Creative couple Nayan Chudasama, a furniture and interior designer, and Vaishali, an illustrator, have created a series of miniature paper-cut birds as part of their 365 days of Miniature Art project.

Each bird, which takes between four and six hours to complete, is made by combining different layers of cut paper, which are subsequently painted using watercolours, before being constructed by hand.

Started in January 2018, the duo creates one bird for every day, learning about each species along the way, something which they both thoroughly enjoy about the project.

You can buy Nayan and Vaishali’s pieces, which they sell under the brand name NVillustration, on Etsy. Follow NVillustration on Instagram to keep up to date with their latest creations.

(h/t) designboom.com

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Making use of a combination of oil and enamel, American artist Josie Morway creates intense, brooding paintings of birds.

Using dramatic drips of paint and geometric lines, Josie’s surreal pieces feature birds in graceful poses. Her subjects sit amidst beds of blooming flowers and foliage, combined with Latin lettering.

PRINTS!! || Unrolling my beautiful artist’s proof from @creaturahousegallery . Only four more days to get a copy of this super limited release print. Link in profile, and happy weekend!

A post shared by josiemorway (@josiemorway) on May 27, 2018 at 7:59am PDT

The use of Latin in her work has symbolic meaning for the artist. “I don’t mean for them to be read too literally, but rather hope they lend a certain feeling of portentousness to the pieces,” Josie told Colossal. “I like referencing religious icon paintings and other forms of ‘serious’ historic painting, but using animals and birds in the place of saints, etc. I’m going for the feeling of narrative realism, but working with a narrative that’s mysterious, missing some information, open to the viewer’s interpretation.”

For more information and to see more of Josie’s work, visit josiemorway.com. You can also follow her on Instagram.

(h/t) thisiscolossal.com

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Cape Town-based artist Lucie de Moyencourt has opened a new exhibition, entitled FLIRT, at The Voorkamer Gallery at Chandler House.

While we’re accustomed to Lucie’s black ink creations, this new body of work, inspired by the birds at the South African Museum in Cape Town, sees her return to oils. “After 18 months of painting solely in black ink, this show is a joyful return to a full palette of colours!” says Lucie.

Despite not being a “birder” herself, Lucie loves to paint birds, fascinated by the shapes, colours and quirkiness associated with each species. Having visited the Natural History Museum since she was eight-years-old, she noticed how none of the birds have ever been moved, or even dusted really. “It is simultaneously sad, and also comforting, that nothing has changed at the museum. While the rest of the world buzzes on at astronomical speed, these birds, some of whom still look alive, have not moved a centimetre. I like to think that through my expressive brushwork, these birds find new life and movement.”

You can visit Lucie’s exhibition at The Voorkamer Gallery at Chandler House at 53 Street Church Street, Cape Town until 30 March 2018. The gallery is open from 10am until 5pm on weekdays and from 10am until 2pm on Saturdays.

For more information, visit thevoorkamergallery.com.

Lucie de Moyencourt’s Sunday Drives exhibition, featured here, is running until April 2018 at Kleinsky’s in Cape Town’s Sea Point.

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The intricately detailed embroidered bird brooches, made by Polish artist Paulina Bartnik, look almost as good as the real thing.

Inspired by nature, Paulina starts each of her designs with a piece of wool. Using a dry felt technique, she prods the wool with a needle to create the necessary surface she needs to start. Using another needle, she then paints the surface before finishing each piece off embroidering by hand.

Browse the gallery above to view a few of our favourites.

To get in touch with the artist, visit her Etsy shop online.

(h/t) thisiscolossal.com

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Artist and designer Ralph Borland has taken wire art to a whole new level with African Robots. We asked him how and why.

What attracted you to wire art?

I am interested in creating new aesthetic forms, and the wire toys made throughout Africa have always appealed to me.

What inspired you to add electronic components to the models?

I have a background in art and electronics, so I’m interested in both disciplines. In 2013 I had the idea of combining the skills of wire crafters on the streets of South Africa and Zimbabwe with the informal networks for cellphone repairs in the same areas, imagining that you could combine discarded cellphone parts with wire art to make animatronic devices.

Why starlings?

Starlings are clever little urban birds that share the same pavements as informal traders, and move between different zones in the city.

My first attempt, Starling 1.0, was made with the help of Henrik Nieratschker, a master’s student in design at the Royal College of Art in London, and wire artist Dube Chipangura. It runs on a cellphone battery and can make simple head and wing movements.

