Art, Design and Home

Jeremy Geddes

2011-03-18T11:21:00.009-05:00

These paintings by artist Jeremy Geddes, who lives and works in Australia, are SO incredible I could spend hours just staring at them. I discovered Jeremy's work a while ago, and I can't believe I haven't written about him before now. While all of his work is stunning and incredibly detailed (sometimes taking several months to complete just one), his series of astronauts in peril is hands down my favorite. There is something unsettling about them. It's beautiful realism in a surreal environment. They really make you question what is going on in these scenes. How did the astronauts end up dangling from buildings in empty urban landscapes? What has happened in these deserted streets? I don't know...but I don't have a very good feeling about it.

Visit Jeremy's website to see ALL of his incredible work.

{P.S.- Even though it's not from his astronaut series, I had to include one last image (below), titled "The Cafe," which may be my favorite piece of Jeremy's. It's just too good not to include.}

Focus Fireplaces

2011-03-17T11:37:00.009-05:00

One day, when I eventually live in the modern house of my dreams, I know where to find the modern fireplace of my dreams. These stunning fireplaces are created by a company called Focus Fireplaces, which started as an artist's studio in 1968 and has since become an international business selling over 3,500 fireplaces a year. With so many different models it's a tough choice, but I think I'm a Gyrofocus kind of guy. Now I just need to start working on making that house a reality.

Different (key)strokes for different folks!

2010-10-23T14:49:00.006-05:00

Early Christmas gift alert!! If anyone is feeling extra generous this holiday season, I would love to have one of these unique USB typewriters, which can connect to any PC, Mac or iPad! I can almost hear that "click...click...click" of an old-fashioned typewriter as I write this!

You can see other styles on their etsy page.

{via Whorange}

Andrea Keys Connell

2010-09-29T17:19:00.010-05:00

I have admired the work of Andrea Keys Connell for quite a while now. Her ceramic sculptures and large installations are so impressive to me. I would love to have the opportunity to see them in person one day. For now, I will continue to follow her work online...and continue to be constantly amazed.

Andrea is influenced by many things, but she is particularly "interested in intergenerational trauma and how a person’s past, particularly a past that has been interrupted by a traumatic event such as war, can influence patterned behaviors that are passed through the family." Heavy stuff indeed...and it certainly comes across in her work. To see more sculptures, take a look at Andrea's website.

Alexa Meade

2010-09-18T15:18:00.018-05:00

Prepare to be blown away. At first glance, the figurative paintings above, by Washington, DC artist Alexa Meade, seem like beautiful, colorful portraiture. Alexa captures her subjects with bright colors and heavy brush strokes, but wait...the hair looks SO real. Too real. That's because it is. In fact, this isn't a flat painting on canvas...it's an actual person sitting in a chair, who has been painted to look like they are in an actual painting. Make sense? No. Well, take a look at the pictures at the bottom of this post to see what I'm talking about.

Alexa has innovated a Trompe-L'Oeil painting technique than can perceptually compress three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional plane. She paints her representational image directly on her three-dimensional subjects. Her work is an impressive combination of installation, painting, performance, and photography. All of Alexa's work, the hours spent creating these images, is gone in a matter of hours (or however long it takes the model to jump in the shower and scrub the paint off their bodies). What remains after the scene has ended is a photographic reminder of what was. It serves as documentation of the performance.

Are you blown away? I thought so. To see more of Alexa's impressive work take a look at her website.

Weekend Guest on The Jealous Curator

2010-09-15T11:20:00.012-05:00

I was beyond excited when The Jealous Curator asked me to be one of her "weekend guests" on her blog (which just happens to be the only blog I read on a daily basis...I love it!) I have been a fan of The Jealous Curator for quite some time now. She finds the most interesting artists, and as someone who can barely keep my own blog updated as frequently as I would like, I am constantly jealous of her! Her daily blog posts never fail to please. She is a witty writer and has an amazing eye for choosing exactly the kind of artists that interest me.

