ah. my favorite frenchies are at it again. this time as part of volvo’s art session, where artists are invited to live paint and include a volvo in their work. let’s be honest though- this couple is the best in the series.

koralie & supakitch never cease to impress, and it just has me craving to work in a large format (turns out – I’ll be starting something big this week – more on that later). their mixed media approach is something I truly admire. to put it shortly – you’ve got to know your shit. what works well with what, and how to layer on top of another one (believe it – there are a lot of mediums out there that don’t mix nicely).

can I also point out their tattoos? they each have a little bit of each others work on their arms (and supa even has koralie’s name on his upper left arm). probably helps that supakitch actually tattoos on the side. but what a rad homage!

oh luke steele. my sweet little australian rock star bohunk. it’s sad, but I feel like I revert to some crazy teenybopper sort of persona when watching any of his interviews. ps- the new record is out today! xo.

*image.

I thought it might be an interesting blog feature to show you some of the items in my studio (and their meaning). to say that I have a lot of shit scattered, and somewhat on display in my studio – would be an understatement. I find that I need to surround myself with not only inspirational, but personally monumental sort of objects. they exist like small shrines and life cairns throughout my workspace.

“20 years from now, you will be more dissappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. so throw off the bowlines. sail away from the safe harbor. catch the trade winds in your sails. explore. dream. discover.”

it was a terrifying yet exhilarating day I’ll never forget. my parents knew this, and buried a card underneath my pillow before they left – the day they dropped me off in my ucla dorm room. I remember wanting them to leave so that I could embark on my college ventures. yet the moment they did – I had this uneasy, where is my safety net, sort of feeling.

although I wouldn’t find the card until hours later, it was just the thing I needed. in that moment, that day, that shift in my life. and I vividly remember reading those words and hearing them in my mom’s voice.

I have since framed it, and the card resides in prime studio real estate (on top of my desk). I find that it’s the most appropriate reminder to encounter daily. hell- I even slightly blame this thing for starting graduate school.

certainly no disappointments here.

*working on – wedding invitations. holy shit yes. I’m still working on fucking invitations. but the good news, they’re being mailed out monday. I know the suspense is killing you (doubt it). but meanwhile I just keep yelling: get this project off my plate already!!

*listening to – alpine, new young pony club, flume, and a whole assortment of songs I’m putting together for a sweet summer playlist. and yah – I’ll be sharing it with you. xo.

*drinking – kombucha for life yo! and thank god for whole foods’ 2 for $6 deal. blood orange is the way to go.

*obsessing over – kelly osbourne’s july cover for cosmo. I’m ready to steal yo hairstyle kel! after the wedding of course (as I have bitched about here).

*yearning for – my pre-wedding weekend getaway here with my mom. more on that later.

*hating – that my blog posts lately can’t seem to live without the word ‘wedding’ or ‘wedding planning’. am I becoming one of those bloggers who once married (or has a kid), completely changes the tone of their blog? I sure as hell hope not.

there’s nothing better than new listening material in summer – especially when it’s literally a roster of new jams. an added bonus- two bands in my ‘top ten’ releasing new music in the same week.

first up, a single off washed out’s new record dropping this august (and ironically the week of our wedding). it was interesting reading how ernest greene (washed out’s frontman) described this most recent record as more of a ‘daytime-sounding’ album (in contrast to the slightly deeper and ultimately mellow album within without). hearing this first single, it certainly comes off exactly how he puts it. as you know, I’m fucking obsessed with these guys…and can’t wait to get my paws on the whole track list.

although empire of the sun’s new album isn’t out until next week, you can stream the whole thing over on rolling stone. I’ll also mention – that it’s only been up for about 24 hours, and I’ve been looping this thing nonstop. check out track 8 (old flavours). it’s a “dance in your apartment when no one is home” kind of song (and I love it). track 7 (I’ll be around) will keep you jammin’ in your cubicle.

last but not least, summer heart just released a new single! take a listen over yonder. it’s definitely reminiscent of prior tracks, but I dig them too much to care.

I know, the silence on my blog lately has been pretty brutal. but to successfully balance everything else in my life at the moment, bybun had to take a back seat. for now, I’ll provide you with a wedding update.

we are officially 2.5 months out folks. even just typing that causes my subconscious ocd and internal wedding-coordinator-self to cringe. like most brides say at this point along the timeline – I’ve got a shit load left to do.

as I’ve mentioned before, I’m adamant about keeping elements of our wedding on the down low. so there’s really not much I can share at this point other than: I can see the light at the end of the handmade invitation tunnel. I’ve actually managed to get every single element of them gathered, for the most part completed, and have a few worker bees (shocking that I’m delegating, I know) coming over this weekend to help me out. I’ll be happy when this project is off my plate, and I can move onto the next.

send your creative vibes my way guys. I’m going to need it.
 

*in case you missed it – our handmade save the dates.

just as I thought I was too tired to function today from dealing with lola at 5:30 in the morning – washed out (my absolute favorite band ever) blows my fucking mind by announcing their new album is en route.

now I have two things to count down to…my wedding & this album.

I’ve been spending some legit time in my studio lately, working on wedding invitations. which – has been great. I find that I actually yearn for those long winded sessions sitting at my desk and drawing my face off.

normally I listen to music. but with the repetitive task of drawing the same invitation design 85 times – I needed a bit more distraction. for the past week or so while in my studio, I have committed to a television show. listening to it season by season while slowly chipping away at this daunting wedding task. the trick though, was that it had be a show I’ve seen before (since I’m not really physically watching…but just listening). that being said, I decided to go with felicity.

it’s a strange feeling re-watching something you originally viewed years ago. it is emotionally familiar, but somehow visually remains or seems new. maybe it is the whole 1990′s nostalgia, the proverbial theme song, or the fact that in season one felicity wrestles with something I can relate to (just watch a minute into that) – but my netflix distraction tactic seems to resonate much deeper than I had anticipated.

of course my story is different: my folks fully support whatever I do, I’ve completed my undergrad, and I didn’t follow a boy to college (nor would I ever). but, I relate in the sense that felicity balances two things, two goals – being a physician, or being an artist. I find that the physician side of her character’s dilemma, parallels my continuous strife between being successful in my current advertising career and someday becoming an art history professor (or artist). two completely different paths, the left or the right, the analytical or the creative – I sit on that very same fence.

long story short – who knew that I could take advice from a fictional character straight out of a 90′s WB television show. while the polarity in these paths remain, why not simply maintain both to the best of my ability…until maybe one day – one will ‘out win’ the other.

“I know one day I’m going to have to make that decision. whether I want to be a doctor or an artist. I’m just – happy, that today, is not that day.” – felicity porter

 
*source

as a total geek (and holder of two degrees in art history), I couldn’t help but share this absolutely hilarious tumblr: beyonce art history. it’s clever as hell – melding these (absurd) beyonce song lyrics to famous artworks. wish I had thought of it first!

*all images found here.

hate to admit – it’s been tough keeping up with my drawing a day challenge. but at least this time I can say it’s because I’ve been slowly cranking out our wedding invitations (versus my usual ‘been too lazy‘ sort of excuse).