Creating beautiful works of art doesn’t require expensive supplies. Case in point? Düsseldorf-based artist Sebastian Wickeroth diligently layers line upon line of regular old felt-tip marker to create his wonderfully abstract works of colour and angle. Never underestimate the possibilities just sitting in your pencil bin…

(spotted on but does it float, images via sebastian wickeroth )

Yellowtrace is a fantastic Australian blog with a razor sharp eye for style and design. I am thrilled to be doing a few guest posts for Dana, yellowtrace’s founder, while she is on maternity leave this month. My first is the Geode Project by artist A Common Name. Placed in building holes and random pipes, these amazingly intricate paper crystal formations bring real-life magic to everyday surroundings. Has a drainpipe ever looked better? Read my whole post here.

(photographs via a common name)

My love affair with how simple, colourful elements of everyday life can come together in extraordinary ways continues to grow. Crafted out of plastic clothespins arranged in rows, Peg Carpet was created by Dutch art collective We Make Carpets and is a feat of layering and precision. I love the bold patterns of these modern tapestries and the beautiful gradients of colour achieved through carefully placed clothespins hues. There really is magic brewing in the laundry room…

(photographs by boudewijn bollmann via we make carpets)

I just love modern interpretations of neon. The glowing colour is full of possibility from chic typography to inspiring installations. ‘Arise’ by Anselm Reyle is one such installation I wish I had seen in person. The Berlin-based artist created the large-scale piece in 2010 out of neon, chains, cable and transformers. I love the thinness of the neon pieces and the reflecting jumble they create together. That last detail shot of a few bits of neon on the floor (and a well-placed heart) will have me dreaming of modern neon for many days ahead…

(photographs via the modern institute)

I think music videos have so much potential to be beautiful, stirring, innovative pieces of art. Lately, they feel more like repetitive product placements than statements of art which seems like a waste to me. On the flipside of that trend is the fabulous band OK Go. They make one fantastic music video after another that showcases how an awesome end result does not need a giant budget. This new video for Skyscrapers is lovely in its simplicity – 3 minutes and 45 seconds of gorgeous colur and dance. I love the travels back and forth through rainbow hues including the vibrant costumes and painted background walls. The video was directed and produced by Grammy Award-winning choreographer and director Trish Sie (she’s the dame part of the couple) and also features dancer Moti Buchboot. Proof that a great music video just needs innovation, talent and a big dash of colour…

(information via the always colourful Colossal)

French artist Suzy Lelièvre manages to take everyday objects and make them thought-provoking and playful. I especially love her pieces Gravity Dice and Dominos Gravitation. Why shouldn’t dice dots fall to the bottom of the cubes? Why wouldn’t domino spots all hail the mighty ‘one spot’ leader? I might refuse to play any games that aren’t as handsomely designed as these pieces…

(photographs via suzy lelièvre)

My love affair with facets doesn’t seem to have an end in sight especially when gorgeous work like the Blocks Series comes to life. Captured and conceptualized by Canadian photographer Evonne Bellefleur with blocks created by prop stylist Caitlin Doherty, the series features dreamy expanses of beautiful colour palettes and fascinating shapes. They are like rocks that have tumbled off of some sort of magical mountain. Not sure I can avoid buying one of these prints. Yep, the facet fetish continues…

(prints available/images via soti)

I posted about Alberto Seveso’s gorgeous high-speed ink and water photographs last year and had my fingers firmly crossed that he would one day work with mixed colours. When I spotted his new series called a due Colori, I fell in love with his work all over again. Dreamy plumes of vibrant colour billowing like fabric underwater? Just beautiful. See the rest of the series here.

(spotted on Colossal)

As you may know, I am more than a little in love with bits of art in unexpected places. I find this piece of street art in Bergen, Norway to be simply magical. A dainty, elegant stencil on a rough, industrial surface…

(photograph by cicilie fagerlid via monique)

I love the surreal and beautiful photography series ‘Bronson Caves’ by artist Brice Bischoff. In Los Angeles’s idyllic (and often used as a film set) Bronson Caves, Brice used long-exposure to capture movement and dance he performed with large sheets of colour paper. The result is a unique capture of time – from a dreamy mist of colour to very clear edges of hue. Brice experimented with the photography style for over a year and I like that he used the same sheets of paper for the entire series. The materials became ripped, worn and discoloured which only added to the intriguing hues and textures created. I like the thought of time going by in wisps of moving colour…

(spotted on designboom)

I wrote a post today for Rena Tom’s site about the value art adds to shops and other retail spaces. From a huge Confetti System foil forest at J.Crew to a tiny selection of curated prints in a wee store, art not only adds visual appeal but also creates a community, brings people in the door and makes a shop buzz-worthy. A stationery shop holding a mini-show of paper craft, a clothing store hiring an artist to interpret their new collection in a large installation or a kitchen store throwing a party for a food illustrator – adding a dash of art to retail is beneficial for both the maker and the shop owner. Plus, 1800 colourful shoelaces hanging from a ceiling just looks plain awesome. Take a look at my post here if you are interested!

(images via hip shops, imagine these, simply pix, suppose, flowers by bornay, the design process, the village and confetti system)

Farhad Moshiri’s installation ‘Life is Beautiful’ showcases a beautiful cursive treatment of the titular expression. Step closer and we realize the typeface is created by hundreds of knives with colourful handles stabbed into the wall at Palazzo Grassi, Italy. I love the juxtaposition of such a romantic type treatment and phrase created out of a violent, dramatic material. So many layers of meaning in this piece…

(spotted on my modern met)

German artist Frank Hülsbömer has a portfolio overflowing with intriguing studies of colour, form and rethinking everyday objects. Some of my favourite pieces are his tapestacks. Have you ever seen a stack of tape look so artful? I love the reflections he plays with (especially in that blue and foil image). My other favourite is his “Extroverted Disco Ball” and “Introverted Disco Ball” pairing. The idea is so very clever and witty. A long time fan of the mirrored spheres, I can honestly say I will never look at a disco ball the same way again. (p.s. how beautiful would that black matte “introverted” ball look in a white loft with bold pops of colour? Sigh. Back to daydreaming…)

What are these intriguing pans of shimmering colour? Perhaps liquid metal or coloured glass? Nope, they are stainless steel trays full of Listerine mouthwash. Created by Canadian artist Steve Bishop, the pieces are proof that real beauty can come from the everyday colour that infuses our daily lives. In this case, the colours are (from top) Listerine’s Cool Mint, Freshburst and Clean Mint. Steve has a gift for turning simple materials and objects into fascinating work. See more here.

I love bright coloured paint jobs so these photos more than made my day. I love the feature wall completely saturated in one vibrant colour including coat hooks, radiator and shelving. I also love the idea of colour splashed randomly and artfully up one wall. Who says you ever have to paint your walls in a traditional fashion?

(photographs via 101 woonideeen and agent bauer)

I love these Crayon Rocks, available in 16 colours and made from non-toxic soy/beeswax tinted with natural mineral powders. In addition to being handsome nuggets of design, they actually develop children’s motor skills and allow for a better grip. They have a magic bean feeling, don’t you think?