Luster » art

Christina’s World

Luster — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:32:35 +0000

I have a guest post on Pennyweight today about Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth with a roundup of items that might exist in her house. Hop on over to Pennyweight and check it out! Thanks so much to Elise for having me!

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::: Supermarket Sarah :::

Luster — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:36:04 +0000

I just found out about this very interesting online store concept called Supermarket Sarah founded by Sarah Bagner, who left the corporate world behind to open her own shop. She lives around the corner from Portobello Road in London (where she also has a booth) and she creates a wall display of her items for sale which you can view, and then click on each individual item to purchase. The items are usually one of a kind, and often support independent designers. I love this new style of visual merchandising – what a cool idea. Check her out!

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Images via supermarketsarah.com

::: Silas Marder Gallery :::

Luster — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:42:18 +0000

Our first night out in the Hamptons, we met up with our friend Casey at Silas Marder Gallery for the opening of The History of What.

The gallery is located in Bridgehampton on the grounds of a beautiful 18 acre family-owned landscaping and garden business called Marder’s. One of the Marder’s sons Silas, opened his eponymous gallery in 2006 after claiming a former equipment storage barn on the property and converting it into a gallery. I love the way he kept the original barn details, and added interesting fixtures like the overhead lights that he grabbed years ago from a farm in Wisconsin.

The show was eclectic and showed several artists, my favorite being these large scale colorful “found paper” collages by artist John Morse depicting Emily Dickinson, Charles Darwin, and Theodore Roosevelt.

If you get up close you can see hundreds of pieces of multi-colored torn paper built to render the famous face. It made me want to create my own version.

The upstairs loft of the barn is particularly interesting with its original bare wood beams and view out over the first floor and grounds.

The scultured lawn in front of the gallery is where everyone tends to gather during an opening and is now decorated with furniture designed by Silas.

Throughout the summer, the gallery has an outdoor film series, Films on the Haywall, screening cinema classics. For the schedule, click here. If you’re out in the East end, be sure to check it out the gallery – it’s a must see.

Images via Silas Marder gallery and Luster

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::: Liz Taylor in Iran :::

Luster — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:09:40 +0000

This exhibition has since ended, but I thought I would share these lovely and unusual photographs of Elizabeth Taylor that were recently hanging at LACMA.

In 1976, Elizabeth Taylor and a recent art school graduate named Firooz Zahedi traveled to Iran together. At the age of 9, Zahedi left his native Iran for London, and was returning for the first time with Taylor. They visited many of the famed tourist sites such as ancient Persepolis, Shiraz, and Isfahan, and Zahedi was re-introduced to his country. After buying harlequin fabrics and a tribal outfit at a bazaar, Elizabeth emerged from her hotel dressing room and the first impromptu photo session began.

Zahedi would go on to photograph Taylor many other times in her life during his career as a celebrity photographer, but as he says “…none are as personal, candid, or creative as these unique images.” Firooz Zahedi speaks about their trip in LACMA’s video interview here.

::: Renegade Craft Fair :::

Luster — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:01:57 +0000

Despite coming down with a virus that knocked me out all day on Saturday, I managed to check out this year’s Renegade Craft fair in McCarren park on Sunday afternoon. I always admire the hardworking crafters/artisans that come from all over the U.S. to display their goods. Here are some of my favorites from the show:

Sustainable, hand made clothing with screen printed designs from Make It Good based in Portland, Oregon

Brooklyn neighborhood series: Williamsburg and Greenpoint by Two Arms Inc

The always amazing bags from Forestbound.

Perpetual Gardening Calendars from Krank Press. There are a few versions available for various regions throughout the U.S. For each month there are two lists: planting recommendations and my favorite part: what is in season at the market. I picked up the New York edition.

Hand-dyed and hand-embroidered linens from Love, Daniella

Fabric jewelry made from hand-printed fabrics by Amie Cunningham of Thief & Bandit

Posters illustrated by Jack Dylan of Toronto

Hand printed & hand crafted homewares, accessories & bags by Appetite

Watching our friend Jon Beacham of The Brother in Elysium letterpress cards while Woody Guthrie crooned from a pair of speakers. Check out some of their beautiful new editions.

