Illustrator Holly Maguire creates intricate stylized portraits full of color, fun fashions, and my favorite—flowers. Produced using gouache paint, they have a decorative aesthetic with themes that emphasize tranquility and close friendship. Citing the likes of botanical gardens, street fashion, and…
Halloween is mere weeks away, and it’s time to get spooky. Although it still feels like the summer in Baltimore, the skeleton embroideries of Tinycup Needleworks are getting me into the spirit of the season. Britt Hutchinson is the woman behind…
Illustrator Anna Hoyle is a collector of “words, phrases, and objects,” and she translates her passion into an ongoing series of book paintings. But these aren’t ordinary texts, though. They are gouache portraits of fictitious books with silly names that…
I love using the collections feature on Instagram. It’s how I find (and remember) so much great work, from embroidery to illustration to ceramics. (I totally recommend it.) One of my favorite collections is simply titled Sketchbooks, and the name says…
“I work ‘old school,’ ” illustrator Lihie Jacob writes, “meaning that all of my illustrations are hand painted and digitalized by scanning.”
Maybe keeping plants alive just isn’t your thing. But that’s alright—because with so many great paper versions, you can enjoy the beauty of these plants without water or adequate sunlight. Raya Sader Bujana has created miniature paper sculptures that you admire…
Using a combination of thread and paint, artist Jo Jimenez creates colorful mixed media bouquets. After painting the vibrant blooms and green leaves, she uses embroidery—both fuzzy yarns and metallics—as a tactile accent. The result is visually lush and something…
Coral & Tusk takes exquisite embroidery out of its hoop and into home goods like pillows, table runners, and napkins. They also focus personal accessories, too, with one of my favorites being badge pins. These wearables feature bunnies, kitties, bears,…
Last year, I discovered the work of Lucie Brunellière and her illustrated publication, The Very Jungly Jungle Book. The colorful pages are, in fact, very jungly—there are more than 50+ animals hidden within! Now, she’s released a similarly busy book called The…
Illustrator Lisa Vanin grew up in a small town in Canada. There, she drew and sculpted animals and forest scenes; I’ve spoken before on the importance of acknowledging the things that you liked to do when you were young. Often,…