COMPADRES/2

Steven Gambrel, always a favorite, hits it out of the park with those high gloss walls and his strikingly subtle and bold at the same time color palette. So smart. It creates depth with out jarring contrast. Loving these images together

POLACOLOR TYPE 108

Before they were silk screens, they were polaroids. 1stdibs is selling a new release of photographs taken by Andy Warhol, and they are fantastic. What is he searching for in a subject and what are they thinking? Are they aware they are in the act of becoming pop art? How did he pick the photographs to become full fledged silk screen paintings?  This is the interesting thing about photography: It is a three-way between you the viewer, the photographer, and the subject. How involved do we get to be? and why am I so intrigued?  I like them as a collection on screen, but in my house I would devote just one to a white wall, it commands that much attention.  That would be if I could cough up the 25 G's.

Yves Saint Laurent, Farrah Fawcett, Bruce Weber, Carolina Herrera

WHAT THE BRAID

Yo, BRAID FACE! Unearthed this treasure after being inspired by my friend Alison Brislin, who just launched her 2013 Braid Lookbook. She is a master plaiter, plus she can come help you put on a bitchin' braid bash, so fun right? I love the photography and styling, ethereal, vintage, provocative. Not to mention the braids are awesome, and so is she for doing this. High five.  Be sure to check out the rest of the looks on her website, www.alisonbrislin.com.

Braid Face Frame Photograph by Franco Rubartelli for Vogue

SPIRITUAL HOME

The West. I saw this image and it brought that feeling of serenity and magic that you feel when you are in one for your Spiritual Homes.  Have I touched on this before? Mine include the following: Tuscany, Wyoming, and The Southwest (Mostly NM, and TX).  These are the places where I truly feel like part of me remains no matter where else I go.

When I stumbled upon this photograph by Jordan Sullivan, I had to share...

via Click Gallery.

LOOK! VINTAGE FLORAL

Summer is glorious (especially in Maine!), and this look was inspired by all the color that has emerged over the past few months. Hot pink, yellow, and especially GREEN! I love the color on color on color effect, it makes things so interesting/complex and you really feel so happy wrapped up in all that pattern-y goodness.  You don't even need accessories, although I would be totally fine piling on the jewels... arm party anyone? Now I just need to find the right occasion to wear this.It is amazing how much impact one piece of cloth can have; I picked up this vintage Suzani textile in Istanbul a few years ago. You just can't even believe the color, and I love how much it adds to the composition. Now it hangs behind my bed as a headboard... Emily and I had so much fun shooting this on such a gorgeous day... can you tell? 

Dress- Find, Portland, ME                                                                                                                             Suzani Textile- Grand Bazaar Istanbul                                                                                          Photography- Emily Delamater

DAZZLE

Dazzled by this color this morning!  It is a rainy day here in Portland, ME dreaming of warm island destinations... 

via here.

DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME

I found these artists through Click Gallery and wanted to show you how cool it is when an artist is able to distinguish their own style so clearly that someone could recognize their work without having to read who created it.  Both of these photographers have a hefty amount of landscapes in their portfolios and I picked out two for each.  The subjects are opposites, but the style is the same.  See what I mean?  Isn't it great? I appreciate each artist's vision so much, and wish I was this talented.  Just beautiful.  

The top two are by Ana Cabaleiro, and the ones below are by Coley Brown.  I would love to know where these photos were taken, I think they capture the geography of each place to perfectly, distinctive.

DAY IN THE LIFE

3191: the number of miles MAV and Stephanie live from one another. These pioneering visual journalists consistently amaze me with their simple yet interesting snap shots of life, which are made all the more dynamic when juxtaposed next to their daily counterpart.  MAV and Stephanie each take a picture everyday and post them side by side.

You can see more here!  Also available in print as a quarterly publication, 3191 Quarterly.

MOUNTAIN MAJESTY

It's all about turning the looked over into the looked at... Peter Croteau has created some seriously stunning images using the "in-between waste spaces in the landscape" we often overlook when transitioning from window shopping to wilderness.  I discovered his work when Tim and I went to see the Masters of Fine Art Show at RISD a few weeks ago. 

My favorite part was that instead of business cards, he created mini postcards with images of his work, all for the taking. I've already sent out two! You can find more of his work here.

COMPADRES/1

These colors together mesmerize me. Evocative yet soft, I think this would be great for a living room with lots of light. Isn't she fabulous? The orange fur collar with the yellow is just great.  I too traipse through marshlands (beach?) in my silk gown and elbow length gloves.  Her lips are the perfect shade of edgy, cuts right through the softness, as would the spikes of the yucca were someone to bump in to you, ouch.

As I've said before, what a combo! Maybe this needs to be a column? We shall see...Images via 1, 2

HIGH ON THE HILL

Really diggin' the retro feel of these photos.  The color confetti add-ons further encourage the feeling of fantasy, and I like that I'm transported to where ever this never never land is.  Amazing work by Sebastiaan Bremer.  Hope y'all are having a rocking Monday... Im feeling inspired.

