I’ve been horrible about posting lately but with some pushing from a friend, I’m trying to pick up the slack!

One new thing I’m going to try out is a series where I put the spotlight on a new artist that has caught my eye and that is worthy of you checking out.

So being inside for hours on end doesn’t seem like the most exciting way to discover new art, but it actually is a great way. Luckily enough for us art lovers thirsting for new art but unable to go exploring Los Angeles 24/7, there are people dedicated to creating books that focus on one artist in particular.

And whilst shelving away inside the fine arts library, I came  upon a book with one word on it: Swoon.

Legally, this street artist is known as Caledonia Dance Curry. She’s a Florida native who attended Pratt Institute and whose quirky personality and undeniable talent has left an imprint on the art world, including “Art in the Streets” curator Jeffrey Deitch. She took her name from a past boyfriend’s dream, created a collective called Toy Shop and got around a city permit by having a band named Japanther play out of a truck in the streets during the opening of an exhibition.

She works with paper, creating pieces that will make you look twice.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Yeah, she’s a pretty cool gal. At least, I think so.

And if that’s not enough to get you swooning over her (GET IT?!), she’s also very politically engaged, at one point creating a piece entitled “Portrait of Silvia Elena,” based on the photograph of a missing girl in Mexico. She created it to raise awareness of the femicide going on in Mexico, even traveling there to speak with the people experiencing it.

So keep an eye out next time you’re out on the street exploring Los Angeles. You might come across a Swoon creation.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Click here to check out the book.