Style Imitating Art: Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterfly by Anonymous & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #227
About Style Imitating Art
Style Imitating Art is hosted by Daenel of Living Outside the Stacks, Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, and Terri of Meadowtree Style. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as curator, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the curator by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the curator will share all of the submissions on her blog.
You do not have to be a blogger to join. You are invited to share your images on Instagram or other social media platforms or you can just play along and the host will share your photo. If you do share on social media, please spread the word by using #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt and also tag the hosts Salazar, Terri, and Daenel so they know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!
The Inspiration Artwork
The inspiration artwork was curated by Daenel of Living Outside the Stacks. You can read why she has chosen this specific piece as her inspiration artwork here.
Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterfly by Anonymous (Watercolor and bodycolor on gray prepared ground, 19th Century)
About the Artist: Anonymous
Well, I guess I cannot share very much about an anonymous artist, can I?
But I can share a bit about watercolor painting as an artistic medium.
About the Medium: Watercolor
Watercolor is a water-based medium that is applied with a brush generally to a white paper or parchment background. It is a popular and prized medium due to the luminosity of the transparent colors, its availability in a vast range of pigments, and the ease of application as well as the ability to make corrections during the artistic process.
Watercolors are composed of finely ground pigments combined with water and gum arabic which is a binder that helps disperse the pigment particles in order to create a uniform solution that adheres to its canvas. Modern watercolors need just a touch of water to form washes that are much easier to use than the original forms of watercolors. Before manmade organic colors were produced in labs in the late 19th century, watercolors were derived from natural sources such as minerals, resins, and vegetables. The more brilliant hues that you see in modern watercolor works are a result of lab production.
The underlying support (the canvas on which the watercolors are applied) plays a very important role in the appearance of the colors. The brightness of the paper, parchment, or ivory used as the canvas contributes to the level of transparency as well as the vibrance of the jewel like tones created by watercolor. For this reason, you will rarely see watercolor paintings on colored backgrounds. Sometimes artists will use paper treated with gelatin sizing which is a liquid compound designed to make the paper less absorbent. This treatment of the paper prevents the watercolors from penetrating the paper and also allows for more precision in brushwork. However, some artists may desire a more fluid appearance in their watercolors and so highly absorbent Japanese papers or paper dampened with water may be employed.
Watercolor works have a distinguishing characteristic due to the diversity of brush strokes as well as the many different ways the dry and wet paint can be manipulated for a variety of visual effects. Artists generally apply watercolor with a soft pointed brush or flat profile brush depending on the intended effect.
While both opaque and transparent watercolors were used in the 16th century for portrait miniatures, detailed depictions of the natural world, decorative drawings, and maps, it did not become a popular artistic medium until the end of the 18th century when it came into widespread use for landscape and genre paintings. By the 19th century, watercolor was being used for large scale exhibition drawings in an attempt to promote the diversity of watercolors in art while encouraging its use for both professional and amateur artists. It remains a popular medium in modern and contemporary art to this day.
About the Art: Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterfly (19th Century)
This anonymous painting consists of graphite and watercolor on a gray prepared ground. The graphite inscription at the bottom of the painting simply says “heather” just beneath the image of the sweet peas, heather, and the bright yellow butterfly. The paper background measures 13 11/16 inches × 9 3/4 inches (34.7 cm × 24.8 cm) and is currently housed in the Met in New York City. The work has been dated as a 19th century British piece and was gifted to the Met by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1961. The Met currently has over 9,000 anonymous works from 19th century Britain which provides strong support in favor of signing your work!
There really is no more information about this watercolor to be found on the internet. But I do love the simplicity of the piece as well as the soft yet vibrant shades of green, purple, pink, and yellow. Plus a little taste of nostalgia from days long gone always puts me in a good mood. It really is quite a pleasing painting to look at, isn’t it?
Resources/References:
- How watercolor drawings are made: an illustrated explainer
- The Met: Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterfly
This sweet little kitty lives in or around these gardens behind the Jefferson County Historical Society. Whenever we shoot photos here when the flowers are blooming, sweet kitty comes out to play. I tripped over the furry ball a few times because he really just wanted to hug our feet!
