curiosity spaces: laura and burke

i took these photos for this curiosity space edition all the way back in august, here in good old denver. i don’t know what took me so long to upload this post because, as i was going through the photos this morning i was totally re-inspired by laura and burke’s genius work! i also realized this morning that the spaces i choose to share on this portion of my blog, are all the home’s of artists.  every artist is unique in their interpretation, therefore it is inevitable that so is their home. for me, often inspiring to be just yourself. a few days ago, i was longing for nice furniture, less objects, over all more expensive things. yet, i am drawn to the likes of those who are also curious and different in their own right. after going through these photos, i was once again, okay with my own space vs. longing for something different.  i may not have furniture from CB2 and my rugs are fake persian ones. as it should be, i suppose. anyone can do anything with loads of money and an interior designer. i appreciate and am curious about those whom take money out of the equation and make their home about them and their work vs. a copy of a tear sheet from a magazine spread. (not to say i don’t enjoy the visual aspect of a tear sheet.)

i have posted about laura before…her art here…and laura and burke’s wedding. so, if you remember those posts, you can recall my love for the two of these people. they have been together for as long as i can remember (from the alabama days) and are both so incredibly talented, it’s slightly insane. laura, obivously, an artist and burke a graphic designer. every encounter i have with them is inspiring and loving. i have known laura since high school when we were hostesses at mozzarella’s cafe in birmingham, alabama…along with two other of our favorite friends. i love that we share this history, and i am now, once again, in the same place as her! i feel like every time we get together we are dreaming up ideas and i leave spilling with inspiration.

laura and burke had just moved into this space when i came to stay with them over the summer. it was once an old grocery store turned into two apartments. i am bummed, i didn’t get a photo of the front of the place, because it is pretty awesome. the space has high ceilings and these little lofty nooks. it is open and charming filled with the curious objects of laura’s and burke’s work as well as their friends.

i didn’t interview these guys for this, i never interview the artists. i guess it is more about my own interoperation i get from these homes, and yours too. how does their home and art inspire us?

i love burke’s intellectual and genuine thought to most anything and laura’s provocation through her art. i admire how most people would walk away with judgement… honestly, that might be favorite part. i like the weird, the obsolete, the un-obivous. i think making people feel just a little uncomfortable because to them something isn’t ordinary or “normal” is only a good thing. we should all be a little more open minded and remember we as human’s are all “weird”. laura’s work, i can only say, is more than this to her and i can’t really speak for that, but this is what i take from it and why i love what she does. the amount of time she puts into every piece she makes is astonishing, not to mention the artful thought process to get there. the fact that what is behind her photos is also the work of her own two hands, not just a photograph. she sources fabric and objects from a thrift store to downtown LA’s garment district. the colors and  the “characters” resonate. sometimes, i feel like i am in the middle of a dark version of the sequel to labyrinth. originality is an understatement.

burke, brings in this knowledge of antiquated objects in a modern world. not to mention his amazing taste is music, or the fact that he is just one of the nicest, most interesting guys i know. a while back the three of us went thrifting by my house. burke found an old book of  science images ( the body, the solar system, etc). he pointed out the beauty of these hand drawn detailed images. today, those images would be computer generated. yes, burke is a graphic designer, a modern illustrator. yet, the fact that he pulls inspiration from what was, only makes what to be, that much better. also, something to preserve. i learned to appreciate something new that day.

the photos below are from laura’s closet. the girl has a wonderland of vintage pieces. i think this is one of my favorite parts of their house. i love how it is all displayed like art work. each piece is unique and has a story to tell.immediately, it makes me want to do a photo shoot.

the photos below are from laura’s old studio at CU Boulder where she was receiving her master’s degree, teaching, and working.

you can check out burke’s work here and laura’s here.

thanks guys, for letting me post the inside of your world.

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