Artist: Gustav Klimt and Candace Bahouth

This Friday I'm introducing you to an artist to be -- You! Well, kind of.

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was an amazing artist from the Vienna Secession movement. He was well known for his renderings of the female body and sometimes accused of being too erotic in his work. As a writer of erotic romance, I know how he felt! This is perhaps the most famous of his paintings, The Kiss (1907-1908). He meant this work to celebrate the attraction between the sexes. Yay, Klimt!

This is The Maiden (1912-13). I'm not sure why there are so many other women in the painting. Perhaps the central figure is still technically a maiden because she's a lesbian. I just guessing here. Because check out this next painting.

This is Water Serpents I (1904-07), and it looks like girl-girl love to me. Not that there's anything wrong with that. (<--Echoes of Seinfeld.) I think Klimt's work is uniquely beautiful and decorative. I love the stylized motifs and patterns in his work, and I'm not the only one.

Another artist, much more contemporary, named Candace Bahouth designed some gorgeous needlepoint canvases, inspired by Klimt. So, if you like to stitch and you like Klimt's work, you can make your own work of art. Click here to check out all the canvases. They're not cheap, but look at the breathtaking pillows you'll end up with!