Is it real or is it fabric?

I'm an anxious man who worries about a lot of things. So, the last thing I need is a high-maintenance houseplant. Every botanical enthusiast, even a reluctant one like me, has their holy grail, and right now, my current fascination is the Euphorbia obesa.

When you first see this thing, you'll think it's fake. It's a perfectly plump, seamed sphere that looks entirely sculpted and belongs in a museum. This rare succulent, sometimes called the "baseball plant," hails from South Africa. It is wonderfully low-maintenance and can happily go months, perhaps even years, without a drop of water.

It's a perfect organism, really. It doesn't need constant affirmation, it doesn't bark at 2 a.m., and it doesn't require a subscription. I want the Euphorbia obesa to be my new housemate, and if I get one, I think the relationship might actually last. Assuming, of course, that I don't overwater it or accidentally knock it over during a panic attack.

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Hand-Painted Movie Posters by Tony Stella

In the 70s and 80s movie theaters in Manila were usually standalone buildings with nice seats and red curtains. To sell tickets, cinemas needed to advertise their offerings. But they did not have the original posters, or the means to print alternatives. So they made their own, commissioning local artists to hand-paint them. I really miss those hand-painted posters and billboards, which conveyed an artistry that was a form of visual hyperbole. But hand-made objects always have a way of returning. In this digital age, people will always look for things made by hand. I recently stumbled across the work of Tony Stella, whose genuinely cool movie posters have caught the eye of film enthusiasts and art lovers worldwide. He likes to work in watercolor and ink wash but sometimes he will make an oil painting, depending on the film. Tony's very active on social media, and his Tumblr blog contains a massive collection of illustrated movie posters that are often better than the original. ...

Joie de vivre

Emily Powell has made a name for herself with her series of simple, colorful and exuberant paintings. Her passion pours out directly onto the canvas, inspiring the viewer to do something fun. Emily has exhibited with the Royal Society of Art and collaborated with MoMA and British Museum. Whether it's a coastal landscape, a cute animal, or an explosion of florals, her paintings will surely light up your day.

The Art of Taglietti

Emanuele Taglietti is an Italian designer, illustrator and painter known for his erotic and sometimes outrageous comic book covers during the the '70s and '80s. Inspired by the art of Frank Frazetta and Averardo Ciriello, he painted hundreds of covers for books such as Zora the Vampire , Sukia , Mafia , and 44 Magnum . Taglietti also restored old paintings and occasionally collaborated as an illustrator for magazine publishers such as Mondadori and Rizzoli. Just this year, Sex and Horror: The Art of Emanuele Taglietti , a book by Mark Alfrey was published celebrating Taglietti's work. The "highly visual biography displays dozens of his amazing full-color paintings, explores his fascinating life and career, and takes a look behind the scenes at his exacting technique." Check it out on Amazon .

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