just a few etsy print finds

Flowers and Ferns by Print and Circus

Trolling Etsy for a client project yesterday, I found some pieces that weren't right for her style (warm neutrals, texture, ethnic/organic vibe) but had a definitely crisp/botanical/geometric look that appealed to me. You could do a lot worse than to group these on a wall. (Speaking of Etsy, I heard this yesterday about Etsy allowing some small-batch manufacturing. I understand the handmade-only angle, but it seems worthy to let small Etsy businesses grow too, right?)

Art Deco print by AldariArt

Raindrops print by Revigorer

Tree Dot print by Tessyla

room & board art

Eva Zeisel and KleinReid

Of course I love the warm midcentury overall look at Room & Board. And in the past I've admired the artwork in their stores but found the online selection pretty skimpy. These days, though, there's all kinds of (relatively affordable) goodness on the website.

Lotta Jansdotter

Ayomi Yoshida

ampersand screen print

vintage UK flag
(Cup of Jo recently wrote a post about flags as art, which apparently are more controversial than I realized.
Pro or con, I just think the Union Jack is a great image.)

red tile studio on etsy

These little wooden panels by Red Tile Studio are deceptively simple. Only 5x5, they're perfect in a group (picture a really big grid) and even better on their own, filling a tiny space, accentuating a blank spot on a wall. The muted, cool palette is infinitely customizable. They're just right, you know?

monday thoughts: the idea of beauty

I love Fresh Air. Terry Gross interviewed the sublime David Sedaris last week, and their conversation was charming and sweet; they reminisced about a shared meal back when Sedaris was still drinking. (He ordered nothing, preferring to drink on an empty stomach. "You ordered an omelet and a baked potato," he reminded Gross.) One thing really struck me: Gross asked Sedaris what he does with his time, now that he doesn't have a day job, and he said he picks up trash on the road near his house in England. (Apparently the British are big litterers?) He does this, he explained, because the tiny one-lane road to his house is "my idea of beauty." And of course it's ruined by all the litter. So he picks up the trash, sometimes on foot, sometimes on his bike, sometimes with a crew from the local government. He listens to language instruction on an iPad to keep himself from getting annoyed by the whole process.

I absolutely love the image of David Sedaris with his council-issued jumpsuit and grabber, pausing to pick up rubbish on a country lane. And I love that phrase, "my idea of beauty." He used it twice to describe the place, as if he's thought about the words and their importance to him. I think he means to say that it might not be *everyone's* idea of beauty: someone might prefer a tropical beach, or stately skyscrapers, or the wide sky of the American west. But this is his, and he wishes to preserve it.

me elsewhere again: momfilter

I wrote about our August trip for the always inspiring Momfilter. You can see it here.

me elsewhere: red tricycle

Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles is on view at the Phillips right now.
I'm just grateful for the excuse to show such a moving painting.

Red Tricycle has my roundup of current kid-friendly museum shows in DC right here.

the art mint

Anna Sorenson

Another great online gallery: The Art Mint sells a small collection of affordable originals (as opposed to prints). A few of my favorites:

Scott Malbaurn

Polly Shindler

Will Hutnick

Polly Shindler

Anna Sorenson

lulu dk art prints

Lulu DK has definitely made the rounds of all the girly blogs and home-design sites. But her new-to-me web shop is noteworthy for her art prints. The florals and landscapes have a definite tropical appeal. And my favorites are the abstracts in various cool, pale shades paired with cream—hang one on its own, or pick a group. They even come framed. Couldn't be simpler.

goop on kids and art

Yes, I subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle magazine. Say what you will about her; she's got excellent taste and the connections and means to implement it. The latest Goop installment includes an item that's right up my alley: taking kids to art museums. I love the concrete suggestions for how to begin a conversation about art—and really, this list is useful for any thinking person, any age. I would add one idea: Bring art supplies to museums. My father always had us "copy" what we saw, and it's a great way to get kids to engage with art. (Check out Goop's recommendations for current museum shows and kids' books about art as well.)

miitjili naparrula

Mitjili Napurrula, an Australian Aboriginal artist, makes paintings that are as beautiful and simple as Matisse's paper cutouts. This site sells her work—and some of the pieces are quite reasonable. I have to love Pinterest for introducing her to me.

me elsewhere: red tricycle

Red Tricycle is a new(ish) online guide—sort of a Daily Candy, but just for families, with both national and local editions. I'll be writing for them about kid-related art and design, and this week I got to share one of our favorite fall weekend activities. Check it out here and look for me over there every so often.

twamies on etsy

Looking for something superaffordable, colorful—maybe to fill in a spot on a gallery wall*? This Etsy shop, with its charming small-scale pieces, fits the bill perfectly.

* I've been  meaning to talk about gallery walls. Lovely or overdone? both? I'm not sure.