January Muse-ings: 2025

Another January sparks another dive into my saved folders—carefully thumbing through photos to find the ones that best embody the essence of my emotional moodboard for the year ahead.

This year’s musings aren’t so different from last (a positive sign in my book). I’m still lit up by things like wooden interiors, film photography, sun-faded colors, abstract art. Recently, I’ve noticed the environments that especially call to me are the ones that feel properly lived in: wrinkled linens, stacks of books and papers, everyday objects out on display. You have to feel like you could sit on the furniture, you know?

On my manifestation list under “Books I’d Love to Come Across at the Thrift Store” is “Pools” by Craig Fineman. A photographer known for his iconic captures of 1970’s skate and surf culture, Fineman passed in 2003, but his swimming pool skate photos were solidified into the zeitgeist with a limited edition hardcover released by Stussy and Dashwood Books in 2013. Everything about it feels like a time capsule—a moment in history that was fleeting, youthful, and undeniably cool.

While Japanese art and architecture is something I’ve always gravitated toward, more frequently I’ve found myself saving illustrations of Japanese toy designs. Something about the subtle green hue, pops of color, and faded ink feel right up my alley.

Included in my 2024 roundup and rightly included again is Australian painter Sarah Darling. Her use of shapes, color, and even the way she photographs her paintings never fail to expand and inspire the way I approach my own work.

Finally, this year’s moodboard concludes with dreamy linens by Dazed but Amazed. The artistic and creative direction of the brand is everything I admire, and I often reference their bedding and color combinations for creative juice while painting.