The six shortlisted proposals for London's fourth plinth commission are currently on public display as models in St-Martin-in-the-Fields church. There is a gallery showing the designs on The Guardian website.

My favourite is this giant Battenberg cake, proposed by Brian Griffiths. It is made from glazed and unglazed Victorian, Edwardian and contemporary bricks from around the UK.

I can't believe I haven't posted about his work before now but here is a painting called "Absence" by the talented artist Alex Everitt.

Visit his recently updated site here and shop here to see more beautiful work, including a couple of portraits of yours truly...as Alex is also my amazing husband!

An excellent series of humourous bird houses were created by artists Luke Bartels and Jeff Canham, as part of their "For the Birds" show at the Curiosity Shoppe.

Via you might like this.

Aubrey Longley-Cook is a talented artist working with embroidery in a very clever way. This animated dog is totally inspired, as is the view from the back. More impressive work can be seen on his blog, Spool Spectrum.

Judith Braun creates her drawings (called "fingerings") using charcoal-covered fingers. The effects are rather stunning.

Via today and tomorrow.

Brian Kerr has a great post on his blog about the London Underground map and imagery associated with it. I'm particularly fond of David Booth's 1986 poster for the Tate, which shows the map drawn with paint squeezed from tubes.

Artist Lars-Erik Fisk created this VW ball sculpture, fusing pop culture, minimalism, humour and craft. It also remind me of a Poké Ball, although I'm sure this wasn't the artist's intention (but it makes me like it even more).

Via Autobuzz.

These matchsticks by artist Camille Laurelli caught my eye.

Buenos Aires-based artist Leandro Erlich is interested in supsending reality - in this piece on show at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanzawa, he transforms a swimming pool into a place which can be seen from both above and below the water (which is only 10cm deep and suspended over glass), confusing viewers’ perceptions.

A man in LA wearing an eye-catching suit made from mirrors. Photos by SiLver sKY. 

Via Kuriositas, where you can see more images.

Simon Schubert created a series of work using only scored paper, cleverly manipulated with creases and folds to reveal an image.

Via Webdesigner Depot.

This 7m x 3.5m mural is by illustrator Brian Rea, based on his fears. There are quite a few of them by the look of things! It is part of an exhibition entitled Murals which is showing at the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona.

Via Fast Company.

Shoe designer Tracey Neuls and artist Nina Saunders created this installation, called 'Most Curious' in Neuls' shop in London. Curious indeed - I like this melting chair and matching shoes muchly.

Via Dezeen.

Decorating Nature is a project by artist Norm Magnusson. He says:

"We use nature how we see fit: we strive to bring order to it, we seek to explain it in a language that doesn’t belong to it, we try to make it prettier, we try to make it better, we try to make it more profitable. Some efforts succeed, some don’t."

Via Designaside.

"Sign Out” is a set of digital manipulated photographs of USA billboards, taken by Josef Schulz.

Via Clusta.

The Working Proof is an online print gallery and shop with the mission of promoting both art and social responsibility through a series of limited-edition prints. Beautiful prints and worthwhile causes - a great idea.

Prints are always under $100, and each print is paired by the artist with a charity to which 15% of each sale is donated. This current print is by Ben Javens, who has chosen to donate to 826National.

This video is from Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's upcoming exhibition at the Barbican, which runs 27 February 2010 - 23 May 2010. It features some zebra finches inadvertently rocking out on a Gibson.

Via yummychummy.blogspot.com.