Artist of the Month : Haroshi

Japanese artist Haroshi created these insane works of art from salvaged and hand-carved stacks of used skateboard decks and turned them into extraordinary three-dimensional wooden sculptures.

  Haroshi exhibited these new sculptures at HUF's headquarters in Los Angeles this past weekend. It would have been a fun party.
 I think it's interesting that there are a lot of artists that are attracted to these sports. 
You don't see that as much with football, hockey, or other sports.

Great art that is used on, with, or is about, Surf/Skate/Snow will always catch my attention. I have been snowboarding since I was 17. I surf whenever I get the chance,(not great at it), and skating, well, tried it, and suck at it, although I love watching the pro's. My fascination with all of these sports is never-ending. Considering all of the hard falls, and fairly stupid tricks I have tried, I just hope my body continues to stay healthy, well into old age, so that I can continue the fun.
Have a super weekend...

Images Via-here

Shop to Visit : CRAIG VAN DEN BRULLE - Capitol Furnishings, N.Y.C.

During my last trip to NYC, I dropped my camera and broke it before I could get shots of some of my favorite hauntings. It has taken me a while to go through all of them, and recover the ones that were not covered in a thick white fog. I am SO glad I took these pics before I dropped it, because CRAIG VAN DEN BRULLE is definitely in my top 3 all-time favorite home furnishing stores. It's really an ART gallery in my opinion, and collecting these would be like owning a Francis Bacon, or a Matisse. The tables and lamps are what make my head spin. Many of these pieces are from the 60's and 70's by French artists George Mathais, Jean Claude Dresse, and Fernand Dresse, all of whom created the uniquely gorgeous bronze coffee tables with stones, inlaid agates, or gorgeous etchings.

Are you DYYYYYING?

I wish I knew who made this sculpture, but the salesman was busy with another person, and was kind enough to give me a great amount of information on other pieces, so I didn't want to pester him. BTW, I thought I would walk into this store and be given the cold shoulder, and was so pleasantly surprised how genuinely nice the man was who helped me... It was kinda surreal...

This lamp, with the right shade, is EXACTLY right for my place...Drooling....

The LOTUS carved in the bronze??? How beautiful, no?

This piece belongs on my console...No, REALLY...

If anyone goes, tell the sweet boys I said hello. 

Hope you have had a great week so far.

All photos by Jennifer Ament

Video of the Week - MGMT

Earthy, Glam, Scandinavian.

I love the raw, earthy edge that Scandinavian decor wizards are able to mix in with their bright fresh spaces.  Elegantly earthy and bright, these pics hit the spot for these dark winter days. Hope you are staying warm!

Photo by Kristian Septimius Kroghhttp://www.septimiuskrogh.dk/.

Top Photo-By stylist Nanna Lagerman and photographer Idha Lindhag for Swedish ELLE Decor.

Video of the Month - The Clash

The Epitome of COOL in my book, Paul Simonon from The Clash. 

                                   

Hope you are having a great week!

Hanging Bird Nest for Humans, In Your Own Backyard...

 I have always wanted to do a "National Enquirer" style headline for my blog...And now I can say I have, because these outdoor furniture "Nest's" would be perfect for my ever growing obsession of the perfect back yard. I have a lush, ferny back yard, and we are lucky enough to live right on the edge of a green belt, so we have massive trees all around, and both shade and sun, a patio, and grass. I love our backyard, and this is something that would take it up a notch.

 It is called the "Nestrest"...

"An over-sized bird’s nest offering you a secluded, suspended sanctuary and unusual meeting place: it’s the perfect place for relaxation, meditation and open-air conversations." - NESTREST.

Designed by - Daniel Pouzet & Fred Frety

See more from Dedon here

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