Just Because

Third Annual Jingle Bash

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jingle-bash

Handmade and deliciously tactile. It’s funny how small this world is, but I wouldn’t have known about this group, etsy Dallas, if it hadn’t been for a collaboration between my client, Katy Trail Animal Hospital, and Rhonda Warren, who specializes in custom design and letterpress paper goods. Without this coincidence, I wonder how long it would have been before I finally discovered this little pocket of wonders in my own backyard.

About the Jingle Bash. For the third year in a row, the Jingle Bash, Etsy Dallas’ handmade holiday shopping event, will offer up the very best in handmade apparel, bags, jewelry, home décor, accessories, art, pottery and more from over 50 hand-picked artists, crafters and designers. This year, the Jingle Bash will be held at The Palladium’s Lone Star Room (within the Gilley’s event complex just south of downtown Dallas at 1135 S. Lamar), a larger and more spacious venue than the former and beloved Sons of Hermann Hall. For more detailed information visit their website.

Contemporary Art

Erick Swenson

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(above) 'Muncie Head,' 2001, plastic resin, edition of 7, 14 x 10.5 x 10 inches
(above) ‘Muncie Head,’ 2001, plastic resin, edition of 7, 14 x 10.5 x 10 inches

At Dunn and Brown Contemporary. While visiting Trenton Doyle Hancock’s solo exhibit, I noticed this piece mounted on the wall of a small room outside the gallery’s nucleus (aka the office) and snapped this photo. It was mesmerizing and so haunting to see it in person. I haven’t been able to find a biography for Erick Swenson, but from the little information I could glean from the internet, I discovered he lives and works here in Dallas and was part of Dunn and Brown’s summer group show, Floor Plan. I am envious of the individual who will eventually own this piece of beauty.

Contemporary Art

Joseph Havel

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(above left) 'nothing.,' 2007; (above center) 'forget.,' 2007; (above right) nothing.,' 2007(shirt labels and plexiglas, each measures 24.5 x 24.5 x 2 inches)
(above left) ‘nothing.,’ 2007; (above center) ‘forget.,’ 2007; (above right) nothing.,’ 2007
(shirt labels and plexiglas, each measures 24.5 x 24.5 x 2 inches)

Dunn and Brown Contemporary. During my last visit, these three works of art were on the floor leaning against the office partition wall, and it would have been a shame to leave the gallery without having tried to photograph them. They were begging for it. Even though they are individually priced, in my opinion, they should be sold as a set. Follow the below link to see an up-close detailed view of the labels. Joseph Havel’s art is usually very sculptural and uses common everyday materials such as white dress shirts, curtains, tablecloths, and collars. Through his work with shirts, Havel found that the labels offered another avenue of artistic investigation.

Interior Design

Decorative Wire Grille

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diningrm_0655

Used instead of glass. I have a large collection of books that don’t happen to be fancy sets of gilded leather bindings that would provide a uniform and elegant look on open shelving. My dining room is a small space and could easily feel cluttered and claustrophobic with all the mishmash of various book covers. I have seen decorative wire grille used in the libraries of many historic stately homes and thought that by using a grille with elegant silk café-like curtains lining the inside of each cabinet door, I could trick the space into feeling unfettered and more spacious.

Contemporary Art

Introducing Pip & Pop

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'Under the Crystal Sky,' 2009
‘Under the Crystal Sky,’ 2009

Happy capitalism as excessive sweetness. Pip and Pop (aka Tanya Schultz and Nicole Andrijevic) work together as a collaborative duo. Their art practice encompasses installation, painting, photography and wall drawings. Their abundantly detailed and seductively colorful works are made from an eclectic mix of materials such as confectionary, plastic objects and plants, origami, vinyl, paint, and magazine cut-outs. With child-like optimism and playful working methods, they construct and transform everyday objects into elaborate and joyfully excessive artworks that explore notions of desire, abundance and blissful states of being.

Their fascination with kawaii (cute) aesthetics of Japanese pop culture is their main inspiration and celebrates the culture of mass consumption and joyfully embraces the after-effects that flow from the encompassing ecstasy of excessiveness. They term it “happy capitalism”. To see more of their work visit their website Pip & Pop. This has been your sugar fix for the day.

Landscape & Gardening

Winter Annuals Have Been Planted

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Planted for the shady corner
Planted for the shady corner

After many hours of brutal labor (eight hours digging up the summer annuals that were so very established and another eight for the planting of the winter annuals) all done over the last three weekends, I am almost done. What’s left is to sprinkle the fertilizer, slug bate, root stimulator, and to add more compost around the pansies. Next weekend, I will need to transport my summer container plants to the greenhouse and create my traditional winter container annuals.

Contemporary Art

One Night Only

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readingroom

The Reading Room. I just received an email from Karen Weiner about her next happening this next coming Monday, November 8. The incredible local produce purveyor Tom Spicer of Spiceman’s 1410 will give an exotic mushroom demonstration–lobster, hedgehog, maitake, matsuke, clamshell, crab, black trumpet. He will provide information about their qualities and uses. Hopefully you remember my last post about The Reading Room and what a unique experience it was for me. I’m looking forward to this one. So come join us. The Reading Room is located at 3715 Parry Avenue. The doors open at 6, and the demonstration begins at 7 pm.

Also for your viewing pleasure…

Interior Design

Jewelry for the Dressing Room

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masterbath_0949

My little design became a reality. After purchasing the crystal stars online, I took them and my design drawing to a local jeweler hoping they could create the nickel plated components. At first they were confident about pulling it off, but after three weeks, they called saying it wasn’t possible. That’s when my designer, Charley McKenney, offered to take my design to the metal artist who had previously created metal backs for two of my antique sconces. This guy, with no fuss, was able to make my vision a reality. Not only was the price reasonable, but they were more beautiful than I had ever hoped for. The brass stars were cut into shape before they were nickel plated along with the balls that would eventually be soldered to the screw posts. My idea was to have all the components separate. That way I could thoroughly clean the parts and avoid dirt and dust from collecting, thus mucking up all the sparkle. And because I can be such a spaz when cleaning, I have extra crystal stars to replace the ones I might break in the future.

Just Because

And the Best Costume Prize Goes to:

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halloween_0433

Anna and Steve ready Gabe for action. This little fellow was one of my last, but not least, trick-or-treaters. Custom designed and made by Anna, this attire is definitely not your run-of-the-mill variety. I could not stop laughing. Especially when he kept trying to escape from his mask. Years from now, when he is a fully grown young man, he won’t remember the outfit. But fortunately there will be plenty of digital proof to show him that he actually wore silver lamé in public.