Cardboard Masterpieces by Ali Golzad

Ali Golzad is an artist and designer born in Iran and is currently working from Texas. He uses discarded cardboard to create eye catching pieces that are often inspired by well-known personalities, nature, and the real world issues like hunger and war.

My choice of material, corrugated cardboard, to create bas-relief portraits of displaced children in their native habitats, reflects their unseen status. Like corrugated cardboard, the twenty million (referring to twenty million children victim of armed conflicts) are everywhere yet invisible.

I have struggled with my material to create images that are highly emotional. The three-dimensional shapes of the eyes, noses and mouths, the wrinkled clothing, and the shapes of the hands and arms, outlined with Sharpie-lines, are a result of my struggle with the cardboard to capture the empathy we would have for any enslaved people.

Before seeing Golzad's work, I would have never imagined that it's possible to make feather on an owl's body, dog-hair and face wrinkles with cardboard. I admire his art and the strong message behind each of his pieces. Visit his website to know how he started making these cardboard sculptures and to see more of his work.

Kiu from 'Invisible People'

DIY: Owl String Art

I love string art, and I was thrilled to find this tutorial by Amber on how make valentine's day owl string art. This is a creative and a super simple craft that requires only a few things - a wood plaque, paint, some nails, and string. It doesn't scream valentine's day, and is sweet enough to decorate with this holiday season or display all year round. You can find the complete tutorial and instructions with images here. 

Valentine's Day iPhone Wallpaper

Get these Valentine's day themed wallpapers for your iPhone now! The whimsical collection includes three cute designs - owl, bear and mice. To download the one you want and for instructions on how to save it as your desktop wallpaper click here.

Fobots: Found Object Robots

Amy Flynn is an artist from Raleigh, North Carolina  who makes 'Fobots' - found object robots from old billiard balls, faucets, blades, vintage tins, keys and handles, springs etc. 

“My first Fobot was made from junk in our basement — mainly the original doorbell to our house, built in 1920."

She hunts for the junk at flea markets, and starts mixing and matching different arms, legs, heads etc. This part can take anywhere from minutes to months to complete. She carefully solders and bolts them to give them each a unique personality. Each Fobot is numbered, with a copper plate on its back bearing the word "FOBOT".

Artist's statement: "Hallmark of my work is that every piece is a little wonky, with one eye bigger than the other, mismatched arms and legs, stuff like that. Symmetry is boring. I have a favorite quote that reads "We like our friends for their virtues, but we love them for their flaws". I think it makes my robots more endearing, more human."

If you like to learn more about her work then you can read her interview on E-junkie.com or see her Fobots that are available for purchase on her online store here.

Valentine Owl Printables

Happy February everyone! Today I have more fun valentine printables for you from a website, I just recently stumbled across, called Kids Can Have Fun. They have tons of valentine's day themed goodies for everyone in your life from daughter, son, mother, father, teachers, friends to grandparents in cute designs such as owl, hamster, monkey etc. 

I selected some of the printables to share with you here. How cute is that owl-shaped card! (at the top). Make sure you stop by their website for cards, labels, tags, note pads, coloring pages and more.