Kim Piotrowski

A Sky Monet Could Appreciate

2012-01-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

Living by the water has allowed me to enjoy some unparalleled vistas. In the early evening I can often be seen running down the street with my camera to catch moments like this one. To me, it looks like an Impressionist painting.

The Flatiron Runneth Over ...With Cups

2012-01-26T20:44:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week, I was running through the Flatiron area trying to duck the cold when I was struck by an odd sight: a thousand (probably more) coffee cups embellished by the hand of Gwyenth Leech. They are strung in a small gallery space aptly called "The Prow" at the pointed end of the landmark Flatiron Building in Manhattan. A few of us gathered mesmerized, trying to take in the spectacle in the dwindling daylight. And this is why I have my camera sitting at the bottom of my purse at all times!

After looking for a few minutes, I quickly found a favorite with a red seaweed pattern.

The exhibit, called "Hypergraphia" runs from September 19, 2011 through February 18, 2012. The artist sits in the space in a type of performance Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. More information [like how did this all get started?] and Gwyneth's progress can be found on her blog about the project: www.gwynethsfullbrew.com

The artist's humble public work space.

Message In A Bottle - Collecting

2012-01-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

In honor of Chinese New Year (this one, the Year of the Dragon 龍 ), I thought I'd share yet another quirky little collection with you. For years, I've been finding those small pieces of paper from fortune cookies, the reward after eating a delicious Chinese meal. Long after dinner, they somehow find their way into pants pockets, a remote corner of my wallet, or crumpled at the bottom of my messy purse. I would put them aside only to come back much later and realize that a small pile of them had formed in my studio. I thought maybe I'll make some sort of art piece out of them someday.

For now, they sit in a small pharmacy bottle, contained little notes from the great beyond, each one offering me hope and advice. Others feature lucky numbers in case I want to try my odds at the lottery or make a miniscule attempt at learning a singular word in "Chinese"- which dialect or actual language, I'm not entirely sure.

新年快樂 - Happy New Year!

Before and After - Book Page Paintings

2012-01-22T22:56:00.001-05:00

Mitosis (left) and Early Man (right) - available in my shop.

This painting on the left is the one that started it all. It was an experiment. I liked the results, so later I came back to this idea. I ripped apart the rest of the book and painted on those pages too. And a whole new series was born. One of my most recent pieces is on the right. Using my initial motif of a cell wall with the nuclei splitting inside some of the contained areas, these small works have come full circle. Back to my scientific roots!

Floaty Travel Pens - Collecting

2012-01-11T22:28:00.000-05:00

There's been a small collection lurking in my art studio. With a recent New Year's cleanup, I realized that I had a few of these old floaty pens lying around. I gathered them remembering trips to various locales over the years. As you can see from the photo above, they cover areas far and wide. In Spain, a couple dances the flamenco across the floor. Some are more domestic like Walt Disney World where a flummoxed Mickey Mouse gets tossed in the tide of the sorcerer's wrath. My favorite is the one retrieved from Venice, where a gondola glides swiftly past Basilica San Marco. One thing I know for sure- I need to do some more traveling soon to expand this little kitschy collection!

Bits of Philly

2012-01-06T22:57:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos from a recent walk around Philadelphia over the holidays. They are the interior of a former private home on ritzy Rittenhouse Square, a skyline view from the sidewalks, the famous LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana, some renegade artwork in a back alley, and a skewed cityscape. Enjoy the view from my lens.

A Visit From St. Nick (in New Jersey)

2011-12-24T15:54:00.001-05:00

The local fire department in my hometown started a new tradition- spreading some late afternoon Christmas cheer by taking Santa through the streets of Riverton. Little kids and big kids alike wait expectantly on their porches while some of Santa's "helpers" distribute candy canes from door to door. Welcome, Santa!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Philadelphia Style

2011-12-23T20:14:00.000-05:00

Wanamakers Christmas Light Show Finale (photo courtesy of Mom)

Ever since I can remember, my mom and I have been making an annual trip to "center city" or Philadelphia. We would always make the drive part way there from the other side of the Delaware River in New Jersey, park, then take the "el" from the end of the line to the heart of Philly- Market Street and the Gallery Mall. We would make several stops to do some shopping and look at all of the latest, fancy, and unusual things that big cities had to offer. Sometimes, we would meet my dad at his office for lunch or come back home together at the end of his work day. The highlight of these trips was always the light show for kids at the Wanamakers Department Store. These many years later, we stilll make the trip. Now, we do very little shopping and have added a new lunch stop at a pub from the 1800s but the light show (now part of Macy's) remains a destination. Below, is a video snippet of the Rudolph medley. Enjoy!

First Day of Winter

2011-12-22T20:05:00.003-05:00

It may be unseasonably warm, but at least the days will start getting longer from here on out!

I'm A Statistic

2011-12-18T15:52:00.000-05:00

Today is an anniversary of sorts. Four months ago, I lost my job. In fact, most people I know aren't working right now. It's no longer something that we just hear about on the evening news, joblessness has become something that has settled in closer and closer to home.

Large mural by Faile - Williamsburg, Brooklyn (December 17, 2011)

An tongue-in-cheek piece of found objects by Skewville on the streets of Bushwick, Brooklyn (November 4, 2011) - thanks to Plaztikmag for the use of your camera.

While it was a relief to no longer have the mounting responsibility that came with the title at my previous employer, I now spend my days feverishly making phone calls, sending emails, checking for emails (again and again), and above all...WAITING. A few interviews have come and gone, but there always seems to be someone else out there who is slightly more perfect for the position. Rejection and frustration comes with the territory of being an artist, but with today's odds, it's hard to keep your spirits up. I never it would take this long to get back on my feet. While strolling my former neighborhood along streets of Brooklyn that I know so well, I found some comfort in these artworks expressing similar sentiments and in knowing that I'm not the only one.

This tire as a detail from the piece above pretty much sums it all up.

Winter Light

2011-12-14T22:27:00.000-05:00

Pelham Bay Wears Its Fall Colors

2011-11-11T21:14:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I enjoyed a really long walk around Pelham Bay Park to experience the mercurial fall weather. Overall, the scenery reminded me of the pristine setting of the remote Port Clyde in Maine I visited a few years ago.

City Island was settled in 1685. I can only imagine this must have been a spectacular panorama shrouded with trees and assorted grasses for those settlers and the Native Americans living here at the time. It still is.

Beware!

2011-10-31T21:05:00.000-04:00

Monster Hands by Dan Witz, Greenpoint Brooklyn (January 11, 2011)

Fall Has Fell

2011-10-20T19:06:00.000-04:00

New Paintings with Scientific Undertones - October 2011

2011-10-14T12:54:00.000-04:00

Below are some new paintings I've been working on this month. They appear on scientific book pages that have been carefully chosen to relate to the subject matter. The topics range from human anatomy to physics. Sometimes, the text underneath lends itself to the title. These pieces (among others) can be found here. Enjoy!

Of Sound (left) and Lift (right)

Elements of the Ocean (left) and Spring Bud (right)

Vitamin Chart (left) and Candyland (right)

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

2011-10-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

I knew that Steve Jobs was sick for some time, but was still shocked to learn of his sudden passing yesterday. I had to think back about how he has influenced my life, and our lives as a whole. My workouts at the gym are no longer done in silence. I can easily tune out annoying people on my commute (or just about anywhere).

Memorial at Apple Store on Fifth Avenue, NYC

I also thought about how many Apple products I've owned over the years- easily five. My family had an Atari 800 at home. It was the greatest toy ever. I used it for some typing and school projects in grade school, but mostly for topping my own winning score at Pac Man and Centipede during my free time. It got a lot of use during the summer months.

My intro to the world of Mac came when I got to college. My roommate had the first model of the Apple personal computer - one of those small ones that regularly displayed a sad face when it died. I was jealous of that small machine on her desk, but personal computing was still somewhat foreign to me. When she wasn't staying up all night and procrastinating by playing Tetris, she was writing papers without ever having to leave our room, whenever she wanted. How cool. What a concept! I trekked to the campus computer center and signed in to use one of those glorified typewriters. Occasionally, I would send an electronic note to friends at other colleges through the intercollege network, then known as vax mail. It was all so primitive. Now, home computing is commonplace.

Arguably, the Leonardo da Vinci of our digital generation, we can never know how much he has influenced our lives even in the smallest of ways. We've come a long way since vax mail! Thanks, Steve. Thanks for 'thinking different'.

A Walk Around the Neighborhood - Chelsea Market and Meatpacking District

2011-10-03T12:51:00.000-04:00

Last week, I found myself in the Chelsea/Meatpacking area on official business: an outdoor walk in perfect weather, some window shopping, and the chance to meet a friend for a glass of wine and some lunch. The area was buzzing with people (the new norm), but the day also coincided with the annual Food and Wine Festival. Cooking demos, bloggers, and famous chefs were found in some of my favorite haunts. Giada and I literally bumped into each other on more than one occasion. New York is in a state of constant flux and change - even the High Line, the newest resident, is no exception.

Cow Coffee Klatch Mural, Chelsea Market (above) and (below) a sculpture

by KAWS under the High Line and the Standard Hotel.

More textures from the area- colorful windows in the High Line and a mod cement grid at the Standard Hotel (above). Below, the newly renovated location for what was one of the last official hold-outs, Florent.

The rooftop terrace that made a great backdrop for a glass of wine and artwork

in the staircase to the penthouse by Faile.

10 Years Later

2011-09-11T16:38:00.000-04:00

Last night, I happened to be on a boat after dusk. Looking towards the city as I often do, I was stunned (now annually) to see the two beams of blue light reaching into the night sky. The powerful rays kept going until they faded into oblivion, sometimes blocked by a low-lying cloud or two.

