“you are generally tolerable” is honestly one of the nicest things that a person can say. because most people are gross, you know? ick.

birmingham-based artist tamara has teamed up with jordan, who says hilarious stuff all the time. tam writes some of it down and hand embroiders it.

original art by smallwoods studios. 

this piece is framed in a 5” embroidery hoop with red & white twine for easy display.

can crochet explain the complexities of non-euclidean geometry? how does the 1804 jacquard loom relate to modern computing? radical fiber celebrates the overlap between art, science, interdisciplinary creativity and collaborative learning.

for centuries, fiber arts have influenced sciences as diverse as digital technology, mathematics, neuroscience, medicine and more. radical fiber explores this relationship through contemporary art and historical artifacts that address five key themes: shape, machine, body, brain and community. how did the accidental discovery of synthetic mauveine dye in 1856 pave the way for modern pharmaceuticals while also generating toxic waste? why do we respond differently to a woven photograph than a printed one? these and other questions reframe the fiber/science intersection and ask how the medium can be used to improve our world for the future.

the offbeat sari celebrates these innovations in sari design, with photography of pieces by leading contemporary designers. commissioned essays by notable indian writers such as pragya agarwal and sonia faleiro explore ideas such as gender fluidity, politics, sustainability, female empowerment and the self-image of india, alongside interviews with the designers whose work illustrates each theme.

carrie mae weems has often confronted the uncomfortable truths of racism and race relations over the course of her nearly 40-year career. in The Shape of Things, she focuses her unflinching gaze at what she describes as the circus-like quality of contemporary american political life. for this new work, weems created a seven-part film projected onto a cyclorama―a panoramic-style cylindrical screen that dates to the 19th century―where she addresses the turmoil of current events in the United States and the “long march forward.”

drawing on news and tv footage from the civil rights era to today, elements of previous films such as the madding crowd (2017) and new film projects that bring us into our tumultuous present, the films in The Shape of Things combine documentary directness with poetic rhythm to create an enveloping experience.

carrie mae weems (born 1953) has received numerous awards, grants and fellowships, and is represented in public and private collections around the world, including the metropolitan museum of art, new york; the museum of fine arts, houston; and the museum of modern art and the museum of contemporary art, los angeles. weems lives in brooklyn and syracuse, new york.

an exploration of the visual corollary to didion’s life and work and the feeling that each generates in her admirers, detractors and critics―including artists from helen lundeberg to diane arbus, betye saar to maren hassinger, vija celmins and andy warhol.

arranged chronologically, the book highlights didion's fascination with the two coasts that made her. as a Westerner transplanted to new york, didion was able to look at her native land, its mores and fixed rules of behavior, with the loving and critical eyes of a daughter who got out and went back. and from her new york perch, didion was able to observe the political scene more closely, writing trenchant pieces about clinton, el salvador and most searingly the central park five.

this beautifully designed clothbound book brings together the 'Palabrarmas' series by the chilean-born artist, poet and activist cecilia vicuña (born 1948).

images of these works―each a powerful juxtaposition of color, poetry and politics―appear alongside new essays and historical references chosen with the artist. palabrarmas, a neologism that translates to "word weapons" or "word arms," imagine new ways of seeing language. taking the form of collages, silkscreens, drawings, poems, fabric banners, cutouts, mixed-media installations and street actions, vicuña’s palabarmas bring together her work in poetry, activism and visual art. each one unpacks and deconstructs single words to reveal other words hiding within them, allowing new meanings to emerge.

the artist began making these visual anagrams while in exile in london and bogotá after the pinochet-led coup of 1973 in chile, and has always seen them as a form of liberation―as a way to "open up minds by opening up words," as she puts it. the palabarmas have taken on new relevance in today’s political climate, and appeared on the streets during chile’s 2019 revolution as protest signs. this book presents a range of palabrarmas in color for the first time, with new essays by mónica de la torre, carla macchiavello, cecilia vicuña and jeanne gerrity, and reprinted texts by rené daumal, robert randall and simón rodríguez.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

there are variations of this entry throughout many of mallory's journals. she's found that in times of loneliness, it helps immensely to reflect on all of the love she possesses - via family and friendships - and that in just a few moments of this practice, she is bursting with feelings of love. 

color-wise, this piece consists of shades of a cool purple. in places where it looks black because of the photograph, it is actually a deep purple. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. 

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

mallory's always felt like the world (or at least her imagination) gets bigger when she's driving at night. there's space for her mind to wander in the dark sky, and time for self-reflection. this item in her gratitude list came during a time she was doing a LOT of driving around the southeast, visiting friends, healing, and hoping again.

color-wise, this piece consists of warm neutrals. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. 

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

this item on mallory's gratitude list was inspired by countless mornings on her fire escape with a cup of coffee, reading mary oliver's book of poetry, "Devotions." 

color-wise, this piece consists of shades of warm reds and pinks. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. we love how it looks combined with some of the other warm green pieces. 

