I have always had a strange addiction to figural artwork. I don't know who these ladies are but I love them so much...especially those of fashionably-dresses women. Maybe there's something about their confidence, the outfits, the grace? I don't know but I am loving the work of Thai illustrator, Ping Hatta. She does commercial work for brands and also sell originals and prints of her beautiful work!
Supporting Black artists and businesses is one small part we can play in helping to lift up our Black American friends, fellow creatives, and community. For those of us in roles of hiring freelancers, artists, and others in our company's branding, editorials, photos, and more, we need to make sure we're hiring a diverse range of creatives both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. This is a reminder to myself as much as anyone that bringing diversity is absolutely essential, and I'm committing to taking a much more active role. And this isn't just about today or this week, it's about doing this always and forever.
Since I always get asked for recommendations on Illustrators, here's an amazing site I wanted to highlight today. Women Who Draw offers a portfolio of a diverse range of talented Illustrators (African American/Black, Asian/American, Hispanic/Latina, LBTQ+, and more) for you to hire for your next project. Some of the artists also have online shops and sell prints for those who might want to bring their work into your home. And, if you're an illustrator looking to be featured so more brands to find you, the site gets updated regularly with new artists. You can submit your work right here!
(Illustration above by Loveis Wise. Follow her on Instagram here.)
Happy Tuesday! Spring is in full swing, and I'm in the mood to do a little cleaning and refresh my home with some new pieces. One of the easiest ways for to switch things up at home is to swap out artwork...bring in new ones while moving around your current prints to new spots in your home. As we head from Spring to Summer, I love bright pieces that are full of energy and hope. So here are a few of my favorites for the season...all from our Oh Joy shop! Check them out...
With Fashion Week in full swing, I'm dreaming of all the amazing outfits rocking New York City right about now! As an ode to Fashion Week, here are a few of my favorite fashion ladies prints that put that chic style right into your home every single day...
In my 12 years in business, one of my favorite parts of what I am able to do at Oh Joy is to share the work of other designers, artists, makers that I admire and love. So, alongside our own Oh Joy! products, we've created a BRAND NEW Oh Joy! Shop filled with exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces by my favorite designers, makers, and artists. We have decor items for your home, accessories to wear, even a few options for your little ones. Each one is handmade and will bring a bit of sunshine and cheer to your daily life.
There's a little peek of a few items...head over to the shop now to see them all!
{Photos by Lily Glass, styling by Julia Wester, styling assistance by Jess Hong.}
I'm loving the bold and graphic illustrations of French artist, Malika Favre, and her play and use of positive and negative space. Whether in art, design, or architecture, I love how the use of negative space plays with the eyes and makes your brain try and fill in what's missing.
I'm so inspired by textures, surprising details, and things that make my eyes look again...whether full of a million colors or only one, I'm loving all of this...
Sources: Alexandra Grecco gown, Delpozo Fall/Winter 2016, Valentino Summer 2013 via Vogue UK, and Delpozo Fall 2016 and Fall 2015.
I find a ton of inspiration from fashion and designer's runway show like this Resort 2017 collection by Delpozo. Often, it's not the ready-to-wear version but the high concept, high fashion pieces that I'm intrigued by. The colors, the textures, and the mix of colors and textures. It's beautiful and stunning, and allows me to look at a form of art in a different way.
{Photos via Vogue.com}
I feel so grateful to be surrounded by people doing creative things simply because they want know it will make someone—maybe some stranger they have never met—happy. Last week, my friend Jihan from Geronimo Balloons put up this balloon installation outside her studio in Echo Park. It was a two-day job so Ruby and I drove by two mornings in a row on the way to school/work to see the progress. This was day one above...
And, this was day 2 after it was completed. I mean, this child was seriously in balloon heaven. You can't help but smile when stumbling upon hundreds of orange balloons. Thanks, Jihan, for being awesome.
{Installation by Geronimo Balloons, photos by Oh Joy}