I’ve decided that my theme song for 2015 is going to be Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars. It’s happy, it’s zippy and although I have no intention of walking around anywhere in gold curlers, I LOVE the beat, the energy and the fun(k). (Plus this guy loves his dad … just the kind of boy you’d like to take home to mama, but I digress…)

And speaking of love (well, it is just around Valentine’s Day so the segue was necessary), I thought I’d pick out some of the posters in the gallery that focus on love and romance (just in case you needed an idea of what to get your sweetie on February 14th).

If you really want your honey to know what’s on your mind, we think this exhibition poster is just the thing … it’s bright, it’s vintage, and it’s not going to break the bank. Unlined, in excellent condition, it reminds us of great love stories, like, well, Love Story with Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neill (oh come on, I know you’re all too young, but it’s a classic … look it up online, or see the trailer here)…

I’ve written about my love for Tomasz Walenta’s posters many times before. He’s irreverent (a trait I love and admire in men and women), hugely talented, very tall (ok, I’m a sucker for tall men – shoot me), and while he is a very prolific posterist, no two of his works are the same. This poster was designed by Walenta for an internationally-distributed concept magazine called Futu Magazine. It launched in 2007, and is co-created by some well-known graphic design studios in Europe like Studio8 Design and Alber Folch Studio.

It is said that nobody loves romance more than the Italians, and this sweet maquette for a poster (circa 1930), brings to mind some of the passion and innocence of movies like Il Postino, as well as the eternal love story illustrated so well in a movie called Life is Beautiful. The colors of this piece make it sing, and the joy inherent in its creation makes me smile every time I see it.

I must admit that I have never understood the fascination with zombies, but since I call this poster “the Zombie lovers” I thought it would be a good one to add to the Valentines Day selection. If you need to give your zombie love a gift, choose this, and add a few more items of zombie gear like these, or these. A perfect gift for the undead among us…

A great poster (in Italian) from a fantabulous and classic movie. Here’s one of my favorite clips.

The French artists who produced war-time propaganda posters were called “France’s secret weapon” because they were so able to evoke human emotion (and get people to buy bonds). While Valentine’s Day is most often associated with romance, the love of a parent for a child is – at least to me – the purest form of love, and this poster is a classic example of how that love was used to great effect.

So, as you consider Valentine’s Day and the meaning of love, might I suggest you put on Bruno Mars (turn it up high), dance around the room, and think of all the people you love and have loved and who love you in return. Between the song, the dancing and the love, you’re sure to feel happy, inspired and cherished. (And at the very least, you’ll get a good workout!)

Happy Valentine’s Day!! xoxo Karen