Patternbank - Inspiration for Print, Pattern & Graphics

Molly Rose Freeman – Urban Constallations

By Patternbank On April 5, 2013 · In Inspiration

Street artist Molly Rose Freeman lets her art transform urban spaces. From soulless, uninspiring surroundings her paintings develop and grow, ‘I use basic geometric shapes so they can become anything, move any way they want. I don’t know what the wall will look like really until the very end. It’s exciting to be surprised, to make something without fully understanding what you’re making. That’s the magic’. Her interest in geometric shapes within sacred spaces, throughout history and culture, have led her to recreate this within urban landscapes. Molly has worked within Street Art groups and outreach programs such as Livingwalls and The City Speaks, in deprived areas throughout the US helping to inject energy and spirit through art. See all her latest projects on her website.

Album de Aves Amazonicas – Biodiversity Heritage Library

By Patternbank On April 4, 2013 · In Inspiration

These beautiful illustrations of Amazonian Birds were created between 1900 and 1906 and have been given a new lease of life by the BHL. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is a consortium of natural history and botanical libraries that cooperate to digitize and make accessible the legacy literature of biodiversity held in their collections and to make that literature available for open access and responsible use as a part of a global “biodiversity commons.” The BHL has digitized millions of pages of taxonomic literature , representing tens of thousands of titles and over 100,000 volumes. The Biodiversity Heritage Library Website.

‘Hole School’ Street Art – Sten & Lex

By Patternbank On April 4, 2013 · In Graphics

Street art takes many forms, Patternbank stumbled across these unique and dynamic murals and thought we’d share. These hand cut, hand painted creations are the work of Rome based Italian street art duo Sten & Lex. Using a technique they call ‘Hole school’ Sten Lex create huge murals that consist of cut out stencils and blown up photocopied imagery. The duo are best known in the history of stencil making for introducing the halftone stencil technique where the main part of their stencil portraits are composed by thousands of lines. Graphic subject matter is a mix of historical and religious figures as well as Lex herself. They are currently showing at Magda Danysz Gallery in Shanghai until the April 30th so definitely worth a look if you are visiting.

Daniel Shiel – Adventures Through Abandoned Landscapes

By Patternbank On April 3, 2013 · In Graphics

Daniel Shiel’s professional training as an archaeologist in the UK puts his photographic work into context, though he can trace his preoccupations back to childhood holidays exploring historical and industrial landscapes.The subjects he photographs have ‘minor histories’; from their creation to destruction, from usefulness to abandonment.He extracts specific details from photographic images, isolating them from their original context. These provide ‘materials’ or ‘pallets’ which are combined, using collage.The resulting structures attempt to define and express the uncertain sensations and responses experienced during his explorations. They may have a surrealist quality; becoming remote landscapes and settings of questionable and unsettling perspective and narrative.Patternbank loves the visual feast these collective images deliver. Distressed texture highlights intricate, vintage, typography or frames the surprising placements of architectural features. Visit Daniel’s website to see more.

Megan Greene – Distorted Botanical

By Patternbank On April 3, 2013 · In Inspiration

Megan Greene transforms nature prints of paintings by John James Audubon, a nineteenth-century artist known for his realistic yet highly theatrical depictions of “Birds of America”. Greene uses coloured pencils and collage elements to transform and alter the original scenes, sometimes turning them on their heads or sideways. Patternbank love the way birds, flora and fauna become camouflaged within elaborate and decorative patterns creating a distorted view of these beautiful images. Greene lives and works in Chicago, Illinois you can see more of her work at megangreene.com and secristgallery.com

Illustration Collective – Patswerk

By Patternbank On March 27, 2013 · In Graphics

These quirky, oddball illustrations are the work of Netherlands based art studio Patswerk. Situated in The Hague, Patswerk was founded in 2008 by long time friends Ramon Avelino, Rogier Mulder and Lex van Tol. The studio collective use playful, surreal, complex compositions that mix an array of everyday objects in fresh colourful statements. See more of their unique and fun work at the recently updated website patswerk.nl.

Michael Dotson – Surreal Neon Futurism

By Patternbank On March 27, 2013 · In Inspiration

We’re loving these paintings by Brooklyn based Michael Dotson who graduated from the American University in Washington DC in 2011. Incorporating a surrealist mix of Tron like futurism, neon 80′s tinged colours and a juxtaposition of organic foliage, patterns and hard angles these paintings are truly stunning. Go check his website for more or his Flickr page.

Temari – A Work of Art

By Patternbank On March 26, 2013 · In Inspiration

Patternbank discovered these incredible Temari on Pinterest via Roger Yorke, a dealer of antique ethnic textiles, specialising in Japanese Kimonos and textiles. Check out his other inspiring boards while your there, he has a feast of inspiration. The Temari here are by Nana Akua’s Grandma who is in her 90′s! You can see more stunning examples of her work on Akua’s dedicated flickr page. Patternbank are in total admiration of the time and skill that must of gone into making these beautiful works of art. We are sure you’ll be inspired by the hundreds of patterns found in these embroidered wonders.