Wallmarks

February Gallery Stroll - Friday February 17th

2012-02-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

This month Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery features Dayle Record’s photographic exhibit Singular Images, The Lake I Love, altered Earth images which are in part a tribute to the era in which the environmental movement was born.

For a complete list of exhibits on this month's Gallery Stroll's website, click here.

Happy Valentine's Day 2012 and...

2012-02-14T02:19:00.006-07:00

Happy 114th Birthday, Dr. Denmark!

Click on the link below for the story:

Local supercentenarian celebrates 114 birthday...

Above: Dr. Leila Denmark, our family's pediatrician through generations.

Above: Heart on a String, acrylic on canvas, Toni Youngblood

Above: I Love You, acrylic on canvas, Toni Youngblood

Completed Dog Portrait: Briard

2012-02-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is Your Life

2012-02-04T16:05:00.003-07:00

(credit where credit is due)

Dog Portrait - Laying in the Color

2012-02-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

St. Ambrose Concert

2012-01-29T22:45:00.001-07:00

Toni Youngblood standing next to her painting of Lionel Hampton & David S. Halliday.

Photo by Doug Sloan

It was a beautiful concert tonight at St. Ambrose, Spiritual to Swing, Narrated by David R. Halliday and music performed by the St. Ambrose Choir and the Jazz Vespers band: David S. Halliday-Saxophone, Denson Argulo-Bass, Courtney Isaiah Smith-Piano, and Steve Lyman-Drums.

Beginning a New Dog Portrait

2012-01-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Above: Layout sketch - Toni Youngblood

This is the first Briard I have been asked to paint. You can learn more about this large herding dog who has been around for centuries here.

Above: Photo provided by the dog's owner

Benefit Concert

2012-01-24T17:26:00.005-07:00

Rumor has it that my portrait of David Halliday & Lionel Hampton will be on display at this music event:

A tribute to the life of Eva Zeisel

2012-01-20T09:37:00.002-07:00

I have copied this article below for your joy ~ Sparky:

The Life of Eva Zeisel and the Absurdity of Other People's Rules

Paula DiPerna, Contributor

Link to the articles in Architect and Forbes magazines

Photo: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Eva Zeisel, one of the most important women of the 20th century, lived to be 105, dying just the day before this new year, peacefully during an afternoon nap. She was a great personage of industrial design, and I was privileged to have had the gift of her friendship and love of life.

Someone who is so long-lived leaves much behind. In Eva’s case, her most tangible legacy, obviously, is the enduring beauty of her ceramic work. Over several decades she designed gorgeous pitchers, bowls, dinnerware—all practical and yet sensuous to the touch. Hers is a body of design work that will startle many generations still with the sheer pleasure it brings.

But perhaps even more than her work, Eva’s longevity to me is a testament to the absurdity of dogma. Eva flouted dogma every chance she got. She stripped away its power through sheer force of her will, charm, brilliance, inner strength and craving to know more about the all the curiosities of life. In the face of any useless theory or rule, Eva always won.

She had defied convention from the start. Where the dogma of her day would have had a wellborn Hungarian girl like Eva fall back into the lap of lacy idle luxury, instead Eva went blue collar, digging her hands, literally, into the clay. Wanting to learn a practical craft, Eva apprenticed herself among the ceramic makers for which Hungary was famous. With no mentor or female role model, Eva worked elbow to elbow with the laborers, learning the craft of pottery making so thoroughly she eventually qualified for the guild title “journeyman”—a moniker she always cited as a primary accomplishments of her career.

Gradually, Eva’s design work matured in the late 1920s. She took great pleasure in making curves. But she soon found herself facing the dogma of modernism that said mass production could not co-exist with individually significant design, or beauty with straight lean modern lines.

Eva kept on, and turned all this theory on its ear by designing dinner sets that indeed were exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, a temple to art, at the same time as they were for sale in the Sears Roebuck catalogue, the bible of working class purchase.

She delighted in delight, and as the modernist movement took hold of design, she found it cold, undesirable and limiting and, yes, dogmatic. In her book,The Magic Language of Things, she wrote: 'The modern movement restricted itself to a limited vocabulary of lines and forms. It introduced rules and principles that would dictate what distinguished good design from bad. These new rules aimed at silence communication between the maker of things and his public. Things lost their magic.'

Indeed, Eva chose magic over reality every time and what’s more, she could explain why. Once, when she received a high honor from the Hungarian government and a major retrospective of her work, I had the immense pleasure of traveling with her as a kind of aide-de- camp. At the opening reception, a somewhat haughty critic made a snide remark about the bird-formed lids on a Zeisel dinnerware set a la "you seem to be sentimentally drawn to making birds," Eva quipped, “well, when you have clay in your hands, it’s hard to avoid making birds.” He folded.

A Jew, Eva defied emerging Nazism by fleeing to Russia where she worked as art director of the Russian state ceramic and glass industry, but soon fell into the jaws of Stalinism. In another absurd development, the young and harmless Eva was accused of plotting to kill Stalin because a pistol was found in her sewing machine, she having no idea how it got there. She was imprisoned for 16 months, much of it in solitary confinement, enduring horrifying conditions and never knowing what would happen next. Yet, again, tapped into her transcendent inner energy and kept sane by doing hand stands in her cell, a space so small and narrow, she noted wryly, "there was no danger I could fall over."

Then one day, as absurdly as the prison ordeal started, it ended. Her jailer showed up with a lipstick, gave it to her, and said she was being freed right then and there with only the clothes on her back. An imprisonment without rhyme or reason came to an end.

Eva eventually came to the United States, married the jurist Hans Zeisel, and went on to become a professor of design at Pratt Institute, a wife, mother, grandmother and world famous—always sticking to her core design beliefs.

But perhaps her greatest defiance was that of age. Once when she was in her mid-90s, I called her to say hello from a far off time zone. I said, “good morning, Eva.” Sharp as a tack, she replied, “where are you that it’s daylight? Here it’s night.”

Even at 105, she still loved the taste of chocolate, the crystal clink of her china, and the fold of a petal of a tulip which she fingered to “see” it as her eyesight failed.

As women today struggle with unlimited choices and freedom of behavior on the one hand, and a yearning for guidance and stability on the other, Eva’s knack for getting to the essence of life speaks to us all.

What I learned from Eva is that if one holds precious the thread between soul, heart and mind, it does not have to be lonely in the vanguard. Eva made her path by walking it. Thank you, Eva, and brava to all who can do the same.

For more information on Eva Zeisel and to see images of her work, please visit: http://evazeisel.org/

New York Times article.

A Desert Beyond Fear

2012-01-11T10:31:00.001-07:00

One Woman's Meat: Notes from Escalante contemplates our modern-day tyranny of the habit of fear, a phrase Bertrand Russell coined in 1951

I'm sharing this essay written by Jana Richman. I would refer to this as a thoughtfully written piece especially valuable in these times of uncertainty, however, I don't believe these times are any less certain than any other time and management of fear may be the operative in making this distinction.

