Furniture is so over-rated

Below I wrote about my love of empty spaces. This weekend I finally cleaned my apartment. I moved all the furniture so I could clean the floors.

Whenever I do this, I sit with my cup of Colombian coffee and just stare at the empty room. And it's all I can do not to put my bookcase and table on the curb. I adore empty rooms. They are made for gliding and dancing. I miss the days of my youth when all I owned could be packed up in my little car. Somehow, all my things make my place seem - well - permanent.

Here's a secret. I ran out of steam when painting my apartment white. I probably won't finish until Memorial day weekend. It's odd though, I kind of like this little peek of what the walls used to be. Kind of like the clues I leave in my paintings. And, I am starting to love little quirky imperfections.

I love a great sofa and chair, but it's the accessories that make a room. And for me, accessories are the following: paintings, pottery and pillows. And, of course, a great lamp.

I could live in a room with an air mattress, as long as I had a groovy pillow, a vase, a painting and a lamp. There's something really sexy about being low to the ground. I think it would be cool to just prop a painting and pile the air mattress with pillows.

For spring, I am highly influenced by the color pink. But done in a soft way. I can't get Carolyn Quartermaine's ethereal abode out of my mind (see previous post here). Wish I could paint my floors white! While contemplating my empty room, I thought about silky pink pillows.

All above pillows from Ebay. I adore the pale pink pillow in the top left corner. I tried to order this pillow, and was very disappointed that I received a substitute from the owner without his permission.

I adore pink and brown. I've been wanting to do this color scheme for a while, so I took the plunge and bought the brown pillows I saw at Old Time Pottery.

100% silk and only $7.95 each. Score! I grew very tired of my turquoise curtains which had been inspired by by Matthew Williamson (see previous post). So I packed them away with my collection of textiles and bought these yummy pink curtains from Target.

They cast such a beautiful soft glow during the day. My mood is soft, open, simple. Stay tuned for the next incarnation of my apartment.

A thing of beauty doesn't have to cost a lot

Case in point. This intriguing bracelet. No mere bracelet. It's art.

And it was only $5.99 at Dots.

Lake Erie Skies

Soon this tree will be green.

The Lake Erie sky is such a fascinating study in ever-changing color. It is my love for this sky that has taught me an appreciation for the color gray.

A color I never thought I'd use in my home. Vase by Umbra.

What do you do when there's nothing to do?

Friday I had a doctor's appointment. I suppose it's trite to say that I hate going to the doctor. But I hate going to the doctor. I'm a coward when it comes to poking and prodding. And needles. Forget about it. You'll never catch me getting a tattoo.

Tonk gallantly offered to go with me so I wasn't nearly as pitiful as I might have been. His chatter about Obama kept my mind off THE NEEDLES. We had two hours to kill between appointments. Since we didn't know what to do - and I wasn't allowed to eat - we did what you do in America. We shopped.

I walked around Old Time Pottery in a daze. I wasn't in a mood to buy. Truth is I have more than enough stuff. And the overstocked shelves made me want to puke. But, if I had been in the market for a red vase, I'd hit pay dirt.

I kinda like those two short ones to the left. But I don't want to add red. Don't want to go in a whole new direction. Although red does look good with pink....

I thought these black ones were kind of cool too. But again, that would start a whole new direction in my apartment. Because of course then I'd have to buy these vases too (see previous post).

They had a freaking ton of pillows. Cute ones too. And cheap.

These are silk. And only $7.95 each. Wonder if I could get away with adding brown pillows to my decor.

Overstimulation at times wears me out. I was too tired to look at the lamps. Imagine that. Still those brown pillows are cute....

I crave simplicity ..... and space

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever wanted to start over? Sometimes I grow tired of having so many things and crave simplicity.

There is nothing more beautiful than a large, empty room. So full of possibilities. Wouldn't it be great to just accept the emptiness for what it is? Already full - of potential.

I just had to peek down the hall at the empty apartment. I couldn't resist gliding around these floors. I dreamed for a few moments. A vase there, a lamp there, a pillow - no wait stop! Why do we need so many things?

For now I just contemplated the open space. Ahhh. I'd like to move to a larger apartment. With a bedroom. This particular apartment is twice what I am paying, so it is not to be. That's okay, I'm no longer enamored with old buildings and their dust. I want clean and modern, with no trim. And large closets.

Finally, I started cleaning today. It's taken a long time to get up the energy to clean. I feel like open, serene and simple. I tire of the burden of too much stuff.

Pink and Yellow

I can't stop thinking about yellow and pink. I want to use these colors for spring.

My new yellow bracelet. Isn't it fabulous?

I wish I could have this sofa reuphostered in pink. I've been contemplating the blank canvas on the wall. Not sure what it will become.

Display as Art

One of my favorite themes is the art of display. I adore collections, but it is not enough to collect. Collections must be displayed well, and not look cluttered. There is nothing more beautiful than a cohesive collection.

Meredith's Pottery Palette at Apartment Therapy. Meredith has done a beautiful job of collecting and displaying her pottery collection in her apartment.

Bjorg Juto's home, sneak peak via Design Sponge. A cluster of the same object becomes powerful, yet remaining simple by limiting the palette to white. I adore this vignette.

Jack and Carla Fahden via Apartment Therapy. Again, the same item used repetitively makes an impactful statement, while remaining simple. I adore these simple white vases from Ikea lined up.

Cosmic Connections

I believe we are all connected. Isn't it amazing that you can have an idea, and then you learn someone, thousands of miles away perhaps, had the same idea? I spend a lot of time writing about creativity on this blog, and try to show how I am influenced by the creativity of other artists. One of the themes on this blog is creativity influencing creativity.

Today's post is a little different. Today I am showing some works I have done, and then shortly after the work was completed, I found work by another artist which reminded me of my own. The works I am showing did not influence my work, but rather were discovered after I completed my work. Apparently, I had a cosmic connection to these artists.


Untitled, 2008, 18" x 30", acrylic on canvas. It was an unusual occurrence for me to paint with brown. Brown is not typically a color I use, but I felt experimental that night. I remember thinking, I want this flower to look like a light.

Moments after completing my painting, I was stunned to see this LED work by Flickr user LipglossJunkie.

"Lovers," 2009, 16" x 20", acrylic and marker on canvas. I have been thinking a lot about pod people. This painting was just kind of a fun experiment. I like it and may do more.

Moments after completing this painting, I logged on to flickr to post my new painting. I discovered the work of flickr user blinkonmynose. She obviously had pod people on her brain too. And we must have been in psychic rapport.



Untitled, 24" x 24", acrylic and marker on canvas. This painting was done sometime ago.

After completing the painting, I found this chair. I apologize, because I don't remember its source. (If you know its source, please email me.) The flowers in the chair remind me of my own.



Untitled, 2008, 24" x 24", acrylic and pencil on canvas. This painting was a painstakingly precise one to execute. I am pleased with the borders which I painted to look like a matte.

Again, I went to flickr to post my new painting. And saw this work by flickr user Bluesrose. Almost the same geometry.

I find this amazing, and I love when it happens. I believe we are all connected.