Skip to main content

Posts

Where Fantasy Meets Folklore

Timothée Humbert creates wild, zoomorphic sculptures that pull the viewer into an imaginary world. This place is full of strange, funny, and sometimes grotesque little beings. His creatures feel ancient and childlike at the same time; one can't tell if they are jokes, spells, or something sacred. Humbert was born in Paris in 1979. While primarily a ceramic artist, he also draws, paints, and engraves. He earned his Fine Arts diploma in 2004, and a year later, he set up his studio. Since then, he has created nothing but one-of-a-kind pieces. These include monsters grinning like kids who know something you don't, skulls with attitude, and oddball geniuses who might be ghosts. His style mashes together global traditions and pop culture. You can trace the lines from Japanese ceramics, African sculpture, and Mexican Día de los Muertos, then, out of nowhere, find manga, fantasy, and sci-fi. Together, they create a kind of postmodern language—a jumble of hieroglyphs that hum with life....
Recent posts

From Puli Peaks to Picture Books

Ever see art that makes you want to step right inside and look around? Meet Shih-Yu Lin, a Taiwan-born illustrator whose work does exactly that. I came home one evening, scrolling my phone, expecting just the usual noise. Then I found his drawings. His pictures burst with color and loose charm. They're lively, dreamy, and you can feel his happiness in every stroke. It’s rare to find art that doesn’t just show joy, but shares it—and I realized that’s what makes his work such a treasure. Shih-Yu was born in Taipei and grew up in Puli, a small mountain town that feels like a painting itself. After discovering his love for picture books, he earned an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art in 2017. He’s been drawing nonstop ever since. Want to escape into a brighter, warmer world for a bit? Check out his Facebook . Don’t be surprised if you end up smiling the whole time.

From Rejection to Radiance

Some pop songs are built to last. Boy Meets Girl's 1988 single, Waiting for a Star to Fall , is one of them. But here's the entertaining twist: no one wanted it. Songwriters Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill were already successful, having penned massive hits for Whitney Houston. Naturally, they offered the song to her, but in a famously baffling moment, her label boss, Clive Davis, said no. The song then floated to Belinda Carlisle, who even cut a demo, but she passed. Instead of shelving the track, Rubicam and Merrill made an act of quiet defiance: they recorded it themselves. That leap of faith changed everything. Their own version became a global smash and their one unforgettable entry into pop immortality.

Underwater Orphans

Sometimes you want a reminder that there are still good things in the world. The Amazonian Manatee Rescue Center in Iquitos, Peru, is a unique nursery for orphaned manatee calves. These gentle giants arrive frail, often due to hunting or habitat loss. Caretakers provide intensive care, including underwater bottle-feeding and lessons in swimming and foraging. Their ultimate goal is to return the manatees to the wild rivers of the Amazon, giving this vulnerable species a second chance.

Gatlinburg's Delightful Museum

The Museum of Salt and Pepper Shakers in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is home to over 20,000 pairs of these tiny table companions. The collection began in 2002, thanks to Andrea Ludden. Her quest? To celebrate the wild creativity that turns something as ordinary as a shaker into miniature art. Andrea actually started out collecting pepper mills back in 1984, but the shakers quickly stole the show (and her shelves). Originally tucked away in Cosby, the museum found its new home in Gatlinburg’s Winery Square in 2005. And the fun doesn’t stop there. Andrea’s passion went international in 2010 with a sister museum in Alicante, Spain. WATCH:

The Fading Beauty of San Nicolas

There was a period in my life when I spent a considerable amount of time hanging around bars in Manila. I had friends who were musicians, and I'd go watch their gigs. After they wrapped up, our usual move was to head over to Marcy's house in San Nicolas to just chill. What makes San Nicolas special is that it’s considered a heritage district of the city. Even now, you can still see these 19th-century ancestral houses, which were home to wealthy businessmen, artisans, and craftsmen. I have such vivid memories of wandering through those narrow alleys. You’d hear the neighbors chatting away, and you could see this amazing mix of history and everyday life happening all at once. Honestly, it makes me a little sad to see how much time and modernization have changed San Nicolas. Those gorgeous wooden houses with all their intricate carvings are slowly disappearing. What used to feel like a living museum of Manila’s heritage is really struggling to hold onto its unique identity now.

ANTHOLOGY: Six Shows, One Big Creative Collision

Gravity Art Space just dropped ANTHOLOGY —and it's a total art overload (in the best way). We're talking six shows happening all at once, packed into every corner of the gallery. Teaming up with the UP Artists' Circle, they're digging into how art runs in families—the creative DNA that passes from mentors to students, friends to friends, and one generation to the next. It's all about that shared obsession with making things, no matter what. Opening night felt like a big family get-together. Artists, curators, and friends—both old and new faces—were catching up and low-key planning their next masterpieces. The rooms buzz with everything from loud, in-your-face pieces to quiet works that pull you in if you let them. If you're anywhere near Diliman, drop by. Go see the beautiful chaos. ANTHOLOGY runs until November 21, 2025.