the art of le tour

We watched the Tour de France religiously--Trey for the cycling, me for the scenery. For the final stage, Lance Armstrong rode a Damien Hirst designed bike, which will be auctioned off later this year for his Live Strong Foundation. In an interview, Lance mentioned he was a Hirst collector. I thought that was pretty cool.
{image: live strong}

favorite places: the phillips collection

Trying to think of ways to get inspired lately, I started thinking about some of my favorite places of all time. So that's what you'll be getting this week, starting with The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. I discovered it the summer I interned for my congressman in DC (when, thanks to Monica, intern was sort of a dirty word). I don't think I've ever felt more at home in a museum, maybe because it is in a former home. And since contemporary art is my thing, I'd be happy to move right in.
{images: The Phillips Collection}

natsumi nishizumi

I have been feeling quite uninspired lately. But then, I found the lovely drawings of Natsumi Nishizumi (via Oh Joy!), and that has helped. Looks like she's putting together a nice calendar, too.

i love collages

On Ill Seen, Ill Said (she found them via Dear Ada), I found these wonderful collages by Shelly Kommers. Her blog is heaven for a girl who used to have a collage of Sports Illustrated images hanging in her bedroom in high school (Pete Sampras figured prominently).

seaside series II

Trey says "too much pink," but I disagree. I love these prints by Shannon Rankin.

folly cove designers

In the May 2008 Vogue, I read the most interesting article about the Folly Cove Designers. These prints are by the textile collective, started in 1938 by Virginia Lee Burton, who also illustrated the beloved children's books Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Little House. For more information on these textiles, check out the website here.
{images: skinny laminx via Folly Cove Designers II}

isca greenfield-sanders

I fell head over heels for the work of this artist, as featured in Elle Decor July/August 2008.

Louise Taylor Turner

My friend Susanna's grandmother, Louise Turner, was a wonderful artist who died in the Orly Air Crash of 1962, along with many civic and cultural leaders of Atlanta. The group was returning from a European museum tour with the Atlanta Art Association (eventually to become the Atlanta Art Alliance, which would administer the High Museum of Art). Mrs. Turner's paintings were those of a woman who truly knew and loved the Deep South and its people.

{images: southeastern color}

Walter Inglis Anderson

While in Ocean Springs, Mississippi for my friend Carrie's wedding, we visited the enchanting Walter Anderson Museum. Born in 1903 in New Orleans, Anderson spent his adulthood capturing the natural splendor of the Gulf Coast. He was prolific with his watercolors, but also devoted much effort to linoleum block prints and murals. Anderson wanted his art to be accessible to all, and his family runs a shop devoted to that purpose. More good information about him here, and the memoir by his wife is an excellent read.

{top image: walter anderson museum}