Graphic designer and photographer Albano Garcia enjoys documenting his city, Buenos Aires, the way he experiences it on a daily basis. His photography doesn’t capture the romantic tango dancers and vibrant street musicians we are accustomed to seeing, but rather, it captures the grittiness of city life and the unseen streets off the tourist path. Two years ago, Albano started a photo-blog entitled Flaneur. In his words, “Flaneur is a french term that refers to a man who flows thru the city, letting himself go, with no hurry, finding the unexpected; a call to serendipity. And precisely this is the subject of these photos, this project is focused in portraying Buenos Aires, my own Buenos Aires, mixed from time to time with towns and cities from other latitudes.” His incredibly successful photo-blog has since been turned into a beautiful book by the same title. Below are some of my favorite shots. Enjoy!

To view more of Albano Garcia’s work, visit his website here.

A while back I discovered Ester Ramirez’s incredible work with paper and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. Essimar Papel is an amazing art studio that creates a range of gorgeous paper products such as cards, art prints, sculpture, and even paper jewelry. I completely adore the vibrant colors Esther uses in her work. I just want everything she creates! In fact, I think it would be wonderful to commission her to create something for LAMA. What do you think? Hm…

To check out more of Esther’s work, be sure to visit her blog, flickr page, and etsy shop!

I’m not a big fan of matodors and bull fighting. Sure, there is a lot of romantic and cultural nostalgia to this sport, but after attending a bull fight in Ecuador a couple of years back, I can definitively say that I’m just not into it. I am, however, loving these matador illustrations by Happy Menocal. Colorful and vibrant, I can see myself creating a framed Matador collage in my home. Some things are just best left on paper (and in the movies).

Next up on my coverage of Colombian artist Andrea Posada’s work are her imaginative illustrations. I wish I knew more about  the story behind these incredible characters that Andrea creates in her work. I find them fascinating as they are equal parts creepy and beautiful. I love the colors she uses and her attention to detail. Enjoy a few of my favorites.

I was blown away when I discovered the work of graphic design student Valeria Montero. Based in Buenos Aires, this multitalented artist works in several mediums but I am particularly drawn to her illustration and collage work. This young student certainly has a bright future ahead of her. If only she made prints of her work, I’d buy them all!

I highly recommend checking out the rest of work.

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I have a confession to make. Before I was a dog person, I was a cat person. *gasp!* Shhh.. Don’t tell Miles. He hates cats. I happen to adore them, so I was really excited to come across the work of Yam Troilo. Yam, who is currently a graphic design student at the University of Buenos Aires, likes to work with several mediums. I love the combination of illustration, graphic design, collage, and stencil work she uses in each piece. It gives her work a lot of character and texture and I happen to be a fan of both. Her work is certainly the cat’s meow… sorry, I kind of had to go there.

I’ve been a long time fan and admirer of the work of Casa Midy founders Jorge Almanda and Anne-Marie Midy. Their objective of “combining contemporary design with traditional artisan methods of manufacture,” has created a large range of beautiful furniture and home accessory pieces. Beyond that, I love the interior design work they have done all over the world. Their work is a stunning example of  the evolution of traditional artisan work into the modern world. I hope to be able to visit their incredible showroom located in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico someday.

While looking for some wedding inspiration on photographer Jill Thomas’ website, I came across her collection of gorgeous photos she took on a recent trip to Mexico. Jill’s ability to capture moods through her wedding and lifestyle photography is nothing short of impressive. I love the sense of family, life, and love that come across so strongly in her Mexico series. It’s refreshing to see this take on small town Mexico. Enjoy the dreamy images below!

To view additional photos from this series, click here.

I’m slightly late on my post today due to the blissful state I’m in at the moment (but more on that tomorrow). Today I’m admiring the work of Buenos Aires based artist Lino Divas. Simple and colorful with a touch of humor, this charming work is right up my alley.

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Originally from Buenos Aires and currently living in Seattle, Valeria’s photography is sweet, dreamy, and all around gorgeous. I was instantly smitten with her work while perusing around flickr last night. Currently Valeria is a stay at home mom with dreams of becoming a professional photographer. I hope she takes the plunge someday soon. Her photos just ooze with love! I can only imagine the types of photos she would capture as a wedding photographer.

Stunning! I highly recommend checking out the rest of Valeria’s photography here.