(Top photo) Every once in a while, I will buy a "Florida Design" magazine (http://www.floridadesign.com/) when I'm flush and need some inspiration. The homes in that magazine are quite over the top. . . I can just picture my blog-friend Martha Marshall living in one of those palaces or better yet, moving to one soon. Floridians must have a fine appreciation for abstact art, because I can always find a room or three dozen that feature amazing contemporary art. The ads are almost more fun that the editorial content. Volume 18#2 that I just purchased has a full-page ad for the artist Jamali. The art above is from that ad. It's called "Whirling Dervish", and is pigmentation on cork. I have never seen Jamali anywhere else but in this magazine, but he must be fairly successful, don't you think, since according to the ad he has two galleries in Florida and two in New York City. Plus a full-page ad in a glossy design magazine is certainly not in my budget.
My first impression of this painting was "I love it." My second and third, too. Then I looked closely. . . the background looked familiar. Ah, yes, that's it. . . the surface on which I have painted for a couple of years looks amazingly like this. Except my background is pink. And I haven't yet put the dervishes on it. But isn't that just a great example of recyclable art? It also reminded me of one of Karen Jacobs's blog posts where she decided to have her picture taken in front of the splattered place where she works on her art. Please don't misunderstand this post. I'm betting Jamali didn't just pick up his painting surface and decide to put feature it in his Florida Design ad. But it certainly brought my attention to an additional source of random art.
(Bottom 2 photos) Then on the other side of the art spectrum . . . way way over on the other side. . . perhaps so far over it's really not on the spectrum at all. . .here are a couple of pictures of the small chest I worked on yesterday. Not completed yet, but set aside for a while. I want to go on record here as saying that I am not a furniture refinisher. Don't know anything about it, but am learning as I go along. I can't even begin to tell you how frustrating it was to do this chest. . . and it took all day. . . and I had to finish it and get it off the porch because today (finally) people are here to clean and paint the deck and railings. I am proud of myself because (a) I got it done and (b) I didn't say f. .k it all and do a crappy job, even when at 6:30 p.m. the white layer of paint peeled off the surface of one of the drawers, along with two of the diamonds. I just started again. . . This is beginning to be more like a job. . . I know when I finish what I have to do, I will be ready to go to the studio and actually paint something other than furniture.
Blogger was giving me trouble loading photos. . . was it just me?
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3 comments:
I almost called you this morning because I didn't see your morning blog. You see, this has become a routine for me now, once I get to work, I check answering machine, check all emails, then check your blog. Without your blog this morning, my routine was out of order. I know I don't always respond, but I do read it everyday.
The Jamali picture reminds me a little of the black and white circles you did for me, that are still sitting on the floor in my dressing room.
Even though you are painting furniture, your creative juices are still flowing. What you have done so far with the book shelf and chest are fab. for the amount of time you spent on it. Think of it that way.
OK, wanted to share my thoughts on your wonderful blog, and that I'm here everyday.
See ya soon
H
Mary, I do love Florida Design, but don't buy it all the time for the same reason - sticker shock. It's always inspiring. Most of the Florida homes I've been in wouldn't remind you much of Florida at all. They just reflect the taste of the inhabitants, who come from everywhere. The ones that do really reflect that Florida feel are the upscale condos on the coasts, which usually are somebody's second or third home. Sigh.
I'm enjoying so much your furniture adventure. When you're working with something that's already been finished, it's a crap shoot every time. I "whitewashed" my old oak bedroom furniture years ago, but didn't realize I couldn't put water based over an oil based finish. Now the white has worn off in places. Oh well. Live and learn.
Dear Hildymouse: That's so nice to know that you start your day with my blog. I just couldn't get the pictures to load that day. And do you notice that I don't really bag on mom in my blog. You know I'm her favorite kid, right?
Martha: Second and third homes should not be allowed when some people don't even have one. . . but that's kind of anti-capitalism, so I'll keep my opinions to myself. I suppose it's like all those home design magazines. . . the houses must be spectalur, because who would want to read about my house, for instance. Now Hildymouse's (above) house, there's one that would fit in with Florida Designs.
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