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I recently moved and came across some memorabilia that I saved from the tragedy on 9/11. I thought today of all days, the ten year anniversary, would make this collection of clippings and other ephemera from that day more than relevant. It includes headlines from the New York Times, a Vanity Fair photo spread of everyone touched by this event, a new subway transit layout, an envelope requesting support from Nino's Restaurant (where first responders ate for six months), an email a year an a half later from Nino's to volunteers to celebrate all that was accomplished, a photograph that I bought from an exhibition entitled, "Here is New York- A Democracy of Photographs" of a teapot covered in WTC dust, and an article later appearing in the NY Times about the significance of that tea set to the family who owned it.

Book Review: Vanished Smile - The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa

2011-08-21T22:28:00.089-04:00

Mona Lisa's special display room, Louvre (Paris - May 27, 2005)

One hundred years ago today (also a very hot summer day in Paris), arguably the most famous painting of all time disappeared from the Louvre Museum. Although her true identity remains a mystery, she is known as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa or La Gioconda (dated c.1503-1506). I read the book, Vanished Smile, a few months ago thinking it was fiction based on reality. Though I went to graduate school for art, this event was strangely absent from the curriculum.

The book chronicles her mysterious disappearance through the periodicals of the day and makes for a very interesting read. Two days later, amidst turmoil and confusion, the new vacancy at the museum was the headline of all the Paris newspapers. The curious events surrounding her escape occurred at a time when security systems were lax; the advent of photography also played a big role. Her disappearance added to her world-renowned charm. Suspicion throughout the city grew worldwide. Even Picasso and his cronies were on the list of possible suspects. Who took her? How and when was she returned? Here's a hint, but I guess you'll just have to read all about it.

Today, she lives once again back at the Louvre in a special room with a multi-million dollar security system as she receives visitors who have to stand in line to get a short-lived glimpse of that famous enigmatic smile.

Art on Governors Island - The Better Than Jam Pop-Up Shop

2011-08-02T21:51:00.002-04:00

This summer, I'm selling some of my artwork with other New York Etsy artists on Governor's Island. We've taken over one of the yellow houses in Nolan Park. The house is filled with gifts for yourself or for others - beautiful things like ceramics, clothing, and photographs. You could also find anything from housewares to jewelry to affordable artwork. If you've been to Governor's Island before, why not check out some of the work by us local artists? And, if you've never been to the Island, don't wait too long- our big sale is only running for approximately another month!

Happy Monday - Lobster Dog

2011-07-25T09:30:00.004-04:00

This is Lola, my favorite pug, frolicking at Virginia Beach last week with her human and doggie pals. Out of four of our canine companions, she's the only one who loves to ham it up and pose for onlookers in her lobster costume. Hope you are enjoying your summer as much as Miss Lola.

Back to Brooklyn - Bushwick Pool Party

2011-07-23T22:57:00.005-04:00

What could be better than soaking yourself in a very large kiddie pool on a blistering hot day in the midst of a never-ending heatwave in NYC? I helped celebrate a friend's birthday in her Bushwick courtyard. It was very girly with nailpolish, bubbles, margaritas (and other umbrella drinks), sandwiches, birthday cake, blow pop rings, top 40 hits playing on the radio, and....no boys!

All wall art by Sweet Toof.

Before and After - Knox Martin on the West Side Highway

2011-06-28T21:29:00.003-04:00

I recently discovered a maquette of this piece in a catalog I had sitting around from 1997 of work by Knox Martin. It was entitled simply, Early Work, published by the Janos Gat Gallery located on Madison Avenue (now located on the Bowery). The maquette (pictured below) was originally exhibited by the Jack Gallery (New York) in 1978. The mural itself is located on 19th Street and the West Side Highway on the side of a ten-story facade. It is now virtually obliterated by a modern building giving way to New York's ever-changing real estate development. I'm curious about how the artist feels about this. After walking past it hundreds of times, I finally learned that this piece is called Venus, and was created in 1970-71 on the site which was chosen by the artist specifically for it.

As it appeared in the late afternoon as the sun was setting (February, 2000)

Maquette from the catalog.

"Traditionally the goddess of love and fertility, Venus represents woman, erotic and supple, but it also conveys Knox Martin's love affair with New York. Venus is his love poem to the city where he has always lived, a place that is part of his being. The feminine, curvilinear shapes of the iamge are in direct contrast with the straight forms that intersect the composition. The overwhelming size of this enormous mural only intensifies the experience of female shapes, the linear aspects of the painted composition, and of the surrounding architecture. In an era when art was reaching out to the masses with pop culture, this huge mural was Knox Martin's way of touch a public that would never venture into an art gallery."

-by Marilyn Kushner (from the catalog)

Giving way to New York's modern age, as it appears now with a new signature.

Summer Solstice

2011-06-21T22:44:00.001-04:00

Monet's Garden- Giverny, France (May 27, 2005)

This dreamy landscape repeatedly inspired one of the greatest and celebrated artists in recent history.

Oozing the laziness of summer, I couldn't resist sharing. Happy summer solstice, everyone!

Moving On....Goodbye to Greenpoint

2011-05-30T23:05:00.012-04:00

After ten plus years, I'm leaving Greenpoint. "They'll have to carry me out of here kicking and screaming," I thought when first confronted with the idea. It would mean giving up my rent-stabilized lease. It would also mean giving up part of an identity that I had culled for years; that certain stigma that comes with living in an up-and-coming neighborhood teeming with artists and creative types. When I moved to this section of Brooklyn back in 2000, no one (and I mean no one) wanted to live here. It was industrial, run-down, and fairly unattractive, even for New York. About six months later, the world discovered Williamsburg which is practically right next door. Since then, the spillover of Williamsburg Cool has made Greenpoint one of the hippest neighborhoods in Brooklyn but maybe a little too hip for me of late. I will miss the palpable creativity, the new wave of culinary artisans, the grit, the arms and legs (among other parts) covered in tattoos, and the old Polish couples who remind me of my own grandparents.

I'll be trading in pierogies and the rust belt of Brooklyn's waterfront niche for a complete change of pace, peeky-toe crab sandwiches, and the sailboats of a small seaside community in the Bronx. After a short weekend jaunt to City Island last year, I would have never guessed that I would be moving there exactly one year later. After counting down the days, I am looking forward to starting my new life by the bay....private beach and all. And, just in case I forget where I am for a second, the outline of the Empire State Building serves as a gentle reminder looming on the watery horizon.

Street Art - Gaia's Harbingers of Doom

2011-05-19T20:50:00.002-04:00

Judging by the billboards and posters plastered all over New York City lately, the world is slated to end on Saturday by someone's calculation. Personally, I am skeptical- they've been wrong many times before. Other signs are much more subtle. I often say here that the streets of New York can be like taking in an unplanned visit to an art museum. As I walk through these alleys of concrete, I wonder what's on the mind of the people who create unsolicited artwork and put them out there for the world to see without formality. What prompts artists to display their work in this way or create it at all? What are they reacting to? What are they trying to say? It's a message of sorts crafted by a visual courier- you just have to be aware to pick up on the signals.

St. John, Williamsburg Warehouse, Brooklyn (February 6, 2011)

This larger-than-life sized paste-up by Gaia confronts its viewers suddenly and unapologetically. A giant rooster head is morphed with a robed human body as the figure cradles the severed head of St. John the Baptist, known as the messenger of his time. This piece is a variation of another by the artist called, "Deny Me Three Times" (below). Gaia is known well for renderings of animal and human figures that pop up on the sides of buildings and throughout the streets of Baltimore, New York, San Francisco, and Korea but here, the artist is looking towards the museum-like work of the old masters like Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Bosch, and Bruegel. Rich with meaning, the rooster is known in symbology as an instrument that promotes watchfulness and foretells the end of the world. Combined with the imagery of the prophet, it is a powerful work of art.

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In a time consumed by war and environmental concerns, there is obviously an omen being conveyed in these works. Is it some sort of prophecy for the modern age? Or a call to action concerning some tragedy before it occurs? Whether your opinion of art found in the streets is lowbrow or highbrow, Gaia cleverly entwines elements from both worlds here- a timely reminder for us to listen and watch for the signs of possible things to come.

Deny Me Three Times, SoHo Neighborhood of Manhattan (May 30, 2010)

God Save McQueen

2011-05-16T21:25:00.007-04:00

....or at least his legacy. The late Alexander McQueen's risk-taking creations will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through July 31st. In conjunction with the Met's Savage Beauty exhibit, Bergdorf's also has a collection by the troubled genius featured in its windows.

Goth-looking mannequins peek out from behind the birch trees of a dark forest. A billowy red dress updates Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts under the protective wings of a stunning giant, red eagle. And the horned trio frolicks in the moiré patterns and reflections of the funhouse mirrors.

Art Lineup

2011-05-14T21:58:00.000-04:00

Art opening, Manhattan (May 13, 2011)

Your Mom

2011-05-08T08:16:00.002-04:00

February 2, 2001 (McCarren Park, Brooklyn)

Don't forget to give her a call today!

Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T23:01:00.043-04:00

Both incendiary (above) and sweet (below) - the world has celebrated the weddings of Royal Britain in different ways. I was recently cleaning out my apartment and found the matchbook featuring a cheery portrait of Charles and Diana. I'm not sure why it's in French, nor do I know how old it is, but I consider it a timely find. On the date of Kate and William's wedding, I happened to be in our Nation's capital on business. The hotel offered guests these cute cupcakes below: jeweled crowns, the Union Jack, Kate's ring, and a heart-shaped cookie bearing the names of the happy couple.

In my plush hotel robe, and feeling pretty chuffed with myself for getting up at 4:30 a.m., I watched the nuptuals live on tv. The pageantry, the hats, the fascinators, and the clamor of the bells throughout London was exciting. A modern fairytale, it was a much-needed escape from wars and recessions. Let's just hope this one works out a lot better than the marriage of Will's mum and dad.

Ethnic Decorative Easter Eggs - Interview

2011-04-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Last year, I posted about a traditional method of dyeing Easter eggs call pysanky. This year, I found an artist who uses another method. It is a style that I recognized, and is stunning in its simplicity and natural color. We have some eggs like these in our family's collection (my mom remembers doing them as a child) so I wanted to get more information from someone who currently practices this tradition. Below, is Mary Gleixner's story- she also sells her work in her online shop.

