Drawing
May 16, 2020

Dazzling Gold Leaf Details Illuminate Mysterious Portraits of Otherworldly Women

Artist Nikolaos Kafasis—also known as Nikolas Tower—combines watercolor and gouache to create rich, character-driven fantasy worlds. His paintings feature unusual, mystical women surrounded by abstract backgrounds of flowing colors, and often, layered with details in dazzling gold leaf. The artist draws upon several areas of inspiration in his paintings. His influences include motifs from Ancient Greek and Asian mythologies, as well as nature, anime, video games, and fantasy novels.

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Animals
May 14, 2020

Beautiful Mandarin Duck Makes His Yearly Appearance in Canada

Male Mandarin ducks are considered some of the most beautiful animals in the world, thanks to their head full of colorful feathers. Native to East Asia, where they are still found in abundance, there is also a significant population in Britain. This population was cultivated after domesticated Mandarins, imported from China in the 20th century, escaped and created a feral colony.

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Nature
May 13, 2020

This 150-Year-Old Wisteria Tree Is the Most Beautiful One in the World

Venture to the Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi, Japan and you’ll find a wisteria tree that’s often referred to as “the most beautiful in the world.” At around 150 years old, the massive tree is stunning when in full bloom. The vertical flowers dangle so far down that they nearly touch the ground and create a purplish-pink cloud that hovers above the grass. Human intervention helps to give Ashikaga’s wisteria tree its stunning appearance.

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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.