would strike me.  A wonderful article was written about the artist and her technique in this month's  Elle Decor, which I highly recommend reading if you have a passion or interest in human expression via art and/or textile creations through needlework.  The latter is what really gets me.  I hand sew often and have been tempted lately to dive into a completely new style; a modern freestyle type of quilting.  When I came across these images in the magazine my jaw dropped.  So realistic!  And without a paintbrush used.

Cayce earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wheaton College in 1994 and Master of Fine Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO in 1998.  She got her big break in 2008 when her dealer, the New York gallery Lyons Mier, took several embroidered portraits to the PULSE art fair.  All sold in the first two hours.

Cayce was always an arts-and-crafts kid and while she studied in college said her canvases were full of "gobby" paint.  She still considers herself a painter, because it's difficult for her not to see her work as "paintings".  Her method to creating such intimate, life-like portraits employs using crewel embroidery wools, however the technique is more similar to painting or drawing.  She describes the technique as "pointillist", layering stitch over stitch.  She estimates a large work using thousands of stitches to achieve the image with 80 to 100 colors of crewel wool and takes about six to seven months to finish.  Over time she has perfected her technique to mimic her subject's exact skin tone, hair, and clothing.  Her stitches have become tighter and more complex to create this illusion sewing over and over to give depth and volume.

In her words, "Using wool instead of oils has allowed me to broaden the dialogue between portrait and process as well as propose a new definition for the word “painting”.

Images via artist's website.

Designer Profile: French Bull

How have I not known about French Bull before last week?  As a color obsessed person this is some of the cutest, most vivacious, budget-friendly dishware I've every come across.  This is a must for summer dinner parties on the patio!  Even though I seriously have no where else to store anymore dishes, tabletop accessories, or linens I will figure something out.

Ziggy Collection

This line was started in 2002 by Parson's School of Design fashion design major Jackie Shapiro.  The reintroduction of melamine dishware brought bold hues and crazy patterns while maintaining the durability that the material is known for.  After graduation Jackie spent time in Milan, Italy where she began to discover her love for graphic design with wild color and a big imagination.  Lucky for us she had the desire to create homeware products for the design conscious with an affordable price tag.  I love how even though the patterns and colors are out of this world, they can be mixed and matched with each other and somehow still look coherent.  

A montage of French Bull items I put together for you to see.

Melamine is heat resistant and shatterproof, therefore making it wonderful tabletop dishes for outside (as well as inside) dining and for children (my niece needed this when she was 2-5...she had a long toddler phase).  I especially love the Jungle Collection for kiddos - pretty sure I will be purchasing when it comes back in stock since I will have a little one of my own to feed soon.  :)  

It's funny, because I have been carrying this Built lunch tote for a year and a half now and never knew it was a line partnered with French Bull.  Do you think I look like a kid walking into a corporate building everyday? :)  I really don't care.  Since most of my workwear is black, grey, and white it actually gives my look a little punch of color daily.

A horrible picture of me carrying my lunch tote.  Florescent lighting really isn't  a good look for us, huh?  I promise my face is not that pale.

Artist Spotlight: Izak Zenou

It's weird wanting to look like a drawing, but Izak  Zenou's illustrations do just that.  When I look at his work I'm thinking, 'These girls are so freakin' pretty!  And fashionable!  And chic!"  And then I remember that it's all fictional.  It just goes to show how realistic his drawings are, yet out of reach for so many of us to emulate.

These prints would be perfect decorating a single girl's downtown condo or in an office of someone working somewhere cool like an advertising agency or magazine publishing or in a dressing room (hey! I finally made the list! :) ).

Take a look see...

Even though this is probably the girl I would most want to look like with the perfectly curled hair, bangs side-swept over one eye, chic pencil skirt ensemble and red heels to match accessorized with well-behaved dog as company (mine would be dragging the table down the sidewalk Marley-style), sipping espresso outside of a trendy cafe... 

