Philia: love of friends and equals Black Boy Joy: The Resilient Smile (2022), Jeff Beckham 48 x 30 Acrylic on Canvas Because we never quit… the face of infinite hope and resilience. I wanted to capture the joy in the faces of the boys from the reference photo while using the shadows and black to show the grit of the world they must face. This was painted for my dad, my nephew, my mentees, for myself… I wanted to paint a compaction to The Bridges Ruby Crossed … I’ve finally completed it… A...
13 days ago • 4 min read
Eros: erotic, passionate love Rise and Monty Kissing, 1980, Nan Goldin Silver Dye and Bleach Print, 15.5 in x 23 in As Valentine’s Day approaches, think about how you use the word “love” in your life. You love your significant other, kids, friends, and siblings in different ways. Last week we looked at Agape. This week we are focusing on Eros love. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones of University of Utah Health describes eros as erotic or sexual or passionate love. It's often all about need, and it's...
20 days ago • 2 min read
Agape: Selfless Action You Can See and Feel Agape #12 Blue-Aphrodite Acrylic on Canvas, 30 in × 24 in Agape—Love That Shows Up Agape is love that doesn’t ask to be repaid. Not the love of liking someone. Not the love of agreeing with someone. Agape is love that becomes action: showing up, sharing, protecting, and tending. Aphrodite's Agape numbered series was inspired by a medical crisis she faced in 2010. During her times of need through those years, she received much love and support from...
27 days ago • 2 min read
Mouthwatering Detail Tiny Banana by Shay Aaron Detailed food sculptures that make his clientele smile From a very young age, I had a weight problem, and I started creating fake food to help get over it. Four years ago, I weighed 308 pounds, and I was miserable. I was working with polymer clay, making millefiori and home décor pieces. One day, a customer asked me to create a miniature replica of a traditional Jewish dish. That was when I found what I wanted to do for the next five years. Now,...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Small Wonders Chameleon Karen Libecap, a talented artist in Alabama, paints unbelievably tiny paintings of animals, objects and pop-culture characters. Some of her miniature paintings are so tiny that they’d fit on the face of a coin! See Research suggests that we’re drawn to things we can “possess” or “master.” Small items feel personal and special, inviting us to interact in a way that larger objects can’t. Libecap talks about having ADHD and the benefits of working small to finish her...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Small Art, Big Wonder I was recently reading about the Henry Moore show featuring his miniature works, and I became curious about how experiencing miniature art provides us a natural sense of wonder. Mother and Child, 1930, Henry Moore This sculpture is 15.3 centimeters (approx. 6 in- smaller than the length of an adult hand). Compare it to the feeling you get from his sculpture below at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. You can have a large sculpture which is petty and similarly a small work...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
The Art of Chilling Out Snuggles by Sarah Morgan Limited edition collograph print on paper, 30cm x 43cm I love Sarah Morgan's print so much. I have so many pics of me and Pax dozing in the chair just like it! See Man, at the new year, there is just too much emphasis on resolutions. In MN, it is cold, dark, and slippery outside. Although I do bundle up and get out some, that is enough. It feels a bit like survival. There isn't really a part of me that wants to focus on my downfalls and start...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Top 10 Weekly Wonder posts of 2025 Wow, another year of posts here at Wonder Wander. It has been a crazy time in the world, but I will admit that writing these posts every week has helped me hold it together and even brought a bit of joy! I meet people all the time who mention how the Weekly Wonder has a positive impact on their lives. When I write each week, I am never sure who will be impacted or which stories will hit home for readers. Looking back at the year, there are metrics I can look...
2 months ago • 5 min read
From Chaos to Calm: Abstract Lego 'Paintings' Things have to happen when it's time, 2022 Given last week's toy theme, I thought I'd continue it a bit this week. I have done a Weekly Wonder about Lego before: Toys as Art Medium featuring the work of Nick Sawaya and in Make Your Mark- Guerrilla Art. Today's piece features an artist and mom who started using Lego as her medium in order to spend time with her young son with autism, who was really into building with Lego. See Katherine’s journey...
2 months ago • 4 min read
