Back to the Land of the Blogging ...

The City Wide Open Studio Exhibit is over. It was grand fun and I met some wonderful people - but I'm glad it's over. It's a lot of work and time - and I'm old and tired!

The object of Open Studios is for artists to find a space of some sort to create a temporary exhibit space. There are several hundred artists who participate, and it's a very eagerly anticipated event here in New Haven.

My fellow cohorts, Richard Montanari, Mark St. Mary, and Peter Webster, and I discovered an abandoned floor/loft in a lovely 19th century building in downtown New Haven. It was filthy and absolutely filled with debris and the accumulations of decades and decades of disuse. We spent two full days emptying, cleaning, sweeping, wiping, washing, and generally acting like a crew of Dickens' charwomen.

Here are a few pics of the just-before-the-opening result ...

The corner below shows the space used by artist/director Peter Webster. His work utilizes gouache, acrylic, oil stick, graphite, watercolor, and color pencil.
This is the space chosen by photographer Mark St. Mary. Mark's photographs are just exquisite - he finds the most minute moment of beauty in an object and photographs it like a rare jewel.
This photo shows more of the room we were using. We found the wonderful decayed columns in the space, and decided they really needed to be included in the exhibit. Leaning against a wall with many layers of various wallpaper peelings and paint, they exuded a mournful sense of past splendor.
This is my space. I only exhibited a few wallhangings and mini-theatre - oh, and one art quilt. I kept thinking I should bring in more work, but I felt the space looked "complete" as it was. My collaged wallhangings, inspired by a workshop with K.C.Willis, looked very at home against the aged brick wall.
The fourth member of The Gang of Four was Richard Montanari. He is sculptor of soft vinyl Japanese toy figures. They are truly remarkable little treasures...and there's the added fun of they light up with blinking lights when touched! His toy business is called Mutant Vinyl Hardcore - which pretty much says it all!
Now all the unsold work has been returned to the studio, and that little event has come to an end. It was a success - except I don't think my back will ever be the same!


I still haven't signed up again to take part in Beverly's Pink Saturday ... I just can't seem to find the time to scour up fun new pink images! However, when I saw this fabulous Orlando Diaz-Azcuy designed nook, I knew that it would be a terrific offering for Pink Saturday. I'm posting it here today on Grey Gloomy Rainy Tuesday - but it's still a gorgeous pink room! Don't you just want to crawl up on that daybed with a box of Godiva chocolate truffles and a good novel?!
Speaking of fabulous, how about these amazing napkin rings?! I have never really been a huge fan of napkin rings - but I may have to just change my opinion of them! I love the idea of setting a table with great monuments of the world! ... or preparing a table for a Thai dinner with giant pagodas! How much fun!


The first circus piece has been completed and crated and shipped and received. The owner sent me this photo of the wallpaper and ceiling paper that will be used in the room where the three circuses will be installed. Isn't this the most fanciful wall-and-ceiling paper ever?! And, as it's going to be in a ballroom instead of a bedroom, there will be even MORE room for the wonderful wonderful Victorian designs!

I always enjoy checking out the unusual European discoveries of Antiques Diva ... and couldn't resist these two fabulous photos of art nouveau architectural jewels. Wouldn't walking into one of those buildings every day make you feel like absolute royalty?!


And, from the The Peak of Chic, comes these exquisite wall murals. Everytime I decide that I'm completely over wall murals - or Asian inspired decór - along comes a room like this amazing Allyn Cox mural to make me realize how foolish I am to dismiss things so casually! This is the dining room in the Goodrum House - or, as it's known, Peacock Mansion - in Atlanta.

... just an option under consideration for Halloween. I wonder if Dusty would go along with playing Tinkerbell for the day!
These art nouveau wall sconces just totally knock my socks off! Reverse painted glass, they are mid 19th century Austrian. They must have looked exquisite with candles flickering behind them. They most certainly were for quite a large house as they are 24" high! ... now that's a lotta sconce!




From my favorite auction site, this obelisk is the most unique birdcage I've ever seen. I've seen more fanciful ones - but nothing this unusual. I do have a rather disturbing image in my head of some poor bird attempting to fly, and bouncing off the four walls like a pinball...I mean, it's not very wide! But I love it. I would even get a (tiny) bird for it!

During my absence I received several lovely blog awards. The first from my dear friend and artist Anne, of el Milagro Studio ...
I love the bottom quote: "Friendship Isn't About Who You Have Known The Longest, But Those Who Came And Never Left Your Side" So, so true!

And the other award I have been honored by receiving THREE times (I guess it's meant to be!). I received it from three bloggers whose sites I never miss! First from Georgina at LaLlorona Arts. She makes the most wonderful Day of the Dead pieces! Check out her etsy shop as well!

The next person who honored me with this one is Baroness Bijoutery, creator of enchanting jewelry. If you enjoy adorning yourself with delicate treasures, you will want to visit her, as well!

And, thirdly, Lulu of Gypsy Lulu Delights also graced me with this award. You must visit her charming website - and be sure to check out the September 28th post, in which she shows off her gorgeous crown of thorns-new york beauty variation quilt!

Thanks so much to all of you ... your presence in my online life is very important to me!

If you get all excited about worlds of enchantment and magic and thrills and adventure and faeries and falling stars, be sure to rent the film "Stardust." I thought all the good faery tales had been told - not so! This is an intriguing and lovely tale of a quest in a magical realm, filled with brave lovers, handsome villains, beautiful villainesses, and mysterious creatures. It stars Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro, Ben Barnes, Sienna Miller, and Charlie Cox.

The cinematography is a wonder - and the special effects are both appropriately gorgeous and eerie. Minimal use of CGI - thank goodness - and the special effects are wondrous because of it. The script is a mixture of sly humor and honest faithfulness to the faery tale genre (no madcap skewering like "Enchanted" or "Shrek"). I found myself being returned to my childhood, and in that instant I again believed in unicorns, wicked witches, and falling stars that make dreams come true!

I honestly don't know why this film was so ignored - it's even difficult to find a review of it! Most curious for such a large "spectacle" film - and one with so many A-list stars. Speaking of A-list stars - you will never - NEVER - see Robert DeNiro the same again!

If you are an artist that is inspired by "other worlds" and enchantment and magic and all things that sparkle and shimmer, this is a definite must-see!

Okay, so if the exhibit was completed over a week ago, what have I been doing? Well... I'm also in a play that opens this weekend ...

It's a new play - and hardly one for the kids! There are a few times I'm not even sure it's one for the adults!...even broad minded ones! I play a new-age therapist involved with two highly dysfunctional families. Lawyers, soccer moms, Jews, Africans, Hispanics, gays, lesbians, teenagers, you name it - this has something to offend everybody. I'm hoping we don't get stoned. So, I've been very busy working on that during the late afternoon/evenings, while working on the second circus theatre during the day. I've been busy bee!


Well, as grumpy as it might make me, I really need to get back to my studio ... I'm sure the balcony has dried and is ready to be applied to the main structure on the circus! It's time to get out my special glue and glitter and paint and ribbon tools and create a little fantasy!


Enjoy the rest of your day! ... and remember, after making your blog rounds and getting inspired, go and make something beautiful!

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