About the cover art for new Bowerbirds album, The Clearing, made by Monica Canilao

We first discovered the artwork of the incredibly talented and prolific Oakland artist, Monica Canilao, when she put on a collaborative art exhibition and installation with graffiti artist, Swoon, in March of 2008, at the Luggage Store Gallery in NYC. 

The installation was completely breathtaking, and it led us to her portfolio website, where we found a trove of gorgeous paintings, drawings and mixed-media works. We visited her studio when we came through the Bay Area on tour, and Beth commissioned her to sew her a bonnet/headdress, and to construct her a one of a kind dress.  We bought her now-sold-out art book, and we wished we could have bought everything else she’s ever made.

We’d happily live in an entire world created by her, if we could.  You may actually recognize her from the Juxtapoz magazine feature they did on artists taking over and renovating crumbling houses in Detroit.  Since we are building our own home, and can’t really go also live in that beautiful house with her, the next best thing was to house our new songs inside some of her artwork.

Go check out some of what Monica Canilao can do, at:
monicacanilao.com

Monica also has a new tumblr blog you can follow here: strandedsaved.tumblr.com/

She also has a flickr:  flickr.com/photos/wewillallbewell/

If you are in the Bay Area right now, check out her collaborative installation up now at Lopo Gallery with Bunnie Reiss.  If you’re in Missouri, you can see the Regency Hotel that she and a bunch of other artists are taking over and transforming, before its demise at the hands of wrecking balls.

Monica Canilao is a mind-blowing artist and a very magical woman.

#monicacanilao #monica+canilao #art