Aspens, Northern New Mexico, by Ansel Adams
1958, gelatin silver print
2016 is the centennial of the National Park Service, and I've thought so much about our public lands over the last few months. I'm lucky to have been able to visit a number of our national parks over my lifetime (Shenandoah was my first, and Congaree--one of the least visited NPs in America--is in my state and I go every year!), and my friend S. has made a life goal of visiting every national park in America. I'm running a half marathon (!) at a national park in September, god willing and the creek don't rise. And this year's summer reading theme at work is based around the national parks, to tie into the centennial celebration. When I think of the national parks, and what beauty they hold and how they look...well, no one's ever captured it better than Ansel Adams. This week's SIA inspiration is one of his photographs, taken of aspen trees in northern New Mexico (you probably already gleaned that from the title of the photograph). If you don't know who Ansel Adams is, it's impossible for me to adequately explain who he was and the kind of influence he had on the state of American photography, but do check out the Google image search results for him. That should help.
Please email me your photos of outfits inspired by this week's SIA by Monday, January 25th. Enjoy!
Stressed Out by Layla Holzer
Ink & pastel on paper, 2015
This week's Style Imitating Art inspiration is compliments of an illustrated interview with Layla Holzer (click the title of the artwork to see the interview--it's really neat!). This is the perfect time for a piece like this: it looks holiday-y, but it's also all about that end-of-year stress so many of us encounter. I'm stressed right now about a billion different things, but it's a tempest in a teapot (see tiny cyclone) compared to so many other people. And I feel lucky to have so many things that are good in my life.
And one of those good things is SIA! Send your photos inspired by this piece to Salazar by Monday, December 14th to be included, and she will post the roundup on Tuesday!
Freedom from Want, by Norman Rockwell
Oil on canvas, 1943
I get to choose this week's artwork for SIA, and I feel like for me, personally, it's a burden and a gift. I found out about what happened in Paris right before I went to bed that night, and I haven't slept well since. Our world is in crisis in so many ways, and now I'm being slapped left and right with reminders of the commercialism that has overtaken the winter holidays. Do people in America even care what Thanksgiving is about anymore? That two groups of people who didn't know or understand each other still assumed good faith and sat down together for a basket of corn and a pile of eels? To love, to care, to hope for better?
So I struggled with what to pick for SIA this week. I wanted something that would embody some happiness for the holidays, that compassion of family (even when they talk politics) and love and care for one another. Nothing screams that quite like Norman Rockwell, so here in all its glory is the famous Freedom from Want. I've always loved Norman Rockwell's ability to capture sentimentality, and there's no better example of that in his body of work than this one painting.
Send me your photos inspired by Freedom from Want by Monday, November 30th, to be included!
Capax Infiniti, by Faith 47
Paint on brick, 2014
To pile worse on top of bad, I was on vacation without access to the blog world because my computer power cord broke and I had to leave the computer at home! But here, belatedly, is this week's SIA, selected by Jen. This mural is part of the Forest for the Trees initiative to support public art in Portland, Oregon. I love public art, especially on walls of buildings--I'm always so impressed by the scale that mural artists are able to achieve--and Capax Infiniti is no different. It's absolutely beautiful, especially the draping and shading.
Below is a photo collage that Jen made when she saw the mural last year, which gives us a better idea of scale and the colours used in the mural. Submit your photos to Jen by Monday, November 16th to be included in this week's collection!
It's Style Imitating Art time! Yessssss. This week's inspiration was Leopard I by Megan Carn. Let's get to it!
First up is Stephanie, who doesn't have (a lot of) leopard--but that doesn't matter! Her outfit still rings true to the painting, and even the backdrop matches!
Next is Erin of Loop Looks, who looks super sharp. I love that she licked a location that also matches this week's painting!
Noelle of The Classy Junk embodied this week's inspiration without the leopard! (Well, mostly.) I love that she still has a pattern in the same family going!
Carriehas a really cute top that emulates the same pattern as the leopard. It has a really cool vibe, and the colours complement the painting, too!
SIA co-curator Jen of Librarian for Life and Style found a light blue cardigan to wear with her leopard skirt. And red lips! Everything about her outfit works so well together!
And other SIA co-curator Salazar at 14 Shades of Grey is wearing burgundy, which I would have never even thought of. But Salazar knows how to class it up better than I do so I'm not surprised ;)
And then there's me! I dig this outfit, even if my pencil skirt kind of hung off me all day...
I love this week's entries. Everyone looks vibrant and bold (I guess leopard does that to you, even if you don't actually wear it), and these outfits are so stylish. Thank you all for participating!
Leopard I, by Megan Carn
Acrylic on canvas, 2015
I love Megan Carn's artwork. I recently found out about her after sending Bart to Framebridge for framing, and fell pretty hard. I love her eye for colour--so much pink!--but I thought I'd avoid the pink this time because even I don't own a whole lot of it. But I found this beautiful painting Carn made of a leopard, and I thought it would be perfect for SIA! Email me your photos inspired by this great painting by Monday night (October 19th) to be included!
Be Kind to Books poster, by Arlington Gregg
Late 1930s, silkscreen on board
I'm a librarian so I guess I'm not the least biased person ever to say this, but who doesn't like a good book, amirite? So when Jen emailed over this week's SIA inspiration, I was pretty pleased. It's Banned Books Week in America, and this SIA is a great way to highlight that. To be included in this week's SIA, send your photos to Jen by the night of Monday, October (!!!) 5th to be included!
Painting Number 2, by Franz Kline
Oil on canvas, 1954
This painting is NINE FEET LONG. And we all know how I love big art. So I'm pretty stoked for this one! Salazar said she was influenced by my skirt from the pervious SIA, and...is it tacky to wear the same skirt two SIAs in a row? We'll find out. Send Salazar your outfits inspired by Painting Number 2 by Monday, September 21st to be included in this week's roundup!
