Incredible Map Collages of Matthew Cusick

Matthew Cusick, a talented collage artist from Dallas, Texas, creates incredible works of art with map cutouts. Using the most rudimentary tools, Cusick reconfigures entire networks of roads, rivers and municipal transit systems to create intricate artworks that look like paintings and drawings, if looked at from afar.

Originally from New York, Matthew Cusick graduated from Cooper Union in 1993, and had his first exhibition just two years later. Since then, his masterpieces have been showcased around the world. Inspired by topography, the artist states that he likes to “catalog, archive, and arrange information and then dismantle, manipulate, and reconfigure it.”

Have a look at these amazing map collages, and be sure to check out Matt’s official site for more of his beautiful artworks.

Wonderful Ideas for Decorating Christmas Trees

Christmas is coming in few days; everyone is trying to make unique or artificial Christmas decorations trees in their homes. Amongst all the decorations that adorn the room, the Christmas tree draws all eyes towards itself. And why not! The twinkling lights, bright ornaments and huge ropes of Christmas garlands combine together to form the most dazzling attraction of the festive holidays. These are wonderful ideas for making your Christmas differentiate with other’s.

Amazing Driftwood Sculptures

 Think recycling and crushed cans, paper pulp and bottle banks come to mind, but artist Heather Jansch is turning that idea on its head with the most beautiful recycling projects you’ll ever see.

A far cry from schoolyard recycled art projects, artist Heather returns twisted, sun-bleached driftwood, oak and copper to nature by reincarnating it as life-size animal sculptures.

 Equine artist Heather, who started out painting horse portraits, has a soft spot for all creatures of the four-legged variety, which is apparent in her art. While she has so far immortalised stags, bears and even pigs
in her sculptures, the horse is the star of the show when it comes to Heather’s artistic creations.

 She explains: “From the beginning my twin passions were drawing and horses.” Working with twisted and sea-worn pieces of driftwood from
the Devon coast, Heather gives them new life by painstakingly piecing each item together to not just represent the equine form but to embody it.

Just as each horse has its own personality, so do each of Heather’s horse sculptures and they are even named.

 Heather tries to work with each piece of wood as she finds it. Rather than sculpting it or making it fit, she prefers a more organic approach to art.

Timber is often placed around a fibreglass-coated steel frame to hold it steady and fixed in place using stainless steel screws. This combination of materials means that the reincarnated animals have a longer lifespan than their living, breathing cousins.

While not everyone will have space for a scale model of a horse or other large animal in their back garden, Heather says that some of her sculptures do indeed go to people’s homes, although the majority are destined for public places.

When Heather was training in art, she was asked to leave college. She explains: “I was told I did not have the stuff painters were made
from.” While Heather’s painting was accurate and detailed, it didn’t seem to
fit within the trend for what she describes as “square green canvases with
triangles and circles with bold, clashing colours.” But she’s gone on to prove her teachers wrong. Who needs bold, clashing colours when nature can provide everything for a magnificent work of art?

The Giant Mermaid of Cumbernauld

Scotland’s town of Cumbernauld has recently become the proud “host” of a beautiful mermaid statue that seems to be guarding the town’s entrance.

Standing at over 33ft tall, this statue is entirely made out of metal and depicts a beautiful four-armed mermaid, with two of her arms stretched outwards, as if to protect the town, and the other two holding up her mermaid tail.Her name is Arria and she was thought of and designed by English sculptor Andy Scott.

The real spectacle begins at nightfall as the statue features a rig of multicolored lights inside it’s structure that all lit up, putting Arria in a whole new “light”.

The costs for making the statue reached up to around $400,000, but local authorities hope the mermaid will be the town’s lucky charm.

Ice Age Characters Made of Ice

Amazing Art Sculptures Made Of Second-Hand Clothing

Guerra de la Paz is the composite name of Cuban born and Miami based artists, Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz. The creative duo loves to make creative artwork using discarded items of daily life. Their work is based on a combination of traditional disciplines and experimentation with dimension and the use of unconventional materials. You can check out their work on Guerra de la Paz website.

China’s Kung-Fu Barber Cuts Upside Down

In order to attract more customers, a Chinese hair-stylist, trained in the art of kung-fu, cuts hair, while standing upside down, on his head.

36-year-old Wang Xiaoyu first attracted media attention,in May of last year, when local papers reported a man cutting his customers’ hair, while doing a headstand. The wacky barber has been cutting hair, in the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, for 16 years, and is now using his 18 years of kung-fu training to boost up his business.

What can I say, his customers better pray Wang doesn’t get dizzy while using a sharp razor. Someone could literally lose their heads over this. But, on the other hand, if you’ve ever doubted the power of kung-fu martial arts, now’s the time to stop.