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These chicken eggs are decorated using the Polish pin drop method of waxing and dyeing eggs. They have been blown out, cleaned, waxed, and dyed dark red. I then varnish the eggs with the wax giving the eggs a raised effect. This completed set of three sits with a dozen of empty shell of different colors of eggs including brown, speckled, and aracana (a light green). It is a tradition that was handed down through the generations from my Great Aunt to my mother and to her children. For years, we thought that the tradition was Russian but my sister found a book called, Easter Eggs...Polish Style by Lawrence G. Kozlowski (a simple 40 page spiral bound book). It showed the different designs from different sectors of Poland. I think that my family must have come from Podlasie because those are the designs that match my mom's eggs. It also describes other traditions known as Kraszanki, Batykowane, Skrobanki, Wyklejanki, Nalepianki, Malowanki, as well as eggs made from paper and straw. My Great Aunt on my mom's side taught her when she was pretty young, and they had to stand over a hot coal stove to work on the eggs. Aunt Betty didn't have fond memories of making the eggs because of that stove. On the other hand, my mom loved making the eggs. I know that her favorite part was giving them away. She always looked so proud! I have great memories of my mom creating the egg designs. I am so very thankful that I learned when I did. My mom passed away eleven years ago, and there is not a single egg that leaves my hands without a thought of her.

This method is called "pin drop" because the designs are all made with the head of a pin dipped in wax. My mom would let all six of us kids dye usually two dozen hard boiled eggs for Easter. Once they were dry, she would heat up her bee's wax in an old paint can lid and begin her waxing. I can still hear her pin hitting the lid, where she would let it sit for a few seconds before she would touch the egg and make a short stroke, The stroke made a tear drop effect on the egg. The markings represent the tears that Mary cried when Jesus died on the cross. Each egg was either divided into three or had markings of three to represent the Trinity. She would work quietly on each egg. One by one, she would start to fill the egg cartons. They were just beautifiul. She would let us watch only because the wax was extremely hot. Then she would send us to bed, and you could hear her working until late into the evening. In the morning, we would come down to see her beautiful work. We were each allowed to pick an egg to give to our teachers for Easter. Others were given as gifts, and the last of them were reserved for egg fights on Easter- when you smash each other's egg by banging them together to see who had the toughest egg.

It wasn't until after I became a mother myself that I realized how important this tradition was to me. I blew out a dozen eggs - the hard way- and asked my mom to make some for me to keep for my children. She told everyone in the house to sit and watch, and she would explain exactly what she was taught. Even our brothers had to try to make the eggs. Our eggs looked terrible, but I was determined. I practiced for many years before I thought they were good enough. I love making the eggs and have truly enjoyed passing the tradition onto my children.

Some of the eggs pictured here are some of my older eggs that I have kept for my kids. The original tradition with our family was to hard boil, decorate, and eat the eggs. I now use the aniline dyes to get the great colors. Some of the eggs I leave the wax on for a fun effect, and others I remove the wax to reveal the colors. The eggs that my mom made were a simpler version because they were to be eaten and not saved.

All photos in this post courtesy of Mary Gleixner of MarysEggs

We were always told that they were peasant eggs. The farmers would bury an egg at the end of a row in their field to ensure a good crop. They were also placed at the head of gravestones at Easter. I do it today in place of flowers...my eggs last much longer than flowers.

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The tools I use are remarkably simple. When my grandma passed away, we were asked by my uncle to come to the house and take what we wanted. He knew what I was looking for...all I wanted was those tools. He was in the basement, turned around and said, "Oh Mary, this is what you want!!" It was the only thing I wanted- a little bag with two sticks with pins in the end, some candles, and a little tray. It sounds silly that two little sticks with pins should be such a prize, but they will be held dear to my heart forever.

For more of Mary's designs and stories about how she creates these beautiful eggs, visit her blog.

Earth Day

2011-04-22T08:35:00.003-04:00

Succulents, Brooklyn (February 26, 2011)

Kale, Maine (September 4, 2009)

Andy Warhol Sighting in Union Square

2011-04-16T16:20:00.000-04:00

Andy Warhol, famous artist, filmmaker, and sycophant returns to New York's centralized Union Square in sculpture form as a public art project by artist, Rob Pruitt. He now stands at the same juncture where he once gave out copies of Interview Magazine and just steps away from where his famous (or infamous) Factory was located on the sixth floor of the Decker Building at 33 Union Square West. The sculpture depicts Andy with large, owl-like glasses, an ever-present Polaroid camera swinging from his neck, and a Bloomingdale's shopping bag (medium) all encased in a ghostly Mylar patina. He's on view through October 2, 2011.

I'm in New York now partly because of Andy Warhol. My love for this city started as a slow burn in the early 1980s as I thumbed through Interview Magazine. Its pages chronicled the hazy accounts of gallivanting of stars like Grace Jones, Brooke Shields, Debbie Harry, and Keith Haring. They wore gold lamé catsuits with matching metallic roller skates. They hung out at Studio 54, Palladium, Cedar Bar, and Max’s Kansas City. I loved it all, the fashions, the parties, the artsy people who all appeared to be having the time of their lives. I bought into the dream and fantasy of being an artist in New York. Andy was in the center of it all, and I wanted to be part of that art scene more than anything. New York sure has changed, but at the time, I felt like I was missing out because of my age. While most of my friends were at the mall or starting to date, I sat alone in my Victorian doily-covered room in southern New Jersey dreaming of the big city...

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Below, is a "living sculpture" of Andy's famous Mylar pillows that still quietly float in a room in his Pittsburgh Museum.

Some Press in Inc. Magazine, April 2011

2011-04-05T17:12:00.005-04:00

This month, Inc. Magazine's feature article is about Etsy and its founder, Rob Kalin. The article runs through some of the inner workings and history of the company showing thumbnail photographs of many familiar faces. If you happen to pass a newsstand this month, you'll see me on p. 64. Happy reading!

Cobra on the Loose in New York

2011-03-30T22:17:00.004-04:00

Cobra on a Carpet, Marrakesh (September 23, 2002)

For the last couple of days news headlines have alerted New Yorkers that a venomous cobra is missing from the Bronx Zoo. Thinking back through my files of images, I remember taking this photo of a deadly cobra with his two serpent friends in the background while on a family vacation in Morocco....no zoom lens, nothing. There's not much space between me and that snake who was poised and ready to have me for lunch. For some reason, I leaned in to get a good shot. I really don't know what I was thinking!

All of Manhattan has been abuzz (dare I say, a-twitter even) with the news of the missing (or escaped?) reptile. Some clever person has given the "snake on the town" a voice with a hilarious twitter account that chronicles his travels and activities as a tourist in is very own city. Amassing over 150,000 followers in just a few days, here are some of my favorite entries to date:

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Enjoying a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery. This is going straight to my hips. Oh, wait. I don't have hips. Yesss!

Getting on the ferry to Ellis Island. Let's hope this goes better than that time on the plane.

Taking the Sex and the City Tour!!! I'm totally a SSSamantha.

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Temple of Dendur really kicks some asp.

Getting my morning coffee at the Mudtruck. Don't even talk to me until I've had my morning coffee.
Seriously, don't. I'm venomous.

Holding very still in the snake exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. This is gonna be hilarious!

Dear NYC, Apples and snakes have gone together since the beginning.

Origami Cranes Around Brooklyn

2011-03-29T21:00:00.012-04:00

As I was leaving for work last week, I saw this beautiful strand of origami cranes floating in a tree. I pass McGolrick Park in Greenpoint daily, but this bright morning was different. The sun was streaming through the colorful strands, and a gentle breeze gave them movement. Luckily, I had my camera in my coat pocket (as I sometimes do) and took advantage of this special moment. I thought for sure that by day's end, the Parks Department or the elements would have ruined this impromptu work of art but they remain. I glanced downward and saw a cluster of votive candles was left directly under it. I assumed it was some local group's response to the tragedy in Japan. After doing a little sleuthing on the internet, I was somewhat right and found that there's more to the story....

The project was created by local musician and songstress, Niabi. It started as a way to keep idle hands busy and combat the endless winter. An ancient Japanese legend states that the person who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a wish by the mystical creature. Following the legend, the simple act of folding paper has evolved into something more for the artist in light of Japan's crisis:

"I want to give my wish away to someone who needs it more than I do.

In short, it is my prayer for peace."

In the same week, I was walking through another section of Greenpoint and found this tiny red crane above. I also found a stash of origami paper in my own art studio. The crane's symblic imagery even appears as a motif on the paper. I don't know how to make anything from it, but I admire its patterns and colors - and all of the little paper animals that seem to be cropping up around my section of Brooklyn lately too.

Museum Buttons - Collecting

2011-03-27T20:56:00.003-04:00

Every time I come back from a museum visit, I dutifully put my little metallic badge in a jar that I have for such items. I don't even remember how this peculiar little collection started. It was probably when I first noticed that there was a different color every time I went. It soon became a small obsession like hunting for the prize at the bottom of the cereal box - collect all five!

Most of the buttons are from multiple visits to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art each emblazoned with a giant "M" diagrammed like Leonardo's Vitruvian Man. They are from the days when I was a student practically living in one perfectly-ventilated environment or another. Others are from the New Museum, the Whitney, the MFA in Boston, DIA in upstate New York, the Morgan Library, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (identified and distinguished by the gryphon on a colorful background). As I see them all spread out, I realize, that's a lot of looking at art!

Happy Monday

2011-03-14T08:00:00.002-04:00

Zoe, Montauk (August 21, 2010)

Jane's Bliss, Montauk (August 21, 2010)

Retro Glam

2011-03-13T20:03:00.003-04:00

I love the clothes from the 1970s and immediately stopped in my tracks when I spotted this little bohemian beauty by Fendi in the windows at Saks. I love the billowy sleeves and carefree attitude. I guess I'll have to enjoy it from afar, as this little treasure runs just above the $2K mark (not including the belt, or those fabulous sunglasses).

