Hippo Love

There are infrequent times where I wish that I had a lawn. When I find art that belongs in a sculpture Garden, then it is one of those times.

I once visited in gallery in Douglas, Michigan that had a beautiful walking sculpture garden. It has always been a fantasy of mine to have something similar. If I could, I would add this piece to my collection.

I am fond of animals and especially hippos after watching, Jessica the Hippo on Animal Planet. This reminds me of this endearing show. If you love animals and preservation of animal life, then this show might be for you!

Now these are some paws!

How's that for a pair of shoes?! 

These are custom made by an artist from Kharkov, Ukraine named Bob Basset. He makes all kinds of leather items, but these are my favorite. I have a passion for shoes and these would be a wonderful addition to my collection. Especially since I am such a fan of bears, too! 

Grrrreat Shoes! (Couldn't resist....)

Cat and Art?

Meet my foster cat, Penelope. She is fitting right into our house. A cat that loves to sit next to a replica of 'The Schoolgirl" by Edward Degas, is okay in my book. 

I find her sitting looking out the window regularly. I suspect she really just likes the view, but who can resist thinking she might actually appreciate art!

Anna Wins!

I love fashion, although you may not know it from how I dress sometimes. But I do appreciate a creative eye and wish I had that ability myself.

I've been watching The Fashion Show on bravo over the past couple of months. I was so pleased when my favorite designer won! Yea Anna! 

She made me wish I had lots of money and a much lighter figure. Very nice Anna! You go girl! Loved your work! This is a dress that she designed. If I were a size 6 I would buy it in a heartbeat, even without a place to wear it. Love it!

On a not so nice note, the show left a little to be desired. It is not anywhere near as good as Project Runway, but it was still a lot of fun. Will I watch it again? You bet. 

Topoware!

Topo what!? Why it's topoware! 

Yes, geographically designed dinnerware for your table. The designers used the concept of topographic maps to design the dishes to your right.

If you look really closely, you will see that the elevation lines do not have feet above or below sea level. What they do have are words like, "modest", "moderate" and "greedy". In case it is not clear, the outer lines are the greedy portions.

Quite clever, don't you think?

I looked at their website to see about buying a set myself (the geography lover), but I couldn't figure it out. If anyone knows how to buy this, would you let me know? I love it!

Isn't She Lovely?

Kid art is the best. It's a complete expression of a child's imagination. They are free to create what ever comes to mind. 

I particularly love this piece by young lady named Emma Jane. I found it in her Moms office. We were meeting for something entirely unrelated and I had a hard time not talking about this first. In fact, I think we did discuss this fabulous piece first.

Unfortunately, this is not technically "public" as it is in an office, albeit in a public space. But I love noting things that make me smile. Perhaps you will, too!

Things I can't see...

I'm a sucker for animals and bugs, too. Art that encompasses either of these has an advantage over other pieces. I also have an affinity for pigs. I'm not quite sure where that came from, perhaps the movie babe? 

These are pieces from a textile show at the Arts and Crafts Cooperative in Berkeley California. Lately I've been wishing for money to be able to buy art, visit art and just plain old be a part of art. Rarely am I unhappy with my position in life. But lately my love of art (and beautiful cloths) makes me wish I had more money.

The Wedding Feast

This piece by Stephen Fessler is on display at the River Gallery in Chelsea. I saw it at the opening this past Saturday. It is an amazingly sized 84" x 176" with a price tag of $13,000. No mind. I love it anyway. These are the times I wish I made more money, so I could go buy art that I love. And yes, I love this piece. It is full of whimsy and fun. It's size comes from it's first life as a drop cloth. After time when it is sufficiently spotted and mucked up, the artist uses it for a canvas that he creates pieces that evolve and have no planning. Rarely do I wish for a large wall, but for this piece you would need a really large wall. So, a house and the art is what I want....

Kid Art in Downtown Ann Arbor

Every year the art teachers in Ann Arbor select the best of the projects from their classes and post them around town. Different businesses participate and one can spend hours walking the streets looking at windows full of different kinds of art produced by all ages of school children.

When I was a kid I would have loved this project. I was featured in a show at Rackham Auditorium, which was a really big deal to me. It was a big deal to a young girl who came in to look at her piece on display at the Peaceable Kingdom. She was thrilled to see her work on the wall and her entire family came with her to support her. It was delightful!

Elevated 3-D Art

I visited my Dad in Pennsylvania recently. The drive takes me by these pieces on the two (sometimes four) lane highway. I've been wanting to document them for years and finally had the chance to snap a few photos. 

Folks in PA think big when trying to catch your eye on a highway that has all kinds of beautiful things to look at. The views of the countyside are spectacular and competing with that is tough. These two businesses have devised a way to do that. 