The Jealous Curator was kind enough to write a post about a show I was curating a few weeks ago, and ever since we have become email buddies. When she asked me to be one of her "weekend guests" it took me less than a second to respond with, "YES, YES, YES!!!" It was an honor to be asked and I was excited to be included on the impressive list of her previous weekend guests. The hard part was choosing one artist to write about. Instead of writing about any of the artists I had previously written about on my own blog, I wanted to find someone new to feature. I found some artists I loved and then realized The Jealous Curator had already written about them. Like I said, she has a knack for picking artists I love. Then I ran across the hand-stitched illustrations of Emily Eibel and I didn't have to look any further. I knew I had found the artist I wanted to write about. I mean, look at these:

To see my guest post on The Jealous Curator's site, click here. If you aren't familiar with The Jealous Curator's blog you definitely should be. In fact, one visit to her site and I think you will become a daily viewer like me.

Michaelene Walsh

2010-09-15T10:09:00.011-05:00

Micaelene Walsh is a ceramic artist and Associate Professor of Art at Louisiana State University. According to Michaelene, "dolls and animals have always interested me because they seem to possess an inner life." I really hope these little guys don't possess an inner life because they remind me of something that would come to life in the middle of the night and attack you in your sleep. Kind of creepy, I know, but that's one reason I am drawn to them. I like to live dangerously. It's the same reason I like to go on all the rides at a county fair. Who doesn't love the thrill of stepping onto a old, mechanical ride that was put together in a day and could fall apart at any second. It gets the adrenaline pumping. Sorry...my mind tends to stray. Let's get back to Michaelene. If her unique creations weren't enough to interest me (although they totally were) just take a look at her bio and artist statement. I was hooked after I read this:

Bio: This is my story... I was raised by a family of mountain gorillas. This partially explains my love of animals. When I’m not loving on animals, I’m generally eating them.

The end

Artist Statement: If you have eaten ice cream, marveled at a monkey, played with a doll, drawn a heart or written a secret note on blue lined notebook paper, we have something in common, at least on the surface.

So great! Take a look at Michaelene's website to see more of her ceramic scultpures, drawings and installations. Speaking of her installations, I couldn't resist throwing in this photo from one of her installations titled, "Bittersweet."

Robin Venable

2010-09-10T12:02:00.014-05:00

Working in an art gallery can be a great experience. Being surrounded by creativity is always a fun thing, and luckily I get to do this 5 days a week. Having amazing co-workers makes the day even better, and Robin Venable is one of the best co-workers I have ever had. We make each other laugh constantly, we entertain each other with stories, we get in the most ridiculous fights ever only to make-up again in 5 minutes...but even that keeps the day interesting. Not only is Robin a fantastic co-worker, she is also a great friend...and did I mention that she is also an amazing artist? Well, she is.

Robin came to the gallery a year ago having just received her MFA from Florida State University. Her work is beautiful and unique. She works on round canvases instead of the traditional rectangluar ones. She doesn't like the feeling of being "trapped in a box" with a rectangular canvas, and prefers the movement the circular base gives her work. Robin loves medieval manuscripts, transparency, religious icons and ornate designs. She is also heavily influenced by her spirituality and draws on those things, and more, to create her layered paintings. Her work attempts to make sense of life's complexity...a battle of light and dark. Her latest paintings are a reflection of her own struggles, and serve as very elaborate self-portraits. She paints herself into each painting surrounded by light, dark, pattern, shadows, animals, colors, etc. These are the most interesting to me and I look forward to seeing what new paintings will emerge in the months and years to come.

More of Robin's work can be found on her website. Take a look for more images and info. For now, Robin and I have to get back to work.

