Weekly Art + Inspiration
Mushrooms, trash and Turkish ruins...
Dear friends — I hope the turning of the year finds the ledger balanced in your favor. I’m looking forward to celebrating the Winter Solstice with a bonfire on the beach tomorrow night. If you’re in LA, please join me. In the meantime, here’s a big ol’ batch of creative inspiration. Enjoy!
Artist Yuki Kawae’s Instagram page is a work of art in itself and these videos of him tending his zen garden will calm your mind.
Ann Wood makes the most amazing paper sculptures of nature artifacts, this article highlights her mushroom creations.
If holiday music is your jam, please listen to this sublime rendition of O Holy Night performed by Samara Joy and her father, Antonio McClendon.
Sergei Ivanov’s ceramic work is really cool—take a dive into his website. His IG page has some great videos, too.
Sergei Isupov, "Butterfly Catcher", 2015, porcelain, slip, glaze, 16 x 9 x 7".
The film version of Talented Mr. Ripley turns twenty five next year. Think I need to re-visit this film that altered my consciousness in many ways.
A friend directed me to the work of assemblage artist, Thomas Deininger, who makes installation and sculpture out of trash. Breathtaking.
This is a very cool slideshow of work by women artists. Also, here’s an article from last year about the massive pay gap between the sales of art by women and art by men. It’s stark, but it appears to be changing.
Graciela Iturbide, Quince Años (Fifteenth Birthday), 1985, printed 1990, gelatin silver print, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Kyle Roberts), 2015.19.4668.5
The former home of legendary Mexican singer Chavela Vargas has been carefully restored and is now providing lodging as well as artist residencies.
I’m a sucker for an ice and snow festival, and this looks a really good one.
Just discovered the terrific work of Anne Mei Poppe, Amsterdam-based painter of vivid sensual figures. Swoonworthy.
Starry Night with my Angel, 100x120cm, acrylic and oil sticks on linen, 2023, The Basilica Cistern of Constantinople is a place I’d love to visit. While we’re talkin’ Turkey, look at this archaeological site. Mosaics + murals = sublime.
And now, two delightful homes that once belonged to Jean Cocteau—one in the village of Milly-la-Foret, the other on the cliffs of Antibes overlooking the Mediterranean, featuring hand painted walls throughout.
That’s it for now, folks. In the new year, I’ll be launching a new column here, so stayed tuned. And now a pic of my hubby and me enjoying some holiday spirit on the wild streets of Beverly Hills. Wishing blessings to all! — Chris
I swear you guys are my favorite people on the entire internet.