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$6000 Dog Caves

March 18, 2008 RH

Scottie’s Fine Art Caves is a Canadian design/build firm that specializeds in Interior Art Homes for companion animals.

If you haven’t already guessed, Scottie is a dog. The 12 year old Maltese/Yorkshire terrier is CEO of the company. Scottie was the inspiration behind the cave homes, so why not? The VP of the company is a cat. Some guy is also involved.

The Art Homes are stamped for authenticity. I can’t imagine what the resale value would be after sitting in a house full of chewing dogs and scratchy, peeing cats.

The Caves are made with environmentally friendly materials. Ingredients include water, cellulose fibre, wood, natural fibre rope, and water-based paints. These are meant for interior use only. But then again, who in their right mind would keep a $6000 object outdoors? Or their dog for that matter?

Feline mountain is available for kitties.

via Cribcandy

Local Glass Tile

March 13, 2008 RH

FYI: There’s a glass tile manufacturer right here in Beacon. The Architectural Glass tiles are constructed of new material but the company does their best to reduce waste during processing.

The 4″x4″ Lume Series is a machine made tile that comes in 20 vibrant colors. These 3/8″ thick tiles are comparable to today’s ceramic tiles except they are much more beautiful. And more expensive. If a whole wall is not an option, they would work nicely as accent pieces.

The Studio Series is hand made. Each 4″x4″ tile is 5/8 thick and comes in a variety of colors. There is a rope accent piece that is to die for. I’ve seen them in person. Trust me, the website doesn’t do them justice. Obviously pricier than the Lume Series.

Architectural Glass also offers custom tiles. These are the same folks behind some of the work at Hudson Beach Glass, one of the most inviting galleries on Main Street, Beacon.

2006 Interview

Original Art For $99

March 5, 2008 RH

I’m not a poster person. If I’m going to take up valuable space on my walls, it has to be original artwork. Since I can’t afford that $5,000,000 Frida Kahlo painting, I find talented emerging artists elsewhere.

But $99? Even I would be willing to spend more than that! I found Original Art For $99 via an Apartment Therapy post and thought….”This has got to be crap.” You know….the stuff you see in tourist “art galleries” or at an amateur art show in some weird city that’s not NY?

But I was impressed. $99! The site has a bio of each artist and lists the size and medium. The artists get 90% of the sales price and shipping is a flat $11. I’m assuming they do alot of volume and that’s how both artist and site make money.

Here are some of my faves. Click on images for info.

Vintage NYC Images

February 25, 2008 RH 2 Comments

Construction Workers on Crossbeam, 1932

As a follow up to Friday’s photo post, I’d like to share some of my favorite moments of NYC’s history captured on film.

If you’re thinking of something to hang on your wall and not worried about investment value, the Library of Congress is a great resource, as I mentioned in the last post. The NY Times Store also sells fiber based prints starting at under $200.

There was a time I thought I was the reincarnation of Weegee. To this day, he’s on my top 3 photographers list. His images captured the raw, “naked” streets of NYC during the 40’s. Arthur Fellig got the name Weegee (Ouija) due to his arrival on the scene moments after the tragedy occurred. His car was equipped with a police scanner and darkroom. Some say Weegee’s pictures were set up. “The Critic”, above, was actually a set up. Weegee got the broad on the right drunk at a Bowery bar and set her loose on the two society dames. It was planned but it wasn’t posed.

This gal is brave! Although Margaret Bourke-White is the one credited with this image (that’s her atop the Chrysler), it was her assistant, Oscar Graubner who snapped the shot. But MBW was no slouch. The premier issue of Life magazine featured one of her images. She was also the first western photographer to go to the Soviet Union.

Erwitt is alive and well and (I think) still living in NYC. He’s the guy with all of those dog images. Probably his most famous one is the little Chihuahua at the feet of a Great Dane. “NY Pug” is more of a NY stoop scene that it is about the dogs, which is why I chose it for both this post and my wall. Yeah, it was one of my splurges.

The Flatiron is by far my favorite building in NYC. And this Edward Steichen photo, shot in 1904 is my favorite image of it. Steichen added color to the platinum print by using layers of pigment suspended in a light-sensitive solution of gum arabic and potassium bichromate. Take that, you digital photographers! If I ever develop the time or patience, I would love to take a course in old printing methods.

