Do you buy art for your kid? A Pollack for your pre-schooler? A Wyeth for your one year old?

Well maybe Jackson Pollack and Andrew Wyeth are a bit much for the under 5 set, but art for the nursery is becoming quite a trend. My new favorite parenting blog DaddyTypes.com points us to a really interesting article in the New York Times about new parents who buy art for their children. For Greg of DaddyTypes- himself a collector – the realization of this merger was interesting,

“When I moved from a loft downtown to a small townhouse apartment on the Upper East Side , it took me several months to realize all the art I was buying was really small. So I ended up overcompensating by buying stuff that exists only on certificate and needs to be fabricated—or that takes up an entire room. There was a stretch where almost everything I bought was black: Richard Serra, Joseph Kosuth, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, etc.

So when I’ve asked dealers about certain pieces over the last couple of years, they almost immediately reply, ‘Are you looking for something for the nursery?’ As if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.”

If paintings aren’t in your budget or interest in these formative years, a myriad of artistic eye popping nursery décor and kid’s toys is available in just about every baby store.

...continued: Collecting Art For Kids

We might have cracked a serious code here people.  The days of gallery hopping could be all but numbered…why pound the pavement when you can surf ThisNext?

One of the most exciting developments at ThisNext has been the emergence of list after list and pick after pick of beautiful, eclectic artwork; all of which is shopcast by individuals who are simply passionate about the artist.

The web brings exciting opportunities for art collecting in all ranges of medium, theme, and price.  Add to that personalized reflections about artwork and artists by the collectors/aficionados themselves, and you have a virtual social gallery of infinite possibility.

Let’s take a look and see what’s been picked.

...continued: Shopcasting Art: ThisNext Gets Its Gallery On

Now here’s a group of fellas we wouldn’t mind seeing more of over here.

Josh is obsessed with patterns and can’t stop drawing them.

Frank reveals fascinating back stories to his sketchbook drawings.

and Nathan graces us with a studio tour of all three guys.

Thus, the mighty imaginative force of The Plundering. 

illustration by Josh Cochran 

We love bloggers, because essentially, we’re doing what they’re doing.  Case in point: art/inspiration blog French Toast Girl describers her own endeavors much as we would ourselves:

The basic philosophy of the french toast girl site is this: life (like french toast) is made up of simple ingredients that combine to make up a marvelous concoction we often take for granted. It’s time to relish all the wonderful flavors in your life. And by the way, if you aren’t crazy about the way your life tastes, remember: you’re the one who controls how much sweetness goes on top, or if it’s soggy and underdone.

Welcome to the network French Toast Girl! (and ps - she’s been blogging since 2001!)

tree/bird/heart by Elena Nazzaro 

Johanna Wright is yet another up and coming artist to emerge out of Portland. Her work is whimsical, simple, mysterious and at times deceptively dark.

Like any good artist she’s full of intriguing oddities for instance: she studied puppetry and children’s books in college…she sold her art on the streets of New York for four years…she has taken a cross-country bus tour nine times…she has a cat named Grandpaw.

Check out her blog for updates on new work, (I’ve added this new “Big Cherry Tree” painting to my wishlist in case anyone is…um…wondering what I’m wishing for) plus events and fun finds; and you can visit her Etsy shop to shop away.

“Big Cherry Tree” 16” x 20” by Johanna Wright

As if the Smithsonian isn’t fabulous enough, they go and start a blog about art which is…fabulous…and friendly, and informative, and interesting and fabulous.

Eye Level is is a blog produced by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and it’s anything but stuffy and boring:

Using the museum’s collection as a touchstone, the conversation at Eye Level will be dedicated to American art and the ways in which the nation’s art reflects its history and culture. The discussion will extend beyond the walls of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection to include other collections, exhibitions, and events. Eye Level will also document the extraordinary collaboration between curators, conservators, handlers, historians, enthusiasts, critics, exhibition and new media designers, and of course bloggers that has motivated the past and present of American art history.

Check out interesting topics like Museum Lighting: How We Do It and a really interesting post about artist Dana Schutz.

How much would I love to see shopcasts from the Eye Level writers??

We love art blogs here at this next - if, for nothing else - there really are no two exactly alike.  M. Patrizio is an artist whose portraits differ very much from her illustrations, and that’s why we love her.  If you want a good dose of Japanese-inspired illustrations plus “crocheted creatures + cute stuff” then check out her blog. 

