Art

June 29, 2017

Interview: Oregon Wildlife Painter Captures the Beautiful Diversity of Local Birds

With an impassioned interest in “capturing the expression, attitude, and spirit of wildlife,” artist Tom Mital creates exquisite oil paintings of birds. Based in beautiful Bend, Oregon, Mital finds inspiration in his local landscape, where wild animals are ample and nature is everywhere. While the artist has always been interested in observing and depicting fauna, he has become increasingly fascinated by Bend's birds, his preferred subjects and main muses. Each painting features a detailed depiction of a bird in its natural habitat.

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June 28, 2017

Fun Paper Animal Puppets Designed to Move in Unexpected Ways When Touched

In his menagerie of moveable animal puppets, Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura adds a mechanical touch to the ancient art of paper crafting. Inspired by kirigami—an origami-like technique that employs cuts in addition to folds—Nakamura creates paper dolls that move in unexpected and unusual ways. Crafted from paper and cleverly constructed, each whimsical creature puts a paper twist on karakuri, or mechanized puppets. Like traditional karakuri, each figure's movements are prompted by human touch.

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June 27, 2017

Cosmic “Drip” Mugs Hand-Crafted with Trickling Swirls of Paint

For some folks, the first sip of their morning coffee is a vital part of their day. Before that, the world only exists in a sleepy haze. To celebrate this necessary and coveted routine, why not have an equally special mug to match? Ox & Otter clay pottery hand-crafts cosmic-inspired cups that are adorned with brilliant swirls of blues, magenta, oranges, and turquoise. Ceramicist Shiyana Mahendra is the woman behind the Ox & Otter brand.

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June 23, 2017

Surreal Inked Illustrations Combine Animals with Celestial Patterns

Last year, we were wild about artist Kerby Rosanes‘ geometry-inspired animal sketches. Now, the illustrator is back with a new space-inspired series that pairs surreal creatures with galactic patterns, culminating in a collection of animal illustrations that will leave you starry-eyed. Like his past work, Rosanes' recent cosmic composites are illustrated in multiliner pens and kept safe in Moleskine notebooks. Though rendered in a way that is reminiscent of doodling, each piece features an extraordinary amount of detail.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.