Home as Art

As long as my creative attention is on home decor, rather than on painting for the moment, I may as well write about it and share my explorations with you.

Originally I saw this apartment on HGTV's Small Space Big Style, and it has remained a fond memory.  Today when I found myself thinking about it I decided to see whether I could find it online.  Even though I did not remember Ron Marvin's name, I found the apartment and him at the Apartment Therapy Small Cool contest of 2007.

Small spaces continue to charm me and I am always excited to see what people can do with them.  Lots of other people must feel the same way or Apartment Therapy would not have such a following for their annual small space contest.  Oh, did I mention this apartment is 300 sq ft?

Now I am certain to remember his name and I want to see everything he does.  Apartment Therapy recently wrote about Ron Marvin: "If "haberdashing" isn't a word, it should be. And Ron Marvin would own it. He's made a mark in the design world with menswear-inspired interiors that come together like a polished GQ how-to: Start with the well-tailored groundwork (charcoal suit, sofa or wall paint), add a splash of color (tie or pocket square or lamp), give it a little bling (cufflink or nailhead trim) and make sure the details are right, polished and impeccable. It's signature Ron Marvin, and dandy never seemed so fine. Even on a bit of a budget."

You can visit Apartment Therapy here.

How Art Rescued a Room

This post is not about a new painting, but it is about art, sort of.  It's about what a small change on an art wall can do for the mood and look of a room and the mood of the resident thereof.

My interior art-scape is constantly changing with the rotation of art.  My apartment doubles as art storage facility and gallery.   As pieces sell and new pieces rotate in to replace them,  my walls and the look of my interior space also change.

Recently this created some consternation for me with one of my living room walls.  This wall is not neutral and the tones are warm. Naturally this poses a challenge for the art that hangs on it.  The wall itself is a type of an art piece, created by the former owners of my apartment.  Since I like the wall I have been unable to part with it for the sake of art-display, even though certain paintings look positively dead when displayed on it, as was the case with a recent art-rotation.

Without realizing it consciously, the dismal effect was causing me to dislike my entire living room and the art and my (albeit old) furniture and ultimately the look of my entire apartment.  I found myself thinking about painting or wallpapering my opinionated wall, covering my old furniture and even MOVING!  But after making a few simple changes I fell back in love with the apartment.   And best of all,  it was free! 

I pulled an unused black frame out of storage and framed my favorite Beach painting in it.   I removed Olives (a favorite, but whose tones clashed with the outspoken wall)  and replaced it with the large Beach painting, added another, smaller, framed Beach painting and a Royal Food Mart, mounted print.  Instantly the room came to life again.  And the art that was removed now enhances the neutrally painted hallway.

This small change had a great effect on my mood and inspired me to make other small changes.  Moving a plant here, an accessory there and soon, for no money at all, I had a new, pleasing and harmonious look again.  The "life-giving" transformation has inspired me to keep everything sparkling inside and out.  I will think twice before I dress a bold wall in an "outfit" of paintings that does not look good with its coloring!

Rush of Angels 2

Click image to enlarge. Click here for more information and views.
Size: 24x36x1.5
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 4/2012

This painting was not dated when I finished it, since I kept thinking I would continue working on it.  Yesterday I decided it was finished!  So the official date is "sometime in April". 

Thus far painting-time has not found its way into my new work schedule.  It's OK, I think it was time for a break anyway.

Summer C-Note Event

This evening was the opening of the Summer C-Note event at SDAI.  I had two abstracts and three birdie paintings in the show.  To my delight I saw that Urban Edge 6 had already been purchased before I arrived about 15 minutes into the event, and Light Falls from Heaven was at the cashier table awaiting checkout. 

Throwing shyness aside is worth it to meet someone who has bought my work.  So once he was through the process, I approached and thanked him.  He said he and his friend, who had her own selections in hand, had driven all the way down from L.A. early this morning to preview the show.  Then they stood in line for hours in order to be among the first in the door to secure the paintings they wanted.  (That's part of the fun of the C-Note shows.)

Alex said he had not come for abstract art and normally it isn't what he chooses.   But he said when he saw it, he fell in love with it on the spot and knew he had to have it.  It made him feel something he was not expecting.   His story made the evening for me.

My new job is going great too!