Paul Wackers

2010-09-09T15:16:00.009-05:00

I don't know a lot about Paul Wackers. I know he received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2004, and lists several impressive solo shows on his C.V., but other than that there's not a whole lot of biographical information on his website. I do know this, though...I could stare at his paintings for hours. Take a look at his website for more images...but try not to stare for hours. Not good for the eyes :)

"Inspired" at The Arts Company

2010-09-08T10:04:00.019-05:00

There is nothing I love more than curating shows. Researching talented artists, seeing the artwork as it's created, planning the layout of the show in the gallery, and watching it all come together for the opening reception is one of the most exciting things I have ever had the pleasure to do in my professional career. I have curated several shows, have worked with some amazing artists, and have had a blast the entire time. "Inspired," however, will always stand out to me and be one the shows I am most proud of.

It all started back in March of 2010 when I was visiting New York City with a friend of mine. We were walking down 5th Avenue in the heart of the city, admiring the stores, wishing I could afford to purchase the beautiful things I was seeing, and staring at all the gorgeous window displays. I was passing Bergdorf Goodman when I looked up and was instantly stopped in my tracks by their window display, not by the clothes, but by the large-scale woodblock prints that provided the backdrop for the fashion. I had no idea who the artist was, but it wasn't something I was not going to forget. When I was finally returned home to Nashville I immediately started researching to find out who this artist was. I learned that his name was John Welles Bartlett and he was living in Brooklyn. I found his website and sent him an email to introduce myself. After a few back and forths, I asked him if he would be part of a show I was curating in late summer. I expected an immediate "No thanks." I assumed that someone, who was getting this kind of exposure and attention in New York, would already be booked solid with other shows. To my surprise, he said "Yes!" Now I actually had a show to start planning!

"TV Donkey with Ant" by John Welles Bartlett

I wanted this exhibit to be a two-person show, and I already had an idea floating in the back of my mind about how to make this more than just an average exhibit of two artist's work. The trouble was finding that other artist who was just the right fit with John. I found a couple artists who I was very interested in, but unfortunately (or fortunately...as it turned out) they were either already booked for shows, or just didn't return my emails. Then I ran across Julianna Swaney, and I was so happy those other artists didn't work out. I found her work on My Love For You and was instantly a fan. I knew her small, intimate works would be a nice contrast, and yet completely complement John's large-scale woodblock prints. I emailed her, and her quick reply couldn't have been nicer. Even though she was already booked for three other shows in September, she still agreed to be a part of mine. I don't know how she found the time to create all the work for these four shows, but she did...and personally, I think I got the best ones!

"Hidden Birds" by Julianna Swaney

Once each artist was confirmed for the show, I ran my idea past them. I wanted to engage each artist and have them create something that would be special for this exhibit and very interesting to all the folks who would make it to the show. I asked each artist (who were total strangers at the time) how they would feel about studying the body of work of the other artist and creating one piece for the show that was inspired by the other. I didn't know what kind of reaction this would get, but I was hopeful. As it turned out, both artists loved the other's work and were very excited to take on this challenge. Personally, I think they were even more excited to see what the other artist would create knowing that they were the inspiration behind it. As the months went on, I would receive images from the artists of all the new pieces they were working on...but I still hadn't seen the inspired piece. I was starting to get worried. I had already sent out the press release, hyped the theme of the show, given interviews to some local publications--all based on the idea that each artist was creating this inspired piece, and the show was even called, "Inspired." What in the world would I do if one or both artists decided they just couldn't manage to do an inspired piece? I was nervous. Luckily, each artist was just saving the best for last and when I finally saw the inspired pieces I knew that the show was going to be amazing!

