You’re My Obsession: Hilma af Klint, Women Artists, #The100DayProject

Baliwood Scarf Designed by Melanie Biehle | Abstract Pattern, Fashion Print, Textiles

Yay! It’s a You’re My Obsession post, where I get to cram in tons of things that I love that are taking up space in my brain and life these days.

First up, I’m verrrrrrrrrryyyyyy slowly building an empire. Not really, but I am starting to put some of my designs on products. I shared the Baliwood journal last week and this week I have the Baliwood scarf! I’ve given myself a big task of going through my  library of surface designs that I have yet to share or use and soon I’ll be choosing product collections to launch. I’m so excited. This is something I’ve always wanted to do.

Hear Motherhood Late Bloomer Art Project | Paige Ray
kindness is the new black parscaeli goodinstore

I have some very talented, creative friends who are doing amazing things. Like these two women. MJ of Pars Caeli and Good in Store and Paige of Hear Motherhood are creating cool things straight from the heart.

Tonight Paige will be showing the 32 paintings that she created for her 32nd birthday, titled The Late Bloomer Project. If you live near Springdale, Arkansas you can attend the opening at Gingiber tonight!

MJ is using her creative talents to promote kindness, positivity, and all around good things. Who doesn’t need more of that? Plus, it’s fabulous. Haven’t you heard that Kindness Is The New Black?

Hilma af Klint: A Pioneer of Abstraction (Installation View), courtesy Hamburger Bahnhof

I’ve been checking out a lot of large art books from the library, like Hilda af Klint: A Pioneer of Abstraction and Jacqueline Groag: Textile & Pattern Design: Wiener Werkstatte to American Modern (which I ended up buying for my own collection). I didn’t realize that the first abstract artist was a woman. I would have loved to have seen Hilda af Klint’s bold, colorful art exhibition in Berlin.

Karin Olah Abstract Paintings

Speaking of women abstract artists, I am completely obsessed with the work of Karin Olah. Her mixed media abstract paintings are stunning – the color palettes, the textures, the shapes…I love everything about them. She’s inspiring me to break out of my abstract cityscape series for a bit and get bold and messy.

I’m also reading about another favorite female artist right now, Agnes Martin. I just started Agnes Martin: Her Life and Art by Nancy Princenthal, and I’m eager to learn more about her life and work.

Day 1 of 100 Agnes by Melanie Biehle April 2016 The 100 Day Project
Day 2 of 100 Sea by Melanie Biehle April 2016 The 100 Day Project

Speaking of Agnes Martin – See how everything relates? – I’m doing #The100DayProject again this year. Last year I did #100GraphicPatterns and this year I’m going to improve my hand lettering skills with #100DaysofHandLettering. You can follow along on Instagram.  It’s not too late to get started on your own project! What do you want to get better at? What kind of daily practice would you like to build? Doing this project last year completely changed my creative focus.

And last but definitely not least on this episode of You’re My Obsession…Lemony Snicket, A Series of Unfortunate Events. Drew and I are reading one or two chapters a night with Nathaniel before he goes to sleep and we all love them! We’re on #4 right now – The Miserable Mill. Those poor Baudelaire children. 

I hope you guys have a great rest of your week! xoxo