Click on the link to read Jana Richman's January 8, 2012 essay:
A Desert Beyond Fear

Thank you, Jana, for allowing me to share your piece.

Greyhound Companions

2012-01-03T08:51:00.006-07:00

Click on the link below to see a quick video of one of the wonderful creatures who needs a loving home:

Copper is looking for a forever home!

At one-year old, Copper is still very much a pup! Consider adopting a "retired" racing greyhound.

Other informative links about greyhound adoption:

http://www.royalhounds.org/

http://www.greyhoundgang.org/

http://www.greyhoundpets.org/chapters.php

http://2ndchancegreyhounds.org/

Wishing you all a GREYT new year!

(Some of My) Christmas Cards Past

2011-12-20T10:03:00.003-07:00

Saddle Blanket Runner

2011-12-06T12:19:00.003-07:00

This solution for a protective runner for catching wet and muddy dog paws coming into the house from the back yard is economical, easy to clean and fun in appearance. Pictured above are two saddle blankets purchased at our local Intermountain Farmers Association "Country Store". They have a flat weave similar to Turkish kilims and Navajo rugs, but are usually woven with a mixture of wool/cotton/acrylic fibers that are machine washable in cold water.

The ends have a rolled hem with braided ties at each corner. They usually measure 60" x 30". You can find

several similar choices of saddle blankets on Amazon.com---priced from around $10 to $20. I found mine at IFA for $15 each. Several color combinations are available. I did have to go to two different IFA stores to find two matching blankets, however.

I have combined two blankets to get the correct length for my needs and tied the corner ties on one end of each blanket together to keep the two blankets from separating from each other.

You will want to use a rug grip to keep the runners from sliding on a bare slick surface, in my case, a maple floor.

Hand-made Gift Ideas...

2011-12-04T10:54:00.008-07:00

Click on the "Contact Me" button on the right hand column of this page if you would like to order any of the items below, have questions, or would just like to say "hello". ;o)

New item!: Custom Saxophone Neck Pouch - scroll down to item No. 4.

1. Original Encaustic Paintings...
The seven paintings below are aproximately 5x7 inches (postcard size) and include hanging hardware on back and a wood table-top display easel---$25 each.

Additional larger original encaustic paintings can be found here.

2. Pet Portraits...Lasting tribute to a devoted companion. . . see more examples here.

Specifications:

-All portraits are hand painted with high-quality non-toxic artist's acrylic paints on fine art stretched canvas.

-You provide a favorite of your pet's photos/poses. Include other snap shots that reveal "personality", if you like. Then the painting begins!

Options & Pricing:

12" x 12" box-style museum-wrap stretched canvas: $150

16" x 20" stretched canvas: $350

24" x 36" stretched canvas: $1000

Additonal pets in one portrait: 16x20/$100, 24x30/$300

There is generally a two-week turnaround for the 12x12 portraits, longer for the larger sizes. There's still time to order yours for holiday gifts. And if you don't need it before Christmas, I'll still be taking orders and painting after the holidays :o). . .

3. Architectural Jewelry Boxes...

Below: Art Deco Septemius Jewelry Box...$27.00

Click on image to enlarge

Below Cathedral of Murano Jewelry Box...$31.50

Click on image to enlarge

Below: Corinthian Column Capital Jewelry Box...$31.50

Click on image to enlarge

Below: Florentine Facade Jewelry Box...$31.50

Click on image to enlarge

4. Custom Saxophone Neck Pouches - Basic Alto Pouch: $16, Basic Tenor Pouch: $18.

Double thickness of soft fabric outside and inside for protection of your saxophone neck---more secure than the "sox" bags. No scratchy zippers, no tangling ties. Available for any size saxophone neck. Alto-size neck displayed in photos. Many durable and elegant fabrics available. Ask about the double pouch: Storage for sax neck & mouthpiece, or the triple pouch: Storage for sax neck, mouthpiece and extra reeds. Custom storage pouches can be made to meet your individual preferences.

Tuck the pouch with neck inside the bell of your saxophone...

The saxophone neck is safely stowed in the bell or will fit nicely in the compartment of your saxophone case.

5. Holiday cards reproduced from my watercolor paintings and color pencil drawings---Each set contains four cards and envelopes. Set No. 1 cards are blank inside and are priced at $7.50 per set. Set No. 2 cards have a verse inside: "May every joy of the holiday season be yours, and may the new year bring you happiness.", and are $8.00 per set.

Card Set No. 1...

Glissading Snowman

Delivering Peace

Spinning Snowflake

Moonglow

Card Set No. 2...

Domestic Diversions

2011-11-28T14:26:00.006-07:00

The Fence...

Above: I wanted a twenty-six foot long expanse of fence to keep the hounds out of the driveway---my girl hound seems to believe the driveway is the perfect potty area in winter. :o/ I also wanted a removable section of fence for service access to the house or back yard when necessary---wide enough for a truck to drive through.

Above: Here's the design I came up with, which was functional, budget friendly and pretty easy to build. I purchased a rusted steel panel from a local salvage yard which is interesting to look at, in itself. The panel is the "waste" that was left over after circles were punched out for the original purpose. It is five feet tall (the perfect height for the fence I wanted) and ten feet long. The method I used to install the steel panel allows easy removal for service access. (Oh, yes, those big round black bundles are eighteen bags of leaves I raked over the last couple of weekends. My neighbors who have created a full-city lot size garden and orchard will be able to use most of the leaves for mulching/compost!)

Above: The rest of the fence utilizes "horse fencing", heavy-gauge galvanized wire fencing manufactured in a 4x4-inch grid pattern. Each panel of horse fencing measures six-feet high by sixteen feet long.

Above: We cut the height of the horse fence panels down to the desired five foot height. The best way to cut the horse fencing is with an electric grinder. We attached the rusted steel panel (left side of the photo) on the side of the fence posts that will be seen from the house. The horse fencing was attached to the opposite side of the posts (right).

Above: We used heavy gauge staples "nailed" into the 4x4-inch treated wood posts in several places to attach the horse fencing material.

Above: The rusted steel panel was hung on two L-hooks which were screwed into the posts. This allows the panel to be lifted off for service access.

Above: The gate is a simple design using treated 2x4's to build a frame and brace, then infilled with more horse fencing cut to size.

Above: Latch side of the gate at the fence.

Above: Hinge side of the fence where the post attaches to the corner of the garage. I found the galvanized post caps online at Bevo Works here. The horse fencing was located at an agricultural suppler. All other materials can be found at Home Depot or Lowe's.

The Gutters...

Above: Goldfish rain chain. I decided to use a rain chain instead of a downspout, as the junction of the roof overhang and the main body of the house created an awkward condition in which a huge and unattractive down spout elbow was required.

Above: Following the rain chain up...

Above: ...and up to the corner opening in the gutter. I needed eleven and a half feet of chain for this location. There are some beautiful copper rain chains on the market. I had very little budget for a rain chain and located this "budget" chain via Amazon.com where there was one six-foot length in stock, and via Target.com where there was another six-foot length in stock---together giving me twelve feet. So I ordered from the two different sources to get enough. This chain is no longer in stock at these two places---I must have bought the last! I don't know any other place to find it. Hope it lasts a good little while!

