This season, with all the wild things currently happening globally, I’m doubling down now more than ever on supporting small businesses and, as an artist myself, specifically - supporting local and national artists whose work aligns and resonates with my own personal ethos.
I’ll be sharing more on my Substack starting next year about the journey I’ve been on over the past few years and why I’ve been really quiet here on the blog as well as most of the digital spaces you’d like grown used to seeing me show up in. Today — I am excited to share the work and mission of some artists and businesses that will deliver joy through not only their unique beauty, but also the purpose behind them.
When I Close My Eyes | Mohamed Abdulrahman for Rhythm & Hues | Fine Art Gicleé print
Transparency: I’ve always been a fan of photography. I haven’t, however, always loved it in my home. Rhythm has had a hand in transforming the way I and others see took a class in college that affirmed this truth and it honestly set me on a path to discover the many ways I could activate the lens of my own camera to tell visual stories in ways that not only resonated with you (hello birth of Restoration House over a decade ago) but that has also helped me align the stories I so desperately desired to tell about home with my passion for style and design over the years.
Rhythm enters the art and design scene and breaks the status quo by offering limited collections of fine, gicleé art prints from artists across the globe. The beauty of Rhythm, unlike most art brands, is that you get to experience the art through the eyes of the artist and know that with each and every purchase that artist is receiving 50% or every sale.
They’re currently running a sale for an extra 15% off prints. I’m pretty obsessed with this brand and plan to add a few pieces to my own collection before the current collection is sold out.
If you follow me on Pinterest, you know I love some good visual inspiration.
You can follow Rhythm on Pinterest here as well as Instagram here.
SHOP Rhythm’s limited collection here.
Jesse Owens-Young
Put Them Grays on the Cover | 2025, Jesse Owens-Young | Acrylic, wax pastel and oil
Jess Owens-Young is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the rich and varied experiences of Black individuals in America. After taking an art class at her local community center, Owens-Young discovered a new passion and has since cultivated her craft. She creates art that emphasizes the resilience and joy of Black people, as well as the essence of Black childhood.
Working primarily with acrylics, oil pastels, oil pigment sticks, and acrylic inks on canvas, Jess produces vibrant pieces that include portraiture, figurative painting, and collage. Her art is distinguished by recurring symbols that add depth and personal meaning. For instance, the happy face hat represents the projection and maintenance of happiness, while the glasses seen on her notable figures reflect her perspective on the perception of Black narratives and bodies. The colorful flowers in her works highlight the restorative connection Black people have with agriculture through flowers and gardens.
Owens-Young draws inspiration from a diverse array of artists, including William H. Johnson, Elizabeth Catlett, Emory Douglas, Delta Martin, Henry Taylor, Deborah Roberts, and Alice Neel. Her artistic vision is also shaped by literary influences such as Octavia Butler and Toni Morrison.
You can find Jesse on Instagram here and shop her prints here. Original artwork can be found here.
Rodney H. King | Acrylic & Permanent Marker
Rodney H. King is the founder of Kingspen LLC and a rising voice in the Pacific Northwest art scene. His work has been featured on KOMO, PBS, Converge Media, KING 5 Evening, and more. A devoted husband, father of three, and man of deep faith, King uses art as a tool for healing, storytelling, and cultural affirmation.
Rodney is a Seattle artist whose work has been featured in publications across the region. I’ve had the pleasure and honor of working in proximity with Rodney over the years and not only is he just the most kind human, he is someone who is dedicated to ensuring our stories live - as shown in the vibrant, detailed works above. I don’t yet own one of his pieces but it’s only a matter of time before I add his work to my collection.
You can find Rodney on Instagram here and shop current art here.
Yvonne McCoy | Collage Art | 2025
Confession - like most (?) of us, I have quite a few hyper-fixations. Right now, one of those is collage art. I’ve been taking some time to create my own privately (and, also shared a few publicly) but I love seeing how other artists express themselves through this form.
Yvonne McCoy is a multidisciplinary art director and designer guided by collage as both method and mindset. Her work moves between visual identity, editorial, and spatial design, blending art direction, narrative, and material into a single emotional language.
Rooted in the belief that design can be a form of storytelling, McCoy uses collage to build visual worlds that honor memory, intuition, and feeling. Each project becomes a composition of work, play, and cultural survival.....a return to feeling through the art of direction.
The bottom line is, Yvonne is amongst a sacred list of collage artists whose work I have become enamored by. (Hello, Jesse) I don’t think it will take you long to become engrossed either.
You can follow Yvonne on Instagram here and find ways to purchase and support her work there as well.
Safiuchi
Safiuci | Dreamscape | Raw Canvas, Acrylic, Charcoal
Safiuchi is a multi-talented individual renowned for her abstract expressionist paintings. Her distinctive style features layered thick brushstrokes and bold colors, often incorporating black and white, with subtle shapes, figures and faces sometimes discernible. A consistent element in her work is a lowercase “i,” symbolizing the self in one’s journey, encapsulated in her empowering slogan, “i live.” Safiuchi’s art is deeply connected to her personal experiences. Serving as a powerful medium for healing and raising awareness about important social issues within humanity and multicultural communities.
I recently met Safiuci here in Seattle at a local art event in support of Black Farmers Collective and was instantly drawn to her use of color, media and story through line and emotion. I am excited to see her continue to grow and support her work along the way.
You can find more of Safiuci’s work here as well as ways to purchase. You can also find Safiuci hosting the Beyond the Canvas podcast here.
There are so many artists I’m eager to highlight, and I hope to share more in the coming months. I truly believe #artistswillsavetheworld, and this feature is only the beginning of where that mantra is headed.
Until then, sound off in the comments with artists who are helping you see the world through a new, fresh lens and let us know where and how we can support them.
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