New Art for Early March

2011-03-10T20:59:00.000-05:00

Loops and whorls and curves - now available in my shop.

Fat Tuesday - Carnevale in Venice

2011-03-08T08:00:00.004-05:00

In places like New Orleans, today is known as "Fat Tuesday" or "Shrove Tuesday" - that crazy period of over-indulgence and partying before Lent and fasting begins in preparation for Easter. Coming from the Italian words for "meat" (carne) and "go away" (vale) is carnevale, or carnival - a farewell to meat. After studying in Venice and visiting friends (always in the summer), I wanted to see what carnival would be like. Years ago, I braved the nasty weather that goes hand-in-hand with Venice's marine environment for February. From my notes and recollections:

I arrive at Marco Polo airport at 10:30 a.m. then took the boat to the Castello area of Venice. I am headed to a palace that formerly housed one in a long line of Doges. A section of it with its ancient courtyard is now a friend's apartment as his family's weekend pied-à-terre. We walk for a little while with my suitcases through the winding streets.

Later, we pass through Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo, and it's become very foggy. It is Martedi Grasso (Fat Tuesday) and revelers are walking around in masks and costumes, posing and becoming one with the city's ancient landmarks. This time, Serenissima is everything I always imagined it would be. Eerie. Sinister. Even though it's late afternoon, it's already fairly dark. On certain streets, it is numbingly quiet- except for the clicking of the heels of a courtesan in colonial costume rushing off to one of the balls. This air of mystery is what inspired works like the psycho-thriller, Don't Look Now (starring a very young Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie), Eyes Wide Shut, and Death in Venice. It is a place that oozes of history, intrigue, glorious imagery, and a longing for beauty just like Thomas Mann's novel.

We went briefly to the Casino for a jazz concert and reception. Strangely, I notice the Latin words, "non nobis" (not for us) emblazoned at its entrance. After the concert, my friend and I walked towards home. Once again, I am taken with the silence of the city at such an early hour. There is no one around, and now all you can hear is your own hurried footsteps as you quickly stride through the fog and darkness. This place is bursting with secrets. We walk by the Church of the Miracoli, a virtual jewel straddling two canals. It is still unrelentlessly cold and damp. The baroque style costume balls held at some of the palazzi must be in full swing by now. The next day, I am grateful that there is a little bit of sun poking through the thick layer of clouds but it doesn't offer any warmth. We go for a walk to the Accademia Bridge area, and then to the busy Campo Margherita.

The water is very turbulent, and getting around is fairly difficult. The water is flooding the square acqua alta and the boards are out as tourists and residents alike teeter above the inky depths. I went to a mass for Ash Wednesday at St. Mark’s. Unbelievably, the water is ankle deep even inside the church. The main area near the altar must be a little bit higher above sea level. The space is amazing, and it was emotional to be inside to see it in the manner it was intended and without a consistent flow of flashing cameras. I think of all the history here, and feel a sense of place. Without so many people bustling through, the space seems oddly small. We go up to receive our ashes. They are sprinkled on the top of my head rather than displayed as a large blob X formation on the forehead as is done back home.

Afterwards, we walk the streets again towards a bacaro (a place for snacks) located near the train station, the Osteria Carbonera. It is an awful night with the high water and driving wind mixed with snow. There are not many people out tonight. The restaurant has the long wooden community tables that I love so much. There is a candle in a bottle on every table. The lighting is really low and moody, but the atmosphere is friendly and authentic. We came here to eat the last time I was in Venice just three years prior. Tonight, we are offered homemade wine and various spreads for the mini toasts. We take the vaporetto from Guglie and the turbulence in the water is awful near the Ospedale. My hosts hang out with me while I try to force everything I have into three bags.

The next day, the snow is actually accumulating and the water is really violent again. I have to leave today. It's too bad I won’t get to see the city with a layer of white. As I stare into the blank, lifeless eyes of the masks, I realize that I'm drawn to Venice again and again. And, even though I didn't pay top dollar (some are upwards of 450 Euro) to go to a costume party, or get dressed up myself, it was one of the best parties I've ever attended- thrown by the city as a whole.

_______

Pictured above (and below left), is one of the more prominent figures of Carnevale known as the Bauta, usually portrayed as a white mask with a strange, projected upper lip and no chin, worn with a black cloak and a tri-corner hat.

The Bauta (left) and the beaked Plague Doctor (right). Other masks include the Moretta (a black circular velvety mask with netting worn by ladies), the Volta or Larva type, the Columbina, or the Pulcinella (a clown with a protruding nose), the harlequin, pantalone, among many other commedia dell'arte characters. Participation in Venice's festivities and the wearing of a costume during this time guaranteed total anonymity. The lack of identity leveled class systems and also fostered all sorts of roguish behavior from romantic encounters to criminal activity.

The party swirls around the feathered Fantasma at Florian's.

Confetti in Milan- the whole country is celebrating!

The inner sanctum of St. Mark's and some directions on the side of a wall in Sestiere Castello.

Window Love - Rochas at Barneys

2011-03-01T20:48:00.013-05:00

I was struck dumb upon seeing this stunning silk gown by Rochas as part of Barneys "Backstage" campaign.

If I can quote Rachel Zoe just once for this beautiful display, "I die!"

Balloon Man - The Artwork of Jason Hackenwerth

2011-02-28T20:12:00.003-05:00

I often post here about how much I love looking at the store windows as I walk around Midtown Manhattan. I am always surprised by the breadth and scope of the creativity (and the work involved) for stores like Barneys, Anthropologie, and Bergdorf Goodman. Currently at Bergdorf's, there is one of the wildest displays I've ever seen featuring the balloon art of Jason Hackenwerth.

Are these sea creatures? Perhaps the prehistoric lamprey or a macro-view of a life-sized anemone. Are they from outer space? Or are they cellular forms that have been blown up into grand scale? What could be better than combining such colorful creatures with high fashion? Genius.

For more of Jason's work, check out his website - guaranteed visual enjoyment.

New York Fashion Week - The Blonds (Fall 2011)

2011-02-22T17:45:00.003-05:00

Ever hear of Lady Gaga? Sure you have. Ever wonder where some of her outrageous outfits come from? Their clothes may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the Blonds put on one heck of a lively show - a real treat for anyone who's become bored with de rigeur fashion.

The show started with a short video, then a salute to Chinese New Year with two dragons performing a dance for good luck. Even before the show, many audience members proved to be just as interesting. It's easy to feel somewhat plain next to the likes of Sex and the City stylist, Patricia Field, Eve, Amanda Lepore, and various folks from America's Next Top Model. I lived out a small dream imagining this is what New York must have been like in the 1980s with all the crazy nightlife contained in a single room.

The Blonds' over-the-top style of tinsel, sparkle, fringe, and super-saturated color immediately had me in glitter heaven. The clothes are about having fun simultaneously proving that shiny can be any girl's favorite color. (Thanks, Mimi!)

New York Fashion Week - Anna Sui (Fall 2011)

2011-02-17T18:52:00.003-05:00

Baby doll dresses, long chunky necklaces, velveteen vests, eye-catching prints, school girl innocence, the rock n' roll/bohemian look of the 1970s - this is the formulaic combination that we've come to know as Anna Sui. It's deja vu all over again. We've seen this all before, but always with various twists on a theme to keep the collection somewhat fresh. Or maybe, we actually have seen this before - with a couple of re-issued pieces pulled from the "archives" especially for Anthropologie this year, and a retrospective book there's not a whole lot really new here. Speaking of my favorite store, I was certain there would have been an influence loaded with colorful ethnic prints from the televised excursion to Syria with Anthropologie's Keith Johnson (on Sundance). Instead, Anna was blatantly self-referencing. Even the backdrop was classic Sui evoking the downtown New York SoHo store.

To mix things up a bit, a couple of accessories were neon, with large, Mad Hatter-esque slouchy fur hats and jackets, and strangely-placed animal hats that added some adorable refreshment but were more like a speed bump non-sequitor in a sea of sexy librarians. In an effort to do something different (like the Cynthia Rowley show), three girls rather than one were sent down the runway to open and close the show.

Yes, we've seen it all before, but we must absolutely love it. Otherwise, the Sui show wouldn't be one of the most packed shows during Fashion Week. And we wouldn't keep coming back for more, now would we?

(Anti) Valentine's Day - He Loves Me....Not

2011-02-14T08:45:00.004-05:00

He Loves Me...Not (from the "It's Not You" Series), acrylic and mixed media on canvas

And so, another year has passed, and it's not all roses and chocolates. This painting from a few years ago reflects my sentiments on this holiday that only fills singles like me with anxiety and resentment. It was created as an anti-Valentine made from vintage childrens' Valentine cards with decorative floral hankies. By the title alone, the saccharine sweetness of the materials were obliterated with a sarcastic tongue-in-cheek statement on how I really felt about romance at the time....and sometimes still do.

I guess there's always hope for next year?

New York Fashion Week - Cynthia Rowley

2011-02-12T16:34:00.003-05:00

Last night, I went to the Cynthia Rowley show at Lincoln Center. This was one of the most unusual runway shows I've seen yet. Underwear models (pictured left) walked back and forth from stage left to stage right throughout while the clothed models each took their turn out on the length of the perpendicular catwalk. The hair was simple, making way for the eyes to take in the clothes- also quite different. Several models strutted color blocked 3-dimensional cube Op Art pencil skirts with a deep peek-a-boo slit up the side. Others showed the simple long dresses with plunging necklines that you can see above. My favorites were the gaucho-legged pants and blousy tops sewn together as billowy uni-suits resembling something commedia dell'arte's Pulcinella character. (Thanks for the invite, Mimzy!)

