Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Pink! Or I should have been born rich instead of beautiful...

Pink is on my mind, as usual. No matter what color I am obsessing about, it is always in combination with pink. White and pink. Orange and pink. Tuquoise and pink. You get the idea. I guess I need two homes, one all pink and one all white. I've dreamed of having a place with all pink walls and everything else, furniture, lamps, accessories would be white. And lately my love for pink is the hot pink variety. My favorite color du jour is fushia.

A modern interpretation of pink is hard to find. If I I were a designer, I'd design a symbiotic room of all pink organic forms. Ahh. I can see the images in my mind, pink lamps, pink pottery, Translating it on a page is difficult. Perhaps on canvas.

I wonder, is it wrong to lust over a refrigerator? I must admit to being in lust with the Smeg fridge. One day I hope to own one, because I think everything in a home should be beautiful.

Here are some pink images. Enjoy!


Typhoon Shocking Pink Retro Bread Bin. Isn't this fabulous?






Modern 50 Mid-Century Products (Careful, this site is addictive!)



George Kovacs Lamp. Very hard to find a modern pink lamp that is not deco.



I absolutely adore this pop art painting by Shauno. Takes me back to my youth, when I used to dye my hair pink! I still really love pink hair. I would love to see a HUGE version of this in a minimal white loft. Shauno's Etsy shop is here. Shauno's home page is here.



Karim Rashid Veuve Clicquot Love Seat. Form follows form in this piece. I'm embarassed to admit I love it. It's just too fab even though no one could ever possibly sit in it, much less afford it at its ridiculous price tag of $10,000.00! This piece belongs in a fashion shoot, a sci-fi set, or in a lobby of some concrete building to serve purely as sculpture. And even though this piece is ridiculous, I just can't argue its beauty.

If you were the unfortunate model who had to sit on this piece, it should be a requirement that you wear the following Lisa Perry dress.


At least you'd look marvelous!

Karim does have a coupla cute pink objects that are affordable.
Lighter for $9.00. I always wanted a cute lighter to light candles. Certainly no one would use this cute lighter for cigarettes.

And the Oh chair. Priced at $65.00. I'd like to have two of these for my dining room.



I say it all the time - thank God for Target! Look at this tea set priced at only $22.49! And me still several days away from pay day! I hope the supplies last! Absolutely adorable. Love the globally-inspired shape of it. Cross your fingers for me that they don't run out! It just so happens that I have the perfect empty shelf for this set. And I really need it for AT's color contest.
Ahh, I'm a great consumer. Just not such a great capitalist.


I really tried to include some pottery (although maybe the tea set qualifies). But it's really hard to find, simple, modern organic pink pottery. Not deco, not Rosewood and without flowers on it. I'd appreciate it if any one has any links they can share.

My OCD from the previous days (pink, turquoise, pods, alien looking lights, urban toys) culminated in the following paintings:


Angels and Aliens, 2007
24" x 30", acrylic and marker on canvas


The Universal Language
18" x 24", acrylic, marker and pencil on canvas
Sometimes my eccentricity worries me. Not!

Monday, August 27, 2007

It's Okay to be Pretty

Last week I wrote about the choice to be comfortable rather than pretty. Make no mistake, it's okay to be pretty, and you are pretty just by virtue of being a woman. You're not too fat, too thin, too tall, or too anything. Let's get rid of the 'er words (older, etc.) And forget about the word "too." All women are beautiful and the great thing about being a woman is that we have so many choices. This week pretty is on my mind because a painting is brewing. It is very difficult to do my work today because all I can think of are graphic shapes and colors.

I am caught up in the romance of Victor Vetterlien's white box (see post below). I love the idea of entertaining in that fabulous place and wearing an outfit to match the decor.  Here is what I would wear to throw a party in Victor's home:
Love the orange pop of the dress against white hose and shoes.  Much like my own decor.  Here is what I would wear while contemplating the empty shelf:
Fashion design by Lisa Perry.

Contemplating a White, Empty Shelf

In my post regarding Victor Vetterlein below, I spoke of how I would love to sit on the white sofa and contemplate the potentiality of the empty white shelf all day long. I never tire of contemplation of space. If I were to place an object(s) on that shelf what would it be? Of course it would have to be something simple and I would go for assymetry. Placing an object to the left and leaving the right empty. I find negative space very important when trying to make a beautiful object or two impactful. What would I place there?

Maybe a white bottle with graphic lettering?



"Poet's Bottle: Sin"
Art Glass BottleBy: Jeff Crandall

Or maybe an art glass genie bottle?


"Topaz Genie Bottle"
Art Glass VaseBy: Claire Kelly and Anthony Schafermeyer



Or what about my new toys? UniPo's Cosmo-Knots from Fugitive Toys, as seen on my flickr set.


Or maybe I should stick with all white and juxtapose the white Cosmo-Knot with the Vietnamese statute (formerly available from Pier One). Every home needs an Asian piece.


In the end, I would probably leave the shelf empty.



A painting is definitely brewing here. Victor, thanks for being an inspiration.



