Reemerging

Hello All. 

Please excuse my lack of a post today. 

We are just emerging from an epic storm that turned the DC area upside down Friday night. 

I didn't do one thing artsy this weekend, unless you can count searching every store in town for ice and complaining about the heat "artsy."

I should be up and running with a killer post on Thursday! 

- Grace

Artist of the Week: Jean Lowe

A History of Genital Warts, enamel on papier-mâché

15.5 x 12.5 x 4 in, 2009

I came across the work of Jean Lowe on one of my first nights gallery hopping in Chelsea. Once I discovered art galleries were open to all and served FREE wine every week, it was pretty much all I did on Thursday evenings for a good long while. I remember the gallery was packed with people milling around an installation of tall bookcases that were set up to display these painted papier-mâché books. Browsing the titles, I snickered (and sometimes snorted) over each humorous one-liner and really appreciated their crude trompe l'oeil effect. Even the shelves themselves were fake. I loved the fictional titles and the fact that she pushed the idea further than just painting a funny book cover on a flat canvas. She created non-functional 3-dimensional objects that beg you to pick them up and thumb through their pages—which you can't do either of—which is fine—since the cover really does say it all. 

Bookcase #1, 2006–07

Books: enamel on papier-mâché; 

Bookcases: enamel on cardboard and paper tape

Kindle: The Missing Manual, enamel on papier-mâché
15.5 x 11 x 3.5 in, 2009

Tough Love and Your Elderly Parents, enamel on papier-mâché
9 x 7 x 2 in, 2009

Some of Jean Lowe's work is currently on view in group show titled Summer Camp at Schroeder Romero & Shredder (531 W 26th St, NY) on view until August 10, 2012.




- Cathleen  

Isabelle de Borchgrave

Hello everyone! The weekend is about to kick off and I'm hoping to make it to the interesting exhibit Pret-a-Papier at the Hillwood Estate, Musuem and Garden.

Looks neat, right? 

Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchegrave has manipulated paper to replicate couture fashion of the 18th century. 

What are your plans this weekend?

See you Tuesday!

- Grace

Harney Awe

So I'm a little late on this one, but I just stumbled across the work of Paper Engineer Benja Harney this past week and I am in awe. His work is superb! 

Harney creates paper sculptures for a lot of companies including but not limited to, Hermes (duh!), Lego, and Top Shop. 

I'm so jealous of his talent, I'm green! You can check out more of his work on his blog here.

Harney's work brings up the question that first appeared in the late 1500's---is his work craft or is it fine art? Where's the line between craft and fine art, and if there is one, should there be?

- Grace

Artist of the Week: Lisa Swerling

The Night Job

 

For my first installment in The Best of Renegade I bring you the work of Lisa Swerling who makes the miniature dioramas you see here. She is based in San Anselmo, CA, but ships these darling little scenes all over the globe. You can visit her website glasscathedrals.com to see more of her work and order a small world all your own—they come in various sizes and many are customizable.

 

All the Days

The Grass is always Greener

 

 

 

The World is a scary place, but I have Armbands

Evergreen

- Cathleen

[All images courtesy of the artist's website glasscathedrals.com]

Weekend Work

Hello All! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. 

Mine was fabulous! 

We dog-sat an adorable dachshund named Lily which we were so sad to return to its owners on Sunday. 

As far as art goes, well, number one, one of my dining room chairs broke.

Rest in peace dining room chair.

Now I'm left with the obnoxious problem of a dining room table with 3 chairs and no dollars to buy a new set. I am also super duper picky about what I want for my DR. 

I got my current set at an estate sale years ago and loved the dramatic scroll arms. I also got it for a price I'd rather not disclose because it was so good I turn red just thinking of all the dough I saved. 

Now I am stuck with the dilemma of what to buy to replace it. Any ideas? I like farmhouse tables, but I think they are way too mainstream now. 

The second art-related thing I did this weekend was decorate Clementine's chalk bin. I used an old coffee can (the metal kind) and first painted it white. Then I free-hand cut open and closed circles and Mod Podge-d them on. To seal it, I sprayed it with polyurethane. 

What do you think? 

Front.

Back.

You better like it because now I'm in a full-fledged competition with the That's My Letter blog lady. That's one chalk bin I'm not embarrassed to have on my front porch all day and all night. 

See you Thursday!

- Grace

So Much Booty

Just finished up one of the best weekends ever, due in no small part to the gorgeous afternoon Micky and I spent at the Renegade Craft Fair in Williamsburg on bright and sunny Saturday. There were SO many amazing things for sale this year that I cashed out pretty quickly and had to borrow 10 bucks from my sweet husband. Whoops! I couldn't wait to share the spoils with you guys so here goes: 

Photographic print by Debbie Carlos 

I've always admired this when I've seen it online 

and was SO psyched to see she was representing at Renegade this year. 

Purchase!

A pretty hand-printed gray and yellow tea towel from Ktaadn

This was in their samples bin because of a slight misprint, 

which made me love it all the more. (Cheaper AND one-of-a-kind!)

Sterling silver star post earrings from Queens Metal

I'd been looking for tiny star earrings for awhile. Yessssss! 

Two small illustrated recipe prints by Claudia Pearson

Another maker I was totally stoked to see at Renegade. 

Like I literally gasped when we came around the bend and saw her booth. 

Took me awhile to settle on just these two (I also really wanted this one), 

but I'm excited to hang them in our yellow kitchen. 

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty successful trip to arts & crafts wonderland this year. I also gathered loads of business cards from people whose stuff I loved and can't wait to feature on the blog in a series I'd like to call The Best of Renegade. Or maybe Renegade Recall. So I haven't settled on a title just yet, but this way we can make Renegade last ALL SUMMER!

- Cathleen