Turkish photographer Kübra Kaçtıoğlu creates and captures photographs that are absolutely stunning. From subject to composition, mood, and setting, I love everything about her photos.

At just twenty-two, Kübra has had a passion for photography for many years, and she describes herself as generally living in the past, stuck in her memories. She finds inspiration in songs, films, books, and in the models’ natural actions. Her expressionist work has so much emotion, feeling and screams passion. Photographing mainly female models and focusing on their body language and positioning, Kübra tends not to capture faces in her photos because she finds that faces are too transparent, and their expression can immediately influence the viewer.

Kübra creates such interesting settings from the most simple environments, mostly indoors, by focusing so much on the model and the mood achieved. I absolutely love her photos, and the lovely lighting, which she uses to create a great balance between light and dark. Her soft tones are so whimsical, she manages to pull you in and want to know more about each photo, don’t you think? Through her photographs, Kübra hopes to elicit different emotions in people, so that they will find something that belongs to their inner world and in their personalities that they might not have explored or known otherwise.

(images: kübra kaçtıoğlu)

London-based illustrator and graphic designer Thereza Rowe loves drawing a lot, and it shows. Let’s pay her vibrant portfolio a little visit, shall we? Get ready to see color, shape, line, and pattern!

Thereza has a degree in Graphic Information Design from the University of Westminster in London. She loves to tell stories through her work, and each piece; whether through the characters, their expressions, stance, composition; tells a new story of it’s own. A child at heart and a daydreamer, this quirky and playful element is conveyed through her illustrations. I had the chance to ask Thereza several questions about her work, and she happily shares her answers with us.

When did you become interested in art?
I’ve always been interested in any form of creative expression; singing, drawing, collecting, etc… Those have always been present in my life.

How would you describe your art?
Simple, bold, minimalist, and capable of letting the viewer’s imagination wander and communicate to them.

Animals are always featured in her drawings as loyal and serene creatures, which reflects on her love for animals and for her two cats that keep her company as she is surrounded by mountains of paper and hundreds of pens.

The successful illustrator has been featured in countless publications, one of which is the beautiful Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration along with 39 other illustrators, which you can find here.

Please describe your process.
I don’t really have a set process. I keep sketchbooks and always carry a camera with me to document whatever I find inspiring. Other than that my actual process of image making always changes depending on the project. My main tools are colour, shape and imagination. So it all happens from playing with those elements.

Where do you find inspiration?
Anywhere and everywhere. And because I have an obsession with documenting and collecting anything I find interesting, I guess it helps keeping the inspiration well always replenished. I also have a blog, which i update regularly as i believe inspiration is a give and take process. I’ve had my blog for three years and it’s been a fascinating adventure to follow both my own development and that of artist friends who i met through it.

Thereza also collaborates with other artists as well, motivated by the joy and excitement sharing a process. Isn’t she so inspiring? There are endless possibilities for creativity, and why not explore as much as you can! You can find more of Thereza’s work at her Tiny Red online shop.

Thank you so much Thereza for your time, and for sharing your work with us!

(images: thereza rowe)

I am ready to delve in and get inspired by the work, dedication, passion, and talent of a crochet artists today. After a few weeks off, I am craving some creative energy! And you?

The work of Vera João Espinha is original, distinct, and fun to say the least. With a background in graphic design and painting, she currently works as a graphic designer in a publishing house, and dedicates her spare time to her love for crochet. Her beautiful pieces can be found at several retailers in Portugal.

Vera João Espinha learned to crochet with her grandmother at a very young age as a way to entertain herself after school, and as her skill evolved, she began making clothes for dolls. A painter and an artist as well until her daughter was born, she began to commit to crochet instead, and created accessories. This won her an honorable mention in 2005, in a Portuguese contest for contemporary jewelry, and encouraged her to further this talent.

Vera João Espinha’s stunning colorful, textured work is based on the manual production of contemporary accessories. Her unique jewelry is all handmade, mostly in crochet, but some collections may also include other materials. I am so in love with the little crochet balls, also their composition in the bowls and their photography. It feels like it’s all a part of Vera’s work.

Vera finds inspiration in nature, colors from photography, previous work, or her grandmother’s doilies. The color combinations in her work are divine, and the scarf looks so warm and cozy, and could be worn flexibly – I can see it with jeans and a T-shirt, highlighting the artistry of the scarf itself. What I love most about this talented artist’s work is that she first creates a piece and is true to herself and art, and then thinks about their commercial viability, because after all an artist also has bills to pay.

(images: vera joão espinha)

I find the most inspiring work comes from artists who take their craft to another level, creating new ideas and different dimensions like creating illustrations with a sewing machine using only thread. Doesn’t that sound interesting?

Super talented crafter and artist Miyuki Sakai has been creating award-winning illustrations with a sewing machine for over twenty years. Oh yes, I am serious. Have you seen her work before? Imagine the skill and patience one must possess to create such art! Miyuki grew up in Osaka, Japan, and adopted her unique style inspired by watching her mother make clothes for her family. After attending art school in Kyoto, Miyuki moved to Tokyo to work as a freelance illustrator, and now lives and works in San Fransisco.