Above: The section of new gutter across the back of the addition, with rain chain hanging to the left of the door and steps. Next Spring, I will be developing more landscaping around the addition. Hoping that we are pretty well set now for winter's arrival---hmmm, where's the snow shovel? Now...on to the holidays!

Thanksgiving away from "home"...

2011-11-23T14:20:00.003-07:00

Those of us spending Autumn term of architecture school in the Architecture in Rome program through the University of Washington will know this tradition well. Though we were far from home and family, we produced a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner under the direction of Professor Astra Zarina. This has been a tradition for several decades now.

Students shared preparation of trimmings, accompanying dishes and lovely traditional American desserts. I recall peeling an endless number of Granny Smith apples for pies. The turkey? Well the turkey is something else. Ovens in our apartments (as with most Italian ovens) are not large enough to accommodate baking of turkeys. Remember, the last Thursday in November for the celebration of Thanksgiving is an American holiday and the Italians don't do "Turkey Day" as one of their traditions.

Our adaptation was to carry our dressed, but as yet unbaked turkey across the piazza, Campo dei Fiori, shown in the above photo, to our local baker (located on the street level of the large orange-colored building in the photo). The baker (il panettiere) could fit the turkey in his grande bread oven (il forno)---no problemo. Over the years the market merchants (whose umbrellas you see pictured above) transformed our turkey walk into a ceremonial parade, by joining in and cheering our group of students carrying the sacrificial turkey across square from our school building to the baker.

The year I was in Rome, our NIAUSI (Northwest Institute for Architecture and Uban Studies in Italy) Fellowship recipient, Catherine Barrett hand painted a little watercolor turkey place card (pictured above) for each student and other dinner guests. Yes, I still have mine. ;o)

Wishing you a beautiful opportunity to give thanks, whether with family, friends or far from home, this Thanksgiving Day.

November GALLERY STROLL is This Friday

2011-11-16T20:04:00.001-07:00

Charley Hafen will have the opening reception for Richard P. Stamm

presenting WOVEN - Indonesian Textile Arts

on Gallery Stroll Friday night November 18, 2011 6:00 to 9:00 PM.

For more information see www.charleyhafen.com

For the full list of participating venues in this month's Gallery Stroll click here.

Cool Wheels...

2011-11-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

While researching wheels to attach to my studio work table, I ran across a cool website specializing in "designer" casters called...Cool Casters! They have lots of different styles and colors and Ooooh la la...Check it out here.

Things to do with Loose drawers...

2011-11-02T22:00:00.001-06:00

and crates

I'm utilizing orphaned drawers and old found crates in my on-going garage/studio organization and storage. I found all of these provocative photos in my on-line research cache.

Nature Sketches

2011-10-22T21:41:00.000-06:00

Above: Guilded Fushia - Gouache and Mixed media on paper, Toni Youngblood ©

Above: Water Lillies - Gouache and mixed media on paper, Toni Youngblood ©

Above: Onion Bouquet - Gouache and mixed media on paper, Toni Youngblood ©

Above: Anna's Sunflowers - Gouache and mixed media on paper, Toni Youngblood ©

Above: Lemons - Gouache and mixed media on paper, Toni Youngblood ©

October Gallery Stroll - Friday October 21, 6-9PM

2011-10-21T08:47:00.001-06:00

Charley Hafen Jewelers Gallery featuresfeatures artist Cori Redstone’s paintings celebrating the high mountain deserts, snow-strewn peaks and the rarely-seen urban landscape of Utah.

Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery
1409 South 900 East,Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Monday - Friday 12 – 7,
Saturday 10 – 2, Closed Sunday
Telephone: 801-521-7711
Contact by e-mail: charley@charleyhafen.com

For the current Gallery Stroll list click here

2011-10-12T10:15:00.000-06:00

"Painting Your ABC's" from 15Bytes

2011-10-06T21:08:00.002-06:00

Subscribe to 15Bytes online art magazine published monthly by visiting here: http://www.artistsofutah.org/15Bytes/

The following review appeared in October 2011 issue of 15Bytes:

Painting Your ABCs

Toni Youngblood's Calligraffiti at Charley Hafen
by Sarah Barth-Jensen

Try to teach a young child how to read and you’ll know just how mysterious the alphabet is. Language comes naturally to children and I think it is always amazing to see how quickly a toddler becomes fluent with sophisticated grammar and words. When they try to make sense of language by looking at the swirls and lines of the English alphabet, however, the process is anything but natural. Soon enough, though, no matter how irrational or arbitrary the relationship between language and alphabet most children master the process and the alphabet becomes a natural part of their lives. In a literate society the alphabet is like a second skin through which we experience the world.

Maybe that’s why, ever since language started being written down, cultures have experimented with different alphabets. These experiments have sometimes been functional, like the straight lines the Phoenicians used because of their writing tool, the stylus. Just as often they’ve been aesthetic, like fashion wardrobes. How else can you explain Gothic script, our love of fonts or the wonderful artistry of Far Eastern alphabets? All of this must be what fascinates artists like Toni Youngblood, who explore alphabets, real or imaginary, as an artistic medium.

Youngblood’s Calligraffiti series, which is now up at Charley Hafen Gallery, is a collection of compact abstract works that uses alphabets, or what look like alphabets, as integral components in layered, decorative works.|0| Abstract artists often talk of “mark-making” so it is no wonder that many of them drift naturally to using our most common mark, the As,Bs and Cs of the alphabet as elements in their work (another local artist who does this is Sue Slade, whose show at Phillips Gallery in June was fabulous).

(0)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Encaustic seems to be everywhere these days and for some artists wax is just a way to mask lazy work. But in Youngblood’s painting the encaustic is essential because it allows her to build up layers, into which she paints or scrapes her alphabets. From far back these paintings can look like the patterned work of an abstract expressionist. Up close you see the familiar swirls and lines of an alphabet, but they seem a natural part of the whole surface, rather than sitting on top of the painting, like ink on paper.|1| The alphabets don’t spell out words. Some are just scrawls that give the sense of writing.|2| In other pieces Youngblood uses found materials, like nails, to give off the effect of characters.|3| Or at least they feel like characters -- the result of the fact that we have become so used to seeing letters, from the serifs on our computer screen to the scrawl of our doctors' notes – even if we don’t know what they “say.” In that way Toni Youngblood’s Calligraffiti paintings take us back to the wonder and mystery of childhood.|4|

Calligraffiti on "The Post"

2011-10-04T23:13:00.005-06:00

I'm sharing a link to the article written by Geoff Wichert on his blog The Post---
Gallery Symbiosis: Toni Youngblood at Charley Hafen Jewelers and Gallery
The full article can be seen here.
The web address to The Post:
http://postgeoff.com/

I enjoyed Geoff Wichert's remarks about different types of gallery spaces: "Those that present art in a relatively blank, abstract space that strives not to impose any undue influence on the works displayed" versus those that show art "in a space that conjures the scale and furnishings of a potential owner's home".

