Spent today revisiting Sonia Delaunay and the Orphism movement. Delaunay was known for her use of geometric abstraction, modernist pattern design, and crazy lyrical color combinations. In a recent interview, Rachel Comey mentioned Sonia is one of her favorite designers. Makes sense. They both use textiles and color in unexpected ways.

While I don’t like everything Delaunay created (some of her colors and compositions hurt my feelings) there are others I really enjoy. Especially those using subdued hues or fewer colors or involving costuming.

Here are some I find inspiring

These images are from FIT’s archives, blog entries at swim two birds,the textile blog and of course google images

There are some nice colors here. Very serene 1930′s (or early 1980′s) going on.

I want some affordable art for my apartment. A poster, an art print, a painted reproduction. It’s sort of daunting narrowing down all the images in mind to something I want to see daily. Nothing too obvious, too cliche, too everywhere.

I recently purchased two reproductions of Teorema and Contempt posters from Japan that look amazing. I will post pix after I frame them.

Began my morning trying to narrow down which era, style, artist, and image I’d want to call my own. Which led me to the 1960′s Pop Art archives of the internets where I discovered some unfamiliar names like the work of Sister Corita Kent.

Yes, a graphic designing silk screening type wizard nun. Cool, no?

reference:
Supercozy
Greg Cookland

I rarely have a chance to hand write much of anything these days. No more in-class note taking, no real letter writing. Maybe that’s why, when I do write in my daily planner, it appears in all caps. I take my time to make each letter look nice. Like Aaron Cometbus or David Shrigley, I like how words in all capital letters look on the page.

Today while reading the Times, I came across the work of Leanne Shapton. She’s a multitasking artist/illustrator/writer from Toronto now living in New York. And she is very fond of handlettered capitals.

Did you know she did the Kicking and Screaming Criterion Collection cover? Very nice.

image from: design related.

I’m digging geometric shapes, pyramids, and surrealist collages these days. The first two modernist sculptures were for sale on Ebay. I’m not sure where the other images came from.

I’m feeling the work of graphic designer Kristin Eddington, a recent graduate of SVA and now a designer for Nylon. Her work is stylish, sophisticated and has a nice sense of humor. Her remixes of teen cult novels by Francesca Lia Block was a welcome surprise.

I assume most people know the work of Alexander Girard; what with a MOMA exhibit, FLOR carpet tiles, reissued pillows, alphabet blocks for House Industries, a Kate Spade collaboration, and wooden dolls for Vitra, you might even say he’s played out. Anyway. I think he’s awesome. I like how he uses bold colors in simplified shapes, avoids line work, and tends to put faces on everything. His name keeps coming up as I’ve been researching textiles and mid-century illustration, so I figured I’d post some of his work.

Some images via CathyofCalifornia and Reference Library. Welcome mat via Maximo Design.

I just splurged and purchased several things from this UK design shop Present and Correct. I couldn’t help myself!

This isn’t necessarily what a ordered, but a sampling of some cutes: