Bugs Alert! Awesome Insect Macro Photography

Hello Lovelies!

Tumblr blogs can be a never-ending source of inspiration, especially when their owners do remember to give credit when credit's due!

I jus found out, via the "This isn't happiness" tumblr blog, about an artist, Yudy Sauw, who takes macro photographs of insects' eyes... Stunning!

 All macro photographs by Yudy Sauw

I'm sure these will become inspiration for future drawings by yours truly. In the meantime, enjoy the composition and the amazing colors!

Fun fact:

Many insect-pollinated flowers contain ultraviolet pigments that only their pollinating insects (and perhaps birds) can see. Many flowers are more strikingly coloured in the UV than in the visible spectrum. Furthermore, markings, visible only in the UV, act as taxi markers to guide the landed insects to the pollen and nectar food rewards.

via

Alix of TeaButterfly.

Tuesday's Butterfly is... Extravagance!

Hello Lovelies,

I recently stumbled upon this extravagant Schiaparelli dress and thought it would be perfect for a "Tuesday's Butterfly". Isn't it just grand?

I also love this quote involving butterflies:

Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly.

My List of Fave Books to Re-Read

Hello Lovelies,

image source

After reading Jane's recent blogpost, I started asking myself (all over again): 

Maybe as bloggers, we could find a place to post a list of our one-per-year necessary re-reads?
  
Mine include, in no particular order:


"Lullaby" JMG Le Clézio.
"Voyage autour de ma chambre" Xavier de Maistre.
"Fictions" Jorge Borges.
One tome by Julien Green, and a short story by Roald Dahl.

Illustration from the Briar Press free images bank. Governed by a Creative Commons license. 

But also:
 
"Divisadero" Michael Ondaatje
"The Rings of Saturn" WG Sebald
"Le Rivage des Syrtes" Julien Gracq (translated unto "The Opposing Shore" for English-speaking readers)
A hard-boiled detective story by Dashiel Hammett and/or Jim Thompson

What are your fave books to re-read on a regular basis?

In closing: that's a recent image of me with of pile of my fave books in the background, the painting is also by me ("Untitled", oil on canvas, circa 1997).

Today's post is inspired by Jane's blogpost - please read it here. Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly.

 

Apartment Therapy Style Cure, part II: Fave Things At Home

Hello Lovelies!

Another home decor post here today!

Nate Berkus reminded me of that simple truth, lately: your home decor is all about you, and who you really are.

I found this photo of a room he redecorated for Corin, the producer of his TV show, and it helped me understand the whole idea behind the statement "your home decor should reflect who you are".

image source

So I found great ideas in this photo and its comment on Style at Home, here are the highlights:

"use decor items that reflect who YOU are. the art on the walls is a reminder of where you're from (Californian living in NYC, in this case), as well as plates decorated by the owner's sister (you belong to a family). the decor palette, textures and style is inspired by how the owner dresses. here: lots of navy, black and grey with bold gold accents. And also by her free spirit - rock n' roll! - and designs she likes"

So what would that mean for me?

I know I am a woman raised in the Middle East, now living in France - and I want that reflected on the art I put on my walls. I am a visual artist related to other artists (one brother is a photographer, another is a movie editor-in-chief).

My future decor palette, especially for the bedroom, will reflect the way I dress:
dark grey, pale blueish grey, navy, white with Art Deco inspired sparkling objects in silver. Like these:

Deco necklace / hat / shoes can be found on this Art-Deco inspired board.

AM-PM brand has wonderful and affordable mirrored square end tables that have my name all over them. These mirrored cubes will make great bed sides for my room.Here they are:

Sizes begin at 30X30X30cm, and prices started at 80€ a piece. source

I am attracted to Japanese objects that are sleek and modern in their design. I am also hyper-creative, and I want that variety of artistic interests to be reflected in my decor. Whjat I really like about Japanese objects is the contrast between very clean lines of contemporary design and the well-crafted air of traditional object-making. Though French, I like these ceramics for their "Japanese" feel:

Ceramics I bought this summer from young ceramics artist, Cédric Mataix. photo, my own.

And how about YOU? And YOUR home decor?

-Alix of TeaButterfly

Inspiration(s) in a Bottle

Hello Lovelies,

Here is some cool stuff I am...

This moving video by Kirsten Lepore called "Bottle". Very inspiring! (found via the bastisrike blog, a daily read for me).

I was also wondering lately: What Is Art? and found some answers from famous artists and thinkers here, on the same page where the poster below comes from.

image source

I also love the answers to the "What Is Art?" question I found on Brain Pickings.

The picture that started it all is from the sorted books series by artist Nina Katchadourian, as seen here:

 via

Turns out Nina K.'s inspired many others to open a "Sorted Books" group on flickr.

So... What is Art?

I have been obsessed for a long time now by this photograph by Sally Mann:

source: photograph by Sally Mann, "Night-blooming Cereus", 1988. 

This image has a haunting quality for me. It is art, and it is not something I can explain... Then I realized I didn't even know what a "night-blooming cereus" was! I looked it up, an found this beauty for you to enjoy:

http://youtu.be/Zbzi8XydHQc

-Naomi of TeaButterfly.

An Inspiring woman: Maria Sibyalla Merian (art & insects inside)

Hello Lovelies!