My thesis, Museum for a Private Collection of Twentieth-Century American Art, published in 1990 in partial fulfillment of my my graduate degree in architecture (M.Arch) examined these opposing ideas about the display of art.

Thanks to Geoff for visiting my exhibit at Charley Hafen's and for writing his observations.

An excerpt from Geoff Wichert's article follows...

All Photographs by Geoff Wichert - Click on photos for closer view.

Charley Hafen Gallery exploits its older building to give clients an idea of how the art will look in their homes (above). The arrangement of several works on a common theme can unify a busy or cluttered area ('Sweat Equity Nos. 1, 2, & 3 by Toni Youngblood, Encaustic on Board w/Mixed Media, right).

An unusual placement allows these small works to relate to the natural world outside the window (left) What looks like art fixing an architectural problem is only temporary: the stairs will soon connect to more shops on the second floor (right)
(Portrait at the stair landing: Lionel Hampton and David Halliday, by Toni Youngblood 2011, acrylic on canvas)

Top, left & right: 'Life in Acronymia' and 'Don't Hide Them' Bottom, left & right, 'Cursive is As Cursive Does' and 'Patching the Infrastructure' All Encaustic on panel, all 2011. Here Toni Youngblood shows just some of the range of what the medium can do.

New/Old books on California artists

2011-10-03T15:04:00.002-06:00

I'm adding a few titles to my collection of books on California art and artists. The subject is meaningful to me, having studied painting in California myself. I found used copies of all these books on Amazon.com.

Amazon.com Review

A free-spirited wave of creative energy swept through the San Francisco art community after World War II. Challenging accepted modes of painting, Abstract Expressionists produced highly experimental works that jolted the public out of its postwar complacency. Susan Landauer's comprehensive examination of this dynamic movement provides the first clear picture of the artists and influences that came together in San Francisco's invigorating world of Abstract Expressionism.

Amazon.com Review

For many years California was the edge of the American world, and perhaps because of this, it, more than any other state, has inspired an art reflective of the frontier, of the American dream. Beautifully illustrated with over seventy landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes, Paintings of California explores some of the finest results of this inspiration, including works by Albert Bierstadt, Childe Hassam, Granville Redmond, Millard Sheets, Elmer Bischoff, Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn, David Hockney, and many more.

California embodies the American desire to explore frontiers. Collected here in Paintings of California are the works of over sixty of America's finest artists, all of whom were drawn to the beauty of California's kaleidoscopic geography and the pioneering spirit of her people.

Amazon.com Review

When these six artists first banded together in 1917, the San Francisco art establishment found their work raw and undeveloped. According to Nancy Boas, however, these painters represent the first fully evolved reflection of modern art on the West Coast. Her scholarly and engaging study is tantamount to a discovery of a previously unknown group of painters, and it is unusual in that it recounts the birth of modern art in a nonurban setting. She elegantly and convincingly balances biography with analysis, intertwining six personal stories into a much larger story, which is really about the birth of modernism, an integral segment of America's artistic heritage. These artists' works are expressive, energetic, and ablaze with vivid color, reminiscent of a quality of rarefied light found in Richard Diebenkorn's Ocean Park series or Vincent van Gogh's Arles paintings.

And now, I'm impatiently awaiting the arrival of above ordered books. ;o)

Reading spots

2011-10-02T12:37:00.003-06:00

Above: My favorite Summer morning reading spot --- a well-worn Adirondack chair on the front porch.

Sigh...it has been so pleasant being outdoors this Summer. Fall is easing in on us and I'll need to consider moving inside for this little pleasure.

Looking through my collection of photos in an attempt to entice and inspire myself into welcoming the change of seasons, I came up with a few nice indoor settings for a good read...

Above: This photo and the one directly below are a little too much like going back to bed for me...

Above: This is my own likely landing spot.

Waste not, want not---more important than ever...

2011-09-28T09:15:00.001-06:00

via Full Circle Farms on Facebook

September 16th through October 18th at Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery

2011-09-17T23:30:00.034-06:00

The following fifteen pieces measure approximately 12x12 inches and are framed. $225

Above: Sweat Equity No. 1

Above: Sweat Equity No. 2

Above: Sweat Equity No. 3

Above: Allium - SOLD (J.and K.H.)

Above: Beach Tide - SOLD (T.O.)

Above: Dreamt in Italian - SOLD (L.M.)

Above: Judy's Paintbrush - SOLD (K.C.)

Above: Lake Effect

Above: Lost Pearls

Above: Spring Rain

Above: Suffering Happiness

Above: Thank You, Mt. Etna - SOLD (D.S.)

Above: Todi - SOLD (S.and R.M.)

Above: View Through the Fence - SOLD (V.W.)

Above: Where Music Lives

The following three pieces measure approximately 22x22 inches. $725

Above: Arriving At the Same Place From Every Direction

Above: Pears in San Miguel

Above: Spring City Fractured Landscape

The four pieces below measure approximately 9 x 12 inches. Framed or cradled, as noted.

Above: Autumn Sky - Framed - $200

Above: Cursive Is As Cursive Does - Framed - $200

Above: Don't Hide Them - Framed - $200

Above: Living in Acronymia - Cradled, unframed - $175

Above: Patching the Infrastructure - Framed - $200

Sketch Pad Series - The following twenty pieces measure approximately 7x5 inches and include hanging hardware on back, as well as an easel. $25

Above: C-Major - SOLD (D.H.)

Above: Canyon Storm - SOLD (C.R.)

Above: CEG 12 - SOLD (S.M.)

Above: Deep 8/Octave

Above: F-Major - SOLD (S.H.)

Above: G-Major - SOLD (K.C.)

Above: Letter D - SOLD (R.D.)

Above: Letter H

Above: Letter R - SOLD (R.McA.)

Above: Letter Z

Above: Quick Note - SOLD (K.C.)

Above: Road Trip - SOLD (T.& R.W.)

Above: Script Note

Above: Steady Time

Above: Freel Peak

Above: Kenai

Above: Rainier - SOLD (D.S.)

Above: Saw Tooth - SOLD (R.McA.)

Above: Shasta - SOLD (R.McA.)

Above: Teton - SOLD (K.C.)

Calligraffiti - Toni Youngblood - September 2011

Along with my training in the tradition of representational drawing and painting, came rigorous design, analytical and critical dialogue. I learned to work with many materials and techniques in art school and later in graduate school in architecture.

During my painting studies, I chose elective courses in graphic design, which included the study of typography. Each week was spent learning the characteristics of a different typeface by carefully drafting the individual letters of its alphabet. The goal of this meticulous exercise was to facilitate the selection of appropriate typefaces for the design of graphic communication such as that used in advertising. The character of a typeface communicates something beyond the written message and may either support the message or distract from it. My interest in the imagery of the written and printed word is rooted in this early training.

