Wood 3 Ways

 

Well, I am finally finished with my salvage art piece for the Habitat for Humanity Restore Show.  To catch you up to speed.... each year this fantastic organization gives local artists $15 to spend at their stores and asks them to create recycled works of art with 100% of the sales going back to Habitat.

If you have never checked out a ReStore, you must.  Always something to inspire and so many functional and vintage items that you are saving from a landfill.

This is what I picked up first.  A stack of pressed wood floor tiles.

After further inspection I discovered they were individual tiles 'grouted' with a rubber caulk, so I separated them and started placing them into new shapes.

My first thought was paint, but then I saw my large stack of National Geographic magazines.

Flipping thru the pages, the plethora of breathtaking nature shots gave me an idea. Creating a landscape of terrains, elements and colors with the individual tiles. 

Although I have loads of old scrap wood and cabinet doors, they just did not look right.  So back to the ReStore and then I found it...right behind the shop.  Pallet board.  My location has a free pile in the back of the store for damaged ones.  Although no longer suitable for their intended purpose, they are great salvaged boards to work with.

Taking apart the boards apart was a tad more challenging then I thought, but with some help from my handy Nate & some power tools, I was able to find 3 good pieces that had lots of character.  Patina'd wood and rusty nails.

Using twine guidelines the assembly could begin. 

Construction adhesive provided a sturdy, clean and quick drying glue.

 

The layout itself took some time. Deciding the order, spacing and color flow. I like to marinate on things like this. Put them together, stare at it for a bit, shift a few tiles and then revisiting a day or two later.  I liked the idea of recreating layers of the earth in an upward flow and settled on a design.

Starting with rocks, shale & lava

moving into wetlands, moss and the seas

and topping off with glaciers, clouds and stars.

The result...an evolving look at our world's climate and landscape.  The title...well, I am a big fan of Top Chef and cooking competitions in general.  All the rage is preparing a single ingredient in various methods, so instead of Salmon: 3 Ways, I give you "Wood 3 Ways".
  1)The pressed wood tiles
2) the raw pallet wood
3) & magazine paper, which is made of course from wood pulp.

2 scrap pieces of wood on the back holds the 3 planks together, and also gave me a great spot to attach the hanger.

There are 3 Madison locations where the works will be displayed.  "Wood 3 Ways" will be at Hatch Art House with an opening reception on Friday May 3rd. 

Such a fun contrast of old and new and ironically reminds me of a board I created on Pinterest  "Nature's Inspiration" . I must have been thinking of this idea all along.

                                          

Coast to Coast

It has been far, far too long since I shared a 'before & after' project so I will get right to it.  Enter the 'before', a very dated tiled plant stand. 

 and the 'after', my tribute to the coasts of Wisconsin, covered in a blue that rivals Lake Superior.

 Martha Stewart's Moroccan Teal provided the hue. It is turquoise, but softer. The knicked wood, instantly added some charm once coated in the paint and scuffed a bit.

To mask the country kitchen tile, a recycled state map.

From Bayfield,

to Green Bay, those frumpy flowers were instantly gone.

It turned out to be such a charming little piece, & with a thick layer of poly on the top...functional.  Although, it would be a shame to cover up these great images.

It is headed over to Hatch Art House this weekend to find a new home with a fellow lover of the shores.

Off to the fair

This weekend was the opening of the Elkorn Flea Market and I although my stock pile is still quite full, I could not resist the creative inspiration.  So instead of the truck load full of finds, it was nice to peruse the vendors and pick up only the things that made my heart smile. 

 First up, this metal Ferris wheel toy. My eyes lit up when I saw it on a back table. I love old carnival themed things. A bit dusty & rusty, but with darling illustrations and colors.  This one needs a lot of TLC, but it was a 1/3 of what I thought it would be priced at, and if I can restore it a bit, it will be a real winner.

Although Mr. Duck has lost his wheels and is a little weak in the neck, their sweet faces and rich colored wood parts were worth saving.  A few adjustment and this vintage Fisher Price pull toy will be the cutest decor piece for a nursery or play room.

And...holy jack pot. I have not seen a collection of old National Geographic maps like this since the first time I discovered them. I took home 15 and I barely made a dent in the basketful. Tammy at Hatch Art House will be very excited.  I have been promising her more map chairs for months now.

Hope your weekend was just a treasure filled in what ever way you spent it.

