instagram stalker | @andyspade

I have a very long list of people that would be frightened if they knew how much I loved them. Celebrities, mostly. And I'm not talking about emotional love, I'm talking about the your-work-your-mind-your-creativity-your-clothes-your-outlook-gives-me-chills kind of love. On the top of that list currently is: Lena Dunham, the creator of Breaking Bad, and Andy Spade.

I fell into the wormhole of Google one day and found myself reading article after article on this man. It began with an interest in his wife, Kate Spade, but hearing he was actually the brain child behind the super successful fashion line. It ended with me scrolling through his instagram for about an hour and making plans to go visit his art gallery, Partners & Spade, next time I'm in New York.

Each of his pictures on Instagram is everything a really perfect piece of art should be. It made me look at mundane things around me in a completely different way. It made me figuratively smack myself on the head thinking "Wake up and realize the beauty in a couple of pieces of cantaloupe left in a stainless steel dish!" It's inspiring. Take a look.

All photo credit is to @andyspade

art | Colleen's Bouquet

Happy Friday everyone! Today I'm sharing with a piece I recently did for my friend, Colleen! I wanted to make her something special as a wedding gift, so I decided to recreate her bridal bouquet, incorporating the original petals from the arrangement so that she'll always have a piece of that beautiful day with her!

Know of anyone getting married soon that would appreciate something similar? Send me a message or an email at mollydaudlin@gmail.com to get more info!

inspiration | charlotte audrey owen-meehan

Sure! Her tumblr's name is a mouthful, but {Charlotte Audrey Owen-Meehan}'s blog deserves to be memorized. It's a delight for the eyes and it's a perfect place to spend your free-time this spring.

All of the images are simple items placed on pastel backgrounds transform from silly objects to sophisticated works of art. I wish I could pin the {archive view} and just be done with it because I'm obsessed with every. single. post.

art I love | Elise Werbler

I happened upon {this post} by The Jealous Curator and basically wrote my blog for me today. The things that come out of simple concepts, like birthstones, never ceases to amaze me. What a cool birthday gift this would be for a friend, eh?

funny ballerina

This drawing warmed my heart today. I used to study ballet, all the way through college, so the subject of dance is always appealing to me. But this sketch highlights humor in the midst of such a (at times) stuffy art form.

{Image Source}

art | Kike Besada

I like the kind of art that makes you think. It has to challenge me, and has to make me ask myself - "Is this art?".

This kind of art is the type that makes you take a second glance at everything around you. If a pile of torn envelopes (seen below) is considered art, then why couldn't a trash bag full of tissues be art?

Above is the work by {Kike Besada}. His work seems to bring these monotonous elements that we come across everyday, and put them in a context that is totally beautiful.

Kike's collages have a color scheme that tug at my heart strings (natural hues with pops of color), but also a texture, direction and narrative that makes me fall in love. What do you think? Does this do anything for ya?

art | Chrysler Building

{Chrysler Building} - Click this link to purchase this piece

The Detroit Tigers are playing the New York Yankees tonight. This probably isn't the wisest post to do on a day like today, but here it goes! 

I created this piece as an ode to my love of New York City. The architecture, the energy and the people make it easily my favorite place in this entire world. My favorite building is obviously the Chrysler Building, and really  how couldn't it be? With it's amazing arches, and metallic accents - what's not love?! 

This piece would be perfect for anyone who loves architecture and this beautiful city {as much as I do!}

pour paintings

I'm trying to simplify my tastes, leave things alone, walk away when a piece is done, and not overdue things.

But when I see things like {Holton Rower's pour paintings}, I can't help but be amazed at how much is going on in one of his pieces. Style, color, process, playing with depth perception - it's super trippy and super cool.

poll | Art Fair Artwork

Making decisions on what to paint and how to paint is always hard. As you have seen from this blog I find inspiration everywhere and it's always a challenge to narrow it down. Editing is a difficult process and I would love your help!

Below are four categories that I always try to keep in mind when I think about the audience I want to attract with certain pieces: Guy's, Girl's, Kid's, and Abstract. Leave a comment indicating the category and your choice with which image you would love to see turned into a painting (One or Two).