John's work

Julianna's work

The opening reception was this past Saturday. John was able to fly to Nashville for the show, but Julianna had a show opening in Portland, OR, where she currently lives and wasn't able to make it. Even though she couldn't be here, the evening was a huge success. After some great press, including a very nice spotlight in Nashville Arts Magazine, and a wonderful post by The Jealous Curator, hundreds came through the gallery that night. Some were there for the free wine, but the majority were actually there to see this special exhibit. I talked to so many people, answered so many questions, and loved every minute of it. By the end of the night we had sold a lot of artwork (according to Julianna, the most she has ever sold at an opening reception...EVER), and introduced two fantastic new artists to the gallery and to Nashville. I'll never forget the evening. I want to thank both of these great artists who I now consider great friends, the amazing people I work with at The Arts Company (Anne, Robin, and the whole gang), and my incredibly supportive friends and family who made the night memorable and special.

The show continues through September 25 at The Arts Company. Please stop by and take a look if you can, or see the pieces in the show on the gallery's website.

John, me, and the editorial staff of Nashville Arts Magazine

With two of my best friends, Candace and Beth

Our front window display...just as impressive as Bergdorf Goodman, in my opinion :)

In case you were curious...here are the two "inspired" pieces:

"TV Maiden with Birdhouse" by John Welles Bartlett

"Reception" by Julianna Swaney

Gala Bent

2010-08-17T15:26:00.007-05:00

What can I say about the work of Gala Bent? Well, I am in LOVE...that's what. Short and sweet, but that's exactly how I feel when I see Gala's detailed illustrations. She can draw a braid like nobody's business. In fact, hair and fur is a constant theme in her work. I contacted Gala a few months ago about being a part of a show I was curating, but with her busy schedule, it wasn't meant to be. I do hope to work with her in the future...or at the very least, see an exhibit of her work in person. I have a feeling you have to get a very close look at one of her drawings to truly see all of the work that goes into each of these amazing pieces.

I've included a few of my favorites in this post, but you can see more of Gala's extraordinary work on her website.

"Loser"

2010-04-15T18:00:00.005-05:00

I love Google images. I use it almost on a daily basis...usually to find new and exciting artists for this blog or for shows I curate. I also have the weird habit of typing in random words just to see what will pop up. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad...but it's always interesting. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you "Loser." Yes, for some unexplained reason I decided to type in the word loser and this amazing image appeared before my eyes. It's creepy, right? Who is pictured in the photograph behind the neon sign. Is he/she the loser? Why does someone have a neon sign that says "loser?" I don't know. I don't care. I just admire. I don't really remember the origin of this photo. I think it was just a stock photo, but it has been saved on my computer for over a year so I finally decided to share it with you all. Does this really relate to art, design or home? Not really. But aren't you glad you got to see it? I thought so.

The Runny Bunny

2010-03-29T18:06:00.006-05:00

Robin Van Valkenburgh is one talented lady. I had the pleasure of selling her work several years ago when I owned a craft gallery, Artifex, in Franklin, Tennessee. Although I do not miss the stress, incredibly long hours, and financial strains of owning my own business, I DO miss being surrounded by all the creativity. I miss the buying trips, incredible markets, shows and artist studios I had the pleasure to visit. I miss the excitement of opening up new shipments of artwork. I miss the joy of creating the perfect display to showcase the amazing pieces art I was lucky enough to carry. And I miss Robin. The funny thing is that I have never even met her. I did, however, talk to her on the phone many times...usually because I was having to place more orders for her unique clay sculptures of pears and decorative spheres. I would have a waiting list of anxious customers to notify when new shipments of Robin's work would come in. Artifex closed in January of 2006.

Flash forward three and a half years. One day, while admiring all the incredible artwork and shops on etsy, I ran across a shop called "The Runny Bunny." What I found was a world of surreal and intriguing characters...animals with human heads, humans with animal heads, and so much more. After studying and coveting every single sculpture, I decided to click on the artist's bio, and to my surprise...there she was. Robin Van Valkenburgh WAS The Runny Bunny. The work is totally different than those pieces represented in my gallery years ago, but I love the new work even more. Take a look at The Runny Bunny's etsy shop here. These unique sculptures are priced so well that they go VERY fast, but Robin (being the hard worker that she is) keeps new items added frequently, so check back often! I look forward to having a nice collection of some of these little guys...as soon as I can make up my mind on which ones I like best.

