Sea Of Imagination

Simplicity and clarity are the attributes to a much more vivid way of living and enjoying life. Consume less and enjoy more, is often what I like to tell everyone who ask what exactly minimalism is. Lately, I've been trying to do more with less, like less clothes, less knick knacks, less things in general to fully achieve happiness. I also apply minimalism to my art as well, it's not quite as easy because I love my colors yet there's something quite beautiful in a subtle color palette. An artist I learned about a while ago, Shantell Martin, believes in minimalist designs. "What I really like about working in black- and- white is you aren't telling anyone where to go or where to start... Sometimes color can't give you the space to discover new things." -Shantell Martin

Images and video via Vogue and The New Yorker

Shantell Martin, a London transplant, living in New York, lives in the monotone palette of black and white. Her usual uniform of a crisp white shirt, white shorts and converses, scribbled neatly with her artwork. Martin shares that growing up she was forbid from drawing on the walls as a young lass, which led her to draw on everything else with a pen or marker, underneath her bed and on her drapes to name a few. I'm a huge fan of the bold black and white palette, it's simplicity at it's best and causes no distraction from one line to another. I even live my life with black and white, from my home to my wardrobe, bold is my preferred choice! It's exactly why I was so drawn to Martin's work. 

Growing up, Shantell Martin always felt like an outsider, drawing was her way of creating intimate relationships via the stroke of her markers. I can totally relate! Martin developed her visual style after graduating from Central Saint Martins and moving to Komaki, Japan. There she started drawing in notebooks and with a projector that displayed the images behind a live band. Her work went from an angry mood to a "creepy cute" and happier tone because she found the freedom to become truly experimental.

Fortunately, everyone can now get a piece of Martin's work in their hands, with her latest book Wave: A Journey Through The Sea of Imagination For The Adventurous Colorist. With her gorgeous accordion style coloring book, readers can fans alike can create their own imagination, and unfold the extraordinary black and white art into one continuous nine foot panel of Martin's whimsical illustration. Additionally, the opposite side of the book provides a blank canvas where anyone can create their own visionary art work!

Dear readers, guess what, you can own your very own copy of Wave by Shantell Martin through my giveaway! One lucky winner will be able to create their own imaginative visuals alongside Shantell Martin's, all you have to do is follow me on instagram (@jdavismoranti) and comment on the photo that has to do with this giveaway, which is the exact same one at the top of this post! The contest runs until June 1st, 12am eastern time! Looking forward to your comments!