When I’m sad, anxious, uncertain – any number of emotions really – I reach for a blanket. Being swaddled in warmth and comfort makes us feel safe and protected, it goes all the way back to being in the womb. Some of us prefer a favorite that has any number of its own stories to tell while others like a refresh occasionally.
Massachusetts-based Mariko Kusumoto‘s textile sculptures are something to behold. She uses translucent polyester fabric to create orbs that enclose small objects, the result is purely delightful and wearable. That’s right, some of her pieces function as either a necklace or brooch.
We’re nearly halfway through November at this point, which means those cold weather days can’t be far off. Did your winter coat make it through last year? Did you lose your scarf and find holes in your gloves? Now’s the time to take stock and make sure your outerwear is winter ready before the first frigid day comes along and you’re left scrambling.
Alexandra Levasseur‘s creates her masterpieces with acrylic and pencil on wood, and each one has an all around calming presence (she typed as she watched election poll coverage). Each scene is manipulated to reveal something unexpected, the Milky Way here, an ocean view there.
The Kitchen McCabe is all about wholesome recipes that by no coincidence are also delicious. Blogger Kayley is a culinary graduate with a passion for making and baking pretty things that are healthy without being restrictive.
Naturally Ella is a phenomenal resource for natural cooking and vegetarian recipes. Find a meal to cook, explore an ingredient, or create a solid pantry – you’ll find it all and more right here.
Minimalist Baker is where blogger Dana creates recipes full of flavor that require ten ingredients or less, one bowl or pot, and 30 minute or less to prepare. Most recipes are special-diet friendly, specifically plant-based and gluten-free.
FoodieCrush shares recipes that are fresh, seasonal, mostly simple, often healthy, and also comfort food. I’d say blogger Heidi does an amazing job balancing all of those things with a delicious result.
Oil, wax, canvas, and wood. Those four things, along with some serious vision and blending skills, are all that go into each of Derek Root‘s creations. Feels a little like you’re walking through clouds though, no?
Occasionally a toy is as much fun for an adult as it is a child – check out KUUM. It’s a collection of 202 building blocks crafted from beech wood that come in beautifully arranged units of 12 pieces. Each unit represents 12 elements (soil, fire, flower, tree, mountain, sea, ice, stone, earth, moon, sun, and sand) and each unique piece represents a small fragment of nature. KUUM block units can be broken down into 36 unique shapes and colors – some fit snugly while others are more unstable. Their appealing colors and shapes will instantly inspire you to start building
I’ve been struggling to make the time for my own art for quite some time, but Jane Rainey‘s paintings are tugging at me in a new way. Just what is she exploring exactly? In her latest works mainly the horizon, the division between earth and sky, the end result an otherworldly muddle of abstract and realism.
A mortar and pestle is the ultimate example of form meeting function. It might seem like one of those kitchen gadgets you buy only to have it sit on a shelf gathering dust, but trust me when I say it’s one of the most versatile tools in your culinary arsenal. A few quick ideas – grind sesame seeds for homemade tahini, crush up nuts, grind herbs to infuse salts and make flavored butter, pulverize steel cut oats – the list really does go on. Mine is a dark green marble mortar and pestle gifted to me by my mom, but I definitely have crushes on these thirteen.
An artist can nearly always describe their work better than anyone else, and such is the case with mixed media creator Joey Slaughter. His color transitions hold much meaning, as do the combined contributions of man and machine to each piece.
My paintings and constructions investigate the “look” of digital information as it is transmitted around us, providing an overabundance of stimuli and therefore, distractions. I create abstract works that references conversations, usually a direct communication between two people. I wonder how a simple conversation is absorbed between people, how they’re connected, and what the conversational wavelengths would look like. The main idea is to create abstractions from conversations if you could see sound waves from analogue and digital devices passing through and around people.