Artistic Quotables

2011-02-09T12:43:00.017-05:00

Over the years, I've clipped some quotes about art and hung them on my wall of inspiration in my studio. Some of these are helpful when I need a visit from the muses. Others are beneficial in order to get over that hump when it's just you in that studio and the intimidating blank canvas is staring back at you. Each one of them has something special to offer. Some of my large paintings from over the years are scattered in between each little nugget of wisdom.

___________

Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.
-Picasso

Cells on the Horizon, oil on canvas, 38" x 108"

We have art so that we may not perish by the truth.
-Friedrich Nietzsche

Only through art can we emerge from ourselves and know what another person sees.
-Marcel Proust

Medieval Rhythms II, acrylic on paper, 10.5" x 7" each

An artist is not one who has solved life's problems. He is one who accepts life's problems.
-Anonymous

Art is a line around your thoughts.
-Gustav Klimt

Weeping Blue, acrylic and collage on paper, 45" x 73.5"

Artists are better at finding a way to kill their time.
-John Baldessari

Artists to my mind are the real architects of change, and not the political legislators who implement change after the fact.
-William S. Burroughs

Art is about paying attention.
-Laurie Anderson

Evolution, 18 separate pieces, acrylic on paper, 10.5" x 7" each

The artist should never try to be popular. Rather the public should be more artistic.
-Oscar Wilde

Art is never chaste.
-Picasso

Art is making something out of nothing and selling it.
-Frank Zappa

Becoming an artist is a lifetime process- a process which begins with the way you see things, the way you feel about things, and the way you express what you see and feel. Becoming an artist means always trying something new.
-Unknown, from an art school catalog

Bubble Grid, acrylic and collage on paper, 25 pieces, 60" x 60"

Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads.

-Erica Jong, author, The Artist as Housewife

Art is an experience, not an object.

-Robert Motherwell

Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.

-Louise Nevelson

Fez, acrylic and collage on paper, 50" x 50"

What is art anyway?
-Georgia O'Keeffe

Blog Feature - Elysian Studios

2011-02-05T17:29:00.003-05:00

Erin Fickert-Rowland from the Elysian Studios blog featured my work along with three other of her favorite artists as a wishlist of original artworks for Valentines under $100. As a painter herself, she has plenty of her own work around, but admires the work of others for inspiration and affordable gift-giving. Check out the post and the other artists here!

Painted Hearts - Collecting

2011-01-30T19:58:00.004-05:00

Last year, I created a post about my collection of milagro hearts. Above are some new additions to that collection - part Day of the Dead, part street art, part mask - they appeal to me with their whimsy and handpainted charm. I purchased these new hearts made from cardboard as pieces of artwork in a local Brooklyn shop. They were created by a local artisan/tv director named Jimbo Matison. Growing up, his family didn't have a lot of money so he would make his own toys from cardboard - action figures, robots, and hot rod cars. He later realized, "this is more than just making goofy stuff with cardboard, it has life and meaning. It's art."

Science Into Art

2011-01-25T10:03:00.002-05:00

I've been quite busy hibernating in my studio during this cold weather snap. These pieces were created with my old biological studies in mind. Painted on the pages ripped from an old chemistry book, they depict various compounds, muscle fibers, and a multi-planed formation. From left, "Crystalline Forms", "Peeky-Boo", and "Tetrahedron - Commercial Processes" - all of which are available now in my shop.

Chemical Romance

2011-01-24T10:35:00.002-05:00

I've been working on some new paintings in line with the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday. These were both done on the pages of old chemistry books. Through the candy colored haze you can see the underlying scientific terms - match made in heaven (or the lab)! Now available in my online shop.

Old Man Winter

2011-01-23T22:38:00.002-05:00

The ice nestled around every bud and tree limb is pretty, but these single digit temps are rough!

Brace Yourselves

2011-01-18T22:41:00.003-05:00

New York's Fashion Week is coming again soon - February 10 - 17, 2011.

From the presentation for Project Runway winner (Season 6), Irina Shabayeva's INC Concepts collection for Macy's.

(Thanks, PlaztikMag for the invite.)

And The Winner Is...

2011-01-10T08:48:00.005-05:00

Last week, I posted my first art giveaway to celebrate my one year blogging debut, and tonight, I drew a name, the old-fashioned way, from my favorite colorful bowl.

My winner is Audrey! Enjoy your new piece of artwork. It will be mailed to you this week. Thank you to everyone who posted a comment throughout the week. Stay tuned for more special giveaway celebrations throughout the year.

Running Away To Join The Circus

2011-01-08T20:39:00.001-05:00

Ever since I can remember, I've been intrigued by the circus and things that involve carnivals. I love the clowns, the brightly colored handpainted signs, the over-the-top graphics, and the typography. It's Americana at its best.

Years ago, I bought this antique ticket (above) that must have been a beloved keepsake to some child. Below are some of my art pieces that rare inspired by the wild colors and shapes under the Big Top.

I Am A Very Stylish Girl

2011-01-05T20:41:00.004-05:00

...as Patricia Neal uttered in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Last week, as I was flipping through the tv channels, I stumbled across the iconic film and settled in for a late night of movie watching. Ironically, just down the block from the real thing (Tiffanys, that is), stands a 50+ foot woman - a line drawing in light - who resembles the fashionable fille. Thank you, Dior, for the eye candy surprise as we rush through the busy streets of Midtown.

This line, is also heard in one of favorite songs by Dmitri From Paris...Une Very Stylish Fille. Just click on the little bubble below. It's music that's a good fit for your very own famously dashing party scene. Now, all you need to add is a cigarette holder, some cocktails, an updo, and a feline companion named "Cat". Don't forget the Little Black Dress!

Muzicons.com

Encounters with Greatness - Sol Lewitt

2011-01-02T15:19:00.003-05:00

Sol Lewitt's colorful sculptures on the roof at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2005)

___________

Several years ago, as a recent graduate from the arts program at Trinity College, I was invited to participate in a special project lead by artist, (the now late) Sol Lewitt and his assistants. The project was to implement one of Sol Lewitt's drawings into the new student center on Trinity's campus in Hartford, Connecticut.

I was part of a team of art students ready to carry out the project. Above are the plans for the space that were sent over by the artist. Mr. Lewitt later came to the site at Trinity to meet all of us and show us in person how to re-create his design. There was scaffolding, cans of paint with Lewitt's usual bright colors, brushes of all shapes and sizes, and the sketches you see here. Having plans to travel to Italy for a friend's wedding, I was not able to stay for the entire project. Upon my return from Italy, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to find a package from the Lewitt studio with an original gouache by the artist inside as a thank you gift for my help. I don't keep it with me, but someday, I hope to enjoy it in a real house.

Several months later, we were all invited back to Trinity and honored along with the dedication of the completed space. Trinity's art department compiled a special binder of photographs for each of us. The final project also made headlines in the alumni magazine.

A photographer captured me taking in the finished product at the dedication (1998).

New Year's Blogging Anniversary and Art Giveaway

2011-01-01T16:12:00.008-05:00

Today marks the one year anniversary of my being an official blogger. This concept makes me laugh a little since it started as my New Year's Resolution for 2010 - and prior with a singular post from 2008 - into now what has become a full-blown obsession. To celebrate this happy occasion, I will be giving away a piece of my artwork (below - no matting or framing included) to one of you lucky readers.

Golden Mean (in Purple), 5" x 7", gouache and pencil on paper from an old chemistry book, 2011

To participate and put your name in the digital hat, please register as a public follower, and leave a comment below. Don't forget to include an email address where you can be contacted. From the comments, I will draw a name at random on Sunday, January 9th around 8 p.m. ET. Good luck and spread the word!

Thank you to those of you who keep coming back for more - looking forward to a great 2011!

A Walk Around the Neighborhood - Williamsburg

2010-12-27T21:46:00.021-05:00

Walking around the Williamsburg neighborhood can be like stepping into an art gallery, especially if you follow the major players of street art. I love the way pre-existing elements of the street complement the work. (Top) Shepard Fairey has many paste-ups in the area since his send-ff show for Deitch Projects last May. Above, is an enormous bunny by ROA who created this piece over an earlier painting of a pig. If you look closely, you'll see that the animal is partially decomposing as the artist plays with the idea of sleep vs. death.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - New York's Christmas Windows

2010-12-24T21:29:00.003-05:00

Halloween was barely over when New Yorkers were thrust into the holidays full throttle. The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center has been in place for well over a month now and enjoyed by literally thousands.

Above, a replica of the star of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree also stands at eye level,
and the windows at Bergdorf's are always a treat for the eyes.

Above, more windows from Bergdorf's and decorations in front of the Plaza Hotel.

Above, the colorful starry light show at the Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle.

Everyone has been busily prepping with lights and decorations to lure shoppers from all over the globe. Despite the sometimes unbearable crowds, natives also get to enjoy this time of year as they see the big city transformed into a cheery wonderland. The window displays of the large department stores are my favorite all year round, but their Christmas windows are always fabulously over the top. During the holiday season, New York puts its best foot forward for everyone to enjoy. Here are some of my favorite photos and scenes from last year too.

The windows at Saks Fifth Avenue, 2009 depicting a childrens' story about the travels of Twinkle, the snowflake.

Bergdorf's spectacular homage to Louis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland in a series of windows called a "Compendium of Curiosities", 2009. The queens featured in the four suits of playing cards sit in ball gowns in a display that is turned on its side as the ladies pop out at passers-by in a distorted birds' eye view perspective.

Always quirky with a creative sense of humor, the Barneys window display honored a New York institution, Saturday Night Live. Below, a portion of a Christmas tree inside the store compiled from globes and vintage mannequin heads, 2009.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

A Lunch Stop in Leipzig

2010-12-22T18:47:00.005-05:00

Shopping can make you quite hungry, especially when it's an outdoor winter sport. Our next stop was a brief jaunt to Leipzig, home of the largest Advent Calendar and Bach. Our lunch stop consisted of more gluhwein (of course) and a kartoffelpuffer (potato pankcakes with sour cream) all served outside.

