Using single stripes of colour to represent each ingredient, artist Dan Kenneally creates abstract paintings as part of his Lunchbox collection. Dan also makes custom pieces so if you have a loved one with a favourite sandwich, you may have found the perfect gift! I would love to see a modern café or sandwich-focused restaurant line their walls with these light-hearted, colourful pieces!

(sandwiches from top: BLT, peanut butter & jam, grilled cheese & tomato, reuben, bacon/egg/cheese breakfast sandwich, cheeseburger, ice cream sandwich, s’more)

(via note to self)

I think I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw these illustrated and hand-embriodered Penguin Classic book covers by Jillian Tamaki. They are a stunning piece of craftmanship. Not only beautiful illustrations but incredible embroidery detail and colour. After a commission from Penguin, Jillian took two months to create the wraparound covers with French flaps. What a mesmerizing update to the covers of classic literature and yet another fantastic Penguin book cover. Wow Jillian. That is all I can say! (p.s. the books will be available in Fall 2011)

(via sampaints)

These aerial photographs by Alex MacLean are extraordinary. Flower fields, abandoned military planes, motorcycle racing on black ice, algae growing on floating logs, beach dwellers and even the Disney World parking lot are just a few subjects Alex investigates using his commercial pilot license and camera. The photos expose not only how humans and nature interact but the incredible patterns and colour palettes created from those interactions.

(to see more of Alex’s amazing work, go to his portfolio here.)

I just love this Athens street art by Greg Papagrigoriou. How often do you see graffiti with such a calligraphy soul? Beautiful.

(via unurth)

Nacho Alegre created these fantastic designs by photographing glasses of coloured water. I love how the patterns take on unique details and texture because of the different facets at the bottom of each glass. Such a clever idea!

(via this is colossal)

Most of the time, gift wrapping involves trying desperately to remove a stubborn price sticker and/or trying to remember if you took the price tag off. But, if you stop and look, price tags are pieces of design like any other and the good ones feature distinct colour and typography. I really love this Price Label Gift Wrap designed by Daniel Eatock as it turns a sometimes nuisance into celebratory confetti.

Photography and styling studio Doswell & Mclean created these gorgeous images for a Bloom Magazine article on using natural dyes. I am in love with the first photograph’s stunning purple hues, romantic white mushroom texture and mixture of matte and gloss finishes.

There are few things as effortlessly full of joy and innocence as pink cherry blossom trees or Japanese sakura. Their symbolic use on the cover of the March 28th issue of The New Yorker is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. A moving cover by Christoph Niemann.

(image via how magazine)

This illustration by the super talented Spanish illustrator Pablo Amargo made me laugh. Pablo’s work is always clever, smart and wonderfully designed. I don’t think I will look at cows the same way again!

(image via shirotokuro)

Coloured smoke bombs exploding in nature seems to have become somewhat of a photography trend lately. While there are plenty of images and techniques out there, I don’t think many compete with the stunning work of artist Filippo Minelli. Filippo’s ongoing Silence/Shapes series features brilliantly coloured smoke against peaceful almost generic nature backdrops. The final result is spellbinding scenes with striking juxtaposition of colour that I could stare at for hours. Hoping there are prints of these gorgeous photographs available soon or I might have to continue researching smoke bomb building!

(thanks for the link Catriana!)

I just love the street art of Spanish artist Nuria Mora. Her unique geometric designs and nature-inspired illustrations have revitalized abandoned, deteriorating or soulless surfaces in cities all over the world including Cairo, Madrid, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. I love how she works with the shapes or character of the exterior so her designs seamlessly integrate (take a look at how she “grows” the blue leaves out of that beautiful but ignored blue tile.) As you can see from my many posts on the topic, I am so inspired by those who bring art to buildings and areas that have been sadly neglected. It truly brings colour and personality to a neighbourhood and I can only imagine how inspired residents must feel when a bright Nuria Mora piece pops up.

(images via unurth, albert de pedro & guillermo de la madrid)

Vancouver origami master Joseph Wu is one of my favourite artists and his new piece, A Tear for Japan, is yet another beautiful paper creation. This piece is a work in progress and you can watch it evolve here. Just as it is, I love the simplicity and strength evoked. Showing a tear shed for Japan but also a symbol of hope as the tear is small in comparison to the powerful and bright red rising sun.

(via upon a fold)