Art Noir

2010-03-26T12:26:00.012-05:00

"Deepa Vekaria has recently completed a Masters in Communication Design at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design. She is inspired by the character roles found in Film Noir. Her work reflects a sense of period, setting and location with a strong sense of atmosphere and mood within filmic compositions." From Deepa Vekaria's website.

I am in love with this work. In serious love with it. Anything inspired by film noir is all right in my book.

For more info and images of Deepa Vekaria's inspired illustration, visit her website.

'Tis the Season!

2009-12-24T09:35:00.009-06:00

Amazing and intricate snow globe sculptures by Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz. Their work is absolutely amazing! You can see more of their designs here.

Happy Holidays from Art, Design and Home!!

The Brainwave Sofa

2009-10-28T14:12:00.005-05:00

The Brainwave Sofa is a collaboration between Lucas Maassen and Dries Verbruggen from Unfold. The design/shape was entirely determined by recording Maassen's neural activity while thinking of comfort.

This is one of several unique works from the traveling exhibit, Bits n' Pieces, featuring work by international designers, architects, computer scientists, and material and technology researchers.

Below is the description from the show's website:

"The shape of the Brainwave Sofa is entirely determined by recording 3 seconds of Maassen’s neural 'alpha' activity the very moment he closed his eyes. The resulting 3 second computerfile is sent to a CNC milling machine that mills out the Brainwave sofa in soft foam. It is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a futuristic production workflow in which the designer only has to close his eyes and a computer 'prints' the result out as a functional form. A warm grey felt with buttons in the valleys is applied by hand to the foam honoring the traditional codes of a sofa."

Serving Up Some Unique Art

2009-09-11T16:41:00.011-05:00

Esther Derkx gives new life to vintage, discarded serving ware by adding images of athletes and dancers to these abandoned pieces and creating something new and unique. She uses the technique of screen-printing onto ceramics, creating a wild juxtaposition of the human body, mixed with the floral and decorative existing designs of the vintage cups, plates, teapots, etc. The result is simply art...beautiful and imaginative.

See Esther's website for more of her work.

One Day I Will Own: Stephen Chambers

2009-07-18T12:25:00.005-05:00

This will be the first of many "One Day I Will Own" posts. These will be my little dream posts about all the glorious works of art I would purchase if I only had limitless amounts of money. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In the meantime I will just admire these things, put them on my list, keep buying lottery tickets, and hope that one day I will be lucky enough to acquire these amazing works.

I am in love with the work of London-based painter Stephen Chambers. I have admired his work for such a long time, so I think it's only fitting that he get the honor of being the first on the list.

The image above is titled, "The Emissary." This is an oil on canvas from 2005. To see more of Stephen Chambers' amazing work please take a look at his website.

Fruit Post-its

2009-07-16T11:26:00.005-05:00

These post-its look good enough to eat! You can buy one or a crate of six.

Available from D-BROS.

Today's find on Etsy

2009-06-19T10:09:00.006-05:00

"DoomGloomBoom" is the etsy shop of artist Zack Pinson. I am in love with this this piece titled "Duck." I may be getting out the credit card and making a purchase. At $12 per print how could I pass it up? The only thing that could make it better is if it was the original, but I won't let that stop me. The good news is that Zack sells original pieces in his etsy shop as well. Unfortunately...no original of "Duck," but there are several other original pieces available to choose from. Take a look at his etsy shop here and see for yourself.

Paintings by Marion Peck

2009-06-19T09:29:00.006-05:00

Marion Peck's paintings are dream-like. Some are like a good dream...some are like a bad dream. But they are all beautiful. Her subjects are people, animals, animals that look like people, and people that look like animals. There are portraits of puppies dressed in suits, kitties with extra eyes, evil snowmen, and so on and so on. It was hard to choose which images to include in this post because there are so many amazing works from this artist to choose from. You can these pieces and many more on her website.