P.S. getting crafty in the kitch recently.  Made kimchi and pickles and my apartment stinks!!  I'll photograph round 2 and post it right here.

DESERT WEDDING

Loving the images from this wedding; such wonderful styling. The little pots of succulents are so perfect for the setting.  Photographer James Moes really captured the desert essence of this day, the light is spectacular.  Man the southwest is so killer, some people don't appreciate this kind of beauty, but I think its sublime.  I love her shoes most of all.

More from this shoot.

PRADA PERFECTION

You can always count on Prada. This mesmerizing ad campaign has got me under its spell. Oh, the divineness. the colors, so wonderful.  I'm so into the emerald green and the costume jewelry combo.

50's glam... bring it on.

THRIFTED

I LOVE these photos of all this fabulous thrifted stuff by Maggie and Sparrow (see more here).  Its exactly what I like to do in my home, create little vignette's of funky stuff.  Totally inspires me to do my own photo shoot with all my wacky things.

HOT HOT SUN

Wishing today looked like this here in dreary cloudy Maine!  Loving these desert shots by Stefan Ruiz from one of my favorite sources, 20x200.  The color against the sand is beautiful and the bleakness somehow feels so inviting.  Considering getting these for my living room...

LOOK! POLKA PLAID

Why hello there!  Happy Hump day to ya... When in Maine, its plaid or bust.  L.L. Bean Chic if you will. So here's a little polka-plaid-leather-wool treat for ya! Perfect for a winter walk in the park, and those days when you are amazed that its only February, and winter is going to be sticking around for a while, and then you walk outside and realize snow is BEAUTIFUL!I've been wanting to do a style post for good while now, but couldn't ever get it together.  Until I met Emily Delamater.  She is such a stellar photographer and I am so excited to be working with her!  Style posting is a little strange for me, as I have a hard time broadcasting photos of myself across the internet (it seems a bit self promoting at times), but I also really want to incorporate fashion into this blog. Fashion bloggers do it all the time, so why can't I? Jane seems very comfortable and AWESOME in her posts.  Anyway, I hope to continue to do style posts in the future, and I really hope you like them.  It has been great fun to collaborate with Emily, and we have a lot of crazy ideas in store.  Just waiting for the weather to turn! (which won't be long at this rate)All photos taken by Emily Delamater of Emily Delamater Photography.  See more of her beautiful work on her blog, here. Until next time, kind people.

THE PARK

Central Park is New York's greatest feature.  Can you imagine the city without it? No respite from steel and stone.  I used to walk home through Central Park almost everyday, it is another planet. Like walking into Narnia. These photographers have captured it in a most awe inspiring way.

Tim Barber.  Thanks to Exhibition A for introducing me to this amazing talent.  To me this photo captures the enormity and the magic of New York at the same time. I'll look at this when I miss the city, it is everything that is good and fearsome. Pink hair is so cool.

...and Sangbin Im. I was introduced to him by Amanda Nisbet, who loves his piece "The Met." Isn't it a trip? His work is really unbelievable.

I covet.

WEST 12TH STREET

Working on a post to feature my NYC apartment.  Coley and I collaborated, and it turned out pretty well despite our different tastes.  I'm a little bummed that Rue Magazine wasn't able to get it photographed for their small spaces issue before we moved, just wasn't enough time, ahhh well, next time.  How about a little preview.... Do you remember the New York Times article from last May? Here is the pink fireplace I was talking about!

Happy thursday to all of you, it is a snowy snowy snowy day here in Portland.  But oh so cozy...



I miss it! It was incredibly small, but charming as all get out.

Also, updated my services page, so if you are looking for interior design help, styling, or event planning in the Coastal Maine area, send me an email.

Sources: Pillows on couch are Jonathan Adler, Blue Tables are Jonathan Adler, Mirror is from my favorite thrift store in NYC Angel Street.

HEY LADY, HOWD'YA GET SO COOL?

When I am 91... I want to look like this. And in the meantime hats like this will be made.  I'm obsessed with tea parties, did you know that?  When I was little (and still) my mother and her friends, "the art queens" would throw tea parties for each other, and everyone was required to wear a delightful hat.  This number would have been a big hit...  Here, artist Eileen Agar, wears her "Ceremonial Hat for Eating Bouillabaisse," she crafted in the 1930's.

May you too find (or make) your ceremonial cap for doing things like slurping spaghetti and drinking tea.

Scanned in from the World of Interiors December 2011 Issue, photo by Richard Dudley-Smith.

COMPADRES: NUH-NUH-NEON

This year is going to be loud. For me, color will rule... and I can't wait.  I think 2012 is going to hold a lot of excitement, change, and creativity.  I am in a new place, and and ready to make some magic happen! A family friend of mine coins a phrase each year instead of making a resolution (of which my favorite in the past decade was "whats not to like").... so this year "lets go!"
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