How nice it would be to have talent and paint on site as you travel. via
It would be especially wonderful if you lived here and had artistic ability. ©Darien, CT waterfront home
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
The Real Sitters for Grant Wood's American Gothic
I love this photo of the couple who posed for Grant Wood's American Gothic. He looks exactly like the painting because of his bald head. Her curly hair style makes her a little bit harder to recognize but the face is the same. via
~~~Happy Valentine's Day~~~
~~~Happy Valentine's Day~~~
Meet The REAL Jane Austen
I know that many of you reading this are fans so prepare to be amazed - as this portrait is said to be a recently discovered portrait of Jane Austen. I'm going to let Mary Jenkins from Wales tell you the rest of this fascinating story.
Read the Jane Austen scholar's story here as reported in The Guardian. She owns this portrait.
Read the Jane Austen scholar's story here as reported in The Guardian. She owns this portrait.
Ex-libris with Swans Circa 1907
From A collection of book plate designs by Louis Rhead, Boston, 1907. via
Medieval Woman Feeding the Chickens
I love the woven chicken coop, don't you. I scanned this image from a datebook I no longer own. I keep discovering images I saved before I even had a blog.
Audubon's Birds of America - One Page Per Day
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – One of the world's rarest and most valuable books is out of the vault and on public view as part of an unusual daily ritual at the oldest natural history museum in the United States.
Every weekday at 3:15 p.m., a white-gloved staff member of the Academy of Natural Sciences lifts the locked protective cover from 19th century naturalist John James Audubon's influential book, The Birds of America, and turns a double elephant folio linen-backed page to reveal the bird of the day. More than 180 years after Audubon created the life-size illustrations that now link his name with ornithology, their vibrant watercolors and fine details are still remarkable.
Full article here. View the birds being unveiled day by day.
Full article here. View the birds being unveiled day by day.
Please Use A Bookmark
Folded over pages in books are another of my pet peeves.
WPA poster showing a boy ironing down the page of a book. Chicago, WPA art project circa 1936-40. Artist: Arlington Gregg. From the collection of The Library of Congress via
Bookcase with Dog Painting
I adore dog portraits and bookcases full of books. Do you personalize your home library shelves with other items too? via
Once upon a fairytale garden
So it is a new year, and for many people 2012 is looking pretty bleak indeed. That is why I am re-posting this old post I did last year. This story can help remind us that even from the ashes of devastation and despair, life and prosperity will once again flourish.
Wishing everyone a very happy new year, and I hope 2012 brings you all good health, wealth, and happiness.
Once upon a time in the hills of the great dividing range of Victoria on the edge of a town called Marysville there was a magical garden. In this magical garden mermaids rested on the sun baked rocks on the edge of cool stream’s while fairy’s and pixies danced in-between the trees as wise old men sat at the base of wise old trees.
Bruno's home and art gallery were unfortunately completely destroyed in the blaze. The main attraction, the sculpture garden, was also damaged, but around sixty percent of the sculptures have survived.
Bruno has chosen to stay in Marysville to rebuild his home and restore the gardens. His passion to share his love of art and the story of life with the world has not been damaged by the fires, in fact you would almost say it has been forged anew by the flames that nearly took it all away.
Bruno has been working tirelessly to restore the sculptures and the gardens to their former glory and after months of hard work he declared the gardens reopen on the 29th of November 2009.
Bruno's words: "The bushfires deeply touched us all in many ways. It allowed me to see that people had a heart for each other, that when things really got dark, the best in us comes out. We have lost a lot, but life also provides us opportunities to gain a new vision, lots of new friends and a blank canvas to play. In the meantime, nature is already regenerating itself. The green is slowly returning and the rivers are flowing, finding new ways".
All photos are from Bruno Torfs website
Girl and her Friends Writing Letters
This letter seems to be a real group effort, doesn't it? The girl and her dolls, teddy bear, and pets are very deep in thought and are putting their best efforts into good penmanship.
Beatrix Potter Christmas Drawing - Plenty of Buns
Three Rabbits Eating Plenty of Buns by Beatrix Potter
An entirely unknown drawing showing an inventive use of lettering on the jars, bag and label on the set of keys. The message reads:
“A Merry Christmas and Plenty of Buns H.B.P.”
Beatrix Potter's full name was Helen Beatrix Potter. Since her mother's name was also Helen, she went by Beatrix.
