February 2012 Blog Posts (197)

Have you heard of the Subway at Zion National Park? Named for its tube-like, undercut slot canyons, it's a segment that's less than a quarter-mile in length but one that's been highly photographed.

Recently, I came across this striking picture of it by Simon Christen. Soon after, we got in touch with the photographer to ask the story behind this gorgeous shot.

"I…

While we're used to seeing famous Chinese artist Liu Bolin seamlessly blend himself into backgrounds, it's not often that we witness his magic on others, letting alone famous designers. In this unique collaboration with Harper's Bazaar, he's done just that, saying to the…

TIME magazine recently revealed its 30 Must-See Tumblr Blogs which includes the highly creative, user-generated Newspaper Blackout. This blog is the brainchild of Austin-based artist and writer…

Many of you saw yesterday's heart-wrenching photos of shelter dogs. In fact, just on Facebook and Twitter alone we received these comments:

@Jane Farrell: They are heartbreaking and beautiful. I also hope they spur viewers to action. Adopt a shelter animal!…

Brooklyn-based artist Rebecca Ward uses electrical tape with vinyl adhesives to create visually exciting installations. Her site-specific geometric creations work as an extension to its surrounding architecture. The tape artist redefines the space she's working in with her evenly spaced parallel and interweaving stretches of bright lines that form three-dimensional shapes.…

Last July, London, UK-based photographer Simon J. Byrne was lucky enough to photograph The Wave in Arizona, coming back with these stunning shots. The Wave is a sandstone rock formation near the Arizona and Utah border that's famous among photographers for its gorgeous rock formations. Located in the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, the renowned Wave is made of…

In 2000, the city of Enschede in the Netherlands survived a catastrophic fireworks explosion. Closely following the disaster, a rebuilding project was initiated to restore hope and confidence in the town. Roombeek Street is a commercial street and the urban core of Enschede. In 2005, a stream that ran under Roombeek Street was restored and brought to the surface. Architecture…

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to fly through the air, reveling in the feeling of weightlessness? These women get the chance to experience this as subjects in Antigravity, a photo series by Serbian photographer Mina Sarenac. The fashion photographs depict women donning assorted flowing ensembles and suspended in real environments.

Each woman is free to twist and…

Nicola Yeoman is a London-based installation artist who plays with the concepts of perspective and common spatial expectations. At first glance, her installations are conventional hanging sculptures. Upon entering the gallery space, initial reactions to the work are challenged “as the viewer finds him or herself able to walk within and about the work—the relationship of the viewer…

Have you ever seen such intricate paper cutting? Beijing-based artist Li Hongjun cuts into layers and layers of paper to create these surreal head sculptures. Called one of the most striking artists of sculpture in Chinese mainland, Hongjun uses eastern and western methods of paper cutting to create these magnificent, mind-bending works. According to…

Painting is difficult enough, but artist Daniel Castan adds the challenge of using quick drying acrylic paints while working from memory. The French painter first began his craft at 40 years old with his initial intentions being to simply have fun. His "fun" exposed a natural artistic talent for recreating cityscapes in an unconventional way.

By adding a resin to his…

Inspired by nature and wildlife, artist Julie Bender etches illustrations of various animals by burning her images into wood. By employing the traditional art of pyrography, which dates back to ancient Egypt, Bender essentially paints with fire. The art involves scorching a piece of wood, or other natural material, with a heated metal tip, in place of a brush or pencil.

It's…

Based in Vienna, the architect team Heri&Salli has designed an unconventional geometric structure that redefines your everyday fence. Built around a swimming pool, the curves of this modern landscape fence provide privacy while at the same time making the area feel airy and spacious.

According to Heri&Salli, “an architectural idea reaches its concept and necessity in connection…

Russian-born artist Irena Kononova combines oil paint, sand, and marble dust on canvas to create her textured landscape paintings. Many pieces involve vibrant, illuminated pathways that visually draw the viewer through the dark surroundings and into the horizon. The images are intriguing and entrancing. The complexity of the color and textures along with the illusions…

Who wouldn't want to own this? An incredibly rare piece of original, published Calvin and Hobbes artwork is going up for auction at Heritage Comics on February 23, 2012. Expected to bring in $50,000+, 1989-90 Calendar Cover Watercolor Illustration Original Art (c. 1988) is a 13" x 10" piece by artist Bill Watterson. Only a very small handful of Calvin and Hobbes originals have ever come onto the market and none of them has ever been published.

“Beyond the…

I came across Traer Scott's portraits of dogs living in American shelters and was immediately taken aback by the mix of emotions I felt. Look at these dogs' faces and you'll see what I mean. The Providence, Rhode Island-based photographer shoots up-close black and white portraits of shelter dogs, some of which found good homes while others were eventually…

It's an exciting time for art. No longer do we have to visit museums to see incredible artworks, we can now view them in the palm of our hands. Lucky for us, iPhone apps have been developed that will educate us on everything from fine art to modern art, presenting us with classic works we're already familiar with or introducing us to new works we've never seen. Today, we've…