R.I.P. Helen Frankenthaler 1928-2011

Helen Frankenthaler was a pioneer in the abstract scene in the 50's and 60's as she created the method of "soak staining", in which she would pour paint onto an unprimed canvas, thin it down with turpentine, and it would soak and bleed into and around the canvas, beautifully. Frankenthaler was a artist's, artist. She was art smart, and she did not limit herself to one artform. She embraced printmaking, creating woodcuts, aquatints, and lithographs that rivaled her painting in craftsmanship. Many people seem to think artists need to focus on one form of art, because they think we need to put all of our energy there. I don't agree, because burn out is a problem if you don't take a break from the monotony of daily work, of any form. Frankenthaler proved you can be successful in several different forms of art, and I respect for her for that. She was 83 years old.

 Her use of color is just insane...

A woodblock print in gorgeous, rich, blues...

  Dreamy, ethereal, beautiful colors, no one compares. 




Via- The Art Story

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah

I hope you are able to count your blessings and forget any stresses you may have these next few days...

With much gratitude...

XX


Photo- Unknown

Best Gift Ever? Something Made with LOVE...

 I have been struggling with a gift list to present to you of what I think you would love to give or receive this year, and finally came to the conclusion that the best gift this year, and really every year, would be something homemade from the heart.
 Jams are high on my list. And they go with toast, scones, and TEA SO well.

Granola, yogurt, healthy muffins...Things people will actually eat, that aren't from a time long ago when everything was processed and fake tasting. We get the same Christmas food from one of our neighbors year after year, and I REALLY appreciate the gesture, but we either give this food away, (to someone who may appreciate it), or throw it away, EVERY year, because it is just NOT GOOD. Try to make something MOST people like, that they will USE, not something Grandma Ginny experimented with in Alabama in the 60's, and that included a boxed mix of something that was, well, BOXED...in the 60's...

We are all scaling back, it's tough out there...People don't (or shouldn't) expect grand gestures this year...Lose the guilt, and start cooking...It is the most loving gift ever made...

Happy Holidays...


Top Photo- Here
Bottom Photo Via- Here

Holiday Spaces...

There is nothing like decorating for the holidays in my book...It makes me happy, to see others happy, and I love nothing more than sprucing the place up for my family and friends. I like to have treats all through the house for people to munch on, and as healthy as I try to be, super healthy eating kinda goes out the window for the month of December...I love the way these home owners have made their homes a warm and inviting place for their guests to linger.

Hope you are warm and happy.

Top Photo Via- Space for inspiration

Bottom Photo-Unknown

Waiting for Snow...

Here in Seattle, our first snow normally would have arrived by now. 
Unfortunately we are still waiting...
But our sleds are dusted off and ready to roll, and being that the hill to our 
house is about as steep, we are some seriously experienced sled nerds. 
We are so looking forward to using them!

Hope you are staying warm!

Photo Unknown

Going Home?

I am sure many of you are going home, or somewhere else for the holidays. 
Anyone driving? I love this image of this bad-ass car, ready to roll. 
I would totally hang it in my "entertainment" room.
 Question: Am I completely insane or do ya ever kinda wanna
 PEEL OUT of your driveway like this guy, full throttle, 
and blast down an empty country road??
 With all the presents that I have NOT purchased yet, and these ridiculously busy days, 
it  sounds kinda AWESOME. 

Merry, Merry...


Image Via here.

Artist of the Month : Anna-Wili Highfield

Owl Perched 

2010

      Ink, water colour, cotton paper, thread, brass rod, timber block

Anna-Wili Highfield is a Sydney based artist that
 makes sculptures from paper and copper pipe. 
The paper sculptures are painted, then sewn together to create the figure of an animal.
The copper pipe is bent and manipulated to create sculptural forms 
reminiscent of line drawings. 
These animals are quite a sophisticated lot of keepers, 
that anyone in their right mind would DIE to have on their mantel...

 Storm Petrel 

2011

             Ink, water color, cotton paper, cotton thread, brass.

Owl Descending  2011 ink, water color, archival cotton paper, cotton thread, brass rod, timber block

 Silver Gull 

2010

Ink, water colour, archival cotton paper. cotton thread, copper pipe, timber block

 Seahorse 

2011

  Ink, watercolour, archival cotton paper, copper rod, timber block

 Robin 

2010ink, water colour, archival cotton paper, cotton thread, brass rod, timber block

Pegasus for Hermes 

2011

ink, water colour, archival cotton paper, cotton thread, copper pipe

 Horse Masks for Hermes 

2011

 Cotton paper, ink, cotton thread, silk, copper pipe internals with hard hat.

Galah 

2010

Ink, watercolours, archival cotton paper, cotton thread, brass rod, timber plinth.

 Dove 

2010

               Archival cotton paper, thread, brass rod, timber block

 Brown Warbler 

2010

Ink, water colour, archival cotton paper, cotton thread, brass rod, timber block

 Barn Owl 

2009

               Ink, water colour, archival cotton paper, cotton thread

These are so amazing, I wanted to post about ten more images, but alas I restrained myself and tried to pick out my absolute favorites...It was hard let me tell ya...
These pieces are commission only.

Her commercial clients include Carla Zampatti,  Bianca Spender, Anthropologie and Hermes. However, Anna-Wili’s pieces have predominantly been commissioned by private clients, both within Australia and around the world.

See more of her amazing work here.

Simple, Subtle, Sexy.

I love this gallery wall, and the room in general, is smart and sexy. It reminds me of something that would have been in the now defunct Met Home.

Lately I have been drawn to a tad more clutter, but this is a perfectly simple beauty...

Image Unknown