"Nice Girl" and "Boy with Puppy" from Marion Peck's website.

Inky Dreadfuls

2009-05-01T14:00:00.004-05:00

"Michael Mararian possesses a poetic propensity for taking traditionally cheerful images and concepts and turning them into frightening, yet humorous, tableaus. Focusing on children as the last bastion of innocence, Mararian draws on a diverse range of influences to deliver the peculiar ink work he aptly calls, M. Mararian's Inky Dreadfuls. In this world our fondest visions of childhood’s naiveté are darkly rearranged to uncover lost innocence and the fear of our modern times.

Though often shroud in the macabre, Michaels' ink paintings are also suffused with a sense of mischievous, almost self-deprecating humor. What can on one level be construed as melancholy and cruel, can alternately be viewed as amusing, even charming. He enjoys letting his viewers decide."

-A portion of Michael Mararian's bio from his website.

The image above, "Pupaphobia-Fear of Puppets" is from Mararian's Phobia Series. Each piece in this specific series is disturbing yet comical. Although, that is true for most of Mararian's work.

To see more of his work take a look at his website.

For the Mod Plant Lover

2009-04-29T16:05:00.011-05:00

These planters from Metaphys are ideal for any modern home. Simple and clean, these planters make quite a contemporary statement. The "picture" planters can hang on a wall or sit on a table. The "factory" planters can be grouped together to create a modern design. Beautiful!

To purchase or see more products from Metaphys click here.

The Odd Couple

2009-04-22T09:44:00.005-05:00

Polly George has an interesting attention to detail, and it is in the details that her handmade ceramics come alive. Her work is modern--stark white ceramics with classic shapes, but it is the hand applied details that Polly adds to each piece that truly makes her work unique. She creates coffee mugs, teapots, butter dishes and more with roses, butterflies or birds adorned to each piece. However, it is her "Mr. and Mrs. Jones" line of ceramics that I find the most intriguing. Pictured above is the Mr. and Mrs. Jones Citrus Juicers. They can be purchased here. To see more of Polly's work or purchase other pieces visit her website.

Paper Cut Creations

2009-04-10T12:27:00.004-05:00

Artist Peter Callesen creates intricate paper cut sculptures using ordinary white sheets of paper. The negative space that is created by the cut is a nice contrast to the three dimensional reality it creates. See more of Peter's work on his website.

"Snowballs" by Peter Callesen

Lighting Designs by Jess Shaw

2009-04-07T17:10:00.003-05:00

"Imaginative and emotional lighting designs" by Jess Shaw. View her website and see more of her work here.

"Cloud" by Jess Shaw. Made from nylon, wire and lights.

Today's find on Etsy

2009-04-07T13:04:00.004-05:00

Beautiful cards and wall art made from layering hand-cut pieces of cardstock. The artist layers each piece with different shades of the same color to create a topographic landscape. Each piece is one-of-a-kind. See more of the artist's work here in her etsy shop.

A Cast of Creepy Characters

2009-04-01T09:41:00.001-05:00

"We humans are an odd bunch." That is the short and sweet artist statement by printmaker and illustrator Ryan Price. His work is considered dark and disturbed to some, playful and fun to others. Personally, I find it all of the above. The subjects in his work are interesting little characters. You find yourself wanting to know more about them. His website is set up almost like a book. There are chapters, characters, and stories. Although the website can be a little tricky to navigate it's a very intriguing set-up. I highly recommend clicking on "The Sketchbook Browser" at the bottom of the page to see more of these interesting little oddities.

For the past ten years Ryan has managed Catch-23, a printmaking studio, art gallery and frame shop in the heart of downtown Guelph, Ontario. He continues to create his fine art and illustrations and exhibit in a variety of shows around Ontario and beyond. I would love to see his work paired together with another of my favorites, John Casey. It would be a very exciting...and disturbing show. I would be in heaven!

