Weekend Art Project - Painting Vases

Hello dear readers!  Hope you are having a great weekend.  I wanted to give you a sneak peek of an art project I'm working on.  My first art project in my new apartment!  Well my first non-digital project.  I'm working on some really cool digital projects.  But for now, it felt great to play with paint again.  It's been so long, I've been craving it.

First I bought a couple of cheap vases at the Goodwill.  I spent about $4.00 on vases.  They needed to have a simple geometric shape and a rather porous finish.  I selected the one above for its beautiful shape. Its finish was not original and chipped in a couple of places so it had to be sanded.  I've mentioned a few times that I am itching to add some blue to my apartment.  Still... you know... I love me some pink.  I went round and round - pink or blue?  My cousin said I already had pink covered in my home.  True dat.  I decided on a lovely shade of baby blue.  Besides, blue looks great with pink.

Ta da!  Here it is in its beautiful new shade.  Since the finish was porous, the paint went on easily with a brush.  No spray paint mess, perfect matte finish.  I kinda dig it.

This poor unloved baby had a great shape but a poorly applied, careless finish.  Not sure if it's original, might  be one of those textured spray paints.  This one could have been part of my ugly vase installation.  Since I dismantled that installation (sometimes I wish I hadn't), I decided instead to give her a make over.   I sanded the heck out of this thing, but had to give up my perfectionist tendencies.  Though smoother, this baby would never be completely smooth.

Ta da!  You know you love it, and so do I.    I actually dig the texture.  And I love its half moon shape!  Definitely Ikebana inspired.

Here are the two lovelies together.  This is my idea of upcycling.  What a gorgeous shade of blue!  Now I am on the hunt for more cheap, porous, simply shaped vases.  I also covered a canvas in this beautiful shade.  I am so crazy about this color I wish I could do an accent wall in it.  Since I'm not allowed to paint the walls, I thought it might be cool to go monotone in my display - have the painting, the bookcase and all the vases in the same color.  A tactile, accent wall!  Stay tuned - more discussions of the beauty of blue coming up.  If you are not a fan of blue, I promise you will be by the end of the week.  :)  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  xo

Ikebana, Part II

While searching the web today for Ikebana vases, I came across these beauties designed by Edward Robinson.  They have me drooling, so I just had to share.  Look at those perfect shapes.  Look at those perfect colors.  Beautiful.  Love them displayed on the rustic wood table.  I think I need these.  Image via Petite Friture.  What I am about to say is not for the purists - but Target, please produce a knock off.

Simple Flower Arrangement

I live, breathe, eat and sleep art and design.  Yes, it's an obsession, but you already know that.  You have to be a little obsessed to be a blogger.  But it's way more than obsession.  Art is life.  Art is necessity, not luxury.  Art makes me happy.  Without art I don't feel alive.  Indeed, throughout my strange illness, it is art that has saved me.  That's not hyperbole.  I love language and words, but they are often inadequate to describe the experience of living as an artist.  Throughout my tenure in corporate America, people always thought I was odd and I learned to conceal my personality (try doing this for 8-12 hours a day - it's exhausting).  I've been blessed, through blogging and in real life, to meet a lot of artists lately.  My peeps.  It's so great to be understood and to be able to express myself.  I believe artists yearn for this.  What does this have to do with flower arranging?  Nothing.  Except that I thought I'd show you the awesome book that is currently on my night stand.

Before I sleep at night, my last thoughts are of art.  When I awaken, my first thoughts are of art.  I recently went to used book sale at a local university and bought this marvelous old book on Japanese flower arrangement.

As a reader of my blog, you are already familiar with my love of minimalism and simplicity.  So it is not a surprise that I am extremely interested in Ikebana.  When it comes to arranging flowers, I don't like to see them crowded in the vase.  They need room to breathe and to be free without the competition that comes from too much stimuli.  To me, all parts of the flower are beautiful.  I particularly like, long, spindly, leggy, rebellious looking branches.  No bonsai for me.  Bonsai is a crime.  It's like foot binding.  Here's a couple of pictures from this marvelous book.  I'll share more as I learn more.

Japanese Flower Arrangement for American Homes, by Mary Bedham Kittel.  (Bonanza 1962).

Here are a couple of beautiful arrangements inspired by Ikebana.

This is a stunningly beautiful arrangement.  Love the one, long stem in the bowl.  This image itself is so beautiful, I could see it blown up and framed as art.   Vessel available at LeiliDesign.

Vintage Ikebana vase available at DemARTinDesign.

Love the organic shape of this vintage Stanford Sebring vase.  I wish there were only one or two long stems in the image.  But that's merely my preference.  Formerly available at allthingswhite.

Love this vase made of rocks!  I'd love to make an Ikebana vase out of a slick Lake Erie Rock.  However, that's beyond my skill level.  I imagine the drilling process is not easy and requires a skilled artisan.  Again, I wish the vase in the image held a long branch.  Formerly available at SteppingStones.

These beautiful sea glass vases are from CB2.  They would make great Ikebana vases.  Want more?  See more beautiful Ikebana vases in my previous post, here.

Pottery Jones

For today's episode of Pottery Jones, I have a selection of black and white pottery that is as diverse as it is beautiful.  Some Asian modern pieces, vintage German and even contemporary hand made.  Hope you enjoy!

Very beautiful plaster vase designed by Nobuhiro Sato available at Emmo Home.

 Ikebana vase from the 1970s formerly available at Etsy shop of Mascara Jones.

Another beautiful Ikebana vase.  This one is from the 1950s and was formerly available at Etsy shop of Austin Modern.

Totally fab studio ashtray from the 1960s.  I've never seen anything like this piece.  Of course, I would use it for purely decorative purposes.  Available at Etsy shop of Linea72.  This piece has been tempting me, but I'm not sure it would fit in my decor.

West German porcelain always makes me swoon.  Love the matte finish.  This Kaiser piece is from Etsy shop Kibster.

Another gorgeous piece of West German op art.   Etsy user GoGoBerlinette.

It is a skilled craftsman who made this wheel thrown bowl.  Love the delicate balance, love its simplicity.  A truly elegant piece.  As you know, admiring a fine piece of pottery is a tactile experience.  This bowl just begs to be touched.  Bowl was made by Etsy user LeiliDesign.  Well, what do you think dear readers, are you feeling tempted?