My second effort, Starling 1.1, was created with the assistance of wire artist Bongani Magwenzi and electronics engineer Daan de Beer, and features a repurposed MP3 player that plays a recording of a starling call. It has a transparent cover made out of a plastic bottle, so it looks kind of space-age!

The latest version, Starling 1.2, has a Scotch yoke, a mechanism that transfers the rotary movement of the motor to drive the wings, and its sound comes from a hacked bird toy. It was made with the assistance of Lewis Kaluzi.

Starling in motion from Ralph Borland on Vimeo.

What next for African Robots?

I would love to start an academy where wire artists could come to share skills and learn how to make more robots – and I recently received a grant from the National Arts Council that allows me to explore this idea!

For more information, visit africanrobots.net.

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Birds is the latest interior design project by Veronika Sudnikova, featuring a striking use of colour and texture that’s inspired by birds in flight.

The tastefully designed apartment, located in Moscow, emulates the meeting of nature and elegance through the use of decorative items that are reminiscent of various avian silhouettes and other natural elements. The use of bright, happy colours coupled with sophisticated pieces of bespoke furniture makes for an easy-going, yet chic atmosphere with elegant finishes.

Throughout the project, Veronika makes use of varied textures to create an interior that is both complex and interesting while ensuring that the interplay between varied use of colour and textures remains harmonious. A ’70s inspired lamp suggestive of stork silhouettes called Duke Suspension Lamp – designed by European lamp company DelightFULL – features as one of the key decorative elements in this contemporary apartment. The apartment also features pieces from international brands such as Flos, Porta Romana, Meridiani and B&B Italia Maxalto.

Veronika is the creator for ProVS Studio Designs in Russia and is renowned for creating modern, colourful and happy interiors with an elegant and sophisticated touch. Her use of colour combinations are complex, while her attention to proportion and detail are well-mastered.

For more information, visit Veronika’s website here.

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Cape Town-based ceramic artist Gemma Orkin believes design needs to make people happy. Well, that’s exactly how we feel when we see her work. Browse the gallery above for 12 examples of her pretty creations.

What’s your favourite thing about being a ceramist?

I really enjoy the process of making a shape with a nice surface area to draw on, mixing up my own colours and creating one-off designs. Then, of course, there is the element of surprise when you open the kiln after firing, as colour can be so unpredictable with ceramics.

Which one of your ranges did you most enjoy creating?

I love them all! I wouldn’t be able to choose one, but I really enjoy drawing indigenous flowers and birds and creating a truly South African product. I love their different colour combinations.

Describe your aesthetic in five words.

Handmade. Old-fashioned. Simple. Creamy. Happy.

Visit gemmaorkin.frelio.com to view more of her work.

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From flamingos to swallows, we’ve found 12 bird-inspired designs for you and your space. Enjoy!

1. Single Flamingo Watch R74 (on sale), Style Republic at Spree.co.za

2. Brass Bird Ring R240, SMITH Jewellery at Hello Pretty

3. Bird Milk Jug (180ml) R150, Love Milo

4. Cloud Birds Verdigris Soft Bucket Pair R219, Skinny laMinx at Superbalist.com

5. Flamingo Tie Clip R460, Eon Hoon at KIN

6. Silk Birdcage Cushion R1 134, Ferm Living at Detail ’24

7. Fly Away Birds Placemats (Set of 4) R220, Handmade By Me

8. Flying Solo Coffee Mug R185, Sugar & Vice

9. Hello Birds Decal R180, Hello Dolly Designs

10. Carlton Sneakers R799, Bellfield at Spree.co.za

11. A3 Bird Art Print R550, Lauren Fowler at Green Elephant Collective

12. Winter Birds Scatter Cushion R199, Woolworths

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Thoroughly wash and soak the labels off empty household cleaner bottles and create a lunch-time pit stop for birds on the move.

You need:

• washed, discarded empty plastic bottles
• a pair of kitchen scissors
• pencils
• transparent cable ties
• wild bird seed mix

How to:

1. Wash the bottles thoroughly to remove all chemical traces and odours.
2. Use the pair of kitchen scissors to cut away ¾ of the base on the handle side. Don’t cut too deep into the bottle, or the seeds will get wet when it rains.
3. Make a hole in the base and push a pencil through. (The hole should be narrower than the pencil, which serves as a seed level indicator – add more seed when you see the pencil tip.)
4. Place the bottle in position on your tree of choice and use transparent cable ties to secure it (it shouldn’t move when a bird lands on the pencil). Fill the feeders with seeds. (We bought our cable ties and bird seed at Builders Warehouse.)

Did you like this Smart Idea? See others here.

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