Images above are from Ryan Price's website. You MUST take a look at his amazing work.

"Driven" - featuring work by artists with disabilities

2009-03-31T11:23:00.001-05:00

"For the sixth year, VSA arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc., have partnered to recognize and showcase young artists with disabilities, ages 16–25, who are living in the United States. This collaboration supports these artists at a critical time when many are deciding whether to pursue the arts as a career. The award validates, and helps finance, that life-defining choice.

VSA arts sent more than 20,000 calls for entry to high schools and colleges around the country, inviting submissions that illustrated the theme 'Driven.' Participants were asked to consider the motivations behind their work—what moves them to create. The call also encouraged artists to contemplate the relationship between life, art, and disability. Selected from 204 submissions, these 15 finalists were awarded a total of $60,000 generously provided by Volkswagen of America, Inc."

From VSA Arts' website.

The image above, "Untitled," is from one of the talented artists, Jessica Merrell of Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to Merrell, who was born with epilepsy, "I started a new body of work dealing with epilepsy and finally felt comfortable opening up a dialogue about it.” This new body of work centers around mandalas, which are ritualistic, geometric designs symbolic of the universe, used in Hinduism and Buddhism as an aid to meditation. According to Jessica's artist statement, “I am influenced by my disability and the theories of Carl Jung. In his theories on the subconscious mind the mandala is an instrument of meditation, concentration, and self-immersion. The mandala is a symbol of healing in every culture. Working in this format has an ordering effect and is a traditional antidote to chaotic states of mind.”

To see all the work by the 15 chosen artists please take a look at VSA Arts' website here.

Homes made from recycled shipping containers

2009-03-26T13:52:00.001-05:00

This is genius! I have been reading recently about the newest craze in "green" living. Several companies are using recycled shipping containers to create prefab modern homes. Not only are they cheaper than the traditional building costs of a new home, they are strong...and easily transported. That is why companies are springing up all over the world that are beginning to specialize in this niche market. Addis Containers, a New Zealand company that specializes in container house design and construction, has created a website where you can not only learn about the benefits of building with shipping containers, but you can actually browse layouts to find the design that best fits you and your lifestyle.

In addition to homes, recycled shipping containers have been used to create student housing, "portable" hotels, artist studios, and on-site camping for special outdoor events.

Click here to read a great article on container homes by Ecoble.
Visit Addis Containers website here.

Images from Ecoble and Addis Containers.

Today's find on Etsy

2009-03-26T13:12:00.001-05:00

"Week 48 SEVEN" by Iris Schwarz

"SEVEN" is a weekly edition from artist Iris Schwarz. Every week Schwarz creates an edition of seven prints from one of her original illustrations.

See more of her work in her etsy shop.

The Art of Light in Design

2009-03-25T09:40:00.001-05:00

I've always been amazed at what can be accomplished with great lighting and design. For as long as I can remember I've collected lamps. Not the most practical thing to collect...I have so many most of them are stored away in closets. But I am always amazed at their beauty. A lamp, however, is nothing compared to some of the amazing lighting you see in corporations, hotels, and businesses all over the world. Take a look at this stunning creation by Brazilian design firm Metro Arquitectura which was designed for the Club NOX nightclub in Recife, Brazil.

The following description of this design is from Metro Arquitectura's website:

"Entering the high ceiling dance floor area, the impression is that a membrane or transparent skin from the ceiling and walls had just detached by the vibration of the sound waves and now embraces the entire space with the light that it reveals.

This membrane of translucent fiberglass is made of a series of parallel and perpendicular continuous stripes, as if they had been sliced in two directions. When these stripes cross themselves, they create a matrix that configures the center stage of the dance floor, allowing creating infinite possibilities of light movement and effects."

Take a look at Metro Arquitectura's website here.

