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Ben Blatt, a friend from RISD, just finished a new watercolor painting - and we LOVE it. Absolutely stunning. See more of his amazing work on his website: http://benblatt.com.

Image via Ben Blatt

This week's "site" is actually a boutique in Los Angeles that sells antiques and art from various dealers: The Melrose Project. The store, which opened just over a year ago, has received a lot of buzz in the relatively short time it's been open. With stories in magazines from Architectural Digest to Elle Decor, Angeleno magazine calls The Melrose Project " a breath of fresh air for antiques. (...) It's like seeing old pieces within a new context for a new generation." We agree - and we want absolutely everything. To visit their website, click here. To read more about The Melrose Project and see more pictures of the interior, click here to visit the Velvet & Linen blog.

All images via The Melrose Project

Melancholia, a 2011 film written and directed by Lars von Trier, is billed as "A Beautiful Movie About the End of the World." We agree - but for us, Melancholia stands out from other movies not because of the plot (this is not your typical disaster movie, trust us) but because of the stunning visuals. Although lead actress Kirsten Dunst won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for the film, we can't help but feel that her (albeit impressive) performance was a little upstaged by the combination of directing by Lars von Trier, cinematography by Manuel Alberto Claro, and art direction by Simone Grau. The Ophelia reference aside (the first picture below that was used to market the film), the visuals throughout the film (especially in the first 15 minutes) blew us away. This is something we haven't seen for a long time, and we hope it inspires filmmakers to remember that film is a powerful art form, not just a way to make money by producing less-than-inspiring, blockbuster films for the masses.

To read more about Melancholia, click here.

Images via

1. Melancholia website  2. hnphim.com  3. About.com  4. Screened  5. Zap 2 It  6. The Neat House blog  7. Movies Pad  8. Film O Filia

Photographer Anne-Laure House sees illuminated windows at night as living pictures. Her Pictures of Intimacy series includes windows in New York City, Paris, Amesterdam, Ile De Re (France), and our favorite, Prague (below). Anne writes: 

"At nightfall, the windows of the flats that are lit up attract more attention than the façade of the buildings that frame them. Lit interiors become real tableaux vivants. The interior takes precedence over the exterior, and we can glimpse moments of people’s intimate lives. I am not actually interested in their intimacy as such, but rather by the space itself – the warmth of a particular light, the twinkling of a Christmas garland or the shimmering glow of a television, the corner of a painting. All these details stir my imagination and inspire my work. When I gaze at these windows, I like to tell myself a story. I capture these intimate moments and build my own structures.” - Anne-Laure House

Image via Wall 30 and Kateoplis

After seeing a photograph by artist Julie Blackmon at a client's house, we've become obsessed. Blackmon, who comes from a large family in Missouri, effortlessly captures the timelessness of family dynamics in her photographic series based on her extensive family of nieces, nephews, and her own children. We love how she explores the fantastic moments of every day living and blends the real with the surreal both in artistic style and subject matter. The oil paint like quality of her photographs made a real impression on us, as well as the inherent comedy that shines through in many of the photos, bringing an instant smile to our faces. See more of Julie Blackmon's work at www.julieblackmon.com.

All images via JulieBlackmon.com

Our Creative Director, Jen, studied at The Rhode Island School of Design with New York based artist Dan Colen. His first major exhibition in Rome, entitled "Trash", will be at the Gagosian Gallery from September 19 - October 29, 2011! 

"I’m interested in using the “real world” as a material and a force within my process. I like how these materials take some control away from me, allowing for a more uncertain future and yet a more finished piece. These materials come with a history, not one I necessarily know, but a history for sure. There is an infinity in “real world objects” that, no matter how much I try, I couldn’t paint or sculpt into being."
--Dan Colen

Images via Gagosian Gallery

Inspired today by this photo (top) from a photographer in Oudeschild, North Holland.  The horizontal line that appears on his sky colored shirt from having just dipped into the water lines up perfectly with the horizon line in the background, melding the subject and background together to create a harmonious whole. We also love the comparison with this photo (bottom) from Quebec, Canada with its similar color scheme and tranquil mood.





Images via
1.  joeribosma (flickr)  2. Dan Desroches (flickr)

We are lucky enough to have a studio right around the corner from this Banksy masterpiece!



Photo © JW

I spent last week in Dallas for Geoffrey Good's trunk show at the Jerry Szor gallery.  Between jewelry talks and mad photography sessions, I was able to check out a bit of the Dallas art scene.  A friend in the know took me around, and introduced me to several new artists.  One that I was particularly stuck by was Bay Area artist Deborah Oropallo represented by Turner-Carroll.  The juxtaposition of formal portraiture and chicks in sexy costume pokes at ideas of power, and tradition.  

Images via Turner - Carroll, Magnolia Editions, Daily Serving

Via Murder and Metonymy