When I first spotted the thumbnail photo for this ebay listing for a James Wallace Pondelicek nude, I thought that the lines were illustrated legs… Turns out, the “lines” are not drawn upon the photo, but thin pieces of vegetation on the beach The photo, titled The Bather, is rare hand signed original double-weight sepia [...]
Altered Art
My Rosary: Modern Piece With Period Style
I spotted this piece at a thrift shop on Sunday. The “Madonna” appears to be a contemporary image created from an scan of an antique photo which was digitally enhanced, colored then printed. The “My Rosary” seems to be text from an old piece of paper. Together they were simply matted (with an especially nicely [...]
Paper Arts
How To Make Silhouettes
I remember when I was little and my parents, aunts and uncles took each of us children to get our silhouettes done as gifts for the grandparents. My parents even had a second set of my sister and I done for our home. It certainly is a quaint and charming way to preserve our childhood [...]
Collecting
Review: The Painted Backdrop: Behind the Sitter in American Tintype Photograph
Have you ever thought about the painted backgrounds in antique and vintage photographs? No? Well, you aren’t alone. Until I read The Painted Backdrop: Behind the Sitter in American Tintype Photography, by Jim Linderman (with an essay by Kate Bloomquist), I hadn’t either. In fact, the story of and between 19th century painters and American [...]
Aesthetics
“Artist’s Shit”
the cans of crap are signed and numbered on the lid and the label printed in italian, english, french and german – as a reference to alchemy, the shit was sold at the same price as it’s weight in 18-carot gold Get the whole story of Art As Commodity.
Art Glass
Creating Ceramic Mosaics Of Silent Film Stars
A few months ago I was contacted by Nick Bannikoff, a graphic designer in Sydney, Australia, who had recently worked on the refurbished Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre in Marrickville. The centre is now finished, and Bannikoff was assisting with the creation of a graphic interpreting / explaining Annette Kellerman’s life to be installed at the [...]
Illustration
Vintage Celebrity Caricatures
I find caricatures amazing things; so few lines precisely capturing the essence of a person’s appearance. (Via It’s All Happening…)
Illustration
Trade Your Pretty Pancing Pink Ponies In For Psychedelic Art Deco Zebras
This vintage art deco print of zebras is signed “May” and it’s still in the original faux bamboo rimmed frame. I can’t tell from this photo if this vintage print is from an illustration or a painting; but I really love it!
Altered Art
New Life For Old American Steel
Like those guys from American Pickers, Joel Hester of Weld House digs through scrap yards and turns rusty old junk into awesome functional art. You can also see works in progress, items for sale, past creations etc. at Flickr. (I’d love a vintage car hood as a headboard on a bed!)
Featured
Stitches In (My) Time
My mother, as she will tell you, is neither a very artsy person nor a very domesticated woman. While she is a rather gifted decorator, with an eye for beauty, detail, & quality — and a pocketbook which supports the artsy along with the arts, she doesn’t make things (other than reservations!). The result is [...]
Altered Art
Tamar Stone On Inspiration
I can’t get enough of artist Tamar Stone — her corset and bed books inspire me so much! With all these projects and interests, I knew she’d collect lots of stuff, but I wanted to know more about what the artist draws from… I collect a lot of books, images etc. However, because of limited [...]
Buying Art
A Word On Buying Antique Paintings At Auctions
I hate putting a value on art. I think you should pay what the artist asks, so long as the depth of your affection for the piece matches the depth of your pockets. But, because I mostly write about antiques and collectibles, people often ask me about how much they should pay for art at [...]
Illustration
A Breath Of Spring Air
A lovely fashion sketch by Sir Cecil Beaton, which wafts off my monitor and makes my heart lighter… In non-art related news, I’ve been spending all weekend cleaning my home, laying down poison and traps, all to rid myself of an unwanted, non-pet, mouse. I can understand him wanting to move in here; it’s already [...]
Altered Art
Writing On The Wall Book Art
Etsy artist WHIMSYlove turns vintage and used books into wall art by folding the pages, origami style, for three-dimensional artworks dubbed Writing on the Wall Book Art — and it’s being featured for sale at the Bellevue Art Museum. Each Writing on the Wall piece arrives with hanging hardware and a keepsake card printed on [...]
Collecting
Illustration Magazine: An Art Publication I Am Drawn To
Men may be, as we are told, visual creatures, but many women adore and collect vintage images. Pinups and those ‘trashy’ covers of pulp novels do more than just flirt with men ya know — we women like them too. And if this includes you, then girl do I have a treat for you: Illustration [...]