After hand drafting alphabets in many typefaces, I have a great appreciation for computer typesetting and word processing programs, stencils and any other expedient tools and methods available to produce letters. With this detailed practice behind me, I am in awe of the phenomenon that only a few shapes or pen strokes can create a letter or symbol that, when appropriately grouped, produces words that express ideas. And I revel in the loose flowing motion of hand writing.

In three decades, my preference has evolved into using a broad brush and less literal technique. Rather than represent only what the eye sees---a compilation of physical features---I am more interested in interpreting what I see and feel in its essence, its nature. In music, it would be improvisation over straight melody. In some ways, I think this process is like designing a logo---paring down in graphic form the nature and essence of a business.

Beach tide as it glades across sand – Beach Tide, 2009

What I “see” when I close my eyes and listen to music – Where Music Lives, 2009

Cursive pen strokes of a hand-written message – Dreamt in Italian, 2009

A wave of bliss – Suffering Happiness, 2009

Mid-night rumblings of an active volcano on the island of Sicily – Thank you, Mt. Etna!, 2009

Warmth, texture and color of a favorite medieval Italian hill town – Todi, 2009

Calligraffiti is the continuation of a series of works I began a couple of years ago. Those first paintings were composed of layers of acrylic paint using a mask or frisket of wax---applying a layer of paint, applying clear wax frisket with a brush or drip technique, then applying paint of a different color, then removing the wax at critical points in the process to reveal color layers beneath. The resulting figures resembled written language in form, order and pattern.

The more recent works which are shown in this exhibit are created with encaustic (color pigment mixed with hot beeswax and damar resin crystals for hardening) and compatible mixed media, such as oil pastel crayon, paper pieces, nails and other found objects. Encaustic painting, as a medium, is over 2000 years old.

Toni Youngblood – Salt Lake City, Utah

Bachelor of Art – Painting, California State University, San Jose

Master of Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle

Also on display at Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery is the portrait commission I painted for musician David Halliday, Lionel Hampton & David Halliday, acrylic on canvas, 30x40 inches, 2011...

September GALLERY STROLL: Friday the 16th, 6-9p.m.

2011-09-14T22:09:00.000-06:00

F Major, Toni Youngblood, Encaustic on panel, 2011

My solo show of encaustic paintings is now installed at Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery and the opening reception will be Gallery Stroll evening from 6 till 9p.m.. We will be celebrating with special guest muscians David Halliday on saxophone and Chris Hough on guitar.

Join us for an evening of art, music, friends and light refreshments.

Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery
1409 South 900 East,Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Monday - Friday 12 – 7,
Saturday 10 – 2, Closed Sunday
Telephone: 801-521-7711
Contact by e-mail: charley@charleyhafen.com

For the current Gallery Stroll list click here

Save the date for me...

2011-09-09T11:54:00.005-06:00

The exhibit runs through October 18th.

Gallery Hours:

Monday - Friday 12 -7

Saturday 10 - 2

Closed Sunday

The first phase of the Gallery space expansion is complete---new stairs! Come celebrate with us.

Extra close up...

2011-09-06T00:27:00.004-06:00

Detail from Patching the Infrastructure, Toni Youngblood, Encaustic and mixed media on board, 2011

Working on my upcoming exhibit...

2011-09-01T08:58:00.001-06:00

A couple of tools of the encaustic process.

Lazy Days of Summer...

2011-08-24T16:07:00.000-06:00

Saving electricity and using the hot old sun power.

August Gallery Stroll Friday the 19th, 6-9pm

2011-08-18T10:06:00.000-06:00

Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery will be taking a break from Gallery Stroll in August as they complete the first phase of construction for expansion of the gallery into their upstairs space.

Above: Cursive Is As Cursive Does, Toni Youngblood, Encaustic and mixed media on panel, 2011

The featured show for Charley Hafen's September Gallery Stroll will be Toni Youngblood's (Yes, that's me!) Calligraffiti, paintings in encaustic and mixed media. (The the unveiling of a large private portrait commission will be included with this exhibit.) More information will be provided on this exhibit here, next month.

For a complete listing of August Gallery Stroll participating galleries, visit the official Gallery Stroll website here.

Hope to see you out and about tomorrow evening!

Neuroscientist says viewing ART is like being in LOVE

2011-08-16T17:02:00.001-06:00

If you find you are looking for "love" in all the wrong places consider this...Neuroscientist says viewing ART is like being in LOVE.

Read the full article here: Eye on Art - Winston Wachter Fine Art's eye on art...as well as a few other things.

Scans suggest that art gives the same level of pleasure as being in love.

SKETCHPAD Series of Encaustic Paintings

2011-08-08T10:41:00.002-06:00

More CALLIGRAFFITI...

Above: Very close up view showing the layers and three dimensionality of the encaustic wax paint.

I'm including a series of small works called SKETCHPADS in my upcoming show Calligraffiti: Encaustic and Mixed Media Paintings---in September, (at Charley Hafen Jewlers - Gallery September 14- October 17). As you can see from the photo above with the six-inch ruler, the SKETCHPADS paintings are relatively small, roughly 5x7 inches.

The artist reception is during September Gallery Stroll---Friday, September 16 from 6 till 9pm. When you visit the Calligraffiti show you will see the collection of little SKETCHPADS along with the regular size paintings (a couple of which have been featured here and here).

Todi

2011-08-04T10:27:00.003-06:00

Above: Todi, Toni Youngblood 2009, Encaustic and mixed media on board

Photo: Virtual Tourist

I spent Fall Quarter of grad school in Rome as a participant in the Architecture in Rome program through the University of Washington. (Twenty years prior, one of the first two participants in this program was now internationally known architect Stephen Holl.) Our program included field trips to other areas of Italy. The hilltown of Todi was one such destination.

Photo: Stefan Pasquini

Todi is located in the Umbrian region of Italy and founded in the 8th-7th century BC. Its double line of protective city walls is reputed to have stopped Hannibal himself after his victory at the Trasimeno.

Photo: Marta Piccotini

Todi is perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the Tiber River, commanding distant views in every direction. (Wiki)

Photo: via gogobot

Todi is known for its street steps which are built in the center of the street to make ascending and descending the steep incline of the cobblestone thoroughfares more pedestrian friendly.

Above: One of my student sketches of the street steps during our field trip to Todi.

Above: Double click on this image. You've got to see this rendering of the wonderful interlocking piazzas, a delight to experience on foot.

In the 1990s, Richard S. Levine, a professor of architecture at the University of Kentucky, chose Todi as the model sustainable city, because of its scale and its ability to reinvent itself over time. After that, the Italian press reported on Todi as the world's most livable city.^[1]

Above: I remember him well from my art history class!
The Mars of Todi

Todi-Monte Santo

end of 5th cent. BC
hollow-cast bronze
height cm 141
cat. 13886

'This is one of the very rare objects of ancient Italic statuary that has survived to our time. It shows a warrior dressed in armour and, originally, with a helmet, portrayed in the act of performing a libation before battle, pouring the liquid contained in a particular form of cup (patera) held by the extended right hand, while with the left he leans on an iron spear (the patera and remains of the spear, not visible in the photo, are in the showcase). The statue, which betrays the influence of Greek art starting from the middle of the 5th cent. BC, was found in Todi buried between slabs of Travertine, perhaps after having been hit by lightning. The dedicatory inscription, in the language of the ancient Umbrians but in the Etruscan alphabet, recalls that the statue was given as a gift (dunum dede) by a certain Ahal Trutitis. "(from the Gregorian Etruscan Museum of the Vatican Museum - Rome)

Beautifully detailed hand of the Mars of Todi.