About My Outfit Inspired by Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterfly
When I saw the artwork for this style prompt, I was super focused on the shades of pink and purple. But after I looked at it for about a week, the greens really started jumping out at me, too. So I chose a dark green midi dress for the base layer of my outfit.
My magenta kimono with the embroidered sweet peas was the perfect and obvious thing to reflect both the colors and the flowers in the painting. I am not actually certain if the embroidery is sweet peas, but it sure does look like sweet peas. Then I added my vintage yellow and gold butterfly pin, a recent gift from my mother-in-law, to pay tribute to the sole yellow butterfly in the painting. I was nervous about pinning a brooch to the delicate fabric of this kimono, so I made sure to affix it to one of the embroidered flowers for more stability and it worked perfectly without damaging the pin or the fabric.
A woven belt, a wicker bag, black caged sandals, and rose gold jewelry finished off this whimsical garden outfit that gave me all the best feelings of springtime nostalgia. Interestingly, I never would have thought to pair magenta with olive green which is why I love this Style Imitating Art series so much. It really does push me to try outfit combinations that I otherwise would not have even considered. And now I know that this color combination works and I really love it.
I knew that a garden was the background I wanted for these photos and I was so happy to find the Historic Society gardens in full beautiful bloom. Imagine my excitement when we entered the gardens and the first thing I spotted was heather lining the walkway! You can see the purple clusters of heather in the first set of photos.
To see more outfits inspired by Heather, Sweet Peas and Butterfly, please visit Daenel’s post for the complete roundup of submissions. You can also read the details of Daenel’s own inspired outfit here, Terri’s here, and Salazar’s here. Have you joined the Style Imitating Art challenges yet? Be sure to check for the next prompt on Monday, June 21, 2021.
Featured Favorites
Reader Favorite (Most Viewed)
Moumous of LaMoumous shared her post, 3 Fashion Trends to Leave Behind in 2021, which discusses some helpful ways to inject more color, focus on flattering proportions, and invest in practical pieces for your wardrobe. Plus her unique stunningly outfit is style inspiration all by itself.
Fashion Favorite
Nancy of Nancy’s Fashion Style shared her post, Tantilly Dress & Fancy Friday Linkup. I absolutely love everything about this dress, the style, the color palette, and the print. And it looks perfectly gorgeous on my beautiful friend!
Non-Fashion Favorite
Renee of A Sexual Libra shared her post, A Survey On Openness: An Opportunity to Participate. Because I am super interested in the research that Renee is currently doing, I wanted to invite you all to check out the survey questions and participate if you are also interested in this project. Renee is aiming to discover if there is a correlation between a couple’s sexual satisfaction, their ability to effectively communicate with one another, and whether nonmonogamy has ever been discussed within the relationship. It is a completely anonymous survey that really could result in some fascinating information if she can get enough responses. So regardless of your position on monogamy and nonmonogamy, Renee really does want your feedback!
*Imogen of Inside Out Style has featured me today in her Stylish Thoughts series. I would love for you to head over and check it out! I really enjoy answering these types of interview questions as well as reading these types of posts about other bloggers. A huge thanks to Imogen for featuring me!
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Kimono, Dress, and Belt-Torrid / Shoes-Crown Vintage (DSW) / Bag-TJ Maxx / Earrings and Necklace-Happiness Boutique
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
76 Comments
Suzy
Shelbee, you look absolutely GORGEOUS! I adore everything about your outfit – the colours are very much my colours lol!! And the backdrop is utterly divine. How lucky were you to find that cute little garden bench too. And the kitty is just an added bonus! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
Big hugs
Suzy xxx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Suzy! I was so happy with how this outfit came together! I actually ended up wearing it two days in a row. Haha. Mostly because we didn’t get around to photographing it on the first day, so I wore it again the second day to take pictures. You know how much I love these art challenges, too. They really let me get super creative with my wardrobe. I am excited to see the round post for this one!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
What a beautiful outift and those gardens are quite pretty too. I just love working with watercolors.. I find them so soothing.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Joanne! I love when these gardens bloom. It is such a pretty spot for photos and it is only about 1/2 mile down the road from my house! I haven’t painted with watercolors in years, but now I think I may want to try it again just for the soothing fun of it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
I’m always in awe how well you dress like a painting. This would be so difficult for me!!