...this is the girl I most likely resemble.  Wild, untamed hair, dark ankle booties, over-sized top with skinny bottoms (minus the calm, tiny dog).

I swear this is the outfit I'm going to wear to Bloom Garden the next time I stop in to buy flowers.  The deep v-neck that draws the eye in even more as a resting spot for sunglasses, shortie flower shorts, bangles, scarf and red pouty lips are such a far cry from my usual running shorts, sports bra, Mossimo tank top and Asics look.  Hmmm, yeah right, like I could pull this off in Tampa.  Possibly if I were in the Hamptons or Paris...

 About the artist:

Izak Zenou started his fashion illustration career in 1992 after working as a stylist.  He was born in France and now resides in New York where he creates campaign visuals for fashion specialty stores HENRI BENDEL of New York, FRANK ET FILS of Paris, and Le Printemps of Tokoyo.  His clients include Celine, whom he created a series of sellout scarves for; Guerlain, which featured his work on a limited-edition Valentine's fragrance; and La Samaritaine, the well-known department store where his window displays show engaging scenes of Paris.  Other clients include Lancome, Chanel, Lilly Pulitzer, Bravo, Calypso and the list goes on.  He has also collaborated on many books including Billy Joel's "A New York State of Mind."

Izak Zenou sells a line of stationary at Expressionary.com that is adorable!!  I want to plan a friend's birthday party, engagement party, shower or whatever just for a reason to mail these note cards and invitations.

See great scarves & other fab items he creates for Henri Bendel. 

Many more of Izak's work found here.

Self portrait

Sunflower State of Mind - Artist Spotlight: Jim Richardson

With one of my nieces going to her first day of school yesterday, my nephew starting on Thursday, and hearing the news of my grandfather's declining health diagnosis I'm yearning to be in Kansas with my people.  Most probably think Kansas could have the flattest, most unattractive terrain in the country.  I just think there is a likely chance they haven't been exposed to the goodness of the state.

See for yourself...



Something that always truly signified that summer was upon us as a child was fireflies.  I absolutely love this image.  Fireflies don't inhabit Florida unfortunately and I miss their cuteness each May.

Night-Lights
Jim Richardson

An aerial photograph over the Flint Hills.  You would think this was Ireland or Scotland, right?

Natural Tenacity
Jim Richardson

The glittering banner of the Milky Way seen amidst stars shining above the prairie.

Beyond the Heavens
Jim Richardson

Cattle grazing in the Flint Hills.

Jim Richardson

 Photograph of goldenrod late in the summer after Kansas winds have spread the seed through the air.

Quilted Color
Jim Richardson



Just moments before sunset over the rolling hills of the Konza Prairie Preserve. 

That Golden Time of Day
Jim Richardson



Waves aren't only in the sea...waves of the midwest exist too. 

Jim Richardson



A wacky rock formation.

Jim Richardson

Cowboys burn off the winter burden of dried grass to allow new spring growth.

Jim Richardson

 Autumn colors...after the green summer, before the white winter.

Marking Time
Jim Richardson

Cowboys anticipating a storm.

Jim Richardson

 

Sunflowers reaching for the blue skies.

Jim Richardson

 Wall of cloud over the plains. 

Jim Richardson





 Jim Richardson is a photographer for National Geographic Magazine and a contributing editor to its sister publication TRAVELER Magazine.  He grew up in Kansas and chooses to photograph the most central state of America to try show that our state can be just as beautiful and mystifying as all the other great parts of the world.  Jim photographed all the images featured in the article Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in National Geographic in 2007.  "I come from Kansas," Richardson says, "so I've always known that my state suffers from an inferiority complex. I went out determined that the Flint Hills, where the preserve is located, wouldn't be playing second fiddle to other, more famous American landscapes in the pages of National Geographic. So this story was a mission of sorts."

Jim resides in Lindsborg, Kansas where his work is featured at his gallery Small World, on Lindsborg's Main Street.  He travels nationally and internationally for photo assignments and speaking engagements. 

Jim Richardson