Love This! Asleep in the Wind

Today's featured artist, Mercedes Helnwein, is kind of a big deal. She's an artist who has really made it, and when you look at her work, you can see why. 

Each of these pieces are part of an ongoing series that Helnwein has been working on since 2010 and that she calls "Asleep in the Wind." I chose to highlight Helnwein's work at this time of year because of the above image (ya know, because it has a Christmas-y theme?), but I have to admit that although her work harks back to an earlier time and hints at a sense of nostalgia, there is also an eerie emptiness to it--a lack of connection with the viewer that I believe is very purposeful on Helnwein's part. 

Each of these paintings were done in oil pastel, and I'd be very surprised if they don't spark your curiosity about the subjects depicted. Take a look below...

Oh, and just so you can get an idea of scale, look at this pic of Helnwein's studio:

Pretty amazing, right? You can view more of Helnwein's work on her website (where you can also learn about her writing and films!). One talented lady. 

Enjoy your Wednesday!