Jennifer
Curated By Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Jennifer! To be fair, I have a crazy amount of things in my closet room to work with! And I know that you are much more minimalist than I am. But that is the fun of these challenges…to see what we can create from the things in our wardrobes. I always love the variety of outfits that are inspired by these works of art. You should give it a try some time!
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar A Strauss-Benjamin
What a great tunic!! Lovely color on you.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tamar! I do love this color on me!
xoxo
Shelbee
Amy Johnson
Wow! You nalied this challenge. I love the kimono, and the kitty and flowers! Two of my favorite things!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Amy! I really do love these art challenges! I look forward to them just so I can get more creative with my wardrobe. You should try to join us some time! The next prompt will be shared on Monday by the hosts. Have a great day, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
This series is such a great creative challenge !
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
It really is, Michele! I have so much fun with it! Thanks for stopping by.
xoxo
Shelbee
Ellie
This is such a beautiful art piece and loving your outfit inspired by the art. The kimono is so perfect for this with the beautiful floral embroidery! Fun lace up sandals too!
And how cute to have a little furry visitor joining you!! Love it! But what is it with cats always trying to trip people LOL. Mine do it all the time.
Ellie
Ellibelle’s Corner
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Ellie! I had a lot of fun styling this outfit to reflect the artwork! This is one of my favorite kimonos! Actually, who am I kidding? All of my kimonos are favorites! I totally hear you about the cats always being under foot. Mine try to trip me on a daily basis, too!
xoxo
Shelbee
jess
Wow, it looks like your kimono was made to be worn with this Art Inspo! Love that it has the yellow butterfly and that it is purple with the long flowers. Is that lavendar? Purple is a great color on you and it is always interesting to see the variety of art work that bloggers present. My coneflowers in the garden are really attracting the butterflies!
jess xx
Have a great week!
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jess! I loved this painting so much for the butterfly and the flowers and the gorgeous watercolors. And I do love to wear shades of purple. I thought that the purple flowers were heather when I looked it up. But maybe it is lavender. I’m not sure! I am not very well versed in botanical things! But how lovely that your garden blooms are attracting butterflies!
xoxo
Shelbee
jess
PS. it says your link party isnt open 😉
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Gah, I had set it to open at 1:00 p.m. instead of 1:00 a.m. like I normally do! It is all open now for linking! Thanks for letting me know.
xoxo
Shelbee
Nora Minassian
Beautiful look in a beautiful setting. You did an excellent job, and a not so easy one I would say, with this challenge.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Nora, thanks so much! I was really happy with the outcome of the outfit and the photos for this one! This is such a fun challenge and keeps me playing creatively with my wardrobe.
xoxo
Shelbee
Renee Open
First, the art is beautiful! I’ve never seen that before and it’s just lovely.
Second, you perfectly captured it’s essense in your outfit! Bravo!! And, I LOVE the shall – beautiful!
Third. I so value how thorough you are in your research and communication <3
Lastly, thank you – so much – for featuring the survey! It really is a kindness given that you've featured me before. I thank you for helping me to get the word out and generate responses which lead to data. I'm really excited to see what the results are <3
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, my friend! These art prompts are so much fun and help me to view my wardrobe in an entirely different way. I often feel like I am creating magic in my closet room and I really enjoy the whole process from brainstorming the outfit to finding the perfect photo location to researching the artwork.
It is my pleasure to assist you with this research since it is super fascinating to me as well! And I totally forgot to share the survey out on my social media channels! I will do that today! I hope you are having a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lizzie
Beautiful art and beautiful photos! And the kitty is so cute! Absolutely love that kimono! Purple is fantastic on you – this is probably one of my all-time favorite outfits on you!! You look radiant <3
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh Lizzie, thank you so much! Purple is a color that has grown on me in recent years and I am really loving it as well. This is such a lovely compliment, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Midlife and Beyond
What a beautiful watercolour. The colours are so uplifting and you have matched them perfectly. Love your tunic, looks gorgeous on you and loved the pics with kitty, of course. xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Alison, thank you so very much! I really enjoyed this watercolor, too. It has been my wallpaper on my phone and laptop all week and it is so soothing to me every time I look at it. I hope you are having a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jill
You nailed this challenge! Such a beautiful interpretation! Love the kimono belted!