My painting is named in honor of the beautiful town with its rich history, known in our time as Todi.

Checking in...think about it. :o)

2011-07-29T09:19:00.001-06:00

Borrowed through the grapevine.

Thank you, Mt. Etna

2011-07-26T23:20:00.003-06:00

Above: Thank you, Mt. Etna, Toni Youngblood, 2009 Encaustic on board

In October 2002, I made a trip to Sicily. Mt. Etna had it's last eruption in Julyl 2001. I considered how fortuitous it would be if the mountain happened to erupt while we were vacationing in the nearby hilltown of Taormina. As it turned out, while our plane was making its approach to the Catania airport on the island of Sicily, we noticed we were cruising through a brownish cloud. The captain announced that Mt. Etna had begun erupting at midnight before our morning landing.

Above: Photo erupting Mt. Etna at sunset. (Toni Youngblood)

The encaustic painting above is named to honor the active eruption of the volcano that loomed over us during our entire eight-day stay. The airport closed just after our landing, due to the ash from the volcano. It was closed the whole week of our tour of Southern Sicily. The only activity from the airport was that of utility aircraft carrying fire retardant to drop on the flanks of the mountain in order to put out fires from the blazing lava. Our itinerary for the week went as planned with the exception of a scheduled hike up the side of the mountain. From our hotel terrace, we had clear view of the mountain, only three miles away. Evenings, we could view the glowing sparks propelled from the volcano cone, as well as the fiery lava flowing down the mountain side. In the quiet of the evening, when no Vespas buzzed through the cobble streets, one could hear and feel the deepest bass tone rumblings of the mountain. But there was only one evening that the ash blew and drifted over our hotel. When we woke the next morning, there appeared to be black sand covering the hotel terraces.

I wrote the following information taken from the television news reports during our stay:

Mt. Etna eruption in October 2002: Blasts shot 100 meters high. Ash cloud was visible from space. Ash falling was reported in Malta and Lybia. State of emergency was declared due to earthquakes and police evacuated villages on Etna's flanks.

Though the airport was shut down following our plane landing on the island, coincidentally it was found safe to re-open the day we were scheduled to fly back home.

Darn it---I really wanted to call in to work...sorry I'll be late due to the... volcano eruption.

Ahhhhhhhh, the weekend...

2011-07-23T01:02:00.000-06:00

Photo credit: Meadow Creek Inn and Spa in Stanley Idaho

Small Weekend Wonders!

2011-07-17T14:41:00.007-06:00

Above: The crystal reliquary chandelier in my studio with the newly added Jen Harmon Allen Running Legs. Jen's show runs at Charley Hafen Jewelers-Gallery until the end of July. I was delighted to learn that Jen is selling individual pairs of legs (only $14), a fun piece of art (or buy many for an installation) for a very easy price. It was a good reception Friday night.

Above: Another view of the Running Legs.

Above: A beautiful sight...no car parked in the driveway. With some major rearranging of items in the garage, the car now fits inside, too!

Above: The newly constructed "stoop" at the person door to the garage, which I built yesterday afternoon. I got to use my circular saw, my chop saw, my table saw and my power drill. ;o)

Next task is staining the stoop.

I also baked a couple of loaves of bread, and feel that it's been a good all 'round weekend for domestic endeavors.

July GALLERY STROLL: Friday the 15th, 6-9p.m.

2011-07-14T09:50:00.003-06:00

Charley Hafen Jewelers Gallery features the work of figurative sculptor and installation artist, Jen Harmon Allen, who purposely creates partial casts and impressions of the human body to focus on the enigmatic meeting place of body and spirit.

Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery
1409 South 900 East,Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Monday - Friday 12 – 7,
Saturday 10 – 2, Closed Sunday
Telephone: 801-521-7711
Contact by e-mail: charley@charleyhafen.com

For the current Gallery Stroll list click here

Happy Birthday, Becky Doersam!

Wonder: Gender Culture

2011-07-12T21:36:00.017-06:00

Sweet and demur versus (does it look to you like he's leaning in towards her?)

I've vaguely noticed how different my house mate's shower products look from mine. This morning while showering, I saw that his current shower gel is the same brand as mine and thought it would be fun to compare how differently the same manufacturer formulates and packages the men's and women's products.

My shower gel is "Yogurt Vanilla Honey Nourishing Body Wash", kind of seems like after I shower, I'd taste pretty good! It also says that it "Refreshes Thirsty Skin" with "Yogurt Protein & Honey Extract". The bottle is smooth with subtle curves swooping upward (not bottom heavy). The colors are light, creamy and subtle and there's a picture of a honey pot with vanilla flower and beans on the front. Hmm, I might just use this recipe for a light and healthy breakfast!

His bottle is the color of STEEL, it has grips on it (sure don't want to drop this thing in the shower---Oopsie!) and it is asymetrical (kind of has a little swagger to it) so that you know exactly how to grab it when you need it---no messing around when it comes to getting clean. I'm not sure what the green circular thing is on the front label, a frisbee?, a drain where all the nasty stuff goes down, the open end of a gun barrel?

His product says "For Men" on it (I guess anyone can use mine) and his is "Full Force", there's no holding back when washing yourself with this stuff! It's "ULTIMATE CLEAN BODY WASH with CLEAN RINSING TECHNOLOGY"--- we are not nourishing our skin with this stuff , no recipes---it's Technology at work here, and we are sure as heck not going to leave anything sweet nor tasty behind!

My product says "For a Healthy Clean You Can Feel (touchy-feely), Refresh your thirsty skin with Dial Yogurt Nourishing body Wash! Enriched with natural yogurt protein, our clean-rinsing formula is clinically proven to moisturize your skin and leave it feeling sensationally smooth and healthy." And then there is the

"Yogurt Fact:

Yogurt protein is a natural skin conditioner that can help protect the skin from dehydration."

And His:

ULTIMATE CLEAN Body Wash

* The Ultimate Clean - Removes odors and cleans deeply (we girls don't smell so bad and are usually not very dirty).

* Non-Drying Formula - Engineered (Engineered?) with the right balance of skin conditioners.

And in the spot where mine had the yogurt fact, (this is my favorite part of his product's labeling) "His" has directions (crazy, we all know guys don't read the directions---is this a little joke from Dial?)

HOW TO USE: 1. Squeeze out. 2. Lather up. 3. Rinse off.

(He didn't listen to his mom when she instructed him on how to wash?)

In case you are thinking that I share a bathroom with a real man's man, consider this. Last week my house mate ran out of his shampoo and told me that he used some of mine. When I asked him which one he used (I have two types), he told me he chose the "pink" one. ;o)

SALT LAKE CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011 - NEXT WEEK

2011-07-02T18:13:00.005-06:00

Click on the image above to see the line-up on the official Jazz festival website.