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

after a particularly difficult project at work, mallory wanted to go somewhere she could be in nature, and "off the grid" (to a certain extent). she rented a cabin at the Grand Canyon and hung out there for a week, painting and hiking by herself. she wrote this entry on her list during that time.

color-wise, this piece is a combination of warm, earthy browns, and a pop of cool white. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. 

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

this entry in mallory's gratitude list came at a time when life was turning out exactly as she hoped it would - there are seasons of abundance, and she loves celebrating those. 

color-wise, this piece consists of cool greens and a warm cream. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. the dark color is a rich, deep green - it just photographed darker so it looks almost black. 

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

there are certain people and certain conversations that leave you feeling fully known. this item in mallory's gratitude list came after one of those talks.

color-wise, this piece consists of cool greens and a warm cream. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. the dark color is a rich, deep green - it just photographed darker so it looks almost black. 

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

after hearing this quote, it stuck in the artist's head like glue: "if you're bored, you're boring." there is so much to learn, so much to try, so much beauty to appreciate in the world. there's no reason to be bored.

color-wise, this piece consists of shades of a warm purple. it is finished with a high-gloss varnish, so it looks sleek & shiny. i love how it looks combined with the blue/teal pieces in this collection.

each piece in the contentment collection is stamped with an item pulled from gratitude lists in the artist's journals, which she's been writing consistently for ten years now. they are meant to be mix & matched so you can choose the colors and phrases that speak to you. mallory hopes when you look at them, they serve as a reminder to practice gratitude.

set of 3 custom-built canvases. original art by mallory lane. painted december 2022.

dimensions |

30"H x 20"W each |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

this piece is inspired by all mallory's drives back and forth between nashville and birmingham/tuscaloosa over the years. the background has "I-65" stamped in a creamy grey, with low contrast against the ivory background. and the black boxes have the text "Headed Home" stamped in a slightly lighter grey. so much happens on drives home and the commutes- it's where you process your day, your season of life, call your friends and family, replay the day and have imaginary conversations, or listen to music, podcasts, the news (or Bobby Bones, if you're me...). some of the most creative ideas happen in the car, and this pays homage to all those little moments on the drive home. 

set of 3 custom-built canvases. original art by mallory lane. painted april 2023.

dimensions |

31"H x 42"W each |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

this mid-size, three-part piece is made up of shades of blue, blue-green, and neutral taupe. a few sections include a drip technique with all the colors mixed together, so you get the full spectrum of how these colors enrich each other and interact. the text reads "slower than I thought / sweeter than it ought" because so many of the best things in life have come around slower than we wanted them to, but end up even sweeter than we expect or deserve. 

set of 3 custom-built canvases. original art by mallory lane. painted april 2023.

dimensions |

60"H x 55"W each |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

a couple years ago, mallory was speaking to one of her friends about our current stage of life, and whether we felt behind or on track. he said, "i'm not where i want to be, but i feel like i'm on the way." she loved the tension of his statement - feeling content in the current phase of life, but not feeling content with stagnation, or staying where he was forever. also, she loves that it encompasses the universal "i'm on my way!" texts we all send friends before meeting up, and starting a fun evening.

set of 3. original art by mallory lane. painted may 2022.

dimensions |

10"H x 10"W each |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

all of the pieces in the Cowgirl Collection are intended to infuse a cheeky sense of FUN into your space.

the phrase "This Cowgirl Still Cries Sometimes" is a play on the famous phrase "Cowgirls Don't Cry" from the Brooks and Dunn song. over the years, the artist created a habit of picturing herself as a cowgirl in times when she needs to summon inner strength. however, as she's grown older she's learned there is a strength in gentleness and vulnerability, and power in allowing space for all my feelings (even sad ones). thus, this cowgirl - meaning me - still cries sometimes. 

mallory experimented with a new process for making the cowboy hat stamp, carving it herself out of a linoleum block for print-making. she is a firm believer that there is plenty of room for fun in the art world, and this is a way to bring some of that fun into your home.

original art by mallory lane. painted may 2022.

dimensions |

24"H x 24"W |

materials |

acrylic on canvas

description |

all of the pieces in the Cowgirl Collection are intended to infuse a cheeky sense of FUN into your space.

the phrase "This Cowgirl Still Cries Sometimes" is a play on the famous phrase "Cowgirls Don't Cry" from the Brooks and Dunn song. over the years, the artist created a habit of picturing herself as a cowgirl in times when she needs to summon inner strength. however, as she's grown older she's learned there is a strength in gentleness and vulnerability, and power in allowing space for all my feelings (even sad ones). thus, this cowgirl - meaning me - still cries sometimes. 

mallory experimented with a new process for making the cowboy hat stamp, carving it herself out of a linoleum block for print-making. she is a firm believer that there is plenty of room for fun in the art world, and this is a way to bring some of that fun into your home.