Category Archives: Art

15Dec 2012

Project Headboard

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I’ve been bit by the home improvement bug. Maybe it’s the promise that organization will improve your life and just wanting to surround yourself with pretty things. I’ve been reading too many inspirational blogs. I saw Centsational Girl’s headboard project and totally fell in love. Among many things, my bedroom is missing a headboard.

In fact, it wasn’t until recently, after the age of 30, that Ryan and I graduated from the full size futon. It didn’t bother me, because it was nice and firm. Ryan complained about back problems. Beds are so expensive, though. Luckily, when a good friend of mine was moving across the country (boo!) I had dibs on her mattress. She sold it to me for a steal. I thought I had dibs on her bed, as well, but her roommate took it. Either way, I got a highly rated metal frame in place of slats or box spring, and it works great. I imagine it’s a little on the firmer side, because of it, but I hardly notice. It was all on a budget. We’ve been sleeping great ever since, but our bedroom was just drabby on a good day. I’ve been pining for a headboard ever since.

Ryan and I just celebrated our 5th anniversary and the traditional gift is wood. I decided to get him a glass display case with wood top and bottom. He’s keeping it in the office and displaying his art. Ryan is building me a headboard. We went to pick out the fabric. I originally wanted something light and whimsical, but I kept getting attracted to light neutral stripes. Ryan picked out the duralee twiggy pattern below in blue haze. It doesn’t quite match our curtains, but I am hoping the contrast is pleasing. He told me he was trying to channel what I would like. And I original set out for something full of whimsy. Normally Duralee fabrics would sell for $30-40 a yard, but believe it or not, we saw this at the discount store for less than $10 for 4 yards. I might make a sham or a pillow cover with the extra fabric. (Or paint our wooden seat and make a cushion for it.)

20121215-163752.jpg 20121215-163742.jpg

So the idea is to make a cushy headboard. The thinnest pieces of foam we were able to find is the 22x22x2″ inserts. I am concerned it’s not quite tall enough. I might be able to fill it with extra batting, since I purchased 3 yards.

We went to the lumber yard yesterday for plywood, but it was closed. I can’t decide whether we should get it cut to 66×22, or 66×32 and add 10 inches. 2-3 inches of that will be below the line of the mattress. Maybe I can get an extra 66×10″ piece for the bottom? We are going to try this morning, but Ryan might have to go on Monday. We are hoping to be done before he goes to Portland on Tuesday.

We are also used to sleeping by the window. However, once we get a headboard in, we need to sleep on the opposite side, which you know gets weird. I am also considering moving the bed around so that we both have a way to get out of bed. (Right now one side is flush against a wall.)

Thoughts?

23Oct 2010

The Laundromat

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The Laundromat had a gallery opening the other night. And I just couldn’t resist buying a particular piece. It is Blackout by Liz Atzberger. If you remember, we have a piece by her already. It’s using black paint and magnets and it’s a beautiful small piece. I like how the edges are washed in a rusty red and green haze, and add to the light and depth of the black. Liz mentioned that it would make a good companion piece to the other work we have. I didn’t really think of that, but I have to agree. The variation in mediums makes me want to position them in a way where they will oppose each other, black and white… I’m still throwing around some ideas in my head. I’m still trying to figure out where to put it. Kevin hopefully will walk over and install it for us. I’m used to associating her with plastic cable ties (which I dealt with way too much when I worked for the NYS Dept. of Ed.) and bright neon colors, so it’s funny that we have pieces that are primarily white and black.
I was telling Ryan that I was a little against getting a second piece, once I found out it was her, because I didn’t want to have a “thing.” I am fundamentally a little allergic to the idea of having a “thing.” The only thing more ridiculous is to make “not having a thing,” a thing in of itself, so I ignored that and went with my gut.

The show itself was along similar lines as the The burger show they did last year. Basically the showing artists create concepts that people will consume. There were some really great burger ideas last year. There was some talk about doing a hot dog show, but they settled on drinks. I think practically that that is the better idea. However, I was a little excited a for the idea of hot dogs. This, I think was a winning idea. They had an extensive menu of tasty treats and cute names.
Ben Godward’s drink seamlessly melded with his sculpture, which consists of buckets and globules of paint creating something of a neon phallic mountain-scape. His corona bottles were mini little sculptures that one of the prop stylists that attended the show bought for a famous day time talk show host/cook. (And coincidentally Ben was so sweet and gave us a bottle to have, which we are a little hesitant to open. We have something this semi-famous person has. HAH.)
We also had a Creamaster, which was a white russian, inspired by the video artist Matthew Barney by Artist Bob Scheib. (Who, by the way, enthusiastically made us the drinks and didn’t charge us exclaiming, “Art should be free!”) Another notable whiskey and soda green drink with a plastic shark was “The impossibility of a hangover in the mind of someone getting drunk…” Liz created a drink with coffee grinds, anise and vodka, which was pretty frightening, but went down pretty easily. Finally, I had the bacon salt rimmed pickle martini with a pickled brussel sprout, because it has everything I love. And it was surprisingly creamy and pretty damn awesome. Late in the party, I was running around shouting, “LICK THE RIM” pretty enthusiastically. That’s what happens to me when you mix bacon, martini, pickles, and brussel sprouts with me.

