dESiGNalogue

DIY Wallpaper

  Before

 

 

  After

(work in progress)

DEBRA

Dom and I decided to spruce up the hallway to the bathroom.  We found the perfect little shelf that we haggled for $5 at a yardsale.  With a little black paint, it was the perfect piece! I decided that I really wanted some interesting wallpaper just in that area to contrast the white walls throughout the apartment.  I thought about the charm and originality of ink drawings, inspired by this pen & ink duvet from Urban http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=60&startValue=61&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=14661565&parentid=A_FURN_BEDDING&sortProperties=+product.marketingPriority,-product.startDate&navCount=174&navAction=poppushpush&color=

I got some giant roll paper and we fooled around w/ different ways to hang.  We decided rubber cement was the best choice since its a vulcanizing adhesive, which means it doesn't sink into porous materials. It also rubs right off of the paint, giving us the temporary solution we needed.

Now we have a fun space to draw on, and whats even better is that its completely renewable everytime I decide on a new theme!

Lemon Basil Salmon

DEBRA

So I thought my favorite fish was had at my friend's Ritz Carlton wedding, but this really rivals the memory of a succulent, fresh and bright fish dish.

1-1.33 lbs salmon

1c fresh basil

1/2 lemon, juiced

2-3 cloves garlic

1/4-1/2c stock/broth (less if you like thicker "sauce")

1/4c olive oil

S&P

Blend all ingredients but Salmon, until pureed. Butter small baking dish and salmon, lay salmon skin-side down. Pour lemon-basil puree on and broil for 4-6 min each side. Spoon over top to serve.

 

Haricots-Vert Italiano Style

(translation: the most delicious string beans you've ever had)

Prepare and steam green beans until desired tenderness is reached.  Drain in colander.

Melt a heaping tablespoon of butter in same saucepan and add 3-5 cloves chopped garlic.  Sautee until just toasted (you may want to add a drizzle of olive oil to extend butter). Add a shot of balsamic vinegar and let evaporate (1 min.)  Add beans back to pan, salt and pepper liberally, toss to coat.

Invite Deb over for dinner.

DIY Furniture

DEBRA

While we were out on Saturday, we were caught in a terriffic thunderstorm.  The kind where you're soaking wet just making the mad dash from the store to your car.  When we got home, it hadn't rained cats and dogs, but did rain Pedestal Tables...as there was one left on the curb in the rain.  This baby was it! Hardwood, fairly sturdy and decent condition. We cleaned it off and carried it inside and took a good 30 minutes figuring out how the hell we were gonna get it up the stairs. 

 

Pondering the physics of stairs...

As beautiful as the top is, and as much as I really admire and respect the craftsmanship that went into creating this fine piece of furniture, I simply cannot cope with oak in any setting (except for flooring).  Plus the photos make it look like its a priceless antique, when really its just going New England Pub-style at best. It looks like it was made from someone's leftover parquet floor.  The need for my dream, satin-black pedestal table among the rest of the black and white interior is what lead us to the small back injuries of getting this baby home.  But you gotta admit, for $20 worth of paint and a buttload of elbow grease, it was well worth saving the $999 from the likes of Pottery Barn!

 Before

Round = space saver

 After

(1st coat of black)

preFABRICated Atomspheres

DEBRA

My newest series entails portraits on patterned fabric. Here's the first one if its kind, just "born" moments ago.  I say born simply because I won't know if its complete until my critique on Wednesday, but it feels done to me.  This is on blue stretch satin with brown dots, and is a portrait of my friend Mike Gremo.  I've bought a few gorgeous pieces of new fabrics, just waiting in my studio for faces to grace them.  This portrait is about 20x24"

 

Colors of the Sea

SARAH

Mixing inks to capture one of my favorite places - the sea.  I have yet to go to the beach this summer...or even within this year.  It makes me sad that I live so close, yet cannot find the time to make it there.  I went to the beach a lot more when I lived in Portland.  The ocean is even closer there.  But even if I cannot get there, dreams of the sea still inspire me {as well as my pantone guide & paper swatch book...}.