Jill – Doused in Pink
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Jill! I wasn’t sure of the belt at first, but it was keeping the kimono closed over my very visible bra straps. Actually the top of my bra kept sticking out of the dress as well and the belted kimono covered it all, thankfully!
xoxo
Shelbee
Ashley
I love to see how you tackle these style x art challenges! The finished look here is so pretty- that berry-colored kimono is SUCH a great piece!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so very much, Ashley! These art challenges are my favorite thing going on in blogland right now! I really do look forward to them every other week. I hope you are having a fabulous week, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
ratnamurti
This kimono is so gorgeous. To me, it is one of the most You things you’ve worn, so flattering. And I love the whole art thing with it. (I’ve put on a post which is way Out There, if it’s not suitable, could you please reply on my blog?) xxxxx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Ratnamurti! I definitely feel most like myself when I am wearing a floaty kimono. I am certain that the post you linked is perfectly suitable! I don’t really have any restrictions for my link parties on the type of content linked. As long as it is not spreading hatred (which I know you would never write a post like that) then you are welcome to link anything here! I look forward to reading it.
xoxo
Shelbee
Barbara
Send me that kimono, i’ll pay good money for it! (That’s how gorgeous it is:)
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Barbara! It is gorgeous piece and I love the color so much. I find really beautiful kimonos at Torrid. But I am not giving this one up because it is one of my favorites! Hehe
xoxo
Shelbee
Barbara
You’re right, it IS a keeper! Enjoy
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Barbara! Have a wonderful day, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
What a surprise to be featured! And you didn’t even tell! Forgot to make a photo! Damn. What a perfect outfit you choose for this art work. The colors together are gorgeous ave I love that kimono! I love sweet Peas, so delicate and of beautiful colors!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Nancy! I was really happy with the end result of this outfit! And I am so glad that I could surprise you with that feature. I used to tell when I would feature people, but I have gotten very lazy lately. Plus I think the surprise is more fun anyway! It was so great catching up with you yesterday!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mica
I love that kimono and it’s so unexpected with the green but works so well, especially with the cute embroidery detail as well! That’s a lovely watercolour and your outfit really captures the theme!
Thanks for the link up!
Hope that your week is a good one so far!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mica! It really is an unexpected color combination but I love how it came together. And you know how I love my kimonos! I hope you are having a fabulous week as well, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
Shelbee I admire you so much the way you keep your content so vibrant and fun- plus I love that sheer wrap!! xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Lucy! That is such a lovely compliment! I try to keep things light and happy so that when I have to share the darker side of things, it keeps things properly balanced! Haha. I hope your week is going well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Rena
Shelbee,
This is a great look on you. The mixing of purple with olive was a fabulous idea. It makes for an earth-mother type vibe, especially with the floral and butterfly accents. And then adding a black belt and sandals to give an edge was a brilliant touch. Super cute! (the kitty too)
Rena
http://www.finewhateverblog.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Rena! I was really happy with this combination once I had it all put together. I like your earth-mother reference a lot! I hope you are having a marvelous week, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
You nailed it. Very nice. I love those grounds and the cat is just a perfect addition. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful Wednesday.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Patrick! These gardens are really pretty and the museum attached for the Jefferson County Historical Society has some really cool stuff inside of it, too. I should visit the museum and take some photos to share one of these days. I haven’t gone inside the building in years even though I visit the gardens often.
xoxo
Shelbee
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
I’ve always loved watercolors and used to do them in college (when I had more time on my hands). You really did well on this! That kimono is such a pretty shade of violet/purple and I love the flowers and how it is a little sheer!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Carrie! I was really happy with the end result of this style challenge! This is a really great kimono and I wear it often because of how colorful it is. I haven’t painted with watercolors in years, but I recently am loving my watercolor markers for my coloring books!
xoxo
Shelbee
Laura Bambrick
Oh my goodness that outfit is so perfect for the art! I love the photos you took by the flowers too! Way to go with this!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Laura! This was another really fun style prompt and I love the end result as well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Cheryl Shops
I love this series of yours, especially because the art you choose to imitate is always so different. Loving the floral print and the setting you chose for this outfit—it’s so creatively done and inspiring!
