Category: art

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Dutch Artists Paint Giant Bookcase on Building, Featuring Every Resident’s Favorite Books

An extraordinary building stands in the Dutch city of Utrecht, made extraordinary by the mural that two Dutch artists have painted on its side.  I know what you’re thinking: plenty of buildings all over the world are painted with murals.

But this one is particularly unusual.

Jan Is De Man and Deef Feed are the talented team behind this community bookcase project. It all started when friends of Jan Is De Man asked him for a big smiley face mural for their building. But he didn’t feel that the idea, although friendly and positive, was weighty enough.

After some thought and study, inspiration for a bookshelf of residents’ literary favorites began to emerge from the building’s exterior wall.

The mural was done with the technique of trompe l’oeil, French for “deceive the eye.” In painting, using trompe l’oeil gives an object a 3-dimensional quality for added realism.

And it works – the artists’ giant bookshelf looks as if one of the novels could actually be pulled out for reading.

But what we really want to know is, who chose Playboy as a favorite book?

Posted by JanIsDeMan on Monday, March 25, 2019

Jan Is De Man invited all the residents to submit their favorite titles. Except for religious and political titles, no book was off limits.

Though large, the whole creation took one week to paint.

The neighborhood surrounding the building is a diverse one, and many people come by to take photos and end up in conversation about the mural or books or whatever is on their minds. Usually, they leave with a smile.

As for Jan Is De Man, he has other projects in the works. Follow his amazing talent on social media to see where he pops up next!

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43 Giant Busts of U.S. Presidents Are Just Sitting in a Field in Virginia

Were you lucky enough to see the wonderful statues (erected in 2004) at Presidents Park in Williamsburg, Virginia? Well, consider yourself lucky – because the park closed due to lack of visitors in 2010.

Today, 43 giant busts of American Presidents sit on a farm in Virginia just waiting for someone, anyone, to figure out what to do with them. It’s too bad, because they are very impressive.

Posted by Renew the Presidents on Friday, February 2, 2018

The busts were made by David Adickes, an artist from Houston who was inspired to create the pieces after he visited Mount Rushmore. After six years on public display, the heads had to be moved after the land where the park was located was sold.

Posted by Renew the Presidents on Monday, January 18, 2016

Howard Hankins, who helped construct Presidents Park, removed the giant heads to his family farm until a decision is made about what’s next for the unique collection. Each head weighs 22,000 pounds, and they stand 18 to 20 feet tall. It took Hankins a week to lug all 43 of the statues to his property.

The Presidents in winter.

Posted by Renew the Presidents on Friday, December 8, 2017

What comes next for the statues is up in the air. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to open a museum that will feature the artifacts, but some of the statues are falling into disrepair and need a touch-up.

As of right now, the presidential busts are held on private property, which means they are not open to the public.

Hopefully, that will change in the future…

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20 Gorgeous Artist Tributes to the Iconic Notre Dame Cathedral

On April 15, 2019, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which dates back to the 12th century and holds a trove of priceless artifacts, caught on fire and was heavily damaged.

Within days, over $1 billion was pledged to rebuild the famous structure, but some artists felt it would be more meaningful to pitch in their own way.

Below are 20 moving tributes to the iconic cathedral.

1. Neighbors

2. Quasimodo is crying

3. Thank you, firefighters

4. That’s a good one

5. The world on his back

6. Away to safety

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#notredame #paris ?

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7. Hope

8. Prayers

9. A sad moment

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The tower #notredame

A post shared by Tri Le (@trile23) on

10. His home

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#notredame ❤

A post shared by Edward Coppock (@coppockedward) on

11. They will rebuild

12. Gargoyles

13. Crying…

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? . . #notredame

A post shared by Cristina Correa Freile (@dibujosdecristina) on

14. Paris je t’aime

15. Rise again from the ashes

16. “Vivre”

17. Spirit of the Seine

18. Heartbroken

19. Beautiful painting

20. Awwww

Beautiful tributes…

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Embroidery Tattoos Are All the Rage Right Now, and They’re Gorgeous

The latest trend in tattoos? Embroidery. Yes, tattoos that look like they’ve been embroidered into your skin are all the rage right now, and it’s easy to see why: they’re freakin’ gorgeous!

Take a look at these unique works of art.

1. Homage to Homer

2. A classic

3. Canvas

4. Cool

5. Pulp Fiction

6. Interesting

7. Beautiful

8. So realistic

9. A little birdy

10. Stitched

11. Olive Oyl

12. Goofy

13. Mermaid

14. That’s a good one

15. Shoulder piece

Those are great! Which one is your favorite?

