nine cool things on a tuesday

April 2, 2024August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 15 Comments

1. Hello, April! We’re welcoming this brand new month with the colorful, exuberant work of Southern California artist Sharon Nullmeyer (a.k.a., “Nullsie”).

After living in New York for about a decade, Sharon moved back to California, where she enjoys the sunshine, tacos, plentiful flowers and her beautiful coastal town. She paints and draws every day (watercolor, gouache, acrylic, collage) and takes her sketchbook with her everywhere. I was immediately drawn to the fine details, whimsy, and joyful energy in her pieces.

A self-proclaimed “paper scrap hoarder,” Nullsie’s still life paintings reflect her love of flowers, nature, and antiques (she used to sell them in NY). She also loves pattern/surface design: “Sometimes I think I see the world through a secret looking glass that reveals to me fantastic color wheels of wonder & repeating patterns.”

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nine cool things on a tuesday

February 6, 2024August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 8 Comments

1. Happy February!! Pancakes, anyone?

We’re flippin’ out over Gwen van Knippenberg’s charming art. Known for their beautiful colors and minute detail, Gwen’s feel-good paintings capture the cozy comforts of home and family life, the joys of nature and gardening, and the sheer enchantment of simple things.

Based in the Netherlands, Gwen recently became a full-time artist after spending many years at home raising her four children. I love studying the people in her pictures and imagining their stories. She depicts children with a sweetness and warmth that’s so life affirming.

Naturally my favorites are the kitchen scenes, showing families cooking, baking, or eating together. Can’t you just imagine the heavenly aromas of the delicious homemade treats they’re making?

Look at the hug yourself adorableness of this baby and teddy in a washtub! And how good those clothes hanging on the line must smell after drying in the fresh air!

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nine cool things on a tuesday

December 5, 2023August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 7 Comments

1. Ho Ho Ho! Or maybe we should say Ruff Ruff? In any case, Happy December, the month of merry making, gift giving, egg nogging, and tree trimming.

These adorable canine friends were created by UK artist Louise Rawlings. Couldn’t resist the furry faces, cute poses, and happy feelings they generate. Love me some wintry whiskers!

Louise (b. 1969) currently lives and works in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, and graduated from De Montfort University in Leicester with a degree in illustration and surface decoration. She’s had a long and varied career as an illustrator, working in areas such as giftware, stationery, ceramics, fine art, and book illustration. Her artwork can be found in galleries across the UK, and she works for publishers worldwide, primarily selling greeting cards.

Though she paints in watercolor, her real love is working in a naïve mixed media style in her favorite medium, acrylic. She’s inspired by the views captured while on long walks with her two dogs in a nearby park and by domestic holiday spots, especially the British coastline.

Louise’s original paintings may be purchased via her Official Website and Etsy Shop. Greeting cards are available online at Dry Red Press, Calypso Cards, and the Blank Card Company. Keep up with her latest news at Facebook and Instagram.

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Feasting on Brett Humphries’s Photorealistic Art

November 28, 2023November 25, 2023 ~ jama ~ 5 Comments

Tea and scones? Reach right in and help yourself!

Perhaps, at first glance, you assumed this delicious spread was a photograph. It’s actually one of Brett Humphries’s amazing hyperrealistic still life paintings.

You probably know I am quite partial to this genre, especially when the subject is food. I simply had to share Brett’s work with you, so step right up to the buffet and enjoy the feast!

Brett lives and works in the UK, and has been painting and drawing since childhood. He’s been obsessed with detail from an early age, and particularly remembers trying to render objects as realistically as possible.

I realised that a humble object like a piece of fruit had the potential to amaze, if only we would notice. I think this is why the still life genre resonates with me, because it openly celebrates the dance of light between two objects, or the warm subtle hues of a piece of fruit as a thing of real beauty. There is no need to explain or justify, we can just enjoy it for what it is!

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nine cool things on a tuesday

November 7, 2023August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 13 Comments

1. Happy November! Though it’s past peak color in most places, we’re still celebrating the beauty of autumn with more art by London based artist Laivi Poder. Who says November has to be bleak?

Last time we featured her wintry scenes, and now we’re all about the golds, russets, reds, browns, magentas. Originally from Estonia, Laivi enjoys creating dreamy and peaceful atmospheres and derives most of her inspiration by visiting nearby and distant woodlands, forests, meadows, lakes, botanical gardens and parks.

She uses a lot of stamp brushes in her work, all of which are created from hand drawn images. After painting backgrounds in watercolor, she uses Procreate to add details digitally.