Here, each Christmas stall at the market has a very decorative roof. My favorites were the cherubs above, or the three chefs working hard at their loaves of stollen, a dense cake similar to a fruitcake (bottom photo).

Above is the Thomaskirche (or St. Thomas Church) where Johann Sebastian Bach once worked as an unknown choir director and school teacher. As part of his job, he was expected to compose an original cantata for weekly church services. He only achieved fame posthumously when later choir directors appreciated the complexity and breath of the body of work he left behind. His body was moved from the cemetery down the street to inside the the church. Today, you can enjoy Bach's music played on the organ during concerts and practice sessions.

The mtoif of the angel and soldier carrying torches was prevalent throughout Germany.

A market stall lined with heart-shaped gingerbread cookies.

Winter wonderland dreams on the inside of a snow globe.

Another highly decorated market stall rooftop.

The enormous Advent Calendar.

Next stop.....Dresden.

New Painting Pairings

2010-12-19T20:36:00.001-05:00

The colors of sunset.

The colors of the preppie era.

Etsy's NewNew Team Interview

2010-12-13T11:17:00.013-05:00

I was recently interviewed by New York's local Etsy team, the {NewNew}. I love the creativity in the questions! See the interview here.

A Winter Tour of Berlin

2010-12-12T16:57:00.001-05:00

Our itinerary started in Berlin with the Gendarmenmarkt near the French section of the city. Like horses chomping at the bit, my mom and I couldn't wait to find the markets we'd heard so much about and commence the shopping. The markets are plenty- there are the main ones (highly decorated and visited) found in any city or town, and then there are the smaller offshoot markets that spread down most side streets. Aside from sausage sandwiches and mulled wine, you can also find handmade wares and more commercial trinkets alike.

Above, sausages and gluhwein mugs. The mugs are particular to every market, and for a the price of a small deposit, you can take them with you as a souvenir. We never dreamed of starting a collection, but by the end of our tour, our suitcases had more mugs than store (or market) bought souvenirs. Below are some of the wares: sugary sweets, ornaments made from fine wood shavings, foil-covered chocolate Father Christmas figures, Moravian Stars, and hand-carved pull toys.

Our guide made a point of telling us that the markets can be very crowded - Germans typically meet at the Christmas markets to catch up with their friends to simply eat, drink, and be merry. Shopping is merely a side activity, particularly if you just need to pick up a little something for someone you haven't seen in a while, or if you need a small decorative item to perk up your own place.

You just cannot escape World War II or the infamous Berlin Wall, so we also took in some of the other sights around Berlin too. In the midst of a modern city, reminders of the recent past are inescapable, and the ghosts of a dark period in history are all around you.

Carriage horses in the square mimic the ones atop the Brandenburg Gate.

Pieces of the Berlin Wall are scattered throughout the city- particularly the more interesting pieces that also function as an outdoor art musem. They pop up in surprising places like outside apartment complexes and store fronts. It's hard to believe that such a big part of history was made so recently with its removal in 1989.

The Christmas Tree at "Checkpoint Charlie" - as seen from the Russian side.

A line marker runs through the sidewalks and streets of Berlin that traces where the infamous Wall once divided the city. It was shocking to learn that it literally went up overnight in the form of barbed wire which was later replaced by the reinforced concrete slabs.

The Holocaust Memorial sculpture- A very interesting and controversial piece of artwork by architect, Peter Eisenman, implemented in 1999 with 2,711 concrete rectangles bearing no names or dates in commemoration of the Jews who were exterminated during World War II. The "stones" resembling sarcophagi are set in a wavelike pattern creating a feeling of disorientation as one walks through them. Some are knee-length in height while others undulate to rise above your head. Ironically, this grand memorial sits in close proximity, just one block, from the unremarkable remains of Hitler's bunker which was later eradicated by the Russians.

Interior of the Brandenburg Gate.

Next stop....Leipzig.

Back From The Christmas Markets of Germany

2010-12-07T06:44:00.003-05:00

I've been away, did you miss me? I have just returned from a very chilly tour of the busy Christmas markets throughout Germany. It was so cold at one point, that my camera even stopped working! In the coming days, I will be featuring highlights from Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Nuremberg, Rothenberg, and Munich; each having its own magical Christmas charm. Our days were filled with sampling hot chocolate, stollen, and gingerbread sweets - the nights with gluhwein, a red wine blended and brewed with spices and served hot.

A market in Berlin, near Humboldt University (above), and Nuremberg (below).

Decorations from Dresden's market.

A belltower view of Munich's rooftops in the snow.

More of the colorful trinkets that can be found in every market.

Inflation Party - Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:42:00.001-05:00

Every year, the Upper West Side plays host to New York's Thanksgiving tradition with "inflation parties". Any excuse for a celebration, right? A few streets near are blocked off and you can get up close and personal with your favorite cartoon characters as they get filled with helium for the big parade. Onlookers and handlers are dwarfed by their size, and it's a lot of fun no matter what your age.

Artist Interview - Sara Klar

2010-11-21T20:14:00.005-05:00

I met painter, Sara Klar, several years ago when we were both exhibiting at the same Brooklyn gallery. As a lover of color, I was blown away when I first saw her work. They were like no other canvases I had ever seen- three-dimensional, visceral, raw. It was expression coming from the depths of some unknown place through explosive color. Somehow I understood her work with emotions of my own. Sara is a painter's painter and to enjoy her work is to see it at a normal viewing distance, and then up close. Very close.

Over the years, Sara has thoughtfully kept me on her mailing list, and I've been treated to seeing her work several times at various venues. I recently paid a visit to her gorgeous Greenpoint studio to ask her some questions, and get acquainted with some of her latest pieces in person.

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How long have you been painting? When did you know that you wanted to pursue art?

The question that is more relevant is how long have I been making art. I moved into Manhattan in the early 1980s and made my first art pieces then. They were conceptual, but of that I had no idea. I created them in response to the stimuli of living in Manhattan where I began to notice that without my cognizance I was under the influence of the advertising industry. I hated this lack of control and decided to see how much external buzz I could filter out by removing items such as television and magazines from my home- vehicles where information putting forth its own message for its own gain, was sneaking into my domain. One of the last places left for me to filter was my bathroom medicine cabinet. In the morning when I was hardly awake, and in a most vulnerable state, I would open the cabinet and be bombarded by marketing logos. I decided to neutralize this experience. I selected three different color yellows to correspond with the three shelves in the cabinet. I painted each bottle entirely (label and all) with the yellow of the particular shelf it sat on. I called this piece, Yellow Fever. What resulted was some rather funny late night fumblings trying to figure out what pill exactly was in which bottle.

Can you generally describe your artistic progression over the years?

It was a gradual, organic evolution. I was definitely walking down a particular path only I didn’t know it. As I mentioned, I was already making these conceptual pieces. I was living in SoHo at the time. On my way to pick up milk I would stop by galleries like Mary Boone, Castelli, and later, Gagosian on Wooster Street. I went continously to museums- the people I was drawn to were artists. There was no one moment in time when I said, “Yes, I shall pursue art!” but there was a very particular moment when I began to paint. At a very low ebb emotionally, I picked up a bottle of paint (the kind children use in Kindergarden) and squeezed hard, pushing the paint out onto paper. The feeling of release was thrilling. This was the start of my first series of paintings, what I call my Fuck Off Paintings.

We spoke about how the Y2K era was the catalyst for a whole new body of work. Can you explain that more? Does this concept still play into your current pieces now in 2010?

The runup to Y2K engendered a period of critical self analysis as the art frontier shifted to new media- the video and digital world. I felt I should be exploring this arena, making digital art. The only problem was that working on a computer for artmaking purposes held zero appeal. I was a painter delving in a medium of communication that reached back to pre-historic time. I was conflicted with the possibility and idea of now being forced to use computers, the newest form of communication. This led to a chain of self-questioning: “What does it mean to be an artist? What does it mean to be a contemporary artist? Do I consider myself a contemporary artist? Is this important? Why am I an artist? Why is my media paint?" This interior dialogue went on for well over a year during which time I did not paint. It finally led to my concluding that artmaking was my way of coming to understand the world I was inhabiting and my way into the artmaking process was through the tactile, sensual quality of paint. So I determined that I was going to see how far I could explore the materiality of paint and I would make paintings that could never be replicated or duplicated by the computer. The troubling side to this latter decision that only later reared its head was that it would prove very difficult to really capture my paintings on the computer screen.

(left) detail of Warrior, 2010; and
(right) detail of Thrust, 2006 - 2009, acrylic and tape on canvas (84”h x 60”w x 3”d)

The paintings I recently exhibited at Sideshow Gallery in Williamsburg Brooklyn this past March, from my series, “Geography Of The Mind For Locations Of The Soul” demonstrate fully the vocabulary I developed from this inquiry - my layering of paintings on top of paintings on a single canvas, each new painting layer obliterating the painting that came before, building paint up to several inches in thickness on the canvas, cutting into this thickness with single edged razor blades and exposing parts of past paintings, peeling this paint like fruit, forming it like clay, adding paper, affixing tape, tearing these materials off. All of this wrestling resulted in paintings that are extremely multi-dimensional and take eight months to four years to complete.

How did you become interested in integrating narrative into your paintings? Do you want the viewer to know what the narrative is, or would you rather keep that private and have people just accept each painting as an absract piece?

I’ve never considered my pieces to be totally abstract. I’ve alway considered the forms in my paintings to be my own personal lexicon illustrating specific events in my life. At the same time, I love the experience of complexity, multiple meanings, and perspectives that are offered in abstraction. Abstraction allows space and the very strong rebel in me hates to feel locked in. With regard to whether I prefer to keep the narrative private, there is a part of me that thrills when someone sees the narrative which means essentially they are seeing me. At the same time, I greatly fear the exposure.