Don Draper & the Tartan bag

About 10 minutes into watching this Sunday's Mad Men Episode 7, my heart skipped a beat.  When Megan (Don's wife) invites her parents to visit for the weekend, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) walks into the apartment carrying this fabulous, plaid garment bag.  Are you serious? Is that my bag? Sure, I had envisioned this scene in my head when I sold it to a stylist for the AMC blockbuster, but to see it actually in a scene.  Silly, I know, but fun to think they thought it was as perfect as I did when I found it.  

I must have rewound it 6 times...my husband is so patient.  Although no way to be 100%, it sure does look like it, right?

 The bag was in mint condition, bright red with a yellow stripe running thru it.

Regardless, in my mind, it is it, and I am leaving it at that.

I mean, Don Draper as your product model....does it get any better? 

Be bold !

This Saturday, myself and I a handful of other local artists will be part of Absolutely Art's,  'pop-up' gallery at the ISTHMUS Green Day fair. What a perfect time to debut the Spring line of the slide carousel mirrors.  

You know, I rarely like doing the same thing twice, but the first round of these got such a good response, I thought why not.  But to make it a little different, a fun array of colors.

So, a dozen or so of these

along with with more rackets

and I am sure a few more of my tacky paintings turned tackier art .

The Green Fair is FREE this year (thanks to MG & E) and along with lots of green vendors, a vintage fashion show & the recycled art gallery, NY Times columnist and author Mark Bittman will be the keynote speaker.  Hope to see you there.

Proof is in the pouf

Its true I finally have an answer to the mystery of the thrift store footstool. You remember, the mod rattan number I picked up for $7 at a Minnesota thrift store.

After hearing numerous speculations,  I decided to go to a reliable source and get it appraised.  So, I contacted one of my favorite magazines, Country Living to get the real story.  They have a this great column called "What's it worth?" where readers send in questions about the origins & history of their treasures.

So.....just guess what made it into the May issue.  My FOOTSTOOL, or should I say pouf.

Turns out it is not an Ico Parisi, it is a Franco Albini, an Italian architect who created these iconic furniture pieces in the 50's.  My divine pouf was originally part of a set as a companion to the Margherita chair.

And the kicker......my little thrift store find is worth $700.  If I had the matching chair, it would go for about $3000, but I am not complaining.  Just thrilled that I finally know, & of course, that I have legit bragging rights on being able to spot a treasure amongst the trash.

Reclaimed wood bench

Check out this amazing project from my friend Erin.  A self proclaimed design junkie, Erin documents her  talents on her blog and is also a regular contributor to the very inspirational blog Houzz.

Using old boards from vintage crates, signs & her own designs, she transformed these scraps of wood into a gallery worthy table.

I love this idea.  For the last year I have been collecting old wood yardsticks to do a similar technique to a the top of a small end table, but this project just elevated the bar.

Her attention to detail & clean, modern design is just like her personality.....unique, innovative and beautiful.  Well done Erin...well done.

the art of ice

Maybe it is because I grew up in the Midwest (with 4 definite seasons), but I like winter. I really do. It is calm, peaceful, cozy & reflective.  So it is no surprise that I had a different perspective when it came to our recent visit to an ice hotel.  It really was the beauty of all things winter.  Sculpted, carved, illuminated...it was breathtaking.

The hotel uses no metal or wood structures, it is all packed snow.  With tables, chairs, glasses even chandeliers carved from special reverse-osmosis ice shipped in from Montreal, the organic combination of hydrogen & oxygen collide into art.

In anytime of day, the hotel just glowed.  

I'll be sharing more about our overnight stay & the rest of our trip to Quebec City, but I thought your Friday needed some winter beauty.  Click on each image for a more detailed view.

Slide carousel mirrors

I cannot always explain the random things I pick up.  All I know is that a little voice yells...'you need that'.

I often have no idea what the end use for 'said' item, but I do know it stirred a little creative part of me, and for that, it is worth saying YES and letting it marinate.

I got my idea for my racket mirrors from a DIY from Country Living, so when I saw another DIY from Flea Market Style I thought...hey I have got a few of those in my stash, that have just been waiting for a project.

Vintage slide carousels turned into mirrors.

Quite modern yet vintage to the core.  I have 3 of these fun mirrors.  One black, one charcoal & one light grey.  Display together or in a grouping.

All come packaged in their original Kodak box. Think of it as a little extra bit of history.