Loves Fusion

DEBRA

As an artist that practically lives to eat, I'm always wondering about the fusion of food and art, and wondering why I don't paint and illustrate more pieces about food.  Well, Echo Curio ( http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=63018571) has an open call to artists for a group show featuring 5x7" pieces to be sold for $30.  This was the perfect invitation to the table, so to speak... opening is Friday July 11th at 8:00.

Additionally, I've been dreaming of painting on fabrics with beautiful prints, instead of just looking at the prints and trying to re-create the pattern myself.  What a time saver! The results are 8, 5x7" fabric-wrapped canvas panels depicting deliciousness.

Modigliani

DEBRA

I teach Modigliani's portraiture style every year, and when I do, I can't help but be absorbed into his alluring distortion of form.  After a rough 2 weeks, I came down with the flu and distracted myself from my own misery by watching a Project Runway marathon.  After 3 episodes, I could no longer curb my enthusiasm for creating, and I drew upon the Modigliani aesthetic to create this self portrait on Japanese paper. It is approximately 20x30" in acrylic.

 

BLUE

DEBRA

I've never associated myself with the color blue until a recent trip home, spending time with my mother who wants to redecorate her living room in Aqua. Aqua - what a refreshing, earthy, vibrant, simply SPLENDID color.  Makes me think "Greek Isles". So I've been doing alot of thinking about aqua, and using it in my work, including May Morning which demonstrates my current favorite color relationship of soft aqua and tangerine.  delicious. I did this self-portrait out of the simple enjoyment of just wanting to lay paint on canvas.  The most reliable yet challenging subject in these cases tend to be my own reflection. 

 

Getting Personal

SARAH

I have been away from here for awhile!  But awayness = business, right?  For the most part, yes.  I have been printing a lot of custom stationery in the last month.  A lot!  I love how most of the orders are gifts for friends, mothers, daughters, & bridesmaids.  They make the perfect gift because it can be so personal - choosing their favorite image to be printed in their favorite color.  It shows a lot of thought. 

I have been putting a lot of thought into my custom stationery "line".  I have no set line of custom stationery.  People usually choose one of the images I have already in print - the most popular being the peony & hyacinth.  Or people request a completely new image which, if it fits well with what I am already printing, eventually becomes a part of my shop.  Currently I only offer gocco custom stationery.  My custom letterpress stationery is printed using my vintage wood type. 

I would really like to start offering custom letterpress stationery using different images. So in the background of everything else going on I have started designing different layouts for custom letterpress stationery.  I am going to include different font choices & colors - but just a few.  I want to keep this manageable for me & easy for someone to pick what they would like for stationery for themselves or others. 

The process of printing gocco stationery is much different than letterpress.  Gocco has a much quicker turnaround because I can create the design, burn the screen, & print as many as I need in one day if need be.  Letterpress designs have to be sent out for a magnesium plate to be made so there is a waiting time & it is, of course, much more expensive.  But if I have a set of ready to go plates I just need to order the name to be printed.  While I wait for that to come, I can print the design, which also allows for the letterpress stationery to be up to two colors. 

Well, those are my thoughts on my little printing business for now.  Have a lovely weekend!  Hopefully I will be back here sooner rather than later.

p.s. How amazing are Deb's paintings below!?  Her Landscape Elements series is gorgeous.   

May Morning

DEBRA

Here's my latest piece from the Landscape Elements series.  It is acrylic & oil on canvas 22x36".  The photograph isn't great, the lighting isn't consistant (I'm somehow the WORST at photographing work...) May Morning, (left) is the other half to this piece entitled February Afternoon (right).  The pieces are created as pairs that relate to each other in composition or shapes, but can be bought individually or in pairs.  Sort of twins from this Gemini...