Smart Water Use

I saw this great video on Jason Mraz's blog and found it so interesting I wanted to share. It is eye-opening to see just how much water we use in our everyday lives. Looking to use a little less of this precious resource yourself? Decreasing or cutting out your meat consumption and eating locally (i.e. starting your day with domestic produce, not fruit flown in from New Zealand) are great ways to start! Shave outside of the shower. Don't wash your clothes after each and every wear (underwear is a definite exception) - quality clothing can be worn multiple times before getting tossed in the laundry basket. Opt for garden and landscaping plants native to your area and you'll avoid constant watering. Check out the video below for some more simple ideas:

Artist Spotlight: Jenny Meilihove

Artwork by Jenny Meilihove

Jenny Meilihove is a Russian born illustrator living in Jerusalem whose work is both adorably quirky and bright. Her equally adorable website can be found here and an Etsy shop here where you can find originals and prints alike. I especially adore her rich watercolors. Even her workspace (see the last picture) is so fun and creativity inducing. This children's book she's illustrated looks so fantastical... any translators?

If you like any of the pictures you see, be sure to click on the links below - they'll take you to Jenny's website where there are plenty more (many of which I had hoped to post but were too big to do them justice here).

Artwork by Jenny Meilihove

Artwork by Jenny Meilihove

Artwork by Jenny Meilihove

Calendar by Jenny Meilihove

Picture via Jenny Meilihove

Artist Spotlight: John Singer Sargent

Lady Agnew of Locknaw found here

It has been a long day and as I searched for some visual inspiration this evening it was subtle portraits and soft watercolors that drew me in. The works of John Singer Sargent perfectly complement a moment of quiet relaxation, his portraits in particular capturing the beautiful subtleties of his subjects and creating a wonderful complexity. Sargent, who lived from 1854 to 1925, was a realist in his own right and was heavily criticized in his later years for being too old fashioned in his work. He was also criticized for his Venetian watercolors by some and still others disregarded his oil paintings as being unrefined. Since I am not much of an art critic myself, I quite enjoy the traditional qualities of Sargent's paintings as well as the variety of styles he embraced. 

One of Sargent's most criticized and sensational works is the portrait of Madame X, originally titled the Portrait of Madame Pierre Gautreau. The Portrait, which is pictured immediately below, caused outrage by many in France for the seductive and scandalous nature of the Madame (keep in mind it was 1884). For the whole juicy story on Madame's portrait, check out this Wikipedia page. You can learn more about Sargent's training, life, and works in general here.

Protrait of Madame X found here

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose found here

The Chess Game found here