CasaSugar

Which Hotel Features These Artists?

CasaSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:24 -0700

Yesterday, as part of a subversive campaign to take back advertising locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Public Art Campaign had local artists, including Mint and Serf, seen here, paint over ads. Mint and Serf also painted their work in a hotel recently. Can you tell me the name of the hotel?

Guess What This Skull Is Made From?

CasaSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:00:50 -0700

No animals were harmed in the making of this artsy skull. Can you guess what it's crafted from?

Etsy Find: Janet Hill Studios Paintings

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0700

For those of us who daydream over shelter magazine spreads and redecorate in our heads, the paintings of Stratford artist Janet Hill are tempting eye candy. On her Etsy site, she notes, "As a result of living in a cold climate for six months of the year, I've developed a strong interest in the beauty of interiors. My inspiration lies in interior, furniture, and fashion design, as well as films. I love the glamour and beauty of interior surroundings."

Perhaps my favorite print of Janet's is this Zucchini Blossoms Print ($11). The open shelving in the center of this photo features elegant dishes, and the cool, green cabinetry and countertops overflow with a Summer garden's bounty. Janet certainly has a talent for portraying a home's beauty. Check out her Etsy site for more paintings or preview some of my favorites when you read more.

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Advice For Creating a Pretty and Practical Work Space in Your Home

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:00:34 -0700

Have you ever considered working from home? Whether you want to create a home office or a home business space, there are a lot of things to consider, not the least of which is creating a space that's both attractive and productive. Jennifer Nelson of Home Sweet has done just that by transforming a bedroom in her Craftsman home into a workspace for her business. She writes, "I love that I have my own space to work. Block printing takes up a lot of room and makes a lot of mess, so having this space is essential!"

Her space accommodates a lot of tools, including a sewing desk trimmed with yardsticks, filing crates, task lighting, miscellaneous tools and books, a large printing table, and a fabric roll, among other things. Jennifer also has a television and DVD player in her studio, where she watches movies such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Norma Ray.

Interested in hearing Jennifer's advice for working out of your home, and seeing more pictures of her space? Then read more.

Jennifer offers this advice for working out of your home:

On distractions: There are a few things that help with that, but were never really conscious decisions. For one, fabric printing isn't very tolerant of interruptions - ink dries out quickly and becomes unusable. So as much as I may be tempted to float off into blog-land, I don't want to come back to a pot full of gummy ink! This way, breaks are automatically kept short. Also, the studio is as far as you can get from the living areas in our house, so family members have to make a special trip to interrupt me. That makes a big difference, I think.
On prioritizing tasks: I do find myself wanting to work when I have household things to do, and for that I just try not to procrastinate - knock those chores out and then get to work! Plus, it means a lot to my husband when I don't leave him with everything to do while I'm printing away in my little studio, and a happy partner is a supportive partner!
On balance: I'm still working on the concept of balance. Somewhere in there must be some time to relax, reconnect with family, and work on things unrelated to chores and printing . . . but in the meantime at least I have a lovely place to work and a craft that I'm passionate about.

Check out more photos of Jennifer's home studio, and many products, when you visit her site and blog.

Do you work out of a home studio space? How do you create balance while keeping productive?

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Guess Who Illustrated These Plates?

CasaSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:00:06 -0700

These illustrated plates are hung in the fashionable hallway of Max and Lubov Azria's home, featured this month in Harper's Bazaar. Can you tell me who illustrated them?

Guess Who Painted This?

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:51 -0700

Paintings by this US artist are currently on display at Munich, Germany's, newly built Brandhorst museum. Can you tell me who the artist is?

Artist Francesca Gabbiani's Exquisite Collages

CasaSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:00:10 -0700

While most of us experimented with the art of collage at some point in our lives, even if it was just layering magazine fashion spreads in our high school lockers, it's the rare person who masters this deceptively simple art technique. Los Angeles-based artist Francesca Gabbiani has done just that, creating pieces from torn or cut paper that leap with energy. Whether she's collaging together a forest fire or a room interior, her massively intricate works of art never fail to impress. After cutting and layering colored paper, Gabbiani adds gouache (a type of paint) to the paper. The entire effect is impressive, and something that I would love to display in my own home.

Interested in seeing more from this artist? Check out ArtNet for information about work for sale, or The Patrick Farmer Gallery in Los Angeles. Alternately, if you're in Pasadena, CA, head down to the Armory Center for the Arts through May 10 to see some of her work in person.

See Gabbiani's other work when you read more.

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Casa Verde: Upcycled Chandeliers

CasaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:00:01 -0700

Two years ago, artists Laurel Roth and Andy Diaz Hope collaborated on the chandelier project "Trinity," which is currently being exhibited in the Second Lives exhibit at the Museum of Art and Design in New York City.

While the chandeliers are shockingly gorgeous, what they're made from is even more surprising. To find out the materials in these chandeliers, read more.

This series of chandelier sculptures are adorned with dangerous-looking hypodermic needles, Swarovski crystal, and gelatin capsules. At first glance, you'd never guess that these gorgeous sculptures were constructed from medical waste.

The artists created the chandeliers, in part, as a reflection on our relationship with pharmaceuticals. In Hope's words, "The beauty of the object from a distance and the repulsion of the individual elements upon closer inspection create the tension of our culture's schizophrenic relationship to drugs."

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Guess Who Drew These?

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:07 -0700

You know him as one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed songwriters, musicians, and performers, but this rock icon also has a penchant for drawing. While traveling on tour between 1989 and 1992, the artist created a collection of drawings of his encounters and observations, including landscapes, still-lifes, nudes, and street scenes, which were later exhibited in Germany and London. Can you guess who he is? I'll give you a hint: Heath Ledger played him in one of his last roles, a biographical film about the artist's life.

Name This Flower

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:30:00 -0800

These panels, illustrated by artist Amy Rice, were part of her installation project "Nest." Can you tell me what type of flowers these are?