So Sylvie

Greedy Man Shops Globe

More like Man Plunders Globe. How dare they?! How dare Anthropologie and the Sundance Channel (I thought Robert Redford was supposed to be some sort of eco-guy??) produce and air such filthy excess. In the midst of an economic crisis no less. It's arrogant consumerism disguised as thoughtful re-use. White neocolonialism (is that redundant?) is alive and well. Yeah, he has some good ideas for utilizing found objects, but so do I and so do you. Unfortunately the exploitive nature of the show outweighs any of the positive notes.

Robert Clive & Family with Indian maid, painted by Joshua Reynolds, 1765

There's a scene where the "star" of the show, Keith Johnson walks through the streets of Jodhpur and points to wooden transport carts that people are using to deliver goods around town, "Can we get those?" he says to his Indian agent. And with a sweeping wave of his hand declares, "Let's get twenty of those." Isn't that cute the way they use those primitive carts to do back-breaking work all day. Let's make those into a coffee table that we can rest our tired Gucci soles on after a hard day's shopping. Get those to Anthropologie stat!

I'm hoping that they are reading their reviews. It appears that they are as following my earlier post wherein I pointed out that they used the wrong name for one of "their" artists, Leslie Oschmann, a correction was made on the show's web site. If anyone out there has contact with Robert Redford please feel free to share this with him. Cheers.

"Man Shops Globe"

I'm going to check this out on the Sundance Channel tonight. Keith Johnson shops for Anthropologie, and even though I have a personal gripe with Anthro (they refused to compensate me for a photo of mine that they used to market their drawer pulls, WTF), I can't resist watching someone peruse foreign flea markets.

Here's a photo of Keith in Amsterdam looking at some of Leslie Oschmann's pieces. If you remember I did a post on her recently:

 

For some reason they refer to her as Leslie Osterich. Did she get married, change her name... seems like a branding mistake (I learned that on Dragon's Den; note to self: too much TV lately). Anyway, isn't it convenient that he meets up with someone who formerly worked for Anthro. Not exactly an unexpected discovery. We'll see. I'll give my review of it after this episode. In the meantime, I might be persuaded to bury the hatchet with corporate if Keith takes me along on a treasure hunt.

On a side note: I'm thinking of getting this. Not for myself necessarily. Is it so ugly that it's beautiful, or is it just ugly?

No Paolo!

If you read this blog even semi-regularly you'll know at least these two things: I suffer migraines and I love Paolo Nutini. Not especially in that order. Well I just came out of a one-week migraine that kept me prisoner in my bed for much of that week. On one of the final days I was lying there in such distress and pain that I proclaimed, "If Paolo Nutini were playing in my garden right now I would not go out. That's how bad I feel." Now on the other hand, if Paolo Nutini came to my bedside and offered me some medicinal marijuana I would probably oblige him. Keep that in mind Paolo.

Back among the living  (lots of ghouls and zombies out too),  I was rewarded with this lovely oil painting found at a  local  charity shop for 4 dollars!

Central Park, 19x23:

 

 

Okay. Gotta go carve some Jack-o-Lanterns. Have a fun All Hallows Eve! If you're Irish or Scottish - even if you're not - place a candle in a west window to honor the dead.
To Marco Yovino, xoxo.

Transcontinental Design

I received an email from a gentleman, Fredrik, in Sweden who saw a coffee table of mine on Flickr and wanted to get the dimensions so that he could replicate it. It was a table that I sold in my shop quite some time ago -- for only $65 (consolation gifts may be forwarded to me, thank you)!

This is the inspiration table:

Part of Fredrik's email:

"The background is that I got a lot (approx 500 kg ) of massive oak boards from one of my friends (it has been part of an enormous large bookshelf in a luxury house) that I am using to build things to our family. I had just finished a large dinner table (shaped like a super-ellipse nearly 3 m in length and 1,3 m wide) when my girlfriend asked if I could do a new coffee table, and I said 'yes'."

As I said, It had been quite some time since I had the table so I gave him my best guess as to the dimensions. Well he has finished the table and today sent me photos of it and the dining table. I would love to find a pile of wood like that to recycle. Bravo Fredrik! Your work is gorgeous. You have one lucky girlfriend!

 

 

I had a project yesterday -- no comparison to Fredrik's of course -- to reconfigure an entertainment hutch, purchased on Craig's List for $70, for storage in my dining room. I will be adding another shelf for more cookbooks, the drawers are for aprons and tablecloths. It had a paperboard backing board. I replaced it with a proper backing board covered in $1 paper from Ikea.

 

 

Happy Sunday!

It's Swarm in Here...

Leslie Oschmann blossomed when she moved from New York to Amsterdam and turned her childhood passion for creating objects into a business of reclamation and redemption called Swarm. She manipulates cast-off furniture pieces and infuses them with artistic elements that make them feel alive and animated. She gleans her materials from local flea markets.

Red cabinet wrapped with the canvas of an oil painting:

Chairs decoupaged with prints and paintings:

 The process:

"Oschmann sands down the furniture, carefully wraps sections of oil paintings – generally landscapes and florals – around the frames and nails down the edges. She then sands and seals the canvases with clear, protective lacquer." -- Telegraph, UK

Needlework on buffet:

 

Now, where did I put that jar of Mod Podge?

Free Beer in NYC Tonight!

Just received an announcement from Broke-Ass Stuart about this partée. I'd love to hear from anyone who is brave enough to go!

So Storefront...

Anne over at Storefront & Studio has a new online shop:

AND she's having a 50% off sale on some fun decor items:

I'm overdue in giving big congratulations to you Anne for the Sunset Magazine (June '09) feature on your home! We had such fun with you and Eloise watching Madagascar 2 in your yard. It's the perfect solution for someone like me who likes to sing and dance while watching a film. The people around me in movie theaters don't appreciate my enthusiasm, ha. Now everyone head over to Anne's online shop and enjoy!

An Italian Guy Staring at Me

I'm beginning to set up my bedroom that's been neglected since making the move this summer. I'll be painting the whole room white with white trim, and one wall a pastel teal with a white Rollerwall pattern over it. I painted a $45 Craig's List dresser white and the handles a sage green.

I plan on hanging a large framed vintage print I have of Bronzoni's Portrait of a Young Man on the accent wall. But do I really want that guy staring at me while I'm trying to rest? I'll have to wait until the whole thing is in place to decide. I may just go with some landscape paintings.

Anything is better than this:

Don't Cry for del Potro, Argentina!

Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro beat Federer, and Nadal, to win the U.S. Open! “I think, OK, you never lose until the last point, so keep fighting,” he said. Bravo Juan Martin. It was an exciting fight!

Paolo in Oakland

photo: nathanael bennett

Paolo Nutini will be performing this Saturday, September 12th, at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. Don't worry, I'm not having a mid-life crisis. I won't be posting about him everyday. This is my contest entry for free tickets to the show. Wish me luck, and let me know if you'll be there.
Click here for ticket info.