Birdhouse Art; The Art of Color; Before and After

Title: Mosaic Birdhouse #3.
Size: 7.5x 7w.
Medium: paint, broken ceramic mug and grout, on wood.
Date: 9/19/12

This birdhouse was a little more challenging, with its low brow and large roof. I'm sure enjoying looking out at them (3 now) from my kitchen, living room and dining room.

Back by popular request, here more decorating tips from Apartment Therapy:

• "Let your art lead you. This is a decorator fail safe. Have you tried it? It feels like cheating. Line up all the art you'd like to hang in your room, pick out a color, and find a paint swatch to match. Bam, done. You'll feel like a pro. The same principal can be applied to rugs and accent textiles. Choosing one of the more subtle accent colors in the rug will bring a fresh dimension to whole space."

But what if you live in a apartment and don't have the option to paint everything you desire? A little imagination will do the trick. Photos courtesy of Apartment Therapy.
Before

After

Remember, all photos on my blog can be enlarged by clicking on them!

And lastly, this week's etiquette tip:
Hold the door -- whether male or female, hold open a door you have just passed through for the person behind you.

The Art of a Birdhouse

Title: Mosaic Birdhouse #2
Size: 7.5h x 7 w.
Medium: paint, broken ceramic mug and grout on wood
Date: 9/8/12

 I know birds like to build their own homes. But if I were a bird I would like to live in this little house.  A small home and very small balcony garden, call for special measures in the area of decorative objects. Being able to make use the air for decorative purposes is especially meaningful.  That's one of the reasons I like making the little birdhouses.  They add decorative element to my garden without taking up any real estate!

Etiquette tip:
Tipping the Host or Maitre d' -
No obligation for greeting you and showing you to your table.  $10-$20 for going above and beyond to find you a table on a busy night or on occasion, if you are a regular patron.

Mosaic Birdhouse

44Size: 7.5h x 7 w.
Medium: paint, broken ceramic mug and grout on wood
Date: 9/2/12

Keeping with the theme of "home as art" and home-decorating, and the little birdie paintings,  I decorated (painted and mosaic-tiled) a birdhouse.  This is the first artistic venture I have embarked upon since starting my new job May 1st. (The plain birdhouses are available at craft stores.)

Day 1

Day 2
I rather like the look of the jagged tiles glued on, before I applied the grout.  Maybe I will try it that way next time.  Of course I have lots of other ideas for these, but we'll see if I get to them...

Day 4
Finished!

 

And again, a bit faded under the flash, but making the tile pieces more visible.

More Home as Art

Most of us have faced this creative and practical challenge: What can I do with this awkward room layout?  And most importantly, how do I arrive at a layout that creates harmony, balance and an artful appearance.  Apartment Therapy asked this question recently in this article.

I think I would try placing the two chairs opposite the sofa, to the left of the fireplace, with their backs to the left side entry to the room and a small side table between them and turning the coffee table and placing it in front of the sofa.  Removing all the other furniture around the sofa and instead placing one medium-tall plant to the right of the sofa may be nice too.   What would you do?

Landscaping as Art

As with small living spaces, small garden spaces can also be maximized in both design and impact.  A few years ago there were two programs on HGTV called Urban Outsiders and City Gardener, featuring landscape designer Matt James.  (I really miss those programs, along with Small Space, Big Design for interiors).  I managed to find two photos online of small gardens he created and that I am posting here.

I would say Matt James is an artist who uses plants as his medium and space as his canvas.

I located the source of the tiny bathroom from last week's post.  It was from a 2012 Apartment Therapy Small Cool Contest, International entry.  The 392 sq. ft. apartment is in London.

Etiquette t: Don't retrieve a dropped utensil and put it back on the table.  Instead, tell your server, who will retrieve it and bring a replacement.  The exception is when you drop a utensil that might be stepped on or cause an accident; in this case, act fast and pick it up yourself.   (from Emily Post)

Making the Best of a Space

This is a photo I found of a tiny bathroom from one of the tiny apartments (I think from Apartment Therapy).  I thought it offered quite a bit of style in a very simple and very small way.   

And here's an interesting idea from Apartment Therapy about using color:

" Make up for a lack of architectural character with saturated colors. A typical dark, low ceilinged, wall-to-wall carpeted basement apartment will look infinitely more chic and cheerful painted something dramatic, like charcoal gray, than it will a pale sunny yellow...which will only add to the gloom because it's out of place. If you have a space with great bones and great light, it will be difficult to go wrong with any color, and light colors will let those details shine. However, when you have the opposite, go dark. It's counter-intuitive, but it lends a blah space a strong presence. You can always lighten the mood with bright accent pieces and good lighting."

In my opinion, the same principle applies to clothing.  On stormy days grays and stormy colors are more appealing whereas on sunny days crisp, bright colors are.

On another subject, do  you remember the graciousness and manners of earlier times?  In honor of those times I am thinking about posting a bit of Emily Post at the end of each blog post.  Let me know if you like this idea.  Here is the first one:

• "At the conclusion of the toast, everyone except the honoree(s) raises their glasses and drinks." 

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!