Now...if I could only take a trip to Brazil :)

Today's find on Etsy

2009-03-21T15:31:00.001-05:00

"The Balloon" by Katrine K. I LOVE her work. Admire more of her prints and originals in her etsy shop.

Bow to the Goddess

2009-03-21T13:53:00.002-05:00

A few months ago I had the pleasure of curating a group show at The Arts Company titled, "Wood, Canvas and Clay" which featured the work of four amazingly talented artists. Being a clay artist myself, I am always drawn to ceramics more than anything else. I was thrilled to find the work of Atlanta artist Krista Grecco, and even more thrilled that she agreed to be one of the artists in my show. This new piece, titled "Greek Goddess," was created specifically for the show. According to Krista's artist statement, her new series is "especially personal, busts based closely but loosely on the women who have shared their love, companionship and knowledge with me."

Although I have spoken with Krista on numerous occasions, I haven't yet had the opportunity to meet her. Luckily, that will change next month when I make a trip to Atlanta. I have already made arrangements to meet Krista and take a tour of her studio where she is working on several new sculptures to be featured in a new show at Ferrin Gallery in May. She's been a joy to work with, I adore her sculptures, and I look forward to seeing what amazing things happen to her in the future. She's definitely one to watch!

Today's find on Etsy

2009-03-20T16:04:00.001-05:00

I love these salt and pepper shakers! Created by artist Michelle Tinner, these organic forms are...in her own words, "modern, sexy and sophisticated." I couldn't agree more!

See more of Michelle's work in her etsy shop.

Stunning. Haunting. Beautiful.

2009-03-19T11:01:00.001-05:00

"Creator of the world’s first underwater sculpture park, Jason de Caires Taylor has gained international recognition for his unique work. His sculptures highlight ecological processes whilst exploring the intricate relationships between modern art and the environment. By using sculptures to create artificial reefs, the artist’s interventions promote hope and recovery, and underline our need to understand and protect the natural world.

The sculptures are sited in clear shallow waters to afford easy access by divers, snorkeler and those in glass-bottomed boats. Viewers are invited to discover the beauty of our underwater planet and to appreciate the processes of reef evolution."

From Jason de Caires Taylor's website, www.underwatersculpture.com. His work is absolutely amazing. You MUST check out his website to see more beautiful images.

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-03-17T16:02:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, March 16, 2009, was my 30th birthday. To celebrate my 30 years on this planet I decided to treat myself to a few things. Luckily, this birthday just happened to fall on a Monday which happens to be my day off. I started the day by laying in bed until 11:00 am. Heaven! Then I decided to head into town. I live in Nashville, TN, but I live outside of downtown Nashville. Working in downtown Nashville, I have to make the drive in and out of downtown nearly everyday, so I don't usually do it on my days off unless it's absolutely necessary. Yesterday it was. Upon hearing the sad news that American Artisan, my favorite craft gallery in Nashville, would be closing it's doors for good at the end of the month...I decided to make a special trip to buy myself a birthday gift. I wasn't sure what would be left, but I was hoping there would be a large selection of pottery remaining. I am a pottery freak. It's like my drug of choice. I just can't get enough. I walked into American Artisan and immediately noticed that the selection of pottery had been wiped clean. There were a few odds and ends scattered around, but nothing that really screamed, "Take me home!" I was almost out the door when I noticed an interesting piece of art on the bottom shelf in one of the rooms in the store. I picked it up and knew I had to have it. I didn't even realize that this unique piece was also a mechanical piece of art until I was taking it to the cash register. When I moved the metal piece on the side, the little man's feet clicked together and he pulled down a piece of paper that read, "HELLO WORLD." It made me smile. I was very pleased with my purchase.

This unique piece of art was created by Ann Wood and Dean Lucker of Minnesota. Please check their website for more of their beautiful work.

After the trip to American Artisan I decided to treat myself yet again. Next stop...Gigi's Cupcakes.