Photo Credit: Ken Anderson

Blik is happy to introduce Amy Ruppel, aka @my, into our roster of amazing artists. Nature’s inspiration is clearly at the forefront of this Wisconsin native and Portland-based artist’s work. Blik co-founder, Jerinne Neils first came across @my’s work on mutual retailer, Velocity Art & Design, about 5 years ago and has been collecting her work ever since. “As a Portland native, I connected with her work. The nature themes are so much a part of growing up in the Northwest. I also loved the idea of supporting an artist from my home town. Five years ago Portland was not the hot spot it is today for artists.” ~ Jerinne Neils.

The initial release of @my’s collection for Blik includes Branches, Night Owls and Night Owls Window. All have her signature birds, owls and orange & ochre color palette. Although suited for many tastes, her graphics have a feminine and vintage appeal, delicious for nurseries, bedrooms or any place you want to add a modest statement. As for @my’s resume, Blik joins the ranks of such brands as Target & Kid Robot (seen below), Burton Snowboards and Converse. For more on @my, visit her website.

Upcoming Blik artist, Saelee Oh opened her solo-show, “Infinite Roots” at Jonathan LeVine Gallery NYC this past weekend. The narrative for this collection is that all things are connected and that no one is ever, truly alone. The artist has said: “The roots of a plant are what secure it to an interconnected underground where all life is nourished, as the buds and leaves bloom above. The show title, Infinite Roots, alludes to the deep reaches of our intrinsic inner desires. The tone of the work in this series is bittersweet with hints of nostalgia. The pieces appear delicate and frail but the stories they tell are about timeless strength.”

Saelee’s work primarily consist of drawings, paintings and cut paper; however, she often experiments with different mediums. Her designs for Blik are true to her signature style of feminine, delicate strength and fairy tale-like stories. Saelee is an exciting talent who, like her art, is brimming with the depths of life and is blossoming creatively and professionally. Visit Saelee’s site for more information on her current show and works. The Saelee Oh for Blik line will drop within the next few weeks, so be sure to check back with us or sign up for our newsletter. ☞

Do you have a photo of a Blik Wall Graphic in your home or office that you’d like to share with us? We’d love to show off what you’ve done with your Blik and include your photo in our Blik Flickr photostream and maybe even our Website. If your photo is selected, we’ll send you a swanky fresh Blik logo tee shirt.

Please send us a photo of Blik Wall Graphics in your space. (No clever photoshopping, shots of your recent vacation, celebrities or that naughty photo you found online.) Photos chosen must be (1) in focus, (2) of Blik wall decals, and (3) show off your creative use of the graphics. Email your hi-res JPG photos to Photos@whatisblik.com and if your photo is chosen, we’ll email you for your shirt size and shipping address.

Start snapping!

Ilan Dei Studio + concept eyewear & fashion boutique, A.Kinney Court = HEAVEN! The shop, from Garrett Leight, offspring of Oliver Peoples founder Larry Leight is the latest Venice, CA trendsetter and newsmaker to take up residence right here on Abbot Kinney. Keeping it local, Leight commissioned Blik collaborator, neighbor and force of nature Ilan Dei to create the entire space, including the striking woodwork & custom cashwrap design. Dei drew inspiration from the Eames molded plywood process as well as the natural forms of the pacific ocean, a strong influence on the area. His powerfully inventive, organic and clean style is the perfect match for A.Kinney Court which offers a discerning selection of rare and vintage finds along with cutting-edge fashion brands. Vintage Oliver Peoples frames definitely included. Guess where we’ll be going to blow our paycheck at lunch…

Blik is delighted to welcome Blaine Fontana to our roster of artists and collaborations. Influenced by religious myths, worldly folklore and current social dynamics, the work of Blaine Fontana is diverse, compelling and often spiritual. You’ll find some of Blaine’s trademark “templings” (a fusion of temple and being), in Cinematic Prayers and the beautiful floral rorschach of Fernwood. Fernwood Mirrors come in 3 different sizes & designs with optional mirror to place in the center. The elegant silhouettes of Fernwood are of plants clipped from Blaine’s family property in the forest on Bainbridge Island, WA. The land has had tremendous influence on his work over the years. We are excited about this collaboration and look forward to growing the Blaine Fontana line. Please visit Blaine Fontana to learn more, view his work and for news on upcoming events.

TheLofts@Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, California mark the first “green” LEED Platinum Certified mixed-use or market rate multifamily building in California. The development of 12 condo lofts and 2800 square feet of retail space pays homage to the amazing musical and Hollywood history of Cherokee Recording Studios, MGM Studios before it and all the artists who recorded music on the site. From Frank Sinatra to David Bowie to Dave Matthews…to now, BLIK. Four designers were chosen to vamp up 4 lofts for the Rock-n-Platinum Showcase: Dennis Design Group, Rogerio Carvalheiro, Cisco Home, and Jennifer Siegal & Sandra Sharma. PreFab designer extraordinaire, Jennifer Siegal of Office of Mobile Design, enlisted us to design, manufacture and install a giant graphic for her loft dubbed, “30 Seconds to Mars Penthouse”. She said she wanted something organic, tall, with the color yellow and we ran with it. Here’s the 18 foot high by 10 foot wide graphic our crackerjack designer conjured up. We think it rocks the house…but then again, we are biased.

We’ve fed our Threadless collaboration Especial pills. This past Monday we released Threadless Especial by Blik. This line was born out of our full-color printing capabilities which allow us to print some of our favorite designs, previously unavailable to us based on the complexity of their color treatment or intricate designs. We thought Threadless was the ideal partner to introduce this Especial series because of the vast and diverse range of artwork available in their brand. And, we think they’re cool. We will select and release new Especial designs every couple of months, so stay in the loop via our newsletter and keep Blik’ing or Nix’ing in the Threadless voting booth.

John Odom, Architect / designer / owner of JSO Services based in St. Louis, MO used Blik Fly in his latest home design project. John used 2 packages to form this large mural, creating a harmonious and serene effect in the luxurious master bedroom of this swanky loft. When can we move in? For more information visit his website.

Blik’s very own Me, Myshelf & I design made it’s way into the Fall 2009 issue of Angeleno Interiors. Although we don’t recommend skipping a good book, we do agree that this bookshelf decal makes any room look savvy. Besides, who better to embrace this trend, but a true Angeleno? We Love LA!