Reclaimed wood and ephemera from Peg and Awl

Multi-layered silkscreened prints and posters by Jason Cantoro and Alice Jarry of Cinqun Quatre

::: Vintage Postcards from Tangier :::

Luster — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:39:27 +0000

Look at these amazing vintage beauties from Tangier. There are no dates on them, only French phrases written below.

:::: Peter Beard ::::

Luster — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:08:24 +0000

I received this two volume coffee table book set of artist/photographer/illustrator Peter Beard’s work this past Christmas that has been incredibly inspiring and continues to captivate me. Spanning four decades, this tome chronicles his life and artwork in New York City, Montauk and Kenya through 784 pages of collages, photographs and interviews.

Born in 1938, Beard was raised in New York City, Long Island, and Alabama, and studied at Pomfret academy entering Yale University as a pre-med student. He quickly changed his major to art history, and after life-changing trips to Africa in 1955 and 1960, he returned after graduation and settled in Kenya on a property adjacent to Karen Blixen’s.

He began keeping diaries at a young age to chronicle trips, and throughout his lifetime, he has amassed these incredibly beautiful, fascinating accounts of life on two continents. I first found out about him this summer when I was reading I Married Adventure by Martin & Osa.

I don’t think I could ever tire looking through the pages and pages of handwritten diary entries, photo collages, hand drawn illustrations, clippings from the media, and photographs from Africa’s wild. Every time you look, you see something new.

Left to Right: A collage from 30 years in Montauk, NY. Beard working in his studio {for sale as of 2009}, on the lawn at Andy Warhol’s with Mick Jagger, Catherine Deneuve and Andy.

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Fore more, visit Peter Beard’s website. All images via Peter Beard 2008, Taschen

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::: Happy Valentine’s Day! :::

Luster — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:53:39 +0000

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day! Hope it’s filled with joy, sweet treats, and the ones that you love. We’re going out for sushi and making chocolate covered strawberries when we get home. If you missed my Valentine’s Day post from a couple of weeks ago, you can catch it here

XOXO

Images: Cover photo Timo Elliott photography | Be my Valentine, cupcake, and fabric stuffed hearts via Ashley Meaders | All you need is love poster via Poppytalk | hand carved love sign

::: Polaroids by Grant Hamilton :::

Luster — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 06:02:26 +0000

Loving the color and composition in these abstract polaroids by Grant Hamilton.

{Max’s Kansas City}

Luster — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:44:47 +0000

“Max’s Kansas City was the exact place where pop art and pop life came together in New York in the 60’s.” – Andy Warhol

Andrea Feldman in front of Max’s | photo by Anton Perich

I finally got a chance to check out the Max’s Kansas City show at Steven Kasher Gallery that coincides with the book release by Abrams: “Max’s Kansas City: Art, Glamour, Rock and Roll.” The show is a well rounded collection of photographs and original art curated by Steven Kasher.

Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, and Tim Buckley | photo by Elliott Landy

Opened by Mickey Ruskin in 1965 at 213 Park Avenue South, Max’s Kansas City was a restaurant/nightclub in its heydey of the 6o’s and 70′s. The front room was the bar/restaurant, upstairs you could catch live shows by Iggy Pop, Blondie and the Velvet Underground. The famous back room became a VIP hangout with Andy Warhol as king of the court and with no rules other than you had to be fabulous.

{Clockwise Left to Right}: Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, model Bebe Buell (Liv Tyler’s mother) with an unidentified woman, and David Bowie

Debbie Harry | photo by Nicky L

{Top}: James Williamson, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed | photo by Danny Fields {Bottom}: Eric Emerson & Nico | photo by Anton Perich

One of the best features in the show is a jukebox at the front of the gallery with a selection of tunes that were playing in the original jukebox at Max’s.

Here is a playlist I put together from some of the songs playing when I visited.

“Max’s Kansas City” is on display until October 16th at Steven Kasher Gallery, 521 West 23rd Street, NYC. To read more about Max’s, check out this website which re-creates the experience of Max’s.