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Artist Makes Floral Crowns for Dogs and Cats, and We Need One ASAP

San Diego artist and college professor Yarely first wove a flower crown and popped it on her Australian shepherd as a simple prop for an Instagram pic. Little did she know, that simple crown would go on to become a successful brand.

Freya’s Floral Company creates beautiful flower crowns for dogs, cats (and also humans).

But how do you get a dog to wear a crown made of flowers? Yarely says it may be easier at first to fix the crown on your pup’s head with the attached ribbons tied under the chin like a bonnet. Or, even tied loosely around the neck like a fancy collar. For photos, she has trained Freya to lie down first and then she balances the crown on top. Also, treats!

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Tuesday cuteness! ??? . . . . . The shop is on vacation! During this time I will be working on a lot of different projects. I have lofty goals so idk of I’ll even get to it all. : : Here is my to do list : ✨ Make matching sets. (Two matching large crowns / two medium crowns etc.) ✨ Work on wreath crowns. (Full circle crowns. These would be more costly since they require double the material.) ✨ Make three fixed designs and make multiples of those designs . ✨ Make more crowns!! ✨ Work on floral hair combs (& matching sets with combs and crowns) ✨ Work on collaboration crowns . ✨ Develop a custom order system. ✨ Organize and update my workspace. : : : So far, I have started updating my workspace. On my stories I will be posting polls and will be asking for your feedback! Your thoughts matter. Any thoughts on this to do list? What are you looking forward to the most? Where should I even start?! ?#tooambitious

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She draws inspiration from how the flowers look on Freya. “It’s all about experimenting.” For custom orders, she spends as much time with each buyer as it takes to get the right colors and balance of fullness.

She also studies real floral arrangements to find her next ideas. The different types of flowers and colors spark her creativity.

Even Instagram celebrity and influencer Leonidas of leo.mainecoon (he’s a cat) likes to model Yarely’s crowns for his 155,000-plus followers. His fans are crazy about this look.

Handsome Leo knows he is special and beautiful in his majestic coronet. Some people are born royal, but in Yarely’s crowns, these pretty pets show us they are the true kings of Instagram.

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Apparently, Women’s Panties Just Kept Falling off in the 1950s

Seems as if we’ve made amazing technological advances in elastic waistbands in the past 65-years. Particularly, in the garment industry. Specifically, in women’s panties.

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

Art Frahm, an artist from Chicago, was known for his pin-up art from the 1940s through the 1960s. One of his series, “Ladies in Distress,” featured pretty girls mysteriously losing their panties in public places, all while their hands are full handling bags or purses or hatboxes – you know, lady stuff.

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

Journalist James Lileks has curated a large collection of Frahm’s art, along with other vintage fun, on his website The Institute of Official Cheer. Although Frahm is credited with many works that don’t involve women in the throes of wardrobe malfunctions, falling panties was his (somewhat bizarre) calling card.

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

How could this happen, you ask. What would make panties simply fall to the ankles in such a fashion?

Lileks said he has heard from women who claim their own underwear has failed. But did it ever happen like this? Wind blowing, arms full and a man or two in the background grinning ear to ear?

Unlikely. More of a daydream, Lileks muses. “This is a glimpse into someone’s fantasy – a world where men regularly happen across women whose undergarments have fluttered to their ankles.”

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

And why all the celery? That Lileks can’t explain. But whimsical blogger, Messy Nessy, did some digging on her own. It seems that celery was considered an aphrodisiac by Greeks and Romans, stimulating a man’s virility. Symbolism, perhaps?

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

Frahm depicts panties falling in so many situations. This poor lady loses her panties while bowling:

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

This lady only wanted to fix her tire. Goodness gracious! What’s happening?

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

But celery shopping seems to be the artist’s favorite motif.

Photo Credit: Art Frahm, Public Domain

So thankful the elastic waistband industry has finally caught up with the times. A girl really needs to be empowered to buy some celery these days without worrying her silky underthings might end up at her shoes.

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Wifi Stone

Berlin-based media artist Aram Bartholl created a rather curious work: a 1.5-ton rock that doubles as a WiFi router and is powered by fire. Located in a forested spot by a river at the Springhornhof outdoor museum in Germany, the “Keepalive” rock requires that visitors brush up on their survival skills to build a fire […]

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These Japanese Manhole Covers Are Undeniable Works of Art

Sometimes when you’re in a country like Japan, your sense can get overwhelmed by all of the fascinating sights. Beauty lurks around every corner, so it’s completely understandable if you don’t happen to look down and take notice of what’s right underneath your feet.

We’re talking about Japan’s gorgeous, intricately designed manhole covers. What began as a public relations campaign for sewers conceived by Japanese civil servant Yasutake Kameda in 1985 has blossomed into a legit cultural phenomenon.