Thank you so much! And who knows, maybe you'll see your choices turn into a painting!

{for the Guys}

{for the Girls}

(for the Kids}

{Abstract}

art | Jean Seberg

On mornings when the sun is shining and my windows are open, my favorite thing to do is roll out of bed and start painting. It's a great way to wake up and spend the first 30 to 45 minutes of the day.

Here is the piece I'm currently working on for a friend. It's taken from a photograph of the actress, Jean Seberg. Enjoy and let me know what you think :)

art | Cityscape

"Cityscape" is not for sale at this time.

I'm about halfway done with this piece and I'm already really happy with it. I wanted something virtually abstract, dark, foreboding, but still haunting and beautiful. I think in a lot of peoples' minds, that's how they view big cities.

I'll post this piece in the {art for sale} tab once it has been completed.

art | Lucky Girl

This is a sketch I was doing while watching "Midnight in Paris". I thought it was appropriate to share. I chose to use green and yellow pastels because sketchbooks can start to look a little boring without a pop of color.

I love fashion from the 1920's. The drop waists and those cute headbands worn around the forehead - to die for! So that definitely inspired this sketch. It still has a ways to go before I get it where I want it, but it's a pretty good start.

art | Marmalade

This piece is inspired by this book I picked up a couple of weeks ago, {Design*Sponge at Home} by Grace Bonney.

The book mostly features interior design ideas and D.I.Y. projects, but I couldn't help but notice all of the fun and colorful art hanging on the walls of these stunning homes. The rooms would be very minimal, and then there would be a huge canvas covered with a hot pink print or a modern graphic. It would add a punch to the room and it really said something about it's inhabitants.

art | French Macarons

Here is the piece I'm working on inspired by the "fun girl".

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a bit of an obsession with macarons. They are just so colorful, their flavor can be so interesting (violet creme? rose? apple & blackberry?), and they are such a rare find in my hometown that they have become a delicacy to me.

On a recent trip to New York City, I stopped by a shop and bought a package of 12, brought them home on my carry-on and ate them one-by-one over the next week. I am going to attempt to try to make some of my own, but I think painting them will be a lot easier.

I used the colors from yesterday's inspiration and hope to have a little more fun with it when I begin painting.

As always, I appreciate feedback and your thoughts!

inspiration | 19

image credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

art | A Collage of Many Things

"All Collage of Many Things" is not for sale at this time.

I often create collages to illustrate a mood or try to connect a collection of ideas. Whenever I'm stumped with creativity, one of my favorite things to do is find a bunch of things I like and try to cut, color and paste them in Photoshop. I am DEFINITELY know Photoshop wizard, but is a great way to visually brainstorm.

All of the images I used for this project came from {my tumblr} account. Tumblr is a great way to catalog and come across new and interesting images, quotes, and photography. It's a perfect place to start if you're feeling a creativity block or if you just wanna look at pretty things for a while.

art | The Tea Party

"The Tea Party" is for sale! Please click this {link} if you want to see detailed information about this painting. Leave a comment or email me at mollydaudlin@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this piece.

This painting has been on my list of things to do for a while. It has been finished for months but for some reason I just felt like I needed to add finishing touches. Well I finally found the time this past weekend.

The colors and fairytale quality makes this piece feel very sentimental to old children's literature. In every book I read or TV show I watched, it always seemed that little girls were having tea parties in big, beautiful forests. I know it's cheesy, but it always sounded so cool. So anywho - there ya go. That was my inspiration. I hope you enjoy it.

music for every occasion

I listen to a lot of different of music. Most days, my ipod will see a very wide range of styles, genres, and tempos depending on my mood. I grew up listening to records from old Disney movies and classic musicals. Today, while I still love the old stuff, I've been listening to a ton of new stuff. It seems like every day friends and family are giving me CDs to add to my itunes or I'll discover a new radio station that becomes an instant favorite.


This week, I'm getting inspired by music and letting it directly influence my work. Instead of making a playlist to listen to while I paint or clean, I'm collecting all of my favorites - past and present - to see what I can come with and how my musical tastes have changed.