December 15, 2012

Christopher Farr drawings

Hey all. I went by Christopher Farr’s lovely shop on La Cienega today to see a group of drawings recently completed by the man himself. I was completely entranced by the intricate patterns and rhythms of each piece. Mr. Farr uses inexpensive paper he sourced after seeing wrapped around a purchase at Crate & Barrel (love that!) so he can work freely and experiment without hesitation. Arte Povera in action! He begins with black ink (in most cases) and an object (sometimes a broken paintbrush or a rubber stamp) and works his way across and around the paper, feeling his way through, allowing the designs to take shape without a preconceived plan. Some of the paintings are done in a “single breath” – the object is dipping into the ink and the drawing begins. Once the ink is gone, the drawing is complete. These pieces invite you into the process and entice you to stay a while and explore. I suggest you do! The drawings will be up at his gallery until they are sold out so I would go soon (because at prices starting at $750, I plan on snagging a few for gifts or maybe, just for me). Take a look and enjoy!

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May 24, 2011

Lost Arts Salon

As I have been slogging through my ever-daunting inbox, I came across a One Kings Lane reminder and I clicked through to see what is currently on offer. I was thrilled to find a sale from the San Francisco based, Lost Art Salon. This company is new to me and I think their aesthetic and price range is going to make more than me smile. Naturally, since I came to the party a little late, a lot of goodies have been snapped up but as of this writing, there were two pieces that were still available that really caught my eye. Number one is this 1978 Dellard Cassity painting:

And numero dos is this pretty 1920s-30s drawing by C. F. Seavey of a contemplative woman:
Never fear. If you are like me and almost (or did) miss the sale, their website is full of treasures. A sampling of some of my faves is below but check it out for yourself to find your own gem. Remember to always imagine the frame you want around each piece (not necessarily the current one). That choice will make the piece more modern or colorful or traditional or whatever your heart desires for your space.

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April 8, 2011

Richard Haines

Last night, I went to a terrific show of drawings by the fashion illustrator, Richard Haines at the spanking new Fuller + Roberts shop on La Cienega. As frequent readers of this blog know, I love me some fashion illustrations so this show was a real treat. I so admire drawings that feel effortless and manage to communicate so much about the energy and form of the person that the artist is observing with a few well placed lines. Mr. Haines is a master of this technique and his choice to sketch and draw on notebook paper and pages torn from old books and catalogues adds a sense of casual intimacy. Take a look:

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March 30, 2011

Liza Lou

This past weekend I went to see Liza Lou’s groovy new show at L&M Arts in Venice. I have a touch of the OCD (if you must know) and her dense, time-intensive, slightly obsessive work really appealed to me. She works primarily with beads, creating pieces that reveal the imperfections inherent when making anything by hand with this many tiny parts. I particularly love the pieces where she explores and almost celebrates the flaws. Oh, and the spinning wheel is pretty insane, too…

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