 The art of Maria Sibyalla Merian: Masterful insect drawing in the late 17th century, beginning of the 18th century. image via Jane's blog.

I have a board on pinterest called "Inspiring Women" - the inspiration for it obviously comes from Jane Flanagan's series of posts that are all about discovering the lives and deeds of incredibly "Inspiring Women" on her wonderful blog (a must daily read).

 Cover of the book "Amazing Rare Things". Art by Maria Sibylla Merian



On her blog, Jane has criticized our collective (mis)use of pinterest, and I fully understand her position. I try my best to not "hoard", as Jane puts it, that is I try not to mindlessly collecting beautiful images all day long while neglecting my own life.

That said, I find pinterest practical for the time being, as a virtual bookmark of sorts, especially now that we can have secret boards. I personally avoid pictures of hairdos, beauty products that are not organic, weddings, babies and tattoos on my pinterest boards.

 Maria Sibylla Merian, Passion flower plant and flat-legged bug, c. 1701-5 image via a great article on insects in art.

Some other boards I created aim to share the work of artists I admire, my own artwork, as well as other interests I think are valuable enough to share. That is why I mention the masterful art of the insect illustration by Maria Sibyalla Merian here today.

Maria Sibyalla Merian was a woman, an accomplished artist, an "insect lover" or rather a naturalist with a pioneering spirit, all wrapped in one. Her accomplishments as a woman living in the late 17th centurey are beyond amazing. Read more about her here.

So here am I adding today a "pinnable" image of one of her plant/insect illustration, so that anyone not aware of Jane's blog can see it on pinterest and get to know Maria Sibyalla Merian and many, many other inspiring women.



Enjoy!

-Naomi of TeaButterfly.

Kibo Means Hope in Japanese

Hello Lovelies!

 instagram photo of my drawing. (c) Lipson 2012.

Remember the Japanese tsunami of 2011? Fukushima? Well, I have thought about it for a long, long time, and always wanted to offer one of my Japanese-inspired drawings to help raise funds for the relief of Japan and the Japanese people.

I have finally drawn what I find is the right piece for just that purpose. I will sell this black ink drawing for Japan via 'Kibô-Promesse', a French non-profit organization. Kibo means Hope in Japanese, and Promesse is the French for 'Promise'.

If you wish to purchase that drawing directly from me, this is also possible. Just send me an email, and I promise all the price of the drawing will go to the Japanese Red Cross.

Here is the full view of the drawing as well as some details:

Untitled (steaming cup of tea). Mixed media. (c) Lipson 2012.

size: 14.5 X 21 cm

technique: ink drawing on wallpaper, glued on drawing paper

Let me know what you think, and enjoy!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

Many Loves

Hello Lovelies,

I just found online, on the Cabinet of Wonders blog, and by mere chance, a wonderful short video featuring the Book of Kells. This little gem reunites some of my many loves: love for Medieval manuscripts (I studied Medieval History and Art History in college), love for dandelion seeds floating around in the foreground, and for beautiful butterflies, of course.

The Secret of Kells - Aisling's Forest video

Of course the Book of Kells is full of swirls, spirals and vortex, which I love, too.

Enjoy!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

Things Floating Around My mind

Wow!

quote in the handwriting of Keri Smith

This week barely started and it's already been so inspirational! Thank  you, blogosphere! And I specifically mean you, you you you and you.

There have been a lot of things floating around my mind lately. So here goes:

Things I've Painted Recently

Here's my friend Christophe standing in front of rows of oil paintings.
The blue butterfly is by me.

Blue Butterfly II - by Lipson (c) 2011

Another blue butterfly, I have started painting awhile ago:

Blue Butterfly I - by Lipson (c) 2011

Things I Got For Myself

the water paper paint book

green dangling earrings by Rachel Unger Jewelry

a black skirt with brown beige and white polka dots
a geometric dress for fall

Things I'd Like to Have Soon

Any book by Keri Smith, esp. "How to be an explorer of the world".
This perfume, because of its name... "Iris de nuit"... dreamy!


Things That Inspire Me

Jane's Flanagan's blog, "ill seen ill said", for her wonderful, heartfelt description of summer feelings, the color green and the shade of trees.
This article about bubble painting.
These birds from the Liebe shop via Traveling Mama:

and just like Amy Krouse I "love to make things"...

so I'll sum up by just quoting the following:

Have a great week, everyone!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

Tuesday's Butterfly is... Perfection!

image found via pinterest

Hello Lovelies!

I really really love this home decor with framed winged coleopters. Oh! That perfect splash of red that "makes it" (without dominating). That hint of very warm yellow. The vintage mirror. And white lilies? Those are my favorite flowers! Elegant, classy and so very fragrant.

Of course, what I love most is the Wunderkammer (aka "cabinet of curiosities") Spirit of the framed insects. Gonna draw me some!

Have a nice Tuesday, and enjoy!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

Exotic Insects as Inspiration

Hello Lovelies,



It's time for some Thursday's Insect Inspiration... So I wanted to share with you some beautiful pictures of nude males...ahem... insects! (just kidding).
They are my daily inspiration. Please open your mind to their natural beauty, and don't say "yuck, bugs!"
(All images from the "Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, France", found via MSN Entertainment).










Enjoy!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.