(left) Warrior, 2010, acrylic, paper, tape, marker, and pastel on canvas (96”h x 73”w x 2½”d); and

(right) detail from Swarm, 2005 - 2009

Your work is fairly big. Are you more comfortable working in a format with a large scale?

These paintings, (8 feet by 6 feet and 7 feet by 5 feet) are not only quite large but heavy! They weigh close to 100 lbs. I love the feel of great power I have when I’m working on them. I understand well why the big boys of abstract art painted huge canvases. But my large scale paintings take a tremendous amount of energy both mental and physical. When my energy is in a quieter place, my very small paintings (11 inches by 11 inches) are perfect. I start off thinking these will be easier because they are small, and in this way I fool myself into thinking that the process of making these painting will be less arduous. Hah!

What three words would you use to describe your work overall?

I wouldn’t. I can give you one though - "impossible!"

Helium Head, 2007 -2009, acrylic, paper, tape on canvas (84”h x 60”w x 4”d) (left)
Swarm, 2005 -2009 acrylic, marker, tape, ink on canvas (84”h x 60”w x 3½”d) (right)

Can you describe your favorite piece of all time that you've created?

No, each painting comes into being out of a need to delve deep into a matter to gain understanding of myself in relation to an external event. A painting is not finished until I’ve come not only to a place of full comprehension but also taken the work to a place that is beyond my comprehension.

Do you listen to music or have any odd practices while you're working in your studio?

Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes not. When I find an album that I like, I listen to it over and over and over, sometimes for months. Inevitably there comes the moment in time when I never want to hear the album again.

Detail from Helium Head, 2007 -2009

Where do you like to go for inspiration or sanctuary?

It takes a long time to really see a painting and an art environment should provide a venue for thoughtful contemplation. My favorite museum which fulfills this criteria has always been the Metropolitan Museum. The new MOMA most annoyingly provides the antithetical museum art viewing experience. Not in terms of their art program, but what they’ve achieved with their new renovation is a building that excels as a hub of activity. While the architecture is stellar, it is difficult to get far from the crowd. Of course, my own studio is quiet. At my leisure, I read critical essays and study monographs of artists.

(left) detail from Lined, Plumbed, 2005 - 2009; and (right) detail from Swarm, 2005-2009

Do you have a particular time of day that you like to work?

Early in the morning when it’s very quiet when I’ve just woken up, and I haven’t begun reacting with the exterior world. 5:30 a.m. is usually a very good time for me before the annoyances of everyday life have intruded.

Your website mentions that you left Orthodox Judaism. Would you mind expanding on that decision?

I come from an Orthodox Jewish background, which I equate with the Fundamentalist practice of any religion. The shorthand version of events is that I was married off at 19, sought to divorce at 20½ , and faced the reality that if my husband decided not to grant me a divorce, a “get”, I would be what is called in Hebrew, an Aguna, "a halachic term for a Jewish woman who is 'chained' to her marriage."* Many aguna cases arise as a result of a husband withholding a get in order to extort money or extract a more favorable divorce settlement or to get even with his wife. (* term as described further in Wikipedia)

Detail from Lined, Plumbed, 2005 - 2009

I had encountered subjugation before but in milder forms, and my protest in those situations was circumscribed. Raised in privileged circumstances, I had not wanted to see the degree to which men dominated women in my world, for admitting this reality would have necessitated leaving my a cushioned existence. But with the authority to grant the “get” in my husband’s hands, the scale tipped. Just out of my teens, my entire future life was at stake and I refused to continue to follow a religion that rendered me powerless to control my destiny.

Who or what is your work influenced by? Do you have any particular favorite artists?

The first artist that I studied in depth was Matisse followed by Van Gogh and Rothko. Subsequently, it was Pollock, and then I was on to Early Renaissance art. Now, Guston continues to be one of my all-time favorites. In his later figurative works, his genuis comes together; the beauty of his paint passages, the brilliant massed compositions, his pictorial descriptions of what it means to be human and vulnerable. It takes great courage to see oneself so directly. Rembrandt’s self portraits have this honesty too. I return time and time again to see them. Bruce Nauman I respect, also Kara Walker- her work is so blatant, and Ursula Von Rydingsvard.

What do you think it takes to be an artist today whether in New York or anywhere?
You are born an artist. To be a practicing artist in the New York art world takes stamina. There are fashions and flavors operative here as in other industries and pressures both subtle and overt to conform either by creating a certain type of art or by taking on a certain type of persona. The "art world" is a very closed system that operates without transparency and is governed by unspoken codes and alliances. It takes effort to understand this playing field. It requires much strategic networking to gain access to the powers who can help bring an artist’s career to ascendant.

(left) detail from Thrust, 2006 - 2009; and (right) detail from Endow, 2006 - 2010

Where do you see your work gong in the future (stylistically)? Do you have any specific projects or exhibitions coming up in 2010-2011?

I experience burnout for about a year following every show. I’m just coming out of a period of dormancy and have made two small new paintings. I’m also at the infancy stage of a new direction - working in video to explore the relationship of home and loss.

And finally, as a painter who uses such bold color, this should be a difficult one, do you have a favorite color?

Red is my favorite color. It’s my emotional connection. But in painting, it’s not my go-to color. I’m very careful not to use it too easily.

A portrait of the artist relaxing in her studio along with gorgeously-colored paint detail from Warrior, 2010.

For more information about Sara and to see more of her work, please consult her website.

Guggenheim on Display

2010-11-18T20:22:00.026-05:00

I was walking on Fifth Avenue past the Guggenheim Museum a few weeks ago in late October. What I saw that night stopped me in my tracks. There was a crowd gathering too- especially across the street. The world famous art museum featured a world-class visual display on its outside. Clever site-specific projections (with sound) wrapped the 4-tiered architectural masterpiece. The 15-minute loop was a celebration of video and video artists for the "YouTube Biennial of Creative Video". I stood there mesmerized for about 45 minutes just taking it all in over and over again. Take a look at some of my favorites.

And for the first time on my blog, here is a YouTube video of my own for your viewing pleasure!

Moroccan Pottery - Collecting

2010-11-14T20:02:00.001-05:00

In 2003, I went on a trip with my family to Morocco. I didn’t realize how much I would love exploring the labyrinthine bazaars and haggling with the vendors even in the 110 degree heat. I brought a duffle bag just in case. It’s a good thing, because I ended up filling it with unique treasures and I worked really hard for them!

Amidst the wall of blue-patterned plates is a brown plate that was a gift from Bulgaria, some wooden spoons that I bought in Romania, and a small piece from Sushipot. Pictured above are two bowls, my favorite pieces from this memorable trip. They are placed prominently in my kitchen, and I love looking at them everyday. I also use their designs as a source for my paintings.

James Coviello Mask and Champagne Party

2010-11-12T22:38:00.032-05:00

Shortly before the festivities of Halloween draped the city, I went to a small party at the James Coviello boutique in the Lower East Side of New York. The party was all about Old World Charm with headpieces, elaborate masks, and flutes of bubbly. You might recognize some of Coviello's dresses featured at (my favorite store) Anthropologie. His millinery work and special knitware collections have also regularly walked Anna Sui's runway shows in collaboration with the designer.

You can see more of his beautiful work here or treat your eyes to his enchanting

store on 70 Orchard Street in downtown Manhattan.

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My friend Layla and I with our masks for the evening.

Cheeky Ladies - Fashion Plates

2010-11-08T09:55:00.007-05:00

A few months back, I posted about missing one of my favorite amusements when I was growing up- my set of Fashion Plates. I recently made one as a gift for a friend to thank her for making a nice brunch for the girls. There was already too much food, so instead of bringing a pot luck item I brought a mini-portrait of my friend.

I love playing with the combinations, and it's fun to color inside the lines again. They look great in classic black and white freshly burnished as if they are a charcoal drawing, or with brightly colored outfits. The good thing about fashion, is that it always comes back again. Even though these are very 1970s, they don't look all that outdated. Very chic! I am now selling some of these cheeky ladies (with their rosy cheeks too) here.

More Artistic Pairings

2010-11-07T14:55:00.000-05:00

Pink Retro Pods (left) and Twig (right), original gouache paintings on antique book page.

Circus II (left) and Ionization Theory (right), original gouache paintings on antique book pages.

I've been quite busy painting lately! These are some of my latest pieces now available here.

Boo!

2010-10-31T22:53:00.065-04:00

These photos are from The Great Jack-O-Lantern Blaze in the Hudson Valley near Tarrytown and the area of Washington Irving's famous story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Van Cortlandt Manor is the host of the Blaze, with hot cider and hot chocolate to keep you warm on a chilly autum night. It is also presented as the home of the party at the beginning of the story before Ichabod Crane sets out into the woods- a fitting setting for giving any visitor the creeps.

You can meander through the grounds where there are magnificent displays for Halloween all made out of illuminated pumpkins. Several carvers also compete in a contest that tests their skills. My favorite part was a section close to the water that is roped off. It is a long, darkened dirt road that heads into the woods. If you stand still and listen carefully, you can hear the galloping footsteps of the headless horesman as he rides off into the night.

Art Pairing - New Work

2010-10-24T13:09:00.005-04:00

Above are some new paintings I did today- Goth Drops and Mint Swirl.

I like to pair pieces together so that their colors complement one another like a fine wine with a delicious meal.

Rhinebeck's Farmers Markets

2010-10-20T21:50:00.005-04:00

Last weekend, I went with my fried and former colleague, Ed, for a drive upstate to Rhinebeck. Every year around this time, we like to escape the city and take in some leaf-peeping and wineries. This year, we strolled around the Sheep & Wool Festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds (more photos to come from this event), the local farmer's markets, and also a benefit dinner at the very beautiful and historical Astor Courts for the local Rhinebeck Farmer's Market (making everyone aware that they will be open during the winter now too). Some party pics can be seen here. More of my own photos to come....stay tuned!

New Art - In The Kitchen

2010-10-06T17:14:00.000-04:00

Some new pieces inspired by thinking about the summer that just passed, and the current fall harvest. I like these two paired together. They are now available in my shop.