The White Box - Victor Vetterlein

I absolutely adore Victor Vetterlein's work. I first discovered him at the AT Smallest Coolest 2007 contest. The apartment he designed was in the final four. No matter how much I experiment with color, I keep coming back to all white. White, light filled boxes make me swoon. In my love of mod retro design, I've been noticing the pod as a recurring motif, so am very drawn to Victor's alien pod-like lamps and coffee tables.
I could live here. I could sit on that sofa and contemplete the pure potentiality of the empty shelves all day. Also really love the monochromatic effect of the white painting against the white walls.






Victor & Soeun's Romatic Loft.


Image from MocoLoco. Totally groovy combo light/table. And doesn't she look great! I adore the idea of matching costume to design.

Victor is very talented. I love the graphic nature of his paintings too. I've been wanting to experiment with words in my own paintings.



Images from Victor Vetterlein.com.

I've got a painting brewing in my head. Victor's place is influencing me. I keep thinking, what would I paint for this space? His space if definitely talking to me.

Friday, August 24, 2007

You don't have to be pretty ... or ... wish I'd said that

Venus Beauty Institute (1999)

I've been watching a lot of French film lately. I dearly love Audrey Tautou since seeing her in Amelie. I want to devote an entire post to Amelie, but today I would like to talk about the actress to the left. The wonderful Nathalie Baye.

I adored her in this movie. She's mean, she's unsettled, she's lonely, she's sad. And she's just too damn tired to give a shit that she's mean, unsettled, lonely and sad. She's way too tired to put on makeup and fix her hair, which is ironic because she works in the beauty industry. But somehow, her beauty still peeks through, and when she is gentle with her clients you sometimes get a glimpse of what she was before life was too cruel to her. A passionate man falls in love with her exactly the way she is.

I found myself identifying with this character. I'm no where near as mean as she (I hope), but some find my sensitivity challenging.   As a sensitive, artistic soul, I've never fit in corporate America so have not been able to achieve much success. But the days where I cared about that are long gone.

Several years ago, I left a good job. Well, truthfully, it didn't pay all that well, the benefits were good. But they wanted my entire life. I often worked until midnight, weekends, holidays. On those rare occasions I was home, my employer called.  A lot.  Even when I was sick.  I didn't have a vacation nor a raise in four years, and I was supposed to feel lucky that I had a job.  That's what they told me.  My existence was sleep, work, eat (usually at my desk), sleep, eat, work..... I never had time to do anything else.  They told me if I was unhappy that I should leave.  So I did.  Without having a new job lined up. A careless mistake that I paid dearly for.  But what do you do when you are so unhappy?

Since then my goal has been to simplify my life. I have an easier job that pays much less. A very small place, less stuff (could actually even have less). And...I'm beginning to feel happier.

As I watched Nathalie's character over and over, I figured a few things out. It's okay not to be pretty. And I thought a lot about an essay I discovered last year on this topic.

You don't have to be pretty. It's okay if you are not. Pretty is not a requirement, it should be fun, if it's what you choose and what you are comfortable with. Sometimes not having to be pretty is a luxury and is so freeing. At my current job, I can wear jeans and tennis shoes. I don't even have to wear makeup. Now here's the thing. My mother would shit if she read this. I often come to work with wet hair pulled into a bun and no makeup. I used to scurry on the street in dark glasses feeling ashamed, hoping I didn't see anyone I knew. No more. I walk with my head up. I don't have to be pretty, I don't owe it to anyone. If I feel like being pretty, I will. Right now what I feel like is freedom and comfort.

I walk down the street joyously sans panty hose. I marvel that my feet don't hurt for the first time in my life. And it's almost sexual to be able to rub my eyes. Perhaps being that comfortable with yourself is true beauty. We definitely need to give up all judgment of ourselves and others and just be easy.

Afterall, Nathalie's character found love without even trying, and maybe that's the lesson. Maybe we don't need to try so hard. Maybe just being comfortable with yourself is enough.

There is an amazing essay written by Erin at A Dress a Day, called "You don't have to be pretty." I have reread this essay about 100 times. Very profound. If I return to substitute teaching, I plan to share this with all young girls. I would like to encourage all women to read this essay.  Wish I'd written it. Erin and Nathalie, thanks for being an inspiration.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The Love is to You, Boo

I'm feeling sentimental today. My nephews are on my mind, and thoughts of them are filling my entire being with joy. I'm babysitting on Saturday and just can't wait to spend time with them. I hope to have lots of new art from them to post. The home they share with their parents (my baby brother and sister-in-law) is beautiful and I hope to share that with you next week as well.

My nephews have no idea how they help me. They are a constant source of joy and inspiration to me. I couldn't love them anymore than if they were my own children. In fact, sometimes I look at them and it almost hurts because I get a lump in my throat. I am so grateful to my brother and sister-in-law for sharing their wonderful family with me. I would gladly give my life for either of them. There are so many things I want to share with them. If there is one thing I hope I've been able to teach them, it is this:

GG and GP - you can do anything. If anyone ever tells you can't do something, don't listen, they are lying.