Fine ink and watercolor drawing heightened with gouache signed lower right [within key label]. Size: 152x153mm
Sold at Sotheby's London July 2008 for 42,050 GBP
You will love my post about her other drawings -- The Rabbits' Christmas Party
Sold at Sotheby's London July 2008 for 42,050 GBP
You will love my post about her other drawings -- The Rabbits' Christmas Party
UPDATED GALLERY WALL
When we were in the midst of our renovation, we removed all the old doors and hardware.
I donated the doors, but I held onto the antique hardware.
Not sure yet what I'm going to do with the crystal doorknobs,
but I did finally find a use for the old skeleton keys that we inherited with the house.
I knew I wanted to display them in some form or fashion.
I love having a piece of the history of our home hanging on the wall.
I took the glass out of a frame that I purchased at the Dollar Store and
I covered the cardboard backing with some burlap fabric I had on hand.
I used a little hot glue to attach the keys.
It took me two years to get around to doing the project
and all of five minutes to actually complete the project.
I have been wanting to add something other than family photographs
to the gallery wall in our family room. This was the perfect addition.
I also added this wooden "S" to the opposite end of the gallery wall.
I think I'll add a few more non-photograph items as well.
The gallery wall is looking a little long and narrow now, so perhaps I'll add to the top a bit.
I have been slowing getting out the Christmas decorations this week. I'll give you look tomorrow.
Just want to warn you that I'm a "Less is More" kind of girl.
I don't typically go all out with holiday decor.
We still had pumpkins on our front porch until yesterday. I'm slowly but surely getting my act together.
How about you, have you decked the halls yet?
Chalk Board Kitchen
This chalkboard behind the stove gives new meaning to being an artistic cook. My house smells so good. I made a double batch of yellow corn cranberry muffins so I could use my giant muffin tins. I had fresh cranberries left over from Thanksgiving that I did not want to go to waste. So they will be going to my waist (haha). via
Here they are right out of the world's worst oven. I will never buy a gas stove with a gas oven again. I hope these are done in the middle after cranking up the heat and adding 10 minutes to their baking time. I'm sure they will be fine and I like burned crispy bottoms.
Taste test complete. My mother ate 3 muffins which is remarkable in and of itself because she eats like a bird. They aren't too sweet. I think most people would prefer more sugar. They would be great with an orange juice glaze. Success! The muffin photos were taken with my iPhone.
Charming Baby Painting from Estate Sale
It's not fine art but this charming oil on board of a chubby-cheeked baby sucking on an orange just makes me happy. I picked it up for $5.00 at an estate sale recently during the closing hours. It's hanging in my living room over my tiny television to the right of my fireplace so I can see it often. The lady who sold it said her aunt painted it years ago. Score!
Yikes | Giant Dragonfly
Travis Louie will be opening an exhibit of new paintings at Merry Karnowsky Gallery in Los Angeles November 12 through December 10, 2011. I would definitely go if I lived nearby. His paintings are beyond curious.
MONEY WELL SPENT
I shared my love for this book back in the summer.
You can read about how I already put it to good use here.
I have been itching to add something to the walls on either side of these french doors for some time now.
I picked up four of these simple black frames at Target recently for $10.00 each.
But, you know me, I can never leave well enough alone.
So, of course, I broke out the old trusty tube of Rub N' Buff and gave them a little makeover. I liked the simplicity of the frames and the price was right too, but I wanted them to be a tad more elegant looking.
Here they are now.
I even like the way they peek through when the doors are open.
My husband practically forbids me from hanging things myself (bad track record).
This wall was originally the outside wall of our house. The office used to be a sunporch.
Therefore, the wall is plaster over solid brick. Not the easiest surface to work with.
I decided the super strong command strips would be the best bet.
It costs me a total of $12.00 to purchase enough command strips to hang all four prints, but it sure beats the several hundred holes I would have made in the wall while attempting to hang these puppies.
I noticed the talented Emily A. Clark framed pages from this book too.
I love the clean lines of her frames and they look great even without mats.
And my friend used a few of the pages in her dining room.
If you are looking for inexpensive, but beautiful artwork for your walls,
I would consider purchasing this book. It will certainly be money well spent.
Hope you all have a great weekend! I am looking forward to continuing
the birthday celebration for my five year old.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