Cheryl Shops | http://www.cherylshops.net
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Cheryl! This is a really fun series. Daenel, Terri, and Salazar always choose really interesting art works and I am learning so much just by participating. You should join us some time. The next art prompt will be announced on Monday.
xoxo
Shelbee
Anna Marcus
You did a wonderful job in immitating this lovely artwork, Shelbee. The tunic is so beatiful and soft and the backdrop is magic
https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Anna! I was so happy with this outfit and the photographs for this art prompt. I feel like these outfits come together magically for me each week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Pam Ecrement
Love the lavendar and always love you in any purple shade!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Pam! I am starting to like purple more and more as I get older!
xoxo
Shelbee
Christina Morley
Lovely spring outfit! Learning about all that anonymous art was fascinating. I wonder if the artist of your particular piece was a female who didn’t feel like her work would amount to much, more because of her gender than her ability. Thanks for sharing it with us!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so very much, Tina! That is a really great point that I had not even thought of. I often forget that women in the arts were frowned upon until very recently in human history. It is kind of astonishing when you think about it, really. Can you imagine having to keep your talents hidden because you were the “wrong” gender? Can you imagine being treated like the “wrong” gender?! So unsettling. Thankfully, we have made some progress as a species even if it sometimes doesn’t seem like enough. I hope you are having a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Sheila (of Ephemera)
This is one of my favourite Style Imitating Art outfits of yours, Shelbee! The embroidery on the kimono is perfect, and I LOVE the wee butterfly brooch you added. What a lovely memory of your mother-in-law!
Thank you so much for the link-party!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Sheila, my friend, thank you so very much! This outfit is definitely one of my girlier, less edgier creations but it speaks to a certain part of my personality, for sure! Give a girl a kimono and a painting and see what kind of magic happens! Haha.
xoxo
Shelbee
Jacqui Berry
Fun theme, you always do these so well shelbee. Great to see your styling again. Have a super week. jacqui x
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jacqui, thank you so much! I really do enjoy these art prompts and have such fun creating outfits inspired by them. I hope you have a fabulous day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Such a gorgeous outfit! Love the kimono. And a beautiful place to shoot. The kitty is adorable.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Michelle! This is one of my favorite kimonos (even though I love all of my kimonos!). And the little kitty is so friendly every time we visit these gardens. I think he looks forward to visitors because he comes bounding out of the bushes all happy as soon as people walk through the garden!
xoxo
Shelbee
Claire
Beautiful outfit, I love this kimono 🙂 Thanks so much for hosting.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Claire! Have a fabulous day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Terri Gardner
Oh Shelbee, this is one of the most gorgeous things that I think you have done IMO. That kimono is to die for! I love sheer kimonos and that particular shade of violet is spectacular. Excellent job for this SIA-I seem to tell you that a lot! LOL
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Terri! You know how I love these challenges! They are my favorite in all of blogland. I get so happy when the new art is announced! By the way, did you receive the package I sent to you? I am so excited to know your reaction (I’m quite like a child when it comes to that stuff! Haha.)
xoxo
Shelbee
Terri Gardner
Shelbee, yes I did, and hope my thank you card has gotten to you by now. I haven’t been feeling the best this week and have been slow getting around to looking on my favorite blogs.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh no, Terri, I am so sorry to hear that you have been feeling unwell. I just got your card when I returned home from our camping weekend. I hope that you are feeling better at this point! Have a wonderful week, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Daenel T.
Shelbee, everything about this outfit is giving me life. I love the colors and the shape. And that vintage butterfly pin is so swoon worthy. Love it all!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Daenel! This was such a beautiful painting for outfit inspiration! Everything sort of magically came together in my closet room. Again. I love this series! Thanks so much for hosting it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
Such a brilliant interpretation of this painting! Your kimono is beautiful – you have a wonderful collection of them! Thanks for linking up!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-spalsh.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Emma! I do love my kimonos!
xoxo
Shelbee
Chickenruby
I love your styling. Your hair looks great and love how the cat pops over for the shoot. Thanks for linking with #pocolo
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Suzanne! That little kitty is such a friendly little cutie! I hope you are having a wonderful week.
xoxo
Shelbee