Inspirational Artists :: Carved Books

Montreal based artist Guy Laramee carefully carves vintage books, dictionaries and encyclopedias into various landscapes.
I love it when artists use materials not initially intended to be used for creating a work of art. 
If you like his work, make sure you also check out the altered books made by Brian Dettmer.

pics via artist's website

Inspirational Artist :: Deconstruction

Off to Austria!
Austrian artist Jochen Höller, creates some truly beautiful collages. Made of deconstructed books or other typed material, his work is a nice fusion of both imagery and narrative. 
A collection of his work is on display at MAM Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art in Salzburg through June 30th.

pics via artist's website

Five Fascinating Artist Autobiographies

I'm on the hunt for a good book and think I may have stumbled across a genre that could be equally inspiring and entertaining.
Have any of you read an artist's personal account of their lives? I think it sounds quite interesting! My reasons being...


:: Artists tend to lead impulsive and often wild lives which are the foundation for some pretty spectacular stories.
:: Because of their creative nature they tend to express themselves far beyond the typical chronological narrative.


Now....which one to choose! :)


1. Frank Lloyd Wright, An Autobiography

2. Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography

3. Infinity Nets, Yayoi Kusama

4. Dear Theo: The Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh

5. My Art, My Life, Diego Rivera

Wish List

On my Xmas wish list. 
This massive book holds an art museum within its oversized pages. Features over 2,500 artworks...from 650 museums...spanning three millennia! This book would surely entertain me for hours at a time... :) 

Find it here!

The True and the Questions

I saw this book at the bookstore the other day and thought I would share it with you. In the book The True and the Questions by Sabrina Ward Harrison, Sabrina's artwork and scrawling text are interspersed throughout, inspiring all that flip through the pages. If you're in a creative slump... this might help you climb out of it! :)

pic via Amazon

Books That Inspire Creative Thought

I wanted to share a few design books I've been paging through lately. If you're ever in a creative slump, I've found that looking through books similar to these can really help inspire productive thought. Bonus, they look lovely on a coffee table or book shelf! :)

Creative Walls : How to Display and Enjoy your Treasured Collections 

by Geraldine James

Graphic Europe by Ziggy Hanaor

Open Studios by Lotta Jansdotter

Inspirational Artists :: Altered Books

American contemporary artist Brian Dettmer alters pre-existing books. By making precise cuts, he exposes select images and text that reveal alternative interpretations of the book. 

The kicker :: Dettmer never inserts or moves any of the books' contents...only removes. Isn't his precision insane?!

via My Modern Met