Today's progress
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Work in Progress
I just started working on a little oil painting. There was a sale on canvas at Lee's Art Store so I bought six 8"x10" canvases to play with. I'm thinking about doing different scenes of Newport, and possibly selling them down there this summer. This painting is based on a picture that I took last Fourth of July:
In the original picture you can actually see my Dad's boat out on a mooring in the harbor. When I paint in the boats I'm going to pay extra attention to making sure the Sheila Ann stands out. This was the first underpainting:
I always love doing sunsets, especially the way the clouds capture and reflect the colors of the sky and sea. I paint the clouds with a palette knife so they have dimensionality and definition. This is the painting at the end of the second day of dabbling:
I haven't put too much time into this painting, maybe 3 hours altogether. It's a nice little diversion and should be finished up by next week.
Updates to come!
In the original picture you can actually see my Dad's boat out on a mooring in the harbor. When I paint in the boats I'm going to pay extra attention to making sure the Sheila Ann stands out. This was the first underpainting:
I always love doing sunsets, especially the way the clouds capture and reflect the colors of the sky and sea. I paint the clouds with a palette knife so they have dimensionality and definition. This is the painting at the end of the second day of dabbling:
I haven't put too much time into this painting, maybe 3 hours altogether. It's a nice little diversion and should be finished up by next week.
Updates to come!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
In the Rough
This week my internship sent me on a very cool errand. I went to a store called Metaliferous where you can buy all sorts of jewelry-smithing supplies. I was picking up patinating liquids, chemicals that create a patina on different metals, for the antiques store, but I took the opportunity to look around the store while I was there. Not only do they sell all sorts of metalworking supplies, from hammers and files to silver wire, they also sell semi-precious stones and beads.
Of course, my casual perusal quickly devolved into full-on shopping, and I ended up buying the makings of a necklace. I chose one strand of jagged blue Chalcedony, and a second strand of finely milled coral beads to act as spacers. I chose the two because the orange of the coral really vibrates against the purple tones in the Chalcedony.
The necklace isn't quite done yet, and I do have some fears that it will fall apart the first time I wear it. But nonetheless, I am proud of my attempt, and can't wait to take it out on a test drive.
Of course, my casual perusal quickly devolved into full-on shopping, and I ended up buying the makings of a necklace. I chose one strand of jagged blue Chalcedony, and a second strand of finely milled coral beads to act as spacers. I chose the two because the orange of the coral really vibrates against the purple tones in the Chalcedony.
The necklace isn't quite done yet, and I do have some fears that it will fall apart the first time I wear it. But nonetheless, I am proud of my attempt, and can't wait to take it out on a test drive.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Newport Update
Not all of the furniture that came out of my grandma's house in Upstate New York fell into my novice hands for its refurbishment. Two beautiful armchairs from my grandma's living room underwent a major professional makeover. We had them stripped, stained and re-caned at the Strip Joint in Rhode Island (the Captain loves to shock people saying "I"m going to the Strip Joint", har har) and then we had them reupholstered in two contrasting fabrics.
They came out looking fabulous, literally 3 couples tried to buy them from the upholstery store while we were there picking them up! We placed the chairs in my parents bedroom, flanking the fireplace. My mother is especially wary of clutter and excessive furniture, but I think instead of making the room feel claustrophobic these actually make it feel bigger. Plus they are exceptionally useful for putting on and taking off shoes.
I really wanted to do a tour of the Newport house via photos, but unfortunately I did not bring my charger last weekend and my camera died shortly after I finished photographing my parents bedroom. So that will have to be put off until my next trip to Rhode Island; look forward to that in the future!
They came out looking fabulous, literally 3 couples tried to buy them from the upholstery store while we were there picking them up! We placed the chairs in my parents bedroom, flanking the fireplace. My mother is especially wary of clutter and excessive furniture, but I think instead of making the room feel claustrophobic these actually make it feel bigger. Plus they are exceptionally useful for putting on and taking off shoes. 
I really wanted to do a tour of the Newport house via photos, but unfortunately I did not bring my charger last weekend and my camera died shortly after I finished photographing my parents bedroom. So that will have to be put off until my next trip to Rhode Island; look forward to that in the future!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Amazing Antiques!
Usually (always up until this very moment) I have devoted this blog solely to art and objects that I create. But I've decided that I want to expand my scope a little bit beyond the crafts of my own hands, and share about my new internship.
At the beginning of January I started interning two days a week at Amy Perlin Antiques, a beautiful antiques showroom on 61st and 2nd Ave that mainly sells to the trade. The minute I walked in I fell in love with the store.
It looks like Miss Havisham's house crossed with the Mixed up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler with a touch of the Mad Hatter; there are 16th century tables stacked on top of 19th century benches, and 18th century curio cabinets filled with stuffed porcupines and pieces of Roman mosiac.
These are a few of my favorite pieces from the store:
This green Chesterfield is simply stunning in person. Everytime I see it I can't help but imagine some gritty lingerie ad, maybe for Dolce & Gabbana, with a strung-out model lying on this couch! It has this bohemian quality of something both beautiful and broken-down.
This is an amazing unusual object that is actually a piece of Roman stonework. I didn't even know that you could own something like this outside of a museum!
This wood coffee table is so unique and beautiful. Its shape always reminds me of some kind of dinosaur. Now that it has been buffed up to a glossy gleam it invites the touch....
At the beginning of January I started interning two days a week at Amy Perlin Antiques, a beautiful antiques showroom on 61st and 2nd Ave that mainly sells to the trade. The minute I walked in I fell in love with the store.
It looks like Miss Havisham's house crossed with the Mixed up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler with a touch of the Mad Hatter; there are 16th century tables stacked on top of 19th century benches, and 18th century curio cabinets filled with stuffed porcupines and pieces of Roman mosiac. 
These are a few of my favorite pieces from the store:
This green Chesterfield is simply stunning in person. Everytime I see it I can't help but imagine some gritty lingerie ad, maybe for Dolce & Gabbana, with a strung-out model lying on this couch! It has this bohemian quality of something both beautiful and broken-down.
This is an amazing unusual object that is actually a piece of Roman stonework. I didn't even know that you could own something like this outside of a museum!
This wood coffee table is so unique and beautiful. Its shape always reminds me of some kind of dinosaur. Now that it has been buffed up to a glossy gleam it invites the touch....
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