To celebrate the love that is overflowing from the depth of my soul today, I would like to post a very dear piece of art that GG made in 2005. I will be producing this piece as a poster.


"The love is to you boo." December 2005. He was chronologically five years old when he created this. I say chronologically because my nephews are old souls. I used to call GG and GP "boo boo" and sometimes shortened it to boo. They probably don't remember this, but when I held them when they were babies, I would say "You're my boo."

GP and GG, I will love you:
Tracy Jenkins' poster from Village.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Turquoise Lamps

I sometimes get fixated on a color and can't stop thinking about it. When I paint, I mix my own colors, and sometimes I just can't get the color in my head on the canvas. I can sit and contemplate a color all day. The perfect pinky-orange. Or the perfect corally-raspberry. But lately it's turquoise. I experimented with turquoise in my painting this weekend, and I got it close. I seem to like the less-green-more-blue turquoise. So today it seemed only natural that I have turquoise lamps on the brain. I love lamps, and especially love ones that look like pottery.




The above two lamps were designed by J-D Schall. I have seen his bird-like pottery (which will be the subject of a later post), but I was not aware he designed lamps. Aren't these gorgeous? Images from The Lighting Gallery.

And look at this beautiful lamp from
VitaminD's new shop. Mod and traditional at the same time. Love it.


Here's a simple lamp from Crate and Barrel.


I don't usually go for patterns, and this one wouldn't fit in my home, but isn't it cute? From
bellacor.



And I am madly in love with this lamp from West Elm that I featured in an earlier post. Think it would look great in SNL's home too.


I posted the following Ercole Barovier lamp from ebay on Jo's virtual homewarming party:

Target has the following paper lamp for only $19.99!

These last two lamps are from omgallery.com. This site is totally groovy. These are priced very reasonably and go great with my retro/mod bohomo Asian/Morrocan decor.




Mid Century Lamps

It's all my SNL's fault, I'm obsessing about lamps today. Seriously, though, I can obsess without her help and today I am totally obsessing about lamps. In my searching, I came across a great site, called TV Lamps. I am sure Kim and Jo from desiretoinspire would love this site, if they haven't already blogged about it.


A girl can never have enough lamps, right, Kim and Jo? And you already know that I am a lamp tramp.



And, Kim, look at this funky lamp. Would look great in your home.



All images from TVlamps.net.

P.S. Kim - had a really cute post called virtual housewarming party for Jo. What a great idea. I, of course, "bought" Jo a lamp. If you haven't yet, check it out.

Dinner with my favorite people and lamp obsession

Friday I had dinner with my favorite people, my baby brother and my sister-in-law. We had a great time. My SNL and I are both infected with design obsession and pottery sickness. After dinner SNL and I went to Crate and Barrel where she bought the cutest lamp for her bedroom. Her bedroom is totally groovy, with a color scheme of brown, blue and apple green. And we were the first to think of it, honest! After she decorated her room we began seeing that scheme everywhere!
You may remember the painting I featured in my flickr site that she commissioned. SNL has been very supportive of me as an artist and she likes my big flowers the best. This painting is now in her dining room. I am babysitting this weekend (can't wait!) and I hope to take some pictures of their beautiful home. She has great style, and, of course, lots of pottery.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The Incredible Changing Dining Area

My apartment and I are having a love affair. And while it is the smallest place I've ever lived in, it has inspired the most prolific time in my creative life. I have painted more and moved this place around more than any place I've ever lived in.

I don't like a lot of stuff, yet I seem to have a lot. Purging is a regular activity for me and this weekend I purged quite a bit. I want my place to look sparse, uncluttered and carefree. I have a small stash of pottery and lamps in my closet so I can change the look of the place on a whim. Sometimes a painting will inspire a whole new look. Sometimes a new look will inspire a painting.
Increasingy, I use my dining area for merchandising. It's easy to do since the furniture is all white. Oh and by the way, the furniture is all from the curb. The table is actually made of three pieces found separately, screwed together and then spray painted. I am considering covering the chair pads in a new fabric, but I haven't done it because I really want new chairs.

Oh, and I call it a dining area, not a dining room, because it is so small. I was going to eliminate this area and use the entire dining room for my office, but I like having a place to sit and drink tea. The first picture is what it looked like when I entered AT's color contest last fall.




I grew tired of the fuschia walls. So I painted the place white. Here are a few of the dining room's costume changes.



I blogged about this painting the other day. It doesn't look like this anymore. Now it looks like this.





This is my dining area dujour. The bowl is relatively new. I had been wanting a wooden bowl, but I opted for this Vietnamese bamboo bowl when I saw it at Old Time Pottery for $1.99! The painting is the same painting that was in the first pic from the AT color contest, but more paint has been added.

Who knows how it will look tomorrow? I have been working on a new painting tonight. But I think that's going in the living room. I'll give you a hint about the painting, it's got a lot of tuquoise (my latest obsession) in it.

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