Gordon Parks died about 2 years ago at the age of 93. He grew up in a poverty stricken home in segregated Kansas and went on to become an award winning photographer, writer and film maker, paving the way for other African American artists. He was the first black photographer at Life magazine. FYI, Did you know he directed “Shaft“?

This image, taken in 1948, features sixteen-year-old Red Jackson, the leader of one of the toughest gangs in New York. After gaining the trust of the Harlem gang, Parks spent some time photographing them. Forty years later, Parks ran into Jackson at Penn Station. What happened? Ah, you have to read his book to find out.

Ok, the tour ends here. I have so many more, but I can be here for weeks. Let me know if this is of interest to you. If not, I’ll stop boring you with it.

Collecting Photographs

February 21, 2008 RH 6 Comments

Within the next few weeks, we’re going to be bringing art dealer Elizabeth Heskin on board to educate us regular folks on collecting fine art. I tried to get her to write about affordable art for under $500, but she woke me out of my dream world.

Since I’ve been known to collect a photograph or two, I’ll get the ball rolling by sharing some tips on photographic prints. Keep in mind that I’m just a photographer, so I really know nothing about collecting.

I only buy black and white prints. It’s just my own personal preference. I’m not crazy about color and I won’t go near digital. In fact, I become really irate when I walk into a gallery that has digital images hanging on the wall. I feel cheated. Digital and fine art photography don’t mix! Unless it’s some funky Photoshopped image.

Prints should have been printed on fibre based paper or something that pre-dates that, unless you’re paying $50 for an RC or digital print at Union Square.

Some important factors to consider when parting with (much) more than $50:

Make sure you’re working with a reputable gallery.

Is this an established photographer?

Is the print signed?

Is the print part of an edition? Older photographers didn’t think of their work as “art” and therefore, didn’t number prints.

Condition of print.

Is it a vintage or modern print? Signed “modern” prints by masters are fairly affordable. They are still vintage, but were printed years after the photo was taken. I purchased a Henri Cartier Bresson just before he died. The signed, modern print set me back $5000 and has since gone up in value (Shame I never want to sell it). The vintage version would have been well over $100k if it even exists for private collections.

This is a cold and nasty tip, but they don’t call me a heartless bitch for nothing. As I did with HCB, look for aging and ailing photographers who won’t be around much longer. The values will go up after they kick.

But most importantly…..only buy what you like!

A good starting point is the AIPAD show. Several dealers under one roof. The show is usually in February but has been pushed back to April this year. That’s where I found the Peter Fetterman Gallery, with whom I’ve purchased a couple of prints.

If you don’t have thousands to spend but want an archival print from a master, go over to the Library of Congress site where you can order quality reproductions from their catalog.

Fashionable & Functional Kitty Cribs

February 13, 2008 RH 2 Comments

I came across some groovy looking cat beds and hideaways during a recent search. Thought I’d share.

“Rondo” from Cat Interiors. $274 plus $103 shipping from Germany. D’uh!

Marmalade Pet’s “Cheeky Chaise“. $139. List of retailers here. Nice looking now, but you know how I feel about cardboard.

“Kitty Hawk” activity center. $160. Sold at a few online retailers. Snap together starter kits are 90 bucks and you can build the Cat Castle from there. Parts are washable and replaceable if damaged. (Or peed on)

Moto Art: Recycled Airplanes

February 11, 2008 RH

Artist Donovan Fell III Moto Art in 1998 by chance. One morning he noticed a pile of B-17 propellers on top of the junk man’s scrap aluminum heap. They were dented and greasy, but they were beautiful to him.

“What beautiful shapes they were and what countless memories of engineering, combat and freedom they contained.” Donovan saved them from the furnace, polished them up and a lucrative hobby soon became a business.

Moto Art offers freestanding sculptures, tables, desks and chairs. Prices start at around $2000 for some of the larger items. That’s fair enough for those with money. For the rest of us working schlubbs, there are affordable small items such as desk lamps and clocks for under $200.

Save the Arizona Eliphante!

February 6, 2008 RH

Artist Michael Kahn passed on the 2007 Winter Solstice. His wife Leda still resides at the residence they built with their own hands near Sedona, AZ. But the non profit arts organization, Eliphante, is in need of repairs.

