find fabulous Modernist and other

Evelyn Ackerman hooked tapestry

2012-02-12T09:02:00.000-08:00

Wow I just bought and Ackerman tapestry (I think) for a really great price. I would probably not have spotted it all rolled up in a box if it had not been for this wonderful post from Mid Centuria http://www.midcenturia.com/2011/10/evelyn-ackerman-tapestries-ii.html

Abstract Mid Century Enamel teak tray

2012-02-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

Got this on Ebay really love the colors has a nuance or Secessionist from the underlying bronze tones.

El Gato Gomez- makes me happy

2012-02-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

I have two wonderful paintings by the incredible artist El Gato Gomez. She (occasionally misrepresented as he) is wonderful. She was once even so kind as to add a bit of her signature squiggle to a painting for me. I don't know why but this little grouping makes me so happy - kinda reminds me of a Dali or Cocteau stage set. Here is her link http://www.elgatogomezarts.com/available-works.html. Her style often changes and when a series you love is gone well she just keeps on moving-and then there is something else you love

Yes those are Skinny La Minx birds rotating in the front. Thanks Heather Moore.

Ivan Terestchenko thanks for the "inspiration"

2012-02-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

HI here is the first little piece of pottery I have made - it is very heavily influenced or shall we say copied from the style of Ivan Terestchenko. But I was so happy it made it through the kiln and survived to pay homage to the 2 great pieces I have by Ivan.
See this post for his great pieces
http://findfabulous.blogspot.com/2010/12/ivan-terestchenko-sculpture-really-mine.html

Damien Hirst as seen by HennesyYoungman

2012-01-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

Some things have to be shared - this is also pretty good.

Hans Jaenisch

2011-12-16T03:29:00.000-08:00

worse for ware but still pretty imposing

Hans Jaenisch painting

Strange Brutalist Mid Century Studio Pottery from Sripps College Pomona

2011-11-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

I bought this from the estate of a teacher that used to teach art at Scripps college she had quite a bit of pottery I presume she bought from students? Anyone know who this odd old piece belongs to - no marks.

Best Reasonably priced digital camera for blogging.

2011-11-27T14:40:00.000-08:00

I just bought this $200 camera that I love. It is the Canon Powershot SX150. It deals with contrast well. It has so many wonderful features that you can manipulate but I have found all I need is the auto which just rocks.

Great with Contrast on auto

Great with detail- just picked up the camera and snapped Charlie from a distance. Great whisker detail.

Recycled styrofoam ice cooler lights

2011-11-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

wow thought this was a pretty good and clever design

http://www.sunpack.com/blog/2009/08/repurposing-packaging-materials/

Antique Folk Art Carved Fish from Pitcairn Island

2011-11-15T12:28:00.001-08:00

I saw this fish that had nothing to do with anything that I am usually interested in but it was just so well carved and had such personality that I bought him. Turns out these carvings from Pitcairn Island are pretty well regarded especially the older ones and this one I think is. Lovely detail and patina.

Mine is not as good as this
http://www.antiquehelper.com/item/308977

More like this
http://www.vandekar.com/details.asp?inventoryNumber=NY07400
http://www.webbs.co.nz/auction-item/a-pitcairn-island-carved-fish-stand-john-christian

HAPPY TO ACCEPT OFFERS ON THIS GUY

MId Century whimsical wall applique Ackermans goofy friend

2011-11-15T12:21:00.001-08:00

These lovely ladies were one fun thing too many a our house and found a lovely home with a wall just made for them

Why I cannot be a dealer

2011-10-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well Turns out the table I sold on Craigs List for $250-350 I think was worth a bit more

http://www.wright20.com/auctions/view/L5UL/L5UM/287/LA/day_/M3TM/0

California Mid-Century Modern Mosaic Ackerman Eames Era

2011-07-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

This was a fun mosaic I found at PCC but it is on its way to Palm Springs on Tuesday. No signature or provenance but has a real Ackerman feel - He will be missed by is warrior friends

He will be missed by is warrior friends

Senyol

2011-05-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Be sure to click on the image below to see the whole painting

This is a painting by the uber talented South African artist Senyol. I think he is one of the most modern artists around. I am not usually a big fan of text with visual art. I kinda think either something is perceptual or conceptual but he is the exception. His writing is so minimal and crisp it borders on the banal just the way I like it. I mean "puffed up qualifier clouds" .

QUALIFIER

a word that qualifies the meaning of another, as an adjective or adverb; modifier.

an adverb that modifies adjectives or other adverbs and typically expresses degree or intensity, as very, somewhat, or quite.

Look at this link "morning mod" is one of my favorites this is earlier work and some of my favorite

http://senyol.blogspot.com/2007/10/morning-mod.html

I also am lucky enough to have this one - "Happy Holidays". "Look no Further" and "Module" float near a simple line drawing of a house. It really reminds me of my favorite song "Home" by the talking heads - the two together are super simple happy

strange Umanoff Van Keppel Pier 1 chair day

2011-04-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a funny day. Anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with the Pier 1 Mombasa chair from 91-92. It is just brilliant and is often mis-attributed to Van Keppel Green. I have one broken, one sitting in Florida at my parents