In Sally's Studio

That's where I spent an afternoon last week.  Not a bad place to get to hang out on a gorgeous Charleston day.

{Sally King Benedict's studio... that's her.}

And guess what...
Sally has generously offered up her studio for my 30th birthday party...

Can you say dream party?? 

I'm all sorts of giddy happy. That space makes me feel joyous. When I first saw her text message suggesting her studio for the party I about jumped out of bed (it was 2 am and I was up nursing Fletcher). Needless to say Josh wasn't as thrilled when I woke him up to tell him about our party plans...

Anyway, back to last week. We spent the afternoon painting. {In case you've ever wondered, painting with one of your most favorite artists ever makes for one of the most awesomest of awesome days of your life.}

{My first piece of the day, I had to put it on the easel.}

{And do you spy that beach scene in the background? It's going to be AMAZING.}

{I'm super proud of this piece above.}

So I'm going to take up painting now. I have always said that I wish I could paint. Well, I had never tried. Turns out I love it and I think I'm not so bad after all.

Thanks so much for the fun afternoon of painting, chocolate muffins, good conversation, and Charleston breezes, Sally. I, along with the rest of Charleston, sure will miss you when you pack up for Atlanta this spring. A true Charleston gem you are.

PS, did you see Sally's studio + home feature in Matchbook Magazine's March 2012 issue? Dy-na-mite! So was her maternity fashion.

Q&A With Artist Lulie Wallace

One of my major [MAJOR] artist crushes, Lulie Wallace, is paying us a visit today.  You know, the girl behind all the mind blowing floral paintings gracing the web lately...

Last week I spent a morning with Lulie in her studio and chatted about lattes, painting, letterpress, and everything else under the sun.  To say that this girl is inspiring is just not enough.  Lulie's the kind of girl who sticks with you long after you leave her side... kind of like her art.  And like her, the longer you look at her colorful pieces the more you find to love.

I had a few questions for Lulie that she generously answered:

Look Linger Love: We're hopping a jet to Paris. Where do you want to go first?

Lulie: EXPLORE everything I can before I hop back on!! Museums, flea markets, food, shops... everything!!

LLL: What is your greatest extravagance?

Lulie: This sounds hilarious, but it's probably our dog! Abe is a chocolate Labradoodle and he was worth every last penny!! He is a total sweetheart!!

LLL: What would you have been found doing on a Friday night in high school?

Lulie: After seeing the Brookstone Cougars dominate on the football field, I would probably be hanging out in one of my best friend's basements. When we first got to high school, Sally's parents moved into a 70's ranch style house and totally remodeled the upstairs BUT left the green shag carpet on the basement floor because they had three high school kids and didn't want to remodel the downstairs until they all left for college. We thought that shag carpet was amazing and it was definitely our hang out spot!!

LLL: What is your favorite piece you've painted?

Lulie: Right now my favorite is this 36x36, Flowers for Cape. I think the reason I love it so much is because I changed it about 4 times before I stopped messing with it!! It was one I put a lot of work into, lots of layering and lots of time, but I think it turned out really nicely. I feel like I also like knowing the story of where it started and where it ended up!

LLL: From which store does most of your wardrobe come from?

Lulie: This is a pretty easy one. If you know me, you probably know my deep love for the store Anthropologie. I can't go through any major city without popping in!! My husband and I drove up the California coast last summer and we probably stopped in about four Anthropologies along the way. (My poor, sweet husband!!) I believe it is a very magical store!

LLL: We're heading out for girl's night here in Charleston. Where do we go?

Lulie: Monza for pizza and Cocktail Club for drinks!! Pizza is definitely my favorite food and I absolutely love the warm, cozy interior of Cocktail Club!

LLL: Who would you be over the moon to have buy your art?

Lulie: Zooey Deschanel! I love her style, her music and her perky little personality! I would be super pumped if she wanted one of my pieces!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lulie is a peach. And good things come to good [talented] people. Urban Outfitters just picked up this painting and will be selling the prints in stores in the very near future!

And Lulie will soon offer stationary on her website too (I'll buy the first set!)...

And of course her paintings will no doubt continue to fly off her shelves (probably helped out by some of you!).

Thanks for taking the time to show me around your studio, Lulie. You're work is just as beautiful as you are on the inside and out.

What Should Go In The New Casa

But won't because we need things like drywall and doorknobs and stuff like that.  Damn.

this  +  that

New works by Kate Long Stevenson.

Clare Elsaesser

 

Tastes Orangey

Gallery Wall

My friend Sarah over at Flourish Design + Style just opened up an art shop called Gallery Wall full of $10 originals... and they're made by her.  Um, can you say LOVE?

Pretty fantastic huh?  Go getchu some!

Oh, and that gorgeous frame is just an ikea frame spray painted gold.  

Kate Long Stevenson Small Works Sale - Now Live!

Welcome to Kate Long Stevenson's very first blog sale!

You have no doubt lusted over Kate Long Stevenson's paintings, for it's nary a blog that hasn't doted over her work.  And if you're a regular reader here, you've seen Kate's name pop up quite a few times... That's because Kate's figurative and abstract interpretations are nothing short of extraordinary.  So it's no surprise that she's been featured in Coastal Living, Southern Living, and Lonny Magazine, just to name a few. 

Titled "Vivaldi"

  

Inspired by music to which she is listening, Kate works her way through each piece she paints while using color to express emotion.  The resulting paintings are an expression of movement as much as they are of beauty.

Today we all have the opportunity to own our very own piece of Kate's work. 

Below you'll find 19 framed, original, small works in a range of prices and sizes.

Maybe a little holiday gift to yourself, you've been wanting to expand your art collection afterall... or for someone special on your list!

Each piece's info (title, size, and price) is listed below the piece.  All works are
  comprised of gouache, oil pastel + graphite on paper.  The figures are each

floating in a simple cream frame so that the beveled edge of the paper is visible,

and the measurement listed is of the paper itself. The small abstracts are behind
mat board and in cream frames as well.  Shipping charge is $10 per piece.  

 

Available Pieces:

"1", 7x10, $240 SOLD

"2", 7x11, $250 SOLD

"3", 7x11, $250 SOLD

"4", 8x11, $260

"5", 8x11, $260 SOLD

"6", 7x11, $250 SOLD

"7", 7x9, $230 SOLD

"8", 6x10, $230

"9", 8x10, $260 SOLD

"10", 8x10, $260 SOLD

"11", 6.5x8.5, $215 SOLD

"12" 6.5x8.5, $215 SOLD

"13", 6x9, $215 SOLD

"14", 6x7.5, $200 SOLD

"15", 6.5x8.5, $215 SOLD

"16", 5x5, $130 SOLD

"17", 4x4, $115 SOLD

"18" 4x4, $115 SOLD

"19", 4x4, $115 SOLD

Here's how you make your purchase:

Email me at looklingerlove@yahoo.com with the number of the piece you would like to purchase. First come first serve. These are all originals so once a piece sells it's gone (but oh so lucky for the new owner!). Payments by check and cash only and should be made out directly to Kate Long Stevenson (I'll send you the mailing address when you email me).  Payment should be received by December 19th or your piece will be re-listed as available. Your paintings will ship once payment has been received.

Happy shopping and thank you so much!