These two pieces have become markers for me. They let me know how close I am to my destination. It's a nice thing to look forward to as you are nearing the end of a long drive.

Theo Jansen

This is an picture of Theo Jansen standing in front of one of his works of art. The piece on the bottom shows his walking creatures. They are made from recycled electrical wiring from the Netherlands. 

I had the opportunity to hear him speak today in Ann Arbor. Watching his pieces move is like watching a prehistorical animal move. Or how you would imagine it would have moved. It is mechanical yet graceful in an almost unmeasurable way. 

Here is his website. This video explains how his work is made and functions. It is amazing to watch. Here is a shorter version just showing the movement. And here, another piece that is covered, as shown in the top photo. 

Amazing work! Love it!

Dia De Los Muertos

One of my favorite holidays is coming up fast!

November 1st is Day of the Dead, or in Spanish, Dia De Los Muertos. Contrary to the look of the art, which some find unnerving, it is a happy holiday where the life of the person who has passed on is celebrated.

There are parties to celebrate and it is also common to decorate the grave of loved ones.

Sometime in my lifetime I will visit Mexico during this holiday. These pieces are from my personal collection, so they are not public, but it is a holiday that the public participates in. Keep your eyes open. It is becoming more and more common here in the U.S. 

Enjoy!

Wall Art

Room 411 at the Hotel Des Arts in San Francisco. This wall was created by a L. A. artist named Kinsey.

I've always loved wall art, meaning art that has been painted or papered onto the wall. 

This is what I would do in my bedroom if I had the talent or money to paint something along these lines. Although I've always envisioned that the installation would involve wildlife. 

As a child I spent Thanksgivings at a home that had a black and white photo of a remote beach with large boulders along two of it's walls. I loved this image. I imagined that I would go to sleep in this room, dreaming of small waves softly cascading onto the beach. It is still a dream of mine. The images change, but the concept remains the same. Maybe some day....

Play with your food, please!

This is Russell Timerman who entered the Creative Fruits and Vegetable Competition at the 51st Annual 4-H Youth show at the Farm Council Grounds in Washtenaw County.

He used cauliflower, black olives, black eyed peas, and four cinnamon sticks to create this flock. To hold the sheep together, he used toothpicks and cream cheese. They are standing on coconut dyed green for their pasture. He was awarded an honorable mention for the second best creative effort among 20 entrants. 

Next year I will have to make a point to go see this. What fun! Makes me wonder what first prize looked like.

Good job Russell! I love your flock!

Sitting Lion

Okay. So, is this a lion? Or maybe a chinese foo dog? I'm not really sure, but I love him. 

This piece can be found at the stairway adjacent to the Cranbook Museum entrance.

The walls are made of some type of marble (I think).  I'm not sure what he is made of.  In any case, I love the fact that he is out in the open and available to touch. One doesn't often get the change to feel art. 

The Cranbrook campus has many pieces of sculpture, but this is my favorite. Stay posted for future items.

Bizzaro blow up

Dan Piraro, creator of the cartoon strip Bizarro, has gotten himself into a little heat from this cartoon. Many a reader has misinterpreted this and have been offended. 

There was a letter to the editor in my local paper complaining about this. I decided to see what I could find about the issue and discovered a blog by the artist. He states, "contrary to what people assumed, this cartoon is not intended to make light of slavery or racism. My intention was to point out that modern "feel good" marketing techniques are no more honest than this kind of technique would have been during legal slavery in America. My earnest apology goes to anyone who misinterpreted it."

Mr. Piraro is a vegan and outspoken advocate for animal rights. He uses his art to make his position known and to help people understand the plight animals face in order to feed us. I am a big fan of his art. I find it humorous and right on the mark. Go, Dan, go! Those that are offended should take a closer look at their life and re-evaluate what is really offensive about this piece.

Art in the strangest places

I loved this when I saw it! The deceased requested this expired meter upon her death. Apparently her son purchased it on ebay and had it modified to her specifications. 

Now that is the way to leave this earth, with a great sense of humor! The grave is in Okemah, Oklahoma and placed near a road so it has many visitors. 

Some known, many unknown. 

How great to add joy to a persons life long after you are gone. Especially a stranger. I'm in pure admiration.

DEVIL BABIES!

Is this art? Or something else at work?

I found this trio when I was working at the Peaceable Kingdom. They were hanging in the display window just like you see them now. I knew they had to come home with me. I don't think they would be as fun if they weren't a set and displayed like this. I was drawn to them and can't explain the attraction. I just know that they make me smile whenever I look at them! I especially like their multi-colored underpants.

Devil babies, devil babies, go go! Devil babies, go, go!

Meet me at the race track Jack!