Thursday, January 27

For the love of Portuguese tile













Sintra Antique Tiles has some beautiful reproductions, handmade in Portugal and available here in the US. Tiles ranging from $10 to $15 per tile.





Their address signs are beautiful.



And they have me thinking...and wanting...and spending money in my head.




Images:
4 Alibaba
5 not sure...
6 Flickr Image

Friday, October 29

Give it up for Thanksgiving

Two weeks ago I was standing in line at Walmart flipping through Star Magazine trying to tune out the Sunday afternoon shopping chaos when I had one of those "are you SERIOUS?" moments.




Eggnog. In the drink case. On October 16th.

I know everyone always complains about how early they put out the (insert holiday) stuff. So I won't bore you with the usual.

Instead, I think that we should all take a moment to give it up for the day we all say thanks. The day that all of the stores forgot. One of the best holiday's of the year... Thanksgiving! Move over Halloween, I've already got my eyes set on to Turkey Day.

1) Speaking of turkeys, they are very beautiful birds...


Feather 49 Turkey Feather
by Jody VanB

2) They are also very delicious.


Turkey Cookbook Page
Rendering by Samantha Beverly


There is actually a lot more to the above work by Samantha Beverly than meets the eye. Samantha describes herself as a "bibliophile." She finds the illustrations in cookbooks beautiful but doesn't have the heart to destroy the books by tearing out the pages. So, she draws copies like this turkey from the 1897 White House Cookbook. She explains it on her Etsy profile and writes more on her blog. She's a girl after my own heart. Go read her blog... after you finish reading this post, of course. :)


3) The strange urge to buy things like this are the reason I need to live in a giant lodge somewhere:


by Glass Awakening


3) Poor Dog Farm's Creatures in Hats watercolor series will make your day. Here's his turkey:


A Dapper Turkey by Poor Dog Farm

4) Gorgeous Indian Corn:


Autumn by Kevan Aponte


5) This bowl is stunning. It would be a crime to put anything in it.


Asheville, NC based OneClayBead


PS. $26.00. I know! She isn't charging enough.


6) I'm not Martha enough to use one of these. But they are a really crafty way to recycle an old serving piece so I thought I'd share:


AZCreativeStudio

Are you hungry yet?

Tuesday, September 28

Still Feeling Folksy


Retablos in the Nonomaque Home
from the Dallas Morning News
Photo by Rex C. Curry

Folk art has so many facets it is really hard for me to pick just one type to love. But, I think that if you made me pick, it would be Latin American folk art. More specifically, Mexican Catholic folk art.


The Holy Family
The University of New Mexico Collection

While it often doesn't depict the lightest of subjects, I'd have to say that devotional art is the type most dear to me. I am drawn to it both as a Catholic and an art lover. But, I don't think you have to be a Catholic to appreciate the layers of tradition and emotion that go into crafting devotional art pieces.

Our Lady of Guadalupe
The University of New Mexico Collection

I am particularly fond of retablos, which are devotional works painted on a thin sheet of tin.

Saint Wilgefortis, Virgin and Martyr
The University of New Mexico Collection

Retablos were meant to be used for devotion, much like the way we use holy cards today. They were created to be touched, kissed and held so naturally, they didn't fair too well with age. They were often framed in ornate tin frames and hung on a wall or used in an altar piece.

Saint Joseph and the Christ Child
The University of New Mexico Collection

The University of New Mexico has the largest collection of retablos in the US, with over 1,700 works dating back to the 1800's. Their entire collection has been carefully restored in an effort to preserve them for future generations of worshipers and art lovers alike.

Our Lady of Refuge
The University of New Mexico Collection

If you would like more information on their vast collection, please visit their website.

If you are interested in purchasing a retablo of you own, you don't have to go to Latin America to find one. Here are some fantastic pieces for sale online, and while I cannot vouch for their authenticity, they would certainly make a beautiful addition to your home. This representation of Our Lady of the Sacred Cave (which was recently sold) has to be is one of my favorites.



Monday, September 27

Feeling Folksy

Fall always puts me in the mood for folk art. There is just something about American folk painting that just warms me up from the inside out. Call it nostalgia.

Luna Park circa 1964

Fall also puts me in the mood for a trip to the Big Apple.


Wall Street circa 1964

Vestie Davis was an American folk artist with a fondness New York and New Yorkers.


Outdoor Art Show

Mr. Davis was born in Maryland in 1903 and didn't pick up painting until he was well into his 40's. His bright and busy paintings of his adopted home town quickly gained attention.


Bethesda Fountain circa 1964

They graced the pages of the New Yorker and Newsweek and many of his originals now reside in the permanent collection at the American Folk Art Museum.

Don't you just want to be a part of it? ;)

PS. Sorry for the absence. My life has looked a lot like a Vestie Davis painting lately, busy!

Monday, August 30

Love love love

Palm trees.

Hurricane Palm Tree from
Dictyosperma Album, Tropical Collection

Stucco.

Parisian, Miami by Tosh

Neon.

South Beach Miami, Florida by Lantern Press

Chrome.

Around Twelve Noon in South Beach by Maureen Hunt Piccirillo
Prints available from Fine Art America

And long, beautiful lines.

Miami Taxi by Michael Nelson
Original Acrylic available at Fine Art America


My brain packed up and went to Miami today. Too bad it left the rest of me here!

Thursday, August 26

Summer Photos

Found some gems while cleaning out my camera... after 3 months...








It was a good summer. But enough with the oppressive heat already! Hurry up fall!

Tuesday, August 24

Found on Etsy (but first, a story)

Many, many Decembers ago, a few days before Christmas, an animal fell down the chimney at our house. Not knowing what to do or if the critter was hurt, or worse, rabid, my parents called animal control.

When the animal control officer arrived at the house she suggested we open the fireplace and direct whatever was in there out through the living room and to the side door. Well, as my dad and the officer opened the doors... a completely terrified squirrel leapt out of the fireplace, onto the couch then catapulted itself on to the fully decorated Christmas tree across the room!

Yes, just like the movie.


It ran up and down the trunk for atleast an hour until it finally got tired and ran out the side door.

My dad (who we sometimes affectionately refer to as Clark Griswold for lots of reasons) wrote a hilarious poem inspired by "The Night Before Christmas" about our own little Christmas Squirrel and illustrated it using totally awesome early 90's Corel Clipart.



He sent a copy to the animal control officer which she later framed and hung at the Mecklenburg County Animal Control Office. For years, people who went to get dogs from the pound would ask us, "hey, did you have a squirrel on your Christmas Tree once?"

It's a great story and it probably one of my favorite childhood memories.

Since then, I have always loved a good piece of squirrel artwork. In fact, we all do. It has kind of become a running family joke. And for some reason, Etsy is full of great squirrel art today!

Here are some of my favorites:


Dionysus by Amber Alexander


1930's French Alphabet Print
Ellie at Straightly180


Squirrel by Dimbi


Ragtime by Susie Ghahremani

Nuts by Fuzzywork


Detail from Yummy Acorn by Tracy Lizotte


Grey Squirrel at the Wine Bar
ceramic tile by lulunjay


Squirrel with Nuts