I am so intrigued by her unique style and have probably examined every detail of these lovely illustrations that are featured in the Vive la Tarte article in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living. Like many others, I initially thought that the backgrounds were hand drawn with delicious looking tarts placed on top, but I was so wrong! I love love love all the detail in the patterns, color and texture Miyuki creates in these illustrations. Gorgeous! Do you create unique art, or do you have a favorite artist who does? It’s so inspiring and interesting to see what others do, where their minds wander and creativity and skill takes them.

(images: miyuki sakai)

If you haven’t seen the work of illustrator, textile, and stationery designer Leah Duncan yet, you’re in for a real treat! Mostly self-taught in all forms, Leah’s art is inspired by nature, animals, folk art, children’s illustrations, and the little moments in life.

Leah is a twenty-something artist based in Austin, and happily told me her inspirational story, with a brief intro into her art world and how she landed where she is now. Since she put it so well, I’ll let her tell it to you.

“I would certainly say I was born with a creative mind. Daydreaming has always been one of my favorite hobbies. After I graduated from college with a bachelor of science, I landed a job as a graphic designer. From there I worked in the screenprinting industry which is where I taught myself how to draw. Even though these were both creative professions, I never felt fulfilled walking into work everyday and knew I needed more. My husband and I packed up and moved to Austin two years ago. This is when I ventured out on my own and into the art world. I haven’t regretted it for one day.”

I am completely drawn to her gorgeous, colorful prints that although are ambiguous in subject, feel so nostalgic. Leah creates stunning imagery, with harmonious composition and color. I love that there is so much emotion in her animal illustrations, through their positions and expression – it creates a sense of reality and connection to each piece.

I asked Leah what her own favorite print is. “I have to say I’ve enjoyed my later pieces like “Harry had a bad feeling” and “My heart to your heart” in which I’m exploring the humanization of animal relationships.” Which is your favorite? Leah even has an Etsy shop where you can buy her lovely prints and products. And Leah doesn’t stop there! She even has “a special occasions studio” called Lulu Paper where you can order custom or boxed stationery.

I love learning about talented and ambitious people. Motivation is so contagious, which is why I love sharing the work and stories of independent artists and what they do so much. Partly to promote their lovely hard earned work, and to share and hopefully inspire others through their stories, to fulfill their hopes and dreams. If you’re not happy, then do something to change it – keep working towards that goal, and you will succeed!

(images: leah duncan)

Artist, sculptor and teacher Christine Buckton Tillman hails from the great Northern Chicago suburb of Livertyville, and currently lives in Baltimore with her husband and two cats. Christine’s work captured my heart as soon as I laid my eyes on it, and I think you will love it too!

Primarily a very flat sculptor who draws more often than she makes sculptures, Christine’s main interests as an artist lie in the ideas surrounding the handmade, celebrations, and man-made interpretations of natural forms. Exhibiting work frequently in the Mid Atlantic and beyond, Christine has been working as an artist in Baltimore since finishing her MFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Iowa.

Her drawings, mostly formal, and a way for her to keep engaged in her studio practice when her teaching becomes very busy, are so colorful, intriguing, and always positive. Christine creates such gorgeous results from a limited palette, with an eclectic mix of bright colors, shapes, sizes, forms and lines. She creates a great balance with beautiful harmony in her works, that is so lively and festive yet serene and calm.

I love that Christine celebrates the beauty of life through her art, and indulges in festivities through her sculpture. I had the opportunity to talk to Christine about her intent for her artwork. She explains:

“For the sculpture I’m very interested in the visual language of parties and celebrations. I like to take traditional party materials and transform them, as well as make traditional flimsy disposable party objects (bows, banners, paper chains) and  make them out of traditional art materials. The drawings are formal abstractions that borrow their shape and color palette from fashion, celebrations, and nature. I try to make them exuberant.”

Doesn’t Christine’s work make your day a little brighter? It’s all love over here, and if you’d like to own some of her prints like I would, you can even order them from her shop here. I could see her art in a simple ikea frame adorning a white wall in my to be redecorated home. Isn’t her studio wonderful? I’d love to just sit down with Christine for an afternoon in her Baltimore home and watch her create. I imagine her process to be so intriguing, building layer upon layer, thought by thought. The environment she created is so colorful, festive, and so inspiring!

Do you also like to watch an artist at work? Why do you think that is?

(images: christine buckton tillman)

I’ve got some more Belgian talent I’d like to share with you this week, but this time the artist is an illustrator from Brussels. Self-taught illustrator Raphaël Vicenzi is the man behind the name Mydeadpony, with illustration and watercolor works influenced by fashion, street art and graffiti.

I am so fascinated by Raphaël’s use of mixed media and contrast in bold shapes, type, organic and geometric designs, and soft versus deep and dark colors. His experimental style makes for such intriguing and exquisite illustrations, mixing digital media, painting, sketches, and drawing on watercolors while using layers and texture as strong elements in his work. Raphaël creates immensely detailed images that are soft, fragile, and meticulous, but also dark and edgy like no other.