Check out these 16 beautiful manhole covers and wonder, “Why can’t we do this here?!”

1. More cherry blossoms!

Photo Credit: Flickr/Elena

2. I’m not quite sure, but they’re cool!

Photo Credit: Photozu.jp

3. Squids!

Photo Credit: Flickr/Photocapy

4. Puffer fish!

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

5. Cherry blossoms!

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

6. Did somebody say baseball?

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

7. Colorful balls

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

8. Water bugs!

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

9. Land of the rising sun

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

10. The fire department!

Photo Credit: Flickr/Ishikawa Ken

11. Up, up and away!

Photo Credit: Max Pixel

12. Yokohama bridge!

Photo Credit: Pixabay

13. Fruit and birds and pine cones. Ahhh, nature.

Photo Credit: Flickr/generalec

14. Amazing architecture

Photo Credit: Flickr/Daiju Azuma

15. Fun little firefighters!

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

16. A gorgeous peek into nature

Photo Credit: Flickr/coniferconifer

Since Japan wouldn’t be Japan unless they totally obsessed over the manhole covers, there are even “manhole festivals” held in Tokyo that feature replica covers, trading cards and much more!

In fact, you can buy those replicas at retailers like Tokyu Hands, located in central Shinjuku.

Photo Credit: Tokyu Hands

Okay, who wants to go to Japan and check out some manhole covers with me?

Any takers?!?

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15+ Times Accidental Art Was Better Than Any Masterpiece

Artists can work for years to create the perfect piece, which probably means it’s super annoying when chance and nature combine to make something amazing at the drop of a hat.

But that doesn’t make it any less wonderful for the rest of us – evidenced by the 17 pieces of art below!

#1. Looks like an alien planet.

Blue with a touch of yellow from unstirredpaint

#2. Mother nature is crazy.

A tree pattern inside a tree

#3. It looks like a wedding dress for Elsa.

View post on imgur.com

#4. That pattern is to die for.

Morning frost looks like it’s painted. from mildlyinteresting

#5. This is what I imagine zombie hands to look like.

Fell asleep in the bath. Finger brains. from WTF

#6. Not a watercolor.

Oranges photographed through the glass panes of a greenhouse from AccidentalRenaissance

#7. Accidental magic.

Something bumped against a wall at work and made a painting of a snowy town. from mildlyinteresting

#8. What a cooperative kitty.

In cute cat news, my mom put up an Easter decal on our front door and it makes Gigi look like a Dr. Seuss character. from aww

#9. Scottish shadows.

Even the shadows in Scotland are plaid from pics

#10. How to make a coffee artist insane.

After I poured milk into my coffee, I found Snoopy on the doghouse under the moon from mildlyinteresting

#11. This always makes me smile.

Christmas lights under the snow from mildlyinteresting

#12. An explosion of inspiration.

Volcanic explosion on lid from unstirredpaint

#13. Legit amazing.

I dropped some water, opened the table extension to dry and a city landscape with temples and pinnacles appeared from mildlyinteresting

#14. A small price to pay.

A rock created bird shaped window art on my car. from mildlyinteresting

#15. It’s like a little fairy world.

PsBattle: This colony of moss growing inside a bike seat. from photoshopbattles

#16. A tree just made me cry.

The swirls on this log from mildlyinteresting

#17. It looks like someone wasted a case of ReddiWhip.

The snow has settled only on the outline of the bricks on my friends driveway. from mildlyinteresting

Personally, I’ll take my art whenever and however it happens!

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Behold the Octobasse: an Enormous Stringed Instrument with Sounds Too Low for Humans to Hear

How familiar are you with all the stringed instruments out there? Sure, you probably know violins, guitars, cellos, and basses. But I’m betting few of you are familiar with the granddaddy of them all – the octobasse, which genuinely sounds more like a legendary monster than a string instrument.

The octobasse is a string instrument that can create sounds so low, humans can’t hear them. What is the point of that, you ask? Maybe to feel the vibrations? Unclear, but it’s pretty metal.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Though this totally sounds like the invention of a bored millennial, the octobasse was built in 1850 by the French instrument maker Jean-Baptise Vuillaume. The octobasse is quite a lot larger than a human and not very practical to transport; also, there are rumored to only be seven in existence. But there is a playable replica at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. The octobass is in use by exactly one (1) orchestra in the world: the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Playing an octobass is different than playing other stringed instruments, because it’s too big for musicians to use their hands on the strings. Instead, there’s a system of levers and pedals that create each note.

Watch some musicians experimenting with the octobasse in Phoenix:

Is it amazing or is it terrifying? Maybe a little of both.

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