What do Florence+The Machine’s music and Ann Smith’s watercolours have in common?

Hello lovelies! BIG hugs to you all for bearing with my reduced blogging during this busy time. I am still snowed under but am missing you all so much, I thought I’d squeeze in a post today, especially as I am feeling energised and still buzzing from seeing Florence + The Machine last night. Best Tuesday night of my life.

Over the years, I have fallen in (and sometimes out) of love with several artists, but until Florence, I didn’t have a constant favourite. Now, more often than not, I turn to Florence to cure a creative block, to shake off nerves before a big meeting, to counsel melancholy moments, to provide company during a long drive, to block out the mundanity of household chores, or just to dance around for no reason.

Look at me, casually calling her by first name, as if I know her personally! But I feel such a connection to her music that it feels like it was written for me. I think many feel this way about her music, the complexity of which allows different people to connect to it in their own way based on their life experiences. I find her music powerful, profoundly beautiful yet fiery, edgy yet timeless, and even haunting in how it has a way of stirring things in you. There is an ethereal quality about her which makes her even more compelling.

So anyway (before I start to sound like a crazy obsessed fan), I wanted to match Florence’s ethereality to the sort of things we love to look at in this blog. One watercolour artist who immediately came to mind is Ann Smith. Her work blows me away as Florence’s music does.

I first came across Ann Smith’s watercolours in a book about painting techniques and had to immediately find more of her incredible work. Her layering of watercolours produces stunning, mind-blowing art. Here are a few of her creations…

“Bride”

“Intuition”

“Wild Spirit”

“Paradise”

More about Ann Smith and her beautiful watercolours can be found on her website.

“Painting is like dancing on paper.” – Ann Smith. Isn’t that the loveliest quote about art?

Which artist comes to your mind when you think of ethereality?

Do you have a constant favourite band / solo artist?

Would you class Florence + The Machine as a band or a solo artist? (there is so much confusion about that!)

 

Artist love: Lucky Jackson of 365 Lucky Days

I am smitten with Lucky Jackson and her wonderful fabric embroidery art that I came across on her blog, 365 Lucky Days, which is her project of creating a new piece every day for 365 days.

With most pieces, she gives a witty story about what inspired her creation, thus letting us get to know her. She is just as lovely as her art! Here are some pieces that I felt quite connected to:

“5 more minutes”… exactly how I felt on this frosty Monday morning.

Longing for warm sunshine and a chance to lie on a hammock with a book.

Don’t we all wish we could do chores glamorously?

If you know me, you’ll know I love to bake.

Joan from Mad Men. It’s not just men who are a little bit in love with her, admit it! Best TV show ever made? I definitely think so.

Tina Fey… one of the funniest women on TV I love to watch.

My best job ever (next to my current one, of course) was when I worked in a law library. (A little titbit about myself.)

Did you fantasize about being a superhero when you were a kid? I still do!

Can’t resist a pretty settee.

A perfect gift for upcoming Valentine’s day!

Smitten yet? Be sure to visit her blog to browse through many many more of her amazing creations, with one more added every day! And you can even get your hands on one of them through her bigcartel shop. If you have your eye on a piece, you’ll have to hurry, as they are selling fast (unsurprisingly)!

 

Artist love: Gavin Harrison

Gavin Harrison is as creative as creative gets. An illustrator and an astoundingly brilliant photographer, Gavin is now creating artwork that combines mediums he has previously worked with: drawing, painting, montage and photography, resulting in art pieces that are richly detailed and a complex cocktail of dark humour and nostalgia.

First, here’s a taster of Gavin’s whimsical and undeniably sexy photography…

See more of his photography on his website – www.gharrisonphotography.com and on his blog – The Eloquence of Wanton Curiosity.

Now on to his art…

“Corrosion” – haunting yet beautiful, and visually very compelling

“Sweet” – sugary and candy-like at first glance, but look closer and there’s a touch of darkness within

The two pieces above are available as limited edition prints of 50 at his shop Gavin H Emporium. Also available are cards in the following two designs:

“Man In The Hat”

“Sweet Bird Song” – created from a section of the “Sweet” collage

Also check out his work at the Keep Calm Gallery…

Detail from “Win Fame and Fortune”, available at the Keep Calm Gallery

Gavin’s art is the kind that would sit as comfortably in a contemporary urban space as it would in an eclectic setting mixed in with vintage pieces.

“Food For Thought”

“Everything and More”

“Corrosion”

I was delighted when Gavin contacted me to introduce his art as I am bowled over and fascinated by his work, and am excited to see what he creates next. If you feel the same way, here is your chance to get your mittens on a little piece of Gavin’s fantastic work – one of his cards is up for grabs! All you have to do is visit the shop Gavin H Emporium and leave a comment here saying which one of his two cards you would like – Man In The Hat or Sweet Bird Song, and a winner will be picked at random next Monday 19th September. Easy peasy!