What's New

Surprise! I accepted a position with an HOA (home owners association) management company.  How in the world did this happen?  Serving on the board of our HOA brought me into a working relationship with the president of the management company.

The company opened new division to handle HOA property inspections for escrow.  And the property inspector position was offered to me.  After considering it for a few days,  I accepted.  April 30th was my first day on the job and May 1st was my first day on the road inspecting and it was a long one.  I drove from one end of the county to the other, inspecting properties.

My wonderful mom volunteered to come along and I happily agreed.  She read the Google directions to me as I drove around areas I had never before visited.  The only problem we encountered was when Google said to turn right when we ought to have gone straight.  But we soon corrected our course and completed the mission.

I am very happy about the job and really hope I do it well and can continue in it.  My blog is supposed to be about my adventures in trying to make a living as an artist.  I am not sure how this change will effect my path...

Beach 21 Squared & Framed, AKA Kate's Beach

Finally went over to the gallery and snapped a photo of Beach 21 Squared in its frame.  The lighting in the gallery space is less than ideal for picture-taking and the flash spots can be seen on the glass,  but I hope you can see that the frame is a brushed, silver-toned metal.

After taking me to a delicious lunch at the Prado in Balboa Park,   Kate,  along with husband Gerard, father and stepmother and I went together to see the show, which I thought was really quite a nice one.   Because she had purchased the first painting in the Beach 21 edition, Kate kept referring to this as "her" painting.   I think Kate's Beach is a fitting and charming title for it.

Beach 21 Squared

Click image to enlarge
Size: 24x24
Medium: Pigment print
Date: 3/10/2012

Remember Beach 21?  This is a squared version of it.  It isn't just cropped.   Its' also slightly reconfigured. (I like playing around with the shapes of digital art)  I had it framed in a contemporary,  silver-toned metal and submitted it to the Southern California Regional Juried Award Exhibition at SDAI.  Today I heard it had been accepted into the show!

I neglected to photograph it in the frame before submitting it but I will take a picture of it in it's frame later to show you.

Show information: Show runs March 31- May 13, 2012

You are cordially invited to join a Special Artist Reception:

March 31, 2012, Saturday 6-8 PM. SDAI members $10, non members $20.

The San Diego Art Institute
House of Charm
Balboa Park
1439 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
www.sandiego-art.org

Light Falls From Heaven-SOLD

Click image to enlarge.  Click title for more information.

Size: 24x36x1.5
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Date: 3/26/2012

Still have many little birds to paint.  But felt the need to stop and paint an abstract or two. This one was a joy to paint.

The Sailors

Click image to enlarge, click Title link for more information and photos.

Title:  The Sailors
Size: 8"x8"x 1.5"
Date: 2/27/2012
Medium: Acrylic on canvas (colors are deeper and crisper in person)
Price: $200

This isn't the birdie adventure I intended to paint this time.  But I was on my walk and came to the crest of Pringle St. where the view of San Diego harbor came into view. All the boaters were out on their sailboats enjoying the sunny, winter weather.   I had to send the birdies there.  

A gust of wind seems to have taken one of the crew by surprise.  Will they head over to the yacht club or cafe for a little something afterward?

I have several new adventures in mind for them for the next paintings and they are mostly from your suggestions.   I may take a brief detour though and paint an abstract this week.

In other news, my new Etsy shop is in the works.  And that brings to five, the number of online sites where my art is now displayed, not including eBay auctions! 
 
ArtSlant:
ArtPrice (must be subscriber to view)
Saatchi Online:
San Diego Art Institute:      
Yessy.com:

CW,  I will miss you.  XO.

The Tobogganers

Click image to enlarge.

Title: The Tobogganers
Size: 8x8x1.5
Medium: Acrylic on wood
Date 2/11/2012 
Price: $200

Can you tell what's going on here?  There's a clue in the sign at the side of the slope.  


A friend suggested I submit these little bird paintings to a childrens' book publisher.  Has anyone had any experience with this recently?  Or I suppose I could write and illustrate my own childrens' book using the publishing-on-demand model.  

I sketched out a rough draft of one story taken from my own childhood.  I had insisted my mother take me to the top of the hill behind our house, where the full moon was rising and looked so big and close, because I was certain I would be able to touch it.  Of course, the closer we came to the top of the hill, the further away and smaller the moon was.  I wasn't sure we just didn't get there fast enough!