We’re also happy to have spotted a serious shopcaster in the cute (but not so cute you totally wouldn’t want it) dept who posts about colorful table wares, paper goods, local boutiques and anything else bright and cheery that strikes her fancy.

All that in the name of art.  

JeanSnow.net is a pop culture junkie’s dream.  Jean Snow is an established international writer who has been covering design, trends, art - you name it - for publications like Time, Gizmodo, Frommer’s and I.D.  The blog is a collection of his discoveries via “an unhealthy addiction to magazines and frequent visits to his favorites cafes.”

The beat doesn’t just stop with Tokyo - Snow covers gallery happenings in America too, plus magazine round-ups, artist features, and, of course, ultra hip shopcasting like this Cyclone Cleaner. 

Jen Beckman Gallery is using 2.0 to curate a great annual photography contest called “Hey, Hot Shot” which will culminate in a Summer Showcase featuring a series of exhibitions by emerging photographers. With panelists like Michael Beirut and Flikr co-founder Caterina Fake, this competition looks like a great opportunity.

You can submit online, and best of all - watch the submissions via the Hey, Hot Shot Blog…so even if you’re not a picture-snapper, the site is lovely for photography aficionados.

_{image: To Sir, With Love by Katie Watson} 

Heavy Backpack is a blog (well they prefer Creative Catalogue and we agree!) that has a mission and gets right down to business.  What’s it about?
“This is a space that provides concise insights to creatives dealing in the visual medium. It showcases many styles and various artistic backgrounds. Promoting individuals, collectives, companies, and their creative work.”

And talk about easy reading.  Several posts daily showcase intriguing artists and visual creatives with the same to-the-point format:

Name:
What:
Company:
Where:
Age:
Looking at:
Listening to:
Links:

Now that’s some serious shopcasting.  And if you’re craving a little more interaction - they have a great news column streaming well sought articles about the art and creative world.

image: Yuko Shimizu 

Descending Ashtray is an art blog collaboration by Gabe Leuders and Dave Selden “who have been friends since high school, and artists since birth.” Awww.

The site really is a collaboration of both artistic insights as well as updates on their various projects.  We love that Descending Ashtray is a pretty rockstar name for an art blog, and we also love the fact that anyone has an opportunity to see artwork in it’s many forms and perspectives through reading blogs. Like these flowers by Dave - a rose by any other name… 

If you haven’t gotten a piece of artist Shepard Fairey yet (“the godfather of American street art”), then get thee to a bookstore on August 14th for his first retrospective art book entitled “Supply and Demand: The Art of Shepard Fairey”. Here’s part of the synopsis:

This massive book pulls no punches and all areas of the enigmatic artist’s work, travels and travails are illuminated; from exhibitions, posters, flyers, silkscreens and stickers to high altitude pursuits, citations and police beatings, it’s all documented in a museum quality layout and binding. The evidence is in, and it’s clear that Shepard Fairey is not one to rest on his laurels, the work must go on.

You can also pre-order on Amazon. 

via UnBeige 

Why we love Plates With A Purpose from the Riverside Design Group

1. Riverside donates 15% of proceeds back to local Pittsburgh chapters of organizations like Alzheimer’s Association, Habitat For Humanity & AIDS Task Force.
2. Each of the 5 designs reflects the missions for the organizations they are helping
3. All the plates are made and handcrafted in Pennsylvania
4. They’re really pretty.

If you love to keep up on the art world, and whether or not you consider yourself to be a major street art aficionado, Wooster Collective is without a doubt one of the coolest and most comprehensive art blogs out there. It’s edgy, gritty, street wise and international. We love their impressive list of artist links, and the amazing photographs of street art all over the world.

This art blog also curates some very unique products. Keep checking back for limited edition prints, sculptures, books you name it that have been created in collaboration with this collective.

Masthead by Aaron Miller

It’s hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina was almost a year ago. With Hurricane season starting again, it’s easy to fear more devastation to our cities…more lives lost.

30gms has tipped us off to a wonderful online gallery called 25 Above Water which is dedicated to raising money to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The gallery features limited edition prints for sale as “an interpretation of the events; through literal and abstract visuals.” Each of the artists has created a poster with a limited edition of 10 posters for sale. Prices range from $100-$250, and the artwork envelopes literal to abstract themes of New Orleans.

There are many beautiful prints to choose - we love products (especially art!) that give back, and have a sense of purpose.

Proceeds go to the American Red Cross, which can always use our help any time of year.

Images: Hope by Scott Thares/WINK; River Rocks by Luis Pena