Mood Board Monday: a mod/baroque dressing room

There's something decadent and dramatic about a dressing room, racks and racks clothes, shoes, and accessories surrounding a vanity. For this dressing room, I chose a concept that is a little bit mod and a little bit baroque. The clear acrylic in the chair legs and the console table make them "disappear." I chose an embroidered floral wallpaper and a fabric for creating dramatic floor-length curtains to enclose the garment racks.

Cryopshere

I wasn't sure if Cryosphere would be my last painting of 2019 or my first of 2020. The latter has proved to be true... if you don't count the mini paintings I made for Valentine's Day. Like Cosmic Ocean and Serpentine Fire, it is a circular pod painting with lots of texture.

Unlike the previous paintings, Cryosphere is white.

Its pearlescence and glitter are reminiscent of ice and snow.

 

 

I was reading about climate change and came across the word cryopshere. I learned that it meant the part of the earth's atmosphere that is frozen. I thought it would be a good title for a piece that looks like ice and snow. Sadly, the cryosphere is shrinking every day. January 2020 was the hottest January on record and this month there was a record high in Antarctica.

Cryosphere is available to purchase in my Etsy shop for $625 and ships for free to customers in the USA. If you happen upon this post after it's been sold, don't despair. I can make a similar custom painting for you. Click here to learn more about my commissioned art process.

Mood Board Monday - a tranquil turquoise home office

This home office is an oasis awash in cool shades of turquoise. There is plenty of storage for papers and office supplies. The restful palette comes alive in abstract and geometric patterns on the rug, ceiling lamp, and wallpaper.

Mood Board Monday - room for romance

Selecting décor for this year's Fall in Love with Art event is what inspired me to create this mood board. From the ornate upholstered bench to the large scale rose wallpaper, the mod/baroque aesthetic is playful and theatrical with shocking shades of pink. The hot pink record player is perfect for listening to your favorite love songs. There are beautiful serving pieces for a romantic dinner for two. It's an ideal setting for a dramatic floral arrangement.

The artwork is by David Gerstein.

Fall in Love with Art 2020

This year, I've been experimenting. I've added some new supplies to my arsenal. My favorite thing so far has been silicone molds. That's how I made the heart in the mini painting below.

I was also really excited that I was able to get my first curvy Barbie (who is also my first Barbie with an Afro) and a Fresh Squad Anthony doll to be her date. Whether you have a date or come by yourself, this year's Fall in Love with Art event should be a lot of fun. As I like to say, it's a Valentine's Day event for art lovers, not just for lovers. There will be a colorful selection of mini paintings and a tasty variety of desserts to enjoy. The event is free and open to the public. The mini artworks start at $20 each and come with an easel.

Here are all the details:

Friday, February 14th 2020
5 - 9 p.m.
The Fine Arts Building
410 South Michigan Avenue
Studio 632F on the 6th Floor

It's also on Eventbrite and Facebook.

Saturday Solutions: ways to save on art displays

When I was in grad school, one of my classmates, a printmaker, had the ingenious idea to deliberately create work that would fit into cheap frames from IKEA, and stock up on them. I think of his strategy often when I watch fellow artists who make work on paper struggle to afford to get their work custom framed. Face it, sometimes framing feels like an expensive nuisance. Yet as an interior designer, I often come across inventive, interesting, and unusual frames, cases, and other display accessories that are far less costly than what custom framers offer.

Whether you plan to exhibit original work on paper, prints, or photos, if they're in standard sizes, here are some intriguing ways to display it:

IKEA Lerboda frame

IKEA KASSEBY display box

IKEA VÄSBY collage frame

IKEA NÄSHULT frame

Umbra Phantom Photo Frame

Umbra Gridart Photo Frame

Umbra Hangit Photo Display

Glo Instant Photo Frame

Umrba Ledge Landscape Photo Display

Design Ideas Billboard Frame

Pottery Barn Weston Frames

West Elm Crystal Orb Frames

Prinz 3 Dimensional House Metal Wire Collage Picture Display

Prinz Clips Hanging Metal Collage Wall Display

CB2 Photo Clips

CB2 Rothko Brass Picture Frames

 This Infinity Photo Frame from Umbra would look better with circular artwork inside, but I like the concept.

The Umbra Exhibit Photo Display can even be mounted diagonally.

Imagine the possibilities if you were to remove the mats from this two-sided Umbra Pano Room Divider and Photo Display.

This minimalist Lucite poster frame from Poketo essentially disappears and leaves the focus on the art.

Another clear display I've long admired is the Acrylic Tripod Easel from CB2.

If you would prefer a version of this in color, there are some great options at H Studio.

The easels are the most expensive option I'm sharing, but they can be reused indefinitely, unlike frames.


And for small sculptures and installations, these glass storage boxes from Kikkerland are an inexpensive option:

This display stand from IKEA would be great for collection of small sculptures or an installation piece.

And this display from IKEA is like a miniature museum and can be viewed from all sides.

So if you're an artist looking for a way to display your work in art shows without breaking the bank or having to build your own frames from scratch, begin with the end in mind.

Mood Board Monday - a happy home for pets and their people

This week's design features stylish, modern pet accouterments. The sofa is an ideal place to relax with animal companions because it has a lower level for a cat or dog to curl up and rest. I chose a wallpaper with lively tropical birds on it and an indoor/outdoor rug that is easy to clean.

The artwork is by Connie Collum.