Fight, Flight, Swoon

House  bronze, antique cloche, fabric, and ephemeral

The moment I saw Erin Vincent’s House, I knew it was love, and perhaps a bit of lust. Vincent’s most recent exhibition, Fight or Flight tells the story of stress related to domestic relationships. The multiple layers of emotion woven through her works fascinated me. My anxiously awaited visit to 99 Gallery to view the show definitely did not disappoint.

I could not get over the tedious planning and construction of the pieces. The mediums appeared carefully selected for not only their aesthetic, but also their historical and psychological significance. The constant dichotomy present in the materials demonstrated the conflict of emotions one feels in times of stress. Cast bronze, fabric, vintage maps, and wire are just a few of the materials used by Vincent to form themes such as strong vs. soft and lasting vs. transitory.

Art Crush

Coquettish Antoinette  oil on canvas

I have been crushing on works by Kate Domina for a few years now. Her pieces beautifully and completely capture the naive and awkward progression toward adulthood. To view more of this loveliness check her out at www.katedomina.blogspot.com

J.

For the Love of WORN

Excuse me for a moment. I’m about to do a little shameless self-promotion. You see, when I am not admiring pretty things, I am working for one. For almost a year now, I have been a graphic designer at WORN Fashion Journal, an independent fashion magazine in Toronto. And well, I not only think it is pretty, but I also think it is wonderful.

I am a phillumenist. So was my grandmother.

Although this sounds impressive and I think it would look great on my resume, in reality it means I collect matchbooks. It probably will not help advance my career, but I still think it’s pretty neat. I inherited the collection from my Grandma and love everything about them. The colours, the graphics, and the history behind them all add to my fixation. My Grandma did a ton of traveling in her lifetime and along the way dabbled in a bit of black jack according to the many casino matchbooks that are part of the collection! She was quite the popular lady, explaining why nearly a third of the collection is wedding favours. Dating back to 1966, most of them are white, with metallic writing, but there are a few pretty pinks, blues, and even one with rainbow cursive. Unfortunately, this trend has faded as the dangers of smoking have become more evident. Perhaps a resurgence is in order? I think this would still serve as a charming favour for any occasion.

Other matchbooks in the collection sport logos of hotels and restaurants from Indiana to Hawaii. Each matchbook tells a story from my grandmother’s life and I hope that I will be able to add my own stories with the same colour and flare as she did.

J.

Hello and Welcome to Our World

Pretty Things has been a long time coming, years in fact. The first day I met my co-creator, Jessica, was probably the first day the seeds were planted. Coming from a design background myself, and Jessica from a fine arts background, we immediately had lots to talk about. Emails of flowered dresses, miniature sculptures, and bow-tied shoes were sent back and forth on a daily basis. Then one day it all became clear - we should stop being so selfish and share our discoveries with the rest of the worldly internet.

And so Pretty Things was born.

It is our hope that while you are here you discover something new, admire something different, and perhaps fall in love with something amazing. Settle in and enjoy the journey as much as we do.

xxoo
Laura