Friday, August 21, 2009

LIII.

I have more favorite Etsy sellers to share:

Roadside Projects - Whimsical Paper Illustrations


Blue Bell Bazaar - Vintage and Antique Finds


RozArt - Original Oil Paintings


More at a later date.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

LII.


The new house is coming along so well! I can't wait to visit when everything is complete. I won't be able to see the house again until I visit so I decided to take some photos and set some little friends free too:




Wednesday, August 19, 2009

LI.

My new house is so close to being finished. The air conditioning and floors are being put it tomorrow as well as the mirrors and lighting fixtures. My dad and I squared away the hardware this morning so now we're on the final push.

I'm leaving for Sweet Briar this weekend. I'm super excited about that. I've been drawing multiple floor plans of how I want my space to look. I've also been thinking about what magazine clippings I want to include.

I've come up with a Sweet Briar "community service" idea. This could count for Friends of Art Jr., Habitat for Humanity, or if it's eco-friendly, Eco-Floor/Environmental Club. I'm not sure how many students will actually utilize this, but I figure it's worth a shot. I thought about doing budget-friendly dorm decorating, but on the student's dollar. I would go shopping for/with them and do a before and after. Maybe some examples could be used for a column in the school paper. I've gotten loads of compliments on my room so I don't see why I couldn't help other students have really nice rooms. I need some input on this though.

Monday, August 17, 2009

L.

I've thought a lot about where to take my friends when we come to visit my hometown, Virginia Beach. At around two in the morning I compiled a very loose and unrealistic list. I didn't have practicality, money, or time on my mind, but we'll play it by ear. Here's a reproduction:

Things to do/People to see
Glazenfyre (PIY pottery studio)
TJMaxx (Think of original oil paintings, Prada, Fendi, etc.)
CHKD Thrift Stores
Worth the Wait (High end consignment shop)
Echoes of Time (Vintage and costume shop)
MacArthur Mall (Giant Forever 21, Nordstrom, J-Crew, etc.)
Chrysler Museum
Contemporary Art Center of Virginia
Loads of galleries
Ben's roof (You can see all of VB and the Chesapeake Bay)
My Gram's Estate (Gram makes delicious feasts)
Mount Trashmore
Rock Gym
Peabody's (Night club)
The Boot (Great late night menu and good shows)
The Boardwalk at the Ocean Front

Food
Melt Gelato & Crepe Cafe (My uncle's restaurant)
Azar's (Hookah bar and Mediterranean food)
Daily Grind Cafe (Great drinks and giant muffins)
Leaping Lizard Cafe (Great lunch with a cute neighboring gift shop)
Baker's Crust (Great food and giant desserts)
No Frill Grill (All around good food)
Pacifica, Empire, and Crackers (All owned by the same guys)
Bagels N'More (Good food to sneak into a movie at Columbus)
Plaza Azteca ("Best at the Beach" Mexican food)
Citrus ("Best at the Beach" breakfast and lunch)
Nawab ("Best at the Beach" Indian food)
Saffron (New delicious Indian restaurant in town)
Kobe, Sakura, and Nara (Three best sushi bars on the East Coast)

I love my hometown. I don't give it enough credit.

XLIX.

I've been making the effort to finish up a couple more collages I had started a few weeks ago. Here's the latest:


It's different than the others I've worked on, there are larger, bolder images, and even typeface. It works for me. Once all the collages are up on the walls, I'll be sure to show they convey in the space. They're such a cheap and mindless/relaxing way to make your walls look great.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

XLVIII.

I've become so enthusiastic about the JMOCA (Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art) and the Cummer Museum since my visit. Unfortunately, despite the pricey admission, we were not allowed to photograph any of the works. At the JMOCA, there was a Frank Stella sculpture, a series of Robert Mapplethorpe photographs, a series of Picasso paintings, a James Rosenquist painting, and manymanymany other noteable contemporary artists. As for the Cummer, I found my two most absolute favorite paintings on their website:

Norman Rockwell

Frederick Childe Hassam

XLVII.

I've been away for the past week in Alabama and Florida visiting friends from Sweet Briar. I had an amazing time and I hope I'll be welcomed back again in the future. I spent my time in Alabama socializing with good company, and my time in Florida enjoying gorgeous art and spaces. The trip was everything I needed to finish out the rest of this summer. I can't wait to begin classes in two weeks: Early 20th-Century Art, Survey Art History I, Architectural Studies, Ceramic Hand Building, and Classical Mythology.

A few highlights from my travels:

Huntsville, Alabama - Monte Sano


One of the most peaceful backyards I've ever seen.

Jacksonville, Florida



Andy Schuessler at the JMOCA

Takashi Soga outside the Cummer Museum

Gardens at the Cummer Museum

Sunday, August 2, 2009

XLVI.


Here's a photo of my middle-aged cat Bosco. He's quite the cutey.

On another note... It's my birthday today! I'm twenty!