Tag: Art Inspiration

Inspiration Trip: Myrtle Beach + Ripley’s Aquarium & Odditorium

Last week, my husband and I took some time off to enjoy the beach, which was a very big milestone for us as we’ve never taken a vacation together!  We’ve always done staycations and convention trips, but never anything like a complete escape thanks to the pile of medical bills that have always thwarted us in the past.  This was our way to celebrate Kev’s career change, our new home, and so many little and big victories that have been happening for us over the course of this year and last!

It was a lovely time spent walking in the sea breeze, catching dinner shows, and spoiling ourselves!  We went to a Murder Mystery dinner where we had to solve a series of murderers by dessert.  We also set sail with a Pirate dinner show with dancing skeletons and aerial acrobatic mermaids in a water-filled stage.

It was an awesome time and after the rough start to 2023 I’ve had, I’m happy for a reset button!  Taking time away to actually leave the house reminded me how important it is to do these things before the burnout catches up with us, which it has for me for years now for a multitude of reasons.  I’m very happy to be able to just enjoy myself and get outside of my own head for awhile!  There’s so much more to life than angsting about my projects, skill level, and existential threats like AI and I really needed this break away from the anxiety of it all that’s quadrupled over the course of the pandemic.

Another highlight of the trip was visiting the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Aquarium and Odditorium buildings, which are the source of the reference photos I’ve collected at the top of this post.  Atlanta’s Aquarium still reigns supreme, but there’s something nice to be said about the quieter Ripley’s Aquarium where we could take our time without a huge crowd.

IMAGE CAPTION:  My fave souvenirs from the trip – a tiny stone turtle which supports conservation efforts and a mug to fit all the matcha!

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IMAGE CAPTION:  My husband, Kevin, and I at the Ripley’s Aquarium.

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I’m already missing that calming breeze, but I’m also excited to get back in the studio!  We finally had our chance to properly rest and now begins the efforts to re-organize my new bigger studio space and also to start fixing up our new home the way that we want instead of living out of boxes as we have for the past 3 years.

Now that I’m back home, that also means I’ll be working to re-launch this Patreon and  learning how to use the Merch system, which I think will be fun and easier for you guys to use than my Backerkit Secret Shop for those merch tier rewards.  I have some exclusive goodies coming that I finished before vacation that I’m excited to share the big final reveal of!

More soon!  Till then, enjoy the pics and feel free to use any of the animal and beach images as you like for your own projects.

♥ Ang

Inspiration Reference Photos: Spring Flowers in Georgia

As you know, nature plays a big part of inspiration for me, especially for my Birthstone Goddesses.  Part of the joy of moving to a new place is seeing what new flowers will emerge in spring!  Now that it’s started to get warmer here at our new home, our house and neighborhood have erupted with blooms.

We have Spring Stars, beautiful starlike blooms that range from purple to white. I’ve never noticed these blooming here before!  I’m definitely saving them for fantasy landscape inspiration, as I can imagine them twinkling like little stars in a night scene.

We also had daffodils and narcissus all over, though they’ve sadly withered by now.  I was so happy to see a line of daffodils pop up lining our driveway on both sides!

Next, we have what I thought were Snowdrops, but are actually a smaller, more  delicate flower called Summer Snowflakes.  The little green smudges on the petal tips make the designer in me very happy, it’s such an elegant little detail!  They’re like little fairy bells.

Finally, as we were wrapping up our walk, we spotted this feathered friend who was powered by bird screams.  A red-shouldered hawk, I suspect!  We have a lot of hawks and owls in this neighborhood, which points to a healthy ecosystem.  I enjoy living in our shaded little patch of forest and am so happy we’ll be staying for the foreseeable future after our past few years of home-hopping.

If any of the images here might make good reference for you, feel free to use them!  I’m looking forward to seeing what summer will be like here and taking a trip to Gibbs Gardens for more reference hunting.  I hope you all enjoy the beauty of nature as much as I do.

♥ Ang

Unknown Nouveau: Gaspar Camps

While I’m busy grinding away braincells on Lady of July ‘s many flower buds, I wanted to introduce you to another Art Nouveau artist I had never heard of!  Gaspar Champs hailed from Spain and spent a large part of his career in France.  He was very heavily influenced by Mucha, so much so that he became known as the ‘Catalan Mucha’.

Like my previous feature of Élisabeth Sonrel , I love how Camps brought his own unique flair to Alphonse Mucha’s line style.  At times, Camps’ work feels more abstract with his figures melting into the details of his images.

I also love the sense of light bouncing in his more painterly work.  What a joy it was to discover him!

If you want to see more of these art features, view them all at once here .

UNKNOWN NOUVEAU: Élisabeth Sonrel

While I’m busy working on Lady of July, enjoy a look at this stunning work by female Art Nouveau artist, Élisabeth Sonrel!  While she was active at the same time as other artists of the movement, I had never heard of her until recently. 

She reminds so very much of Mucha with her line work, but has a sense of decorative layout that feels more detailed and layered at times.  Definitely check her out for a lovely array of painterly and graphical work!

If you want to see more of these art features, view them all at once here. 

PS.

I plan to start doing these little ‘Unknown Nouveau‘ entries, so I have something to share during those slow times when I’m busy working and don’t have much to show yet!  The art keeps me inspired and is something I love sharing with you all. What do you think?  

Also, do you know any other Art Nouveau artists I might not have heard of?  Let me know in comments!