The 3 acre property was donated to the struggling artist couple in 1979. The series of buildings is a work in progress, not unlike Wings Castle or Broken Angel. It took 5 years to make the home habitable, during which time the couple lived in a small shack with no plumbing or electric. They did have a wood burning stove and Leda refers to the shack as “Winter Palace”, the best home she has ever lived in.

Building materials included found objects such as driftwood, glass and broken pottery. Eliphante is listed on the Smithsonian’s “Save Outdoor Sculpture” list and welcomes visitors on a limited basis.

Redwood Counter

Solar Bath House

Via NY Times

Sales!

February 1, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Gowanus Studio Space
Art Sale and Benefit.
Friday, February 1st. 6pm
$ 7.00. Live music and drink included.
All works priced $40-$70.

Estate Sale by Ann’s Tag Sales
Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 & 2
10am-4pm, Paramus, NJ
Baby grand piano, grandfather clock, Duncan Phyfe style sofa, antique china and flatware, lots more.

The Treasure Shop, 92 Partition Street, Saugerties
Open daily 11-5pm.
Antiques shop closing after 15 years. Owner retiring.
I’m hitting this one myself on Saturday!

You Gotta Love Uncommon Goods

January 25, 2008 RH 2 Comments

I check the Uncommon Goods online store all the time, but I’ve never written about it because it’s not some fresh new thing that I’ve just discovered. Well, let me just do this for myself so I can move on….

Some of my favorite handmade recycled items:

Patchwork Cube: $590

Stave Back Storage Bench: $400

“Walk Don’t Walk”: $3700

Uhuru Got Me Now

January 24, 2008 RH 1 Comment

“Beam Table”: $ 3800

Uhuru was founded in 2004 by Rhode Island School of Design grads Bill Hilgendorf and Jason Horvath.

The two honor the Shaker belief that “beauty rests on utility”. Most of the pieces they fabricate in their Red Hook, Brooklyn shop are from salvaged materials.

The “Beam Table” pictured above is made from reclaimed timber from early 1900’s buildings in NYC that were being demolished.

“Stoolen”: starts at $2000

The Stoolen side table/stool is crafted from strips of wood saved from local Brooklyn area shops. See the rim around the piece? Bike rim.

“Fenced In”: $ 3800

The “Fenced In” coffee table is made from repurposed cast iron fence pieces and 1/2″ tempered glass.

Uhuru is currently working on some deals with local showrooms. For the moment contact them directly via their website for all inquiries.

Can I Get Me Some Of That Free Art?

January 21, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Participating artist Jake Borndal of Brooklyn

Via BushwickBK

Fine Art Adoption Network connects artists with potential collectors. The artists are pretty well established and yet the works exchange hands with no charge to the recipient.

The goal of FAAN is to encourage new audiences to take an interest in contemporary art. They would like art ownership to be experienced by all deserving folks whether or not they have the means to purchase. There is an adoption procedure to go through and any resale must be worked out with the artist.

So no more sitting on a bench at the museum staring at your favorite painting for hours. No more Ikea artwork. Now maybe you can get the real thing! For FREE!

BKLYN Designs 2008

January 16, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Via Decor 8

CALL FOR EXHIBITORS: BKLYN DESIGNS + 2008

Since it’s launch in 2003, Bklyn Designs has expanded into three main venues. The Dumbo show is presented by the Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Target this year.

In addition to showcasing up and coming home furnishing and fixture designers, BKLYN DESIGNS 2008 will feature a cash and carry market for small home accessories.

There is no jury fee to enter, but booth space is $800 and items must have been made in Brooklyn.

Application deadline is February 1, 2008.

BKLYN Designs

Etsy Find: Neil Collins

January 8, 2008 RH

Neil Collins had me at the mask. Very Darth Vader meets Hannial Lecter, no? The wall sculpture is made from an oil painted antique gas mask with new nylon straps attached to the frame by steel rings. Rings are hand made from the metal of a football helmet face guard. The frame is welded steel painted in a pattern of alternating black and bare steel. Entire work, apart from glass, is sealed. $500.Continue reading Etsy Find: Neil Collins

Etsy Find: Creative Pal

December 28, 2007 RH 1 Comment

Hey, this guy has some cool stuff on Etsy. “Creative Pal” is a writer and inventor out of Bloomington. He creates lamps, murals and other fun stuff that any adult child (oh, that’s me) would love. I’ll let you read about his creative process in his own words. Just click on photo links for more info.

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