A Helping Hand....

While running to an appointment in Bologna, Italy recently, this fabulous doorknob caught my eye. I stopped long enough to photograph it as I have a love of hands used in architecture.

That is not a reflection. Their are two hands! One on the interior and one for the exterior.

Most people are familiar with the iconic "praying hands" by Albrecht Durer. He also made his way to Bologna around 1507 to "learn the secret art of perspective".

And then there is the lithograph of  Escher's "Drawing Hands"..

Hands used as door handles are more common in other countries, it seems.

These hands are examples of yoga positions. The hands are very important in healing the body and keeping it in balance.

This is a lovely example of a gas jet sconce(see the key on the wrist?)

Be still my heart! ....The best example is this one posted by Regina Garay of Fauxology and is the home of Thierry Bosquet featured in  Entra magazine.  This article is one of my favorites!
...I once left behind a wonderful wooden carved hand at a Paris flea market...have regretted it ever since! I am on the prowl now for vintage carved hands at antique sales. Wish me luck!

What's Next in Trends?

This week, I went to the World Trade Center in Dallas for the gift and lighting show. As you can see, Easter, Halloween and Christmas were covered!

The "restoration hardware" influence is still strong with lots of industrial stenciling on natural fibers.

One thing I did notice was driftwood taking a stronger place in the spotlight.

Driftwood used sculpturally and in a decorative manner.

Bleached and stacked into natural shapes....

Remember the driftwood sculptures in Gump's in San Francisco? They are always ahead of the curve!

Natural fibers were interpreted through lighting as well.

There were some artistic touches for accent pieces. I love the yellow chair!

 Of course, hand painted furniture was still strong. I like the "ombre" approach to the decoration on this chest.

Lots of distressing and floral design....

In the Hemisphere area (where people new to market can set up) I saw a wonderful booth  entitled-"Studio All'Antica"...

Artist Christopher T. Jewett had a booth featuring his faux skills!  His card reads "Classically trained and experienced in: European plasters-Trompe l'oeil, marbling and graining. Commissioned fine art and murals."

There was no one manning his booth while I was there and he has no web site listed on his card, just a phone number. Does anyone know him? I am curious how his response is with a booth at market.

So, mass produced or hand crafted?

A flamboyant reproduction or a one of a kind craft? It seems there is room for both at market, and hopefully,  the same in these economic times!

IDAL-International Decorative Artisans League -2012 Convention

If you are following this blog, you are interested in the field of art! You might be a decorative artist, someone who dabbles with painting furniture or just wanting to find techniques for your own home decor.

Have you looked into taking week long classes at someone's studio? I love to do this, but there are times when money and time do not allow it!

Are any of theses images getting your attention? They are all examples of one or two day classes that will be held in July at this year's IDAL convention in Reno, Nevada. It is just a plane ride away to learning some cutting edge techniques and getting to talk shop with artisans from around the world!

Learn how to paint decorative ornamentation (as shown above) or maybe......

You want to do some realistic clouds on your ceiling!

Or photo realism! Using air brush techniques, create a truly realistic cloud formation.

How often do you get to study with an artist from Florence, Italy using chalk paint, casein and waxes to produce beautiful hand painted furniture?

Want to improve your mural and trompe l'oeil skills? Mats Carlsson from Sweden is teaching two different classes !

How about a chance to talk to representatives from the big art related companies? Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Golden Artist Colors, 3M, Crescent Bronze Powder Co,Modern Masters, Pierre Finkelstein Institute of Decorative Painting Royal Design Studio, Sherwin-Williams, Society of Gilders, Stencilwerks and many others will be on hand in the Expo area. You can buy products and have some hands on experience in their booths. Demonstrations will also be going on in the Expo area. Watch ILia Anossov demonstrate true fresco techniques and others show how to be a more creative artist.

I will be there! How could I miss such an opportunity? Go the the web link and grab a plane ticket! I hope you will come join me in this creative convention!

Ercolano....

Ercolano is  modern Italian for Herculaneum and is a town located at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. You can see from this thermal shot the size of the volcano.

This side view shows the veins of rich red and orange oxides formed from volcanic action. Hematite and other minerals form the bright veins of ercolano pigments.

Ercolano red is a beautiful rich oxide composed of hematite, clay, chalk and silica.

Ercolano red gives depth and warmth when used in traditional egg tempera.

When studying with Carolina d'Ayala Valva last month, we used ercolano red as one of our main colors of our palette.

Ercolano orange is not as strong in hematite, thus the color is not as red. It is also mined in the quarries in northern Italy -product of the volcanic action from Mount Vesuvius...

Ercolano blue is , to me, the most prized as it is much harder to find. It is deeper than sky blue , almost a turquoise.

I just received over five kilos (bought all that the supplier had!) This will be shared with a friend who introduced me to the color many years ago. I will now have to find new suppliers-here is one and another if you care to work with the magic of ercolano!

Connecting with the World.....

Before there were blogs and internet websites, we connected to the world through hand delivered mail.

Leave it to the Europeans to inject beauty into a mundane object like a mailbox!

I took these pictures in March when I was in Venice....I am always fascinated with artistic beauty seen even in a mail slot.

Oh yes, there are beautiful door handles as well....but this time I really found some treasures!

My heart nearly skipped a beat when I walked by these name plates!!! I stopped so abruptly, I was almost trampled by the people walking behind me.

These beat any profile picture I could post on line!......
I saved the best photo for last!

This was an unexpected surprise  found in a narrow calle behind the Ca Rezzonico. The first impression someone has of your home is usually your door...make it fabulous with a wonderful vintage door handle or mail slot. It is always in the details that you find the most delightful inspiration!

Carolina d'Ayala Valva-Artist of Grottesca

I recently had the pleasure of spending a week with Carolina d'Ayala Valva in Orlando learning the techniques of true Italian grottesca.

Jeff Huckaby hosted a class with Carolina at his Orlando studio. We began with transferring the design by rubbing pigment onto the back. Working with egg tempera, we then painted the design with a monochrome of raw umber.

Each step is precise and could be a finished work in itself. All shadows are put in to guide when the color is added.

Layers and layers of thin washes of color are what make the egg tempera have depth and fusion of color.

The palette is chosen and colors begin to replace the monochrome.

Carolina works hard to demonstrate each step and checks constantly on each student on their progress.

After the color fusion, the magic begins with the detail strokes. These small. controlled strokes make it all come alive in the glint of a jewel or the curl of a leaf.

This is what made me seek out Carolina for the second time, to take another class with her. Her detail work is achieved only through discipline and consistant brush stroke.

If one step was left out, this beauty would not exist. Her panels are studies of the relation of color and the play of light.

Each student went home with a beautiful panel (produced by several 11 hour marathon days) that only a room full of "type A's" could create! (thanks Li for that quote)

Special thanks to Jeff Huckaby for thinking big enough to bring Carolina from Rome to teach this wonderful class. I think I have it figured out now!

For more information on Carolina and grottesca, click here and here.