Animal Sleep Stories

So many fun stories captured in Daria Tessler's (AKA Animal Sleep Stories) works.  An added bonus: the back/next navigation on the site will make you chuckle.

classic color-coded Penguin Celebrations book covers

This isn't really news, but it was to me. Penguin has re-released British, and Canadian, contemporary titles with the classic grid design originally used in 1935. They're 'colour-coded' according to genre and I love 'em.

from Flat to Flight

From the Curiosity Group in Portland, Oregon comes a brief animated glimpse of their papercraft at play. From Flat to Flight features the same winged elephant you can print and fashion yourself. Wonderful!

flashback to Coles Phillips

Philips was an illustrator and painter early in the 20th century, his first magazine cover appearing on Life's February 1908 issue.  In addition to long runs doing cover art for Life and Good Housekeeping, Phillips was in high demand for advertisements. In turn, he was one of the first artists to insist his name appear on each of his images.  I'm really drawn to the scenes he creates and the bold vs. implied line-work.

For lots more images and information, visit the American Art Archives.  Be sure to read the copy for the advertisements, too...."you can expect only man's luck." So great.

Polly Morgan

It seems I'm on a taxidermy kick lately...or the art world at large is...but Polly Morgan has an approach unlike others I've come across. Her creatures find themselves in rather unnatural settings, encouraging you to look at the animals as if for the first time.

100 Abandoned Houses

Here are just three of them.

Live Transmission Drawings from Morgan O'Hara

Have you seen this?! Morgan O'Hara intently studies the movements of a subject and records the gestures with her own and pencil and paper.

Movement of the hands of
pianist Martha Argerich
while performing the first movement allegro con brio of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4
Carnegie Hall, New York City
28 October 2001

Movement of the hands ofConductor Riccardo Chailly 
while conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No 4.
first movement
Carnegie Hall, New York City
10 February 2000

Movement of the hands of
Dr. S. J. Schmidt while lecturing
Vom Lesen Des Sehens - Vom Sehen Des Lesens 
International Performance Konferenz Kunsthaus Glarus
Glarus, Switzerland
7 March 1999

fantastical sculptures from Elizabeth McGrath

Louise Despont

I'm quite taken with the ornate, yet ordered, work of Louise Despont's series entitled "the Plant Life of Saints." She uses antique ledger paper as the backdrop for her graphite and inks.

found via dear ada