Design: Southern Female Artists; Part 1

I recently started reading Julie Cameron's The Artist's Way which had renewed my interest in art. I majored in Art History in college, so this interest isn't a big stretch for me but I haven't been attuned to art, viewing it or making it, in the past eight years or so.

With my renewed interest (and the rabbit hole that is the internet), I have been learning more about the fabulous young female artists the south has produced recently. I am proud to count so much talent among my generation and think it is inspiring to see these women pursuing their passion and dreams. In the first of a two part series, I am excited to introduce you to my favorite young female southern artists....

Bliss & Caroline

I am fortunate to count artists Bliss Campbell and Caroline Hurley as close childhood friends and lucky enough to have an original piece by each in my home. While they are both current New Yorkers, they are southern born and bred.

Bliss Campbell

I love Bliss's figure drawings which have such an ephemeral quality and mysterious nature. I feel like I can look at her work over and over again and find a new details that I didn't notice before.

Bliss gave all of her wedding party one of her beautiful figure prints which I now have hanging front and center in my living room. Such a great memory of a special weekend!

Bliss works in mixed media: charcoal, gouache, ink and pencil on board or paper. For more information and to view more of Bliss's work, you can visit her website: http://www.blisscampbell.com/.

Caroline Hurley

I love Caroline's use of color and the way she abstracts everyday things like rain or laundry. Her art is such a different (and beautiful) way of looking at the world.

Again, I am fortunate to have a very personal piece of art by Caroline. She was in my wedding six(!!) years ago and gave my husband and me a mixed media portrait of us on our wedding day. This is truly one of my most treasured possessions.

Visit her site http://www.carolinezhurley.com/ for a visual feast of color and her many more beautiful paintings and visit her blog http://carolinezhurley.blogspot.com/ to learn more about her new line of products for the summer.

I hope Bliss and Caroline's work inspires you as much as it does me. Do you have a favorite artist of your generation?