Local Artist: NOLA / Phillip Lightweis-Goff

​More on NOLA! 

I told you last week about a local artist that I FELL IN LOVE WITH but I gots one more for you. Phillip Lightweis-Goff. 

​128johnst loves local artists, and you are going to fall head over heels for this one like I did.

"Our lives are pieced together from cultural and material experience, shifting around and recombining into new forms, thought and substance dancing, memories melting back into the soil to sprout ideas anew. " - Phillip Lightweis- Goff

​Yes. All day. Yes.

Back when I was in college, my friends and I used to be shopping, at a store or flea market or craft fair and we used to find it incredibly difficult to purchase things sometimes. I don't know how well you know me, but I pretty much LOVE to spend money and buy stuffs I don't need (sad but true). BUT as artists, we were hard critics. If we thought we could make it, we just couldn't allow ourselves to buy it. 

When I saw Phillip's work, I was in awe. Shock. Obsessed. Impressed. WOWed. ​

He slices up paper, and carefully weaves it and places it ever so carefully and perfectly and creates these AMAZING images. Phillip takes discarded items and created beauty. 

Impressed yet? The amount of time and patience this must take is mind-boggling. I am all for DIY-ing, but I would never attempt such an intricate style. 

​JUST. LOOK. AT. IT.

You can snatch up some of Phillip's incredible work here at his Etsy shop, or if you have the pleasure of being in NOLA, stop by the Frenchman Art Market, the same place I picked up the necklace from The Magpie Collections.

Local Artist : NOLA / The Magpie Collections

This week's design post is a little different than the usual. Sticking with the New Orleans posts (I've got so much more to show you!) I wanted to highlight a local artist that I met while I was away. 

​We were wandering down Frenchman Street, because that is where EVERYONE we spoke to said to go at night, and we came across this ADORABLE market, the Frenchman Art Market. It was a nighttime market with local artists selling their work.

​When I'm away, I try to always buy a piece of jewelry. It can be costume or dress, don't matter, just something that when I wear it it reminds me of the trip... SOOOO ... when we stumbled upon this market it was a perfect storm! They had tons local artists products, and TONS of jewelry. 

Lauren Noel King of The Magpie Collections ​had BEAUTIFUL, unique, handmade jewelry.  Because it was just after my birthday, my ladies said they wanted to buy me something on our trip as my gift (score!), and there was no questions I was getting something from The Magpie Collection. The decision was a difficult one, I mean, check out all the cool stuff she has in her Etsy store!

I decided on an African Porcupine Quill necklace. (You can see some better pictures and description of a similar one in her shop here.)​ Not only was her work great, Lauren was adorable and sooo sweet. Her business card is this blue sparkly piece of goodness, and she told me to contact her at any time if I have any issues with the necklace.

I went with a more simple design because I like to have pieces that I can wear everyday, but I LOVED this one too.

This night was beyond perfect. We started at The Spotted Cat and listened to Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers for a looooong time. She (THEY) are amazing, check them out! I fell in love with the trombone player and then we stumbled upon the Frenchmen Market! 

The space was soooooo coooolllll. There were different interesting sitting areas, including a GLOWING sofa! I'm uber sad I didn't get this mirror, but really, how the hell would I have gotten it home?!

​While I write this, I am actually away in Vancouver for work and I realized that I actually have the necklace with me! I like to keep the jewelry situation light when I travel, I stick to the basics that I love and would wear while home on the reg (unless there is a specific piece that makes an outfit of course!). Pictured above we have the gorgeous NOLA necklace I can't stop talking about, a ring that I bought on my first business trip to Arizona at vingage shop (over 4 years ago!) and my favorite piece that reminds me of home. My grandpa Al had a business and had this watch face made SOOO LONG AGO. My mama found it at her house and gave it to me this year, I don't leave home without it!

Do you pick up trinkets along while away to remind you of your trip? I've collected quite a lot of interesting items, maybe I'll share the whole collection with you one day soon!

Ian Ziobrowski

If you haven't heard of Ian Ziobrowski, you're going to want to learn who he is NOW. NY native, FIT grad and one of the most talented artists I have ever know. Since we were in college together (and probably since he was in diapers) he has been developing a style that is uniquely his and will blow your mind.

In college, I was the girl who had to get everything done on time, follow all the rules and be liked by the teachers, Ian was the opposite and it used to give me anxiety regularly. I always knew Ian wouldn't work for the man, and I am glad I was right (even if he caused me sleepless nights and caused me to get a few gray hairs). His work is not for everyone, but his attention to detail, ability to create characters you couldn't image in your wildest dreams, and dedication to his life & style is what it means to me to be an artist.

A phenomenal painter, yes, but so much more. Ian experimented in vinyl, making pieces here and there, but it wasn't until 2009 that he found his true calling. Toy Design.

From there, in April of 2009, NUGGS was born.

“...inspired to create a character that portrayed self made prosperity and the ability to live the ‘American Dream’ without following society’s standards of the path to getting there”

— ianziobrowski.com

NUGGS was Ians first character, but his crew has grown. Crook ED, THUGZ, Smokey, DEA , and most recently, Rusty the Clown now join NUGGS, and it doesn't stop there.

Ian builds environments not just the character. From grow stations...

... to a candy shop, boundaries just don't exist in the world is NUGGS (or Ian).

Although much of his work is custom (including the above bad-ass "Jerry Garcia"), he just launched an online store and can be found at art shows on a national and international level including Art Basel, Comic Con, and Designer Con and in stores and galleries including Kidrobot, 1AM Gallery, 1xRun, and Toyqube.

Like I said, this is a guy you want to know. Keep one eye on him at all times, who the hell knows what he is going to come up with next.