New Art - Modern Squares

2010-10-03T17:14:00.003-04:00

New in my shop this week are some colorful Rothko-esque squares. I call the one on the left "70s Tapestry" because it reminds me of the colors of a macrame' sort of thing that might have hung in my parents' basement decades ago. The one on the right is called "Sphinx" because of the small image of the Eyptian icon on the lower right corner. It also features the neutral colors of the sandy desert.

In Real Life - The Hayden-Harnett Fall Newsletter

2010-09-30T20:00:00.001-04:00

It is often said about New Yorkers that we don't know our neighbors. For the most part, this may be true, but not necessarily if you live in Brooklyn. I was recently strolling down Franklin Avenue in my Greenpoint neighborhood and met the wonderful people behind Hayden-Harnett, the best boutique (and coolest shopping) that Brooklyn has to offer. Just weeks later, I found myself appearing in their fall newsletter called "IRL" which stands for In Real Life.

The concept of my task was simple: choose some outfits and explain why I selected them. I felt like Cinderella at the ball! I shared the page with Anne Sage of San Francisco, a woman with great style who is also behind the blog, The City Sage and co founder of Rue Magazine. Together, we "creative blondes" picked some very stylish ensembles! Above, are three of my favorite looks that I chose from Hayden-Harnett's new fall line. I don't want to spoil all the fun though, so check out the full newsletter here.

There's another part to this story- Hayden-Harnett's Brooklyn store also has some of my artwork featured with a kick-off that started with a party celebrating New York Fashion Week's FNO (Fashion's Night Out).

Strange Fruit - Not Your Average Pumpkin

2010-09-25T16:45:00.000-04:00

You might think by these photos that I've been playing around in Photoshop. Not so. Don't adjust your screen either. I recently saw these most unusual heirloom pumpkins. Some had stripes, others looked like they had warts all over them. Still others were blue, grey, white, and (at the bottom) pink with what looks like stem growth that's gone awry.

These are called Peanut Pumpkins.

With such bizarre looks, the squashes pictured here are sure to scare any Trick-or-Treater that comes to your door!

Nostalgia - Fashion Plates

2010-09-15T15:22:00.051-04:00

Back in the late 1970s, I remember having an artsy toy called Fashion Plates. It amused me for hours especially on rainy weekends. But somewhere around the high school era, I must have gotten rid of it. After seeing a set as I was browsing eBay one day, I became obsessed. I needed to find them again! I cleaned my apartment, my old room at my parent's house, the attic, the basement- everywhere. After turning everyting upside down, I decided to just get it online.

When it arrived, I opened the box, and the memories came flooding back - it became a very emotional moment significant of time that has passed, and my love for being creative.

I dug out some scrap soft printmaking paper and immediately went to work.

I love the results- they look like kitschy charcoal drawings, but the kitsch factor makes me feel like I'm 10 years old again.

Not Forgotten

2010-09-11T23:25:00.025-04:00

Another September 11th anniversary has come and gone and my thoughts are with the families who lost someone nine years ago. I remember that it was a pristine morning, and I was on my way to work. Across the river in Brooklyn, I could see a giant plume of smoke from the bus and thought it was merely an office fire out of control- another typical day in New York.

When I got to West 14th Street, I immediately sensed something was very wrong. Emergency vehicles were speeding downtown the wrong way on a one-way street. Everyone was standing outside looking up at the sky. Throughout the morning, I was glued to the television with colleagues and we watched in horror and disbelief as the Towers fell one after the other. We later ran outside to peer down the Westside Highway to see for ourselves.

I couldn't wait to get home and feel safe and invisible within the confines of my Brooklyn apartment. The short subway ride back to the outer boroughs was interminable. People appeared to be stunned and confused. They were both timid and polite; two words that would otherwise never describe commuters underground. We were all milling around aimlessly, suspended in time waiting for whatever might happen next. Battling my own confusion, I volunteered on the night shift at Nino's, a local family restaurant that generously closed its business to the public and served only rescue workers for months; anything to feel useful and connected. It helped for a little while but the relief was only temporary.

I remember that day in September as if it were yesterday. What do you remember?

What I Did On My Summer Vacation (Part 2) - The Shoe House

2010-09-08T22:52:00.029-04:00

There was an old lady who lived in a shoe.....not so in Hallam, Pennsylvania. By mid-morning, we left Lancaster, PA and drove west on the Lincoln Highway. We were racing towards Braddock to make daylight, and came across the Haines Shoe House.

It was built in 1948 as a 5-story, larger-than-life advertisement, and was once rented to young newlywed couples.

Shoes, shoes, everywhere!

We went on a tour, and there are hundreds more on the inside too.

We love a good quirky roadside oddity. Here, we stopped for ice cream and a leg stretch as we headed further west. Stay tuned for the next leg of the tour!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation (Part 1) - Fallingwater

2010-09-07T23:47:00.146-04:00

My cousin and I like to take unusual road trips. For the last weekend of summer, you won't find us lounging on a beach with an umbrella in our drinks, you'll find us in Pittsburgh. Yes, Pittsburgh. This excursion was prompted by an intriguing news story about the revitalization of an old rundown steel town in the "Rust Belt" called Braddock. While we were checking out Braddock, we worked in some other must-see sights.

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I'm going to start my summer vacation series of posts with the highlight. It was our very last stop before heading back on the road for the long drive back to New York - Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece, Fallingwater, located in the lush woods of rural Pennsylvania.

The house is chock full of artwork by Tiffany, Picasso, and Diego Rivera with neutral coloring throughout. I captured the feeling straight from the era of the popular tv show, Mad Men. Using rock from the area, this feat of architectural engineering is truly in harmony with nature. Cantilevered platforms delicately straddle a waterfall, and evokes the feeling of an exquisite treehouse suspended high in the branches.

Every room extends an invitation to occupants to relax and settle in with a good book on the terrace or curled up by the fire. I can just imagine that the fall season would be spectacular here. While exploring this home, I couldn't help but wonder what it would take to move into a place like this.

The punchline: when it was built in the 1930s, the home cost the Kaufmann family approximately $155K. Today, the collection of artwork alone in this one of a kind dwelling is priceless.

Blog Feature - Rainboeliza

2010-09-01T23:30:00.020-04:00

Many thanks to Rainboeliza who has discovered my work on Etsy.

She describes a little bit of my painting process relating it to her own work.

More of the nice piece written about my work can be found here.

Superfresh - The Farmer's Market

2010-08-30T22:41:00.026-04:00

On Saturday mornings, I've started a new ritual- getting up early, grabbing a coffee to go, and heading over to my local farmer's market at the park near my apartment. The produce is all fresh from upstate New York, and the abundance and color is simply incredible and inspiring. The difference in the freshness cannot be understated.

After getting home, I cooked up some of the eggs with the mushrooms, and experienced a total freshness conversion. Look at these rich colors! I just can't walk by and not buy something at outdoor food markets. A little advice though, as "they" always say, "never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach"!

Some of the bounty I brought home above: bee pollen, strawberries, oyster mushrooms, coral mushrooms, and eggs - all picked or collected earlier that morning.

And above is some of my artwork that my new adventures have inspired. Over these past few warm months, I have done a small series of vegetal pieces. It was good going outside of my old artistic routine, and creating some new works (away from the usual abstractions) invigorated and enlivened by my new routine.

Smitten in the City - A Venetian Affair in Brooklyn

2010-08-29T20:51:00.001-04:00

There's a conversation that's going on in the streets of Brooklyn. I pass this certain wall on my way home and have noticed that it changes every few days. Earlier this summer, it was painted solid black and begging for some enhancement. You may recall this cute little lady piglet from an earlier post, but she now appears to be taking part in a playful public communication and visual love letter between artists. The gesture of this elaborate accumulation reminds me of a book I read many years ago entitled, A Venetian Affair, about a clandestine love affair in 18th century Venice during its Golden Age of nobles and the splendor of the Grand Canal. The forbidden lovers exchanged secret letters back and forth through people who knowingly and unknowingly helped them. They also communicated publicly "through an elaborate code of nods and gestures".

(from the synopsis on Amazon)

A prancing fleet of foxes surrounds the piglet, signed with a little note "♥ The Fox".

She replies with a Venetian lion, "Who is this fabulous Mr. Fox? ♥ Elle".

He replies, "Dirty paws and unwashed hair, just a little pup in the big city."

The "letter" in its entirety.

Blog Feature - Etsy's {NewNew} Team

2010-08-28T20:57:00.002-04:00

I recently became a member of Etsy's {NewNew} Team, a group of Etsy participants who live and work in New York City. Its purpose is to provide a support network of other local artists and designers who wish to promote their work and have fun together socially. As a recent member, I'm happy to have my work featured in a recent blog post for the Team.

The post cleverly draws similarities between items that can be found at farmer's markets (one of my favorite Saturday morning rituals) and art work by team members. My piece below paralells the citrus/orange/yellow/fruit category. Have a look at the rest of the items here.

Fingerprint Close-Ups

2010-08-20T15:40:00.000-04:00

Colorful swirls resembling fingerprints like these two will soon be available again in my shop.

Have a vibrant summer weekend - it's one of the last, so make it a good one!

Before and After - The Blue Wall in Chelsea

2010-08-17T09:29:00.018-04:00

There is a certain blue wall outside of the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center in Chelsea that gets some special treatment when it comes to street art, and passers-by get treated to an eyeful. The mural featuring two children wearing bird helmets below were on the walls last summer. It was done by Herakut, a collaboration by two artists, Hera and Akut, from Germany. The text reads: “If this was graffiti, we were the chicken.” I don't exactly get what that means- hmmmmm, maybe something was lost in translation. You can see more of their fantastic collaborative art here.

This summer, the new mural is by Jeff Soto. The blue figure's beard spills out in 3-D onto the sidewalk. The text from the previous piece is still there, as the layers build up. Check out more of Jeff's whimsical artwork here.