Some of our favorite local musicians will be out in full force performing at the Jazz Festival, including David Halliday (on tenor sax with SLCJO for Tenor Madness with guests Pete Christlieb, Eddie Daniels & Don Menza), David Hall (on baritone sax with SLCJO), and The Orbit Group.

For all Festival information, including ticket purchase, visit the official website for the 2011 Salt Lake City Jazz Festival here.

Preview of Artist Performance Schedule...

Double click on the schedule image below for larger view.

Double click on the schedule image below for larger view.

Guinness Chocolate Cake for the 4th of July?

2011-07-01T13:55:00.008-06:00

Oh Yes! I may just have to roll off the (no-fat) wagon and try this recipe for the long weekend. More photos and information can be found here on Design*Sponge.

Guinness Chocolate Cake
Katie Quinn Davies

Cake Ingredients

250 g (1 c. and 2 tbsp) unsalted butter
250 ml (1 c.) Guinness
75 g Dutch process cocoa ( 3/4 c.), sifted
275 g (2 + 1/4 c.) all purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
400 g (2 c.) sugar
2 medium eggs
150 ml (2/3 c.) sour cream
1 tbsp. good quality vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients

300 g (1 + 1/3 cup) cream cheese
150 g (1+1/2 c.) powdered sugar, sifted
150 ml (2/3 c.) cream, whipped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

1. Add butter, cocoa and Guinness to a saucepan. Warm over a medium heat and stir until melted. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to cool slightly.

2. Add flour, baking soda and sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix together well. Pour in the Guinness/cocoa/butter mixture, lightly combine, add the vanilla, eggs and sour cream and beat everything together until well combined. The batter should be thick and dark chocolate in color.

3. Pour into a greased and lined 10″ angel food pan (or another straight-sided tube pan) and cook in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.*Note: This cake is very moist inside, so use your judgment regarding the skewer test. Do not leave in the oven until the cake has totally dried out — cook long enough so there is no uncooked cake on the skewer but there may be a few moist crumbs sticking to it after an hour of cooking. [Please note: Katie baked this in an 8.5" x 3.5" pan. If you make this in a regular angel food cake pan, you should start checking for doneness at least 15 minutes early.]

4. Leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the cake tin and placing on a wire wrack to cool completely.

Frosting Instructions

1. Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a mixer and beat on a low-medium speed using a whisk attachment (I find a paddle attachment tends to over-beat the cheese). Whisk until the cheese is smooth and there are no big lumps remaining.

2. Gradually, using a large spoon, add in the sifted powdered sugar and beat gently to combine. After 2 to 3 minutes, stop the machine, scrape any excess frosting from the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed until lump free.

3. Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream, mixing to fully combine.

4. Place cooled cake on a cake stand and add the frosting, spreading out just to the edge without going over the side (never go over the sides of the cake) until the cake resembles a pint of the creamy black stuff! The idea is to capture the essence and simplicity of a pint of Guinness. Sláinte!

Update:
I made this cake to take to a dinner party this weekend...

Photo credit: David Halliday, Halliday Film Fest Quiz Master

I agree with Katie Quinn Davies--- this may be the best tasting chocolate cake I've ever had (at least without a doubt---of those I've made myself). My froth runneth over!

Mod Doll House

2011-06-30T10:55:00.000-06:00

This toy house would have kept me entertained for hours!

More photos and information at Remodelista.

Tables on Wheels

2011-06-27T09:56:00.004-06:00

Above photo: Gae Aluenti's Tavolo con Ruote Table

I get a kick out of tables on wheels---possibly because I've rearranged my furniture so often and like the idea of making pieces more mobile? I like the industrial look of casters as well. I have a collection of images of tables, mostly coffee table height, on wheels in my design files and wanted to post a few. I plan to transform an old door (with a big hole in it) that came out of the back room remodel into a mobile coffee table when I locate the appropriate casters.

An aside: The Italian architect, lighting, interior and industrial designer, Gae Aluenti created a few tables on wheels of her own. More about this prolific designer here.

Above: This one looks like an Ikea Lack table top, on casters.

Above: Directly inspired by Gae Aluenti's Tavolo con Ruote Table?

Above: Display case table on wheels?

Above: Fruit crates with a glass topper?

Above: OK, this is not really a table, but more of a daybed made from pallets and casters.

Above: More of the pallet-like aesthetic

Above: Kind of a butcher block look with a well-turned wheel

Above: A glass topper and a storage shelf below

Above: A nice big surface useful for all the occupants of the seating (though the table needs to creep up a little closer)

Above: Stacked drawers on wheels as a bedside table?

Above: A plain old chest refreshed into an industo-chest with the addition of big casters and knotted rope for drawer pulls.

Above: Small-ish table, BIG wheels

Above: Another pallet-type table painted and used on the patio

Above: Another version of a set of bedside drawers on wheels

Above: This table makes use of "legs" (bolting on 4x4's) to raise the height before adding the casters.

Above: I'm pretty sure this is an Ikea hack making use of a shelf unit, adding casters and a cushion on top for a mobile storage bench.

Above photo: Gae-Aluenti-Tour-Table

And here we are back to a Gae Aluenti piece---more of a tea table height making use of bicycle wheels!

2011-06-23T10:20:00.001-06:00

Thank you, Si (of French by Design) for this cartoon today and for your lovely post on books/reading.

Trestle Table is beautiful!

2011-06-20T11:14:00.006-06:00

The trestle table project is complete and the results are lovely. See more photos here. I would love for this to go soon to the right home, as I am making my way through inventory to clear more working space. If she doesn't sell in two weeks (she's also posted on craigslist), I'll make arrangements to sell her on consignment. Consignment marks the items higher (125%-175%) than my price and I (the person who put all the work into the piece) receive only 50% from the sale. So acquiring an item directly from me is a win for me and for you. And it saves me from having to round up a burly helper to aid me in delivering the table to the consignment shop. ***If you mention my blog in response to my ad on craigslist, and you purchase the table directly from me, I will take 10% off of the asking price. ;o) (Don't wait till it's at the consignment shop, they require me to let them keep it for up to three months and won't let me have it back to sell to my own buyer.)

Art: June 17th, 2011 Gallery Stroll

2011-06-16T00:28:00.002-06:00

Above: Painting by Erik Heybroek

Above: Ceramic by Mari Heybroek

Charley Hafen Jewelers Gallery will feature A Family Affair, the work of niece and uncle, Mari and Erik Heybroek. Mari’s images in her hand-built and thrown ceramics are inspired by animals encountered during her upbringing in rural Sweden. Erik’s paintings depict the magical woods and waterways around his village home in Mörtfors Sweden.

Charley Hafen Jewelers - Gallery
1409 South 900 East,Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Monday - Friday 12 – 7,
Saturday 10 – 2, Closed Sunday
Telephone: 801-521-7711
Contact by e-mail: charley@charleyhafen.com

At Alpine Art Gallery 430 South Temple...
Click on image for a larger view:

For the current Gallery Stroll list click here.