Finally, there was this beautiful delicate piece by Maiko Susu Shioda. I’m annoyed that my iphone couldn’t capture the details of the dress, which was made out of a certain type of packing tissue. It was delicate with dress like creases, a peter pan collar, and beautiful intricate details done in collage form.
Amy and Kevin purchased this piece (which was inquired about by other patrons, as well…), but they showed me an alternate piece that she did, pencil and paper of a bird, that was delicate, intricate with its wings splayed. Her lines are amazingly skillful with its texture and fineness. I was tempted to buy the piece, but it felt too impulsive. I might brood on it.

21Dec 2009

Snow Storm of Winter 2009-10

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I’ve never spent too much time in Williamsburg in the snow. I have to say that it gives the whole neighborhood a charming feel. Snow always messes with the senses, I think. Everything seems quieter, or at least muffled. There’s a sound to snow, like a silent static that other sounds need to get through. It’s also just dark so early. I don’t feel warm and fuzzy about this neighborhood during the winter, but the snow made everything look enchanting.

There was a weird unmarked dark bus parked on Bedford, which offered pictures with Santa and some drinks inside. That was a little creepy. I’m not in the habit of getting into weird buses to drink wine and sit on a strange man’s lap.

mugs

I went Christmas shopping with Ryan and his sister, however, I ended up getting things for myself. Tracy and I both saw respective ear warmers/mufflers that we liked, so we bought each other one and switched. Something like that. I bought these Pantone colored mugs with the color label on the bottom. I’m really taken with them. I love the concept and I want to collect more colors. For now, we just picked up the primary colors of red 186 C and royal blue 286 C.

I love the concept and I love how easily they integrate with our other things. I am even tempted to get a mug for myself to use at work. I am that tickled by this idea. It would be awesome if I could get a custom mug with the specific Pantone color of our logo, that would be awesome. D at live events would laugh, as half the time we’re trying to track down particular shades for banners and other materials.

golden half

Otherwise, I’ve been playing with a lomo-esque camera that Ryan got me this year, for Christmas or an anniversary present, or something. Who knows?! He found it at Paul Smith and it’s rubber/plastic exterior is really pretty. It splits the frame of the picture in half, so that instead of 36, you can shoot 72 photos, where two frames taken in conjunction share a shot. I look forward to see how my play shots come out.

But the snow, people are calling it Snowpocalypse, why? I mean, we get bad snow. I don’t know why Delta and Jetblue refused to fly. I guess we aren’t used to getting snow so early in the year. I remember last year we barely got a white Christmas. Usually it snows during January or early February. Either way, this unexpected snow fall in the east coast caused Jetblue to cancel all flights out on the 20th from the Boston and NY area, offering no other contingency plan other than a free booking on Christmas day. It was ridiculous. The customer service representation that we spoke to originally was even smug about it all. Finally in the middle of the day after being on hold for well over 5-10 minutes, there was a voicemail that asked us to call them back at a later date due to the high call volume. I know I will be very reluctant to fly Jetblue in the future, since if something goes wrong, they will be less than accomodating. Other Airlines have packages and contingency plans with other airlines and WILL book a flight for you on another carrier. Jetblue will not.

flock installationflock

In other news, the other week we finally put up some art that we bought. I bought some sculptures before Thanksgiving by artist, Darla Jackson. Her What are you afraid of? piece caught my attention. She juxtaposes animals in very human poses and emotions that I completely dig. Her other works that I like include the Birthday Party series. I couldn’t quite afford the bigger works and the one that I love best (unfortunately with my Cambodia trip in the horizon, I couldn’t even afford it in installations), but I really liked the flock installtions she did, and I bought some plaster birds from her. She was sweet and packaged them lovingly and securely, and mailed them to me minding some high maintenance requests. She also apparently had a baby recently and had to take time away from that bliss to mail these out to me, so thank you! We love them.

I was SO afraid of taking them out of their packaging! I didn’t realize that the birds were so fragile… that plaster was so fragile. In the end, Kevin Curran from Laundromat Gallery installed them and the below art we bought from him, when he came over.

Liz's DrawingLiz's Drawing

Months ago, we attended a Laundromat Gallery opening for Liz Atzberger, and Ryan fell in love with one of her works. Apparently it was priced accordingly so that no one would buy it, but that plan was obviously a “fail.” In return, Kevin offered to come over and install it and other works he needed hanging, like a commissioned poster of one of Ryan’s big works for Celebrate Brooklyn and NPR, for some beer. He was also nice enough to lend his services and expertise in hanging my bird sculptures I bought.