Privilege Blog

Discovering Artists: Jamie of Cactus & Quail

Nowadays art comes in many forms. Used to be we made a) art for kings and gods b) art for farmers and hunters. Art for kings hung in churches and palaces, often coming to rest finally in museums. Art for the rest of us we wove into our home textiles and painted on our pottery. The development of a middle class threw the art world into an identity crisis from which it has never recovered.

Now, museums are about the architecture more than the collection, home design has become so commoditized that the coolest chicks put wallpaper on refrigerators in an anti-design statement. However, I still believe in art. Or at least the moment that art can bring us, when we know beauty and we don’t care what anyone else thinks.

Introducing Cactus & Quail. Now, I know this is a design business for which no oil has been applied to canvas, but in my eyes it counts as art. Jamie – yes, the same Jamie who designed my new blog look – offers 3 ways to do what the Medicis would have called, Become A Patron.

1. Downloaded illustrations. Download a PDF to use in any non-commercial way you want. To print out menus, as a blog header, for note cards. The flags below come in several colors, each one available separately. I’d like a Tibetan theme to my next celebration please, prayer flags waving in the Himalayas.

Downloadable Illustrations

2. Custom designs. Wedding suites and announcements.

Cactus & Quail
Graduation Invitation

And, yes, blogs and business cards. These were letter-pressed by the inestimable Christine, at .cevd, a talented designer in her own right who designs absolutely beautiful wedding invites.

The "Privilege Business Card" via .cevd

3. What Jamie calls flea market. Excuse me? Where are the broken celluloid cherubs? The vintage keychains from Idaho? Instead we have painted bamboo Christmas ornaments. These warrant a High WASP stamp of approval, if such thing existed. If such thing were desirable.

Bamboo Christmas Ornaments Cactus & Quail
Bamboo Christmas Ornaments

There is little that cheers my heart more than sheer talent. Of all sorts. Jamie’s got it in spades. Along with humility, a sense of responsibility, and a belief in meeting deadlines. Let’s all clink our glasses in welcome. Thank you.

22 Responses

  1. There is almost nothing we enjoy more than discovering new talent, and you just shared some grand examples. Jamie and Christine are both gifted, we’re off to explore more! Oh, and in our books, it most assuredly counts as art.

    With thanks!
    tp

  2. Jamie is very talented – I really like your blog design and the business cards. In this electronic age, art is ever-changing. I think graphic design is an art work. People may disagree with me, but I know graphic artists and when I see what goes into their work and how hard they labor at it, it definitely qualifies as art.

  3. Your blog and cards look terrific and love the bamboo ornaments – and Jamie clearly has all those qualities that I hold in great esteem and that IMHO not enough people possess -” humility, a sense of responsibility, and a belief in meeting deadlines!!”

  4. Your new blog look is restrained in a good way. Different, in a good way. Classic? Yes.
    I also like your business cards. Stylish and elegant.
    I would need cards for me too, I noticed there was a model with horseshoes..

  5. Jan – Thank you. Yes she is.

    Lori – Thank you! Happy Tuesday!

    TPP – I hope you enjoy the browse:).

    Patsy – I agree, Swedish, or maybe Polish.

    Ms. Givens – Yes, we’ve got to open our minds to art. Thank you.

  6. Stephanie – My pleasure.

    Beth – Thank you! Now I just have to give them out:).

    Hill House – Thank you.

    Jen – Glad to hear someone with experience corroborate my sense of things.

    A Farmer’s Wife – I might just have to go order some:).

  7. Mater – Thank you.

    Quintessence – I know. I sort of want to tell her parents they did a great job.

    QBS – :)

    La Belette – Thank you so much.

    Mette – Oooh. Horseshoes would be wonderful for you. Jamie does have sort of a Scandinavian sensibility.

    Jamie – You are more than welcome.

  8. Hello! This post could not be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

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