Sunday Safari - The Color of Spring Songs

Brian Wildsmith, illustration from The North WInd and the Sun, 1964, 

thanks to Letslookupandsmile's lovely Children's book illustrations flickr set

For the past few days I was laying in bed, floored by a monster cold so strong that I couldn't even get up 

and reach my computer (a really bad sign for me). Outside, black clouds and pouring rain most of the time, 

so it was hard to remember that after all it is May, traditionally my favorite time of year.

At least there was a cheerful note: the beautiful soundtrack of birdsongs coming through my window, 

and selfishly I have never been more grateful to Sebastiano for constructing bird feeders 

and keeping them well stocked at all times... and of course, thank you birdies!

Takeo Takei print, 1974, 

thanks to the always surprising A Journey Round My Skull

Lotta Nieminen, illustration for Move On magazine, 

thanks to Grain Edit

Matte Stephens, Bird print

Madeleine Stamer - Someone Great

Stella Baggott, Birds of Paradise

Maria Primachenko, A bird is flying, her master seeking, 1986

Sanna Annukka, Golden Bird

Kavita Arvind, Tree of Life

Mariacininha, Meeting of Spring

Abigail Brown, Blue Tit

Pietari Posti, fabric design for BonBonKakku

Emily Sutton, Goldcrest

Josef Palacek, illustration from Je ne me plais pas partout, Hatier, 1973,

thans to the always wonderful flamenconut on flickr

Kayama Matazo, Kaki, 1990

Voilà Les Lalanne

Fauteuil Crapaud, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1969

The Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris is hosting a major retrospective 

of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne until the 4th of July. 

Claude and François-Xavier met in 1952 and started working together in 1956. 

Since their first exhibition entitled "Zoophites" in 1964, this inseparable couple 

of surrealist artists have always exhibited and worked together, and consequently 

have often been regarded as a single entity, although they rarely collaborated 

on a piece of work.Their unconventional sculptures have individual styles but share 

a common inspiration in animals and nature, and an ironic vocation to become whimsical

 but functional objects that can be touched, sat upon, worn and sometimes even eaten.

Detail of the exhibition featuring Claude Lalanne's 

Petits Lapins à Collerette and Dragonnets

Banc crocodile, Claude Lalanne, 2005

Tortuga deyrollensa, Claude Lalanne

Claude’s works, often designed to be used as jewellery, furniture and tableware, 

tend to be more delicate, intricate and baroque. Her late husband (François-Xavier 

passed away in 2008 at 81) crafted more weighty, monumental and stylized forms, 

often remindful of ancient Egyptian sculptures.

Cocodoll, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1964

Rhinocrétaire II, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1966

La mouche, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1966

Hippopotame I, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1968-69

Les Lalanne's mischievous creatures are a playful and unique combination of fine 

and decorative art, design and figurative sculpture, surrealism and Nouveau Realisme.

 They gathered a cult following among important private collectors around the world,

 including fashion icons like Yves Sain Laurent, Coco Chanel and Tom Ford.

BoÎte des sardines, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1971

Oiseau à bascule, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1974

Grue lumineuse, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1991

Sheep by François-Xavier Lalanne on Park Avenue, by the New York city parks 

public arts programme in conjunction with Paul Kasmin Gallery, 2009.

The exhibition's "Minotaure" and "Singeries" rooms

The exhibitions was designed by the American architect Peter Marino, 

a collector and promoter of Les Lalanne for more than 30 years, as a thematic journey

 through over 150 of their artworks. I hope I'll be able to get to Paris and see this in person!

Fox and Hare

I recently received a comment on my post about Yuri Vasnetsov by David from Australia, 

suggesting that I look up Yuri Norstein's films. I had already featured Hedgehog in the fog, 

a lyrical masterpiece and one of my all time favorite animations, but thanks to David 

I discovered the charming The Fox and the Hare, Norstein's 1973 debut as a film director. 

Illustrations from Yuri Vasnetsov's Ladushki, 

Progress Publishers, 1971, thanks to flamenconut on flickr

Three illustrations from Yuri Vasnetsov's Dancing Perch: Folk Songs and Ditties, 

compiled by N. Kolpakova, Progress Publishers, 1974, thanks to SamsMyth on flickr 

This animated short is based on a Russian folk tale and, as David noticed, it shares 

a very similar feel with Vasnetsov's folk art inspired illustrations. Besided being lovingly 

drawn and animated, I particularly enjoy the inclusion of classic folk motifs like borders 

and flowers, and although I don't understand Russian, the voiceover sounds wonderful!

Monday Matticchio – Dinosaur Jr

Sunday Safari - Mothering

Kazumasa Nagai, 1993

My beloved puppies in 1992: Alice and Michelle holding newborn Julia

Pablo Amargo

Poster by Shino Suefusa

Diana Sudyka

Victor Dubrovsky, Sheep

Brian Wildsmith, illustration from Die Reise nach Bethlehem

Jacques Hnidzovsky, Wolverine, terracotta, 1951

Annegert Fuchshuber, two ilustrations from Zwei und Mehr

Leia Bell, He reminded of my two year old in so many ways

Lisa Congdon, Giraffes

Thanks to art.crazed's great collection of vintage children's books

A very happy day to all mothers and their children!