big sky: Georgia O'Keeffe at the Tate Modern

Like the Joseph Cornell retrospective, this turned out to be unexpectedly personal and affecting. Like any dedicated artist, I knew a little about Georgia O'Keeffe. I knew she lived a long time, painted flowers and skulls with great beauty and skill, lived in the American Southwest, and was a feminist icon. Mostly, though, I knew her as my mother's favourite artist.

My Front Yard, Summer 1941

Joseph Cornell: glow in the dark

A few weeks ago I took a close friend to the Joseph Cornell exhibition at the Royal Academy to celebrate my birthday. She knew of his work, and that he was my favourite artist. We took a few hours to get through everything - I couldn't help pointing out extra facts about my favourite works, and getting excited about hearing Cornell's own voice on the audio commentary. As we were leaving my friend said, 'You know, I can see why you like him. So many things in there reminded me of you.'

Royal Academy of Arts
Exhibition handout

London Is My Boyfriend: a love letter to the city

We often tell ourselves little fairy tales about the cities we live in, casting them as major characters in our life story. Paris can be a beautiful woman, full of mystery and elegance. Venice might be an artist, energetic in the daytime and contemplative at night.

"He can be stately and dignified."

One half of the wonder | wander | women has an unusual idea of London: for her, London is like the ideal man. He has spent many years working out his identity and place in the world. He has rough spots, but his handsomeness and accomplishments outshine them.

"He understands the poetics of space."

London Is My Boyfriend is a half-joking, half literal love letter to the city. It started with photographs of a few famous landmarks, then of curious art and surprising buildings, happened upon during the blogger's daily life.

"He's prone to flights of imagination."

public art: the city

London is generous with its culture. Many of the museums allow free entry and there are seasonal events that cost nothing to attend and enjoy. But it's London's public art which provides some of the richest sources of inspiration for me. It's the element of surprise that does it.

Christopher Le Brun, City Wing

I usually don't set out to find these monumental works. I turn a corner on foot, or come down the street on the top deck of a bus, and am arrested by the sight of a wing sprouting from the pavement or a strange sunburst of flaming tentacles made of glass.

Dale Chihuly, The Sun