Creativity: To the max!!!

2011-06-15T10:08:00.003-06:00

Shea Hembrey: How I became 100 artists (click on title or picture to view)

How do you stage an international art show with work from 100 different artists? If you're Shea Hembrey, you invent all of the artists and artwork yourself -- from large-scale outdoor installations to tiny paintings drawn with a single-haired brush. Watch this funny, mind-bending talk to see the explosion of creativity and diversity of skills a single artist is capable of. ~TED

I ran across this link on a painting...whenever blog---thank you Sandra Flood! Shea Hembrey seems to have an endless stream of ideas and the premise in itself had me laughing out loud, and his execution of the works is impressive. If you are at work, you'll want to watch this on your lunch hour, as it runs for sixteen minutes or so, but well worth the watching. (I also personally find in him a comrade, an artist raised in the colorful Southern U.S..)

Reminder: Best in Show This Friday, June 17th

2011-06-14T23:23:00.000-06:00

Click on image for larger view...

This is a fun group show of the work of many artists illustrating our furry, feathered and finned friends.

Jay's Weekend (aka Ender), Toni Youngblood, 2009, acrylic on canvas 24 x 36"

Bowling for flowers

2011-06-10T10:34:00.004-06:00

This ball is about two feet in diameter. It's made of Styrofoam, originally as a model of the moon for a film. I bought it at a yard sale for a couple of dollars several years ago. It was painted a rusty orange color then (the original color of the moon???). For me, it's been a garden ornament and over the years the color wore off. I recently decided to repaint it.

Over the winter I picked up ten bowling pins on craigslist...for free.

I decided to paint the ball blue and set up an arrangement in the garden...for ~~a few chuckles~~ interest.

One of the pins fell over just as I brought my camera out. It's probably fitting because this is a graphic representation of my typical bowling score. ;o)

Here's a close up view of some of the "moon" craters. How often do you bowl? For me it's maybe...once in a blue moon.

A Beautiful Chaos: Garage/Workshop/Studio

2011-06-07T07:55:00.003-06:00

via martha stewart

This is not a photograph of my garage, however I'd be smiling like this guy if my garage were as orderly as the one pictured.

via DIY Life
Almost two years ago my garage was very nicely organized around the functions of encaustic painting studio, garden tool storage, and furniture reconditioning workshop. Then my dear friends who were moving out of state asked if I would take a few of their items they no longer wanted and didn't want to move with them. In the chaos (we all experience) of their move, they delivered extra lumber, rubber floor mats, paint and stain, vintage windows, assorted hardware items such as knobs-screws-bolts and other nameless useful stuff. And some other amazingly wonderful things, a miter (chop) saw, drill press, table saw, router, power buffer, work bench with peg board and old furniture (projects for me).

via garage-floor
Since that September in 2009, I've not had room to park my car in the garage and moving around and working in the space has been a challenge, as well. I already had a big work bench and an inventory of old furniture stored in the garage for future reconditioning.

via garage-organization ideas

Add to this assortment of disorganized wonderfulness the left over construction materials from my backroom remodel---and I have a big pile of inertia.

via martha stewart

Notice that I am not posting photos of the current inside conditions of my own garage.

via rol.vn

I prefer at this time, to focus on what the condition can be in my garage, studio, storage space.

via southern living
As a visual aid to this focus, I've collected several photos of well-organized spaces.

via HTV
Also, of great interest to me are innovative ideas for storing specific materials.

via HTV

The picture above shows a good solution to storing millwork and other slender wood pieces, of which I have many. Instead of purchasing the metal brackets shown in the photo, I am using the storage tubes and lumber spanning across the truss joists.

via HTV

I like this little roll-away cart idea for stowing the table saw when not in use.

via brookstone

A designated area for garden supplies helps eliminate more than a few headaches.

It's always easy to find storage solutions on-line with nice systems, which can also be expensive and therefore, prohibitive. I appreciate that some of the sources I found recommend using things you already have as storage containers. I found the article below at diy weekender. I like their summary to the article:

Be creative with your garage organizing. Reuse and recycle as much as possible and remember that anything with a space inside can hold and organize your

stuff.

Article from diy weekender:

Get Organized and Go Green: Tips to Organize your Garage Workspace.

Above: The inside of my newly constructed garage September 2007. I was warned, "It won't look like that for long---clutter happens!"

Every Dog Has Its Day!

2011-06-03T13:41:00.004-06:00

And now it's Ender's....

Above: Toni Youngblood, Ender, 2009 acrylic on canvas 24 x 36"

Alpine Gallery in downtown Salt Lake City designed and printed the above general invitation to the Best in Show Exhibit and opening June 17 from 5 until 9PM. The painting of Ender and one I painted of my girl greyhound, Harri-Berri will be on display for the duration of the show.
A portion of proceeds from art sales will benefit NO MORE HOMELESS Pets in Utah.

It's not about the equipment.

2011-06-02T11:53:00.001-06:00

Thanks for another one, Si...
via French by Design via Esther +

Loved this book: Born to Run...

2011-06-02T00:30:00.001-06:00

You don't have to be a runner to enjoy this book!

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes,
and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

Learn More About This Book Here.

Trying out Picture Frames...

2011-05-27T10:42:00.001-06:00

If you are interested in the on-line source for frames like these, send me a message by clicking on the "Contact Me" button in the right side column of this blog. I have ordered a dozen or so frames from this provider in the recent past and my experience has been they have very handsome, decent quality frames at really good prices. ~Sparky

Trestle Table Project

2011-05-25T10:31:00.001-06:00

Above: This is a photo of a very heavy well-made vintage trestle table. It was used as a work table for years by a previous owner and the top shows the residue of painting projects, as well as some superficial scratches and dings and compromise to the original finish.

The lines of the table and construction are excellent. This table is very very heavy and built to last.

Above: The table exhibits some very nice joinery details.

Above: When I acquired the table, one of the "pegs" joining the trestle to the legs was missing, but I've already duplicated it in my workshop. Now I will be cleaning and refinishing this beauty. I would sure keep this treasure for myself, if I didn't already own the table pictured below...

Above: This trestle table was made by my father around 1940 for my mom's kitchen dining area. It's been painted many different colors over its lifetime: red, butter yellow and I knew the table when it was French grey. I had the table stripped of all layers of paint and applied a Clear Briswax over it. This one lives with me in my current dining room and will continue to be a family heirloom.

I will post photos of my project trestle table when it is completed at which time it will be available in my Workshop Shop.

Einstein quote...

2011-05-24T11:27:00.000-06:00

borrowed from French by Design.

Carhenge

2011-05-23T08:26:00.004-06:00

Carhenge in Western Nebraska. Visit the official website here.

What to do when you want to make a monument and you don't have stones---Inventive Americana creating with "found" materials.

All photos below courtesy of Jeff Youngblood

Above: I spy a Gremlin, Jeep truck, Dodge Dart!