There’s no stopping embroidery. As more people discover the traditional craft, the more that it continues to grow and change. Although many people work in traditional stitches and application techniques, their use of contemporary imagery makes the age-old practice new and modern. Sol Kesseler’s work is an example of new-school embroidery reinterpreting techniques from hundreds […]
Author: Sara Barnes
Sara is a Baltimore, Maryland-based blogger and illustrator. She's obsessed with finding the latest and greatest in illustration, which she shares through her blog, Brown Paper Bag. Offline, Sara enjoys embroidering flowers and foods that she's eaten and enjoyed.
The colorful diversity of coral reefs lend themselves well to paper craft. Artist mlle Hipolyte has folded, rolled, and fringed the material into a variety of underwater-inspired forms for her work titled “Coralium.” Together, they comprise a two meter by one-meter piece; contained by a wooden frame, it’s as if we’re happening upon a living […]
When Phoebe Hunter was about 10 years old, she accompanied her brother as he got tattooed. There, she saw “how cool tattoos were” and was interested in the practice. It wouldn’t be until many years later—and studies in veterinary and psychology—that she became an apprentice at Seventh Day Studio in Auckland. Delicate lines and surreal […]
Artist Luciano Polverigiani crafts colorful characters that are at the intersection between toy and sculpture. The quirky figurines don exaggerated features that are appealing to kids but carry adult themes—such as the creature with a large spiky tail that it carries like an albatross. To produce these earthy-colored sculptures, he uses a variety of clay […]
Artist Suzanna Scott reconstructs everyday objects as powerful comments on gender and equality. Her most prominent is an ongoing series of works called “Coin Cunts,” in which coin purses are turned inside out and sewn to form colorful representations of female genitalia. “In our new reality of untruths and the resurgence of misogynistic and racist […]
Artist Kanako Abe creates cut paper art that’s so fine that it’s hard to tell you’re looking at thinly-sliced lines. The exquisite details have a lyricism to them; they look as though they’ve been drawn with a pen. Even the subject matter has a mystical quality, and Abe’s Instagram captions accompany them like little bits […]
Balloon art is a common sight at children’s birthday parties, but artist Masayoshi Matsumoto has elevated the practice with his complex sculptures. Using only balloons—no markers, adhesives, or other sealants—he crafts creatures large and small and doesn’t limit himself to a particular size or species. While all are impressive, the bulbous forms lend themselves well […]
Artist Song Kang imagines tiny microcosms in stone. In her series aptly-titled “Carved in Stone,” she fuses architectural structures onto and into “rocks” (using materials such as reed, plaster, foam, and paper mache). The bridges, stonework, and intricate wooden Cathedral-style windows follow the curves and forms of the rocks themselves and appear distorted in their […]
Combining elements of portraiture and fairy tales, Porto-based artist Kati Berinkey tattoos striking busts of women in vibrant, candy-colored hues. They have a sense of movement about them, with tiny lines that convey three-dimensionality. These characters often appear as modern day renditions of classic stories like that of Adam of Eve and Little Red Riding […]
Portland-based artist Winston the Whale, aka Dave, went viral a couple of years ago with his anaglyph 3D tattoos. Since then, he’s continued to grow from his simple (and visually vibrating) blue and red linework; his new designs are colorful and have a 1960s and 1970s-inspired aesthetic—even some influences from the Memphis Design era as well. […]