There is so much emotion and expression through his work that each piece draws you in for more, don’t you think? Raphaël’s combination of hand drawings with design creates a beautiful imperfection that couldn’t be possible otherwise. I have several favorite illustrations, and couldn’t point one out – I specifically love his use of warm and feminine colors, against the rough motifs he often uses. If you love Raphaël’s illustrations, you can support him by purchasing his work from this online shop.

Do you have a favorite piece?

(images: mydeadpony)

This is why I love the web, because I can do so many things that wouldn’t even be possible a decade ago, like finding great talent in unexpected places. With so much information, social networking sites, and online communities, the possibilities are endless; and I am so happy I found this very talented photographer recently while browsing through Flickr. And now, I get to share her inspiring work with you!

Dorien Coremans is a twenty-two year old photographer from Antwerp, Belgium. She started taking photographs 3 years ago, and is currently in her final year of photography school. Dorien loves to experiment and challenge herself by creating projects and concepts to work on, and is currently photographing her own dreams. Isn’t that the most interesting thing? I find that a great way to dig into your subconscious, and use your inner thoughts and ideas to really get creative and find a way of capturing your dreams through the lens, and staging them in reality.

Isn’t her photography just gorgeous? It does have a dream-like, hazy almost quality to it, doesn’t it? Her portraits are so calm and serene, and she creates such interesting compositions, as well as whimsical and intriguing subjects. Please take a few moments to visit her flickr page to view a wider range of her work, I feel like I could look at it forever, at every detail and expression. How about you?

(images: dorien coremans)

Casey O’Connell is a passionate and inspired artist living in St. Augustine, Florida. With such a unique approach, intriguing subjects and rich color scheme, I find myself getting lost in her paintings. I picked some of my favorites from the past year, but if you have some time today, I urge you to head over to Casey’s online portfolio to see much more.

After graduating from Flagler College, a lot of traveling, hard work and persistence, Casey broke onto the art scene in 2005 with praise in the New York Times for the room she painted in the Hotel des Arts. She became the first artist to have a show at Google’s corporate headquarters in California in 2008, and the show sold out.

Casey is a fierce inner critic who always paints the first version of all her paintings blindfolded to jump start the creative process and keep away all the negativity by removing the critical eye. I find that so interesting, how about you?

I feel like every artist is critical about their own work, whether consciously or subconsciously, and this could be a very interesting exercise to try! As long as you work with material that isn’t dangerous or absolutely requires you to have your eyes open, why don’t you try blindfolding yourself the next time you create, and see what the result is. Do you notice any different elements about your piece? How did you find the experience? I would also like to try this, and I’ll be sure to share the results with you.

Casey describes her work as “autobiographical dialogues that capture both her inner 12-year-old and a woman who should know better.” Filled with life and emotion, Casey paints what she’s living without filters or irony. Through her abstract style, with a subtle air of softness and femininity, she creates a romantic picture with love and lust that comes from a very pure and innocent place.

Casey’s paintings draw intricate stories that portray her intense feelings and “roller coaster existence” with great highs and lows. She says “I don’t believe for a second that I could do what I do without feeling such extremes. The art itself is the result of the internal conversations and negotiations I have when I am swept away in the moment.” And I can totally see this through her work, Casey pours everything out onto her canvas, and it’s all there. There’s also something about her work that reminds me very much of a Gustav Klimt style. The way she portrays her characters full of emotion and intrigue, and some of her beautiful designs that have a dark, rich, color palette, and I love it.

Casey has had many solo and group shows all over the world in cities like San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Paris, and Melbourne. She has done series of paintings for organizations like the SurfRider Foundation, ReefCheck. Casey has painted for clothing, digital art wallpapers for iPhone and has a series of prints, and she’s even worked on a children’s book. If you would like to get your own print, you can visit her online shop here.

What words come to mind as you look at Casey’s paintings? How does her art make you feel?

Thank you so much Casey for introducing us to and sharing your lovely work!

(casey o’connell)

Originally from North Bay, ON, Jennifer Allison moved to Toronto at seventeen to follow her dream of becoming a fashion designer, and now lives in Montreal as one of Canada’s emerging designers.

Jennifer completed a Bachelor in Fashion Design from Ryerson University, and her collections have been shown at the Toronto Alternative Arts and Fashion Week in 2008 and 2009, and at the 2010 LG Toronto Fashion Week. Jennifer’s designs have been used in fashion shoots in Canada and Paris, and have appeared in magazines like Flare, Elle, Lush, SPADE, and Luxsure.

I love the unique dresses Jennifer designs with a very high fashion look, using texture and surface detailing as the main elements of focus and presentation. Her designs feel whimsical, with great harmony and proportion, creating a perfect balance of ruffles, volume, and exaggerated pieces contrasted with more subtle and unembellished fabric and material. Jennifer’s fantasy like dresses would create the perfect wardrobe for any formal event, a little edge, a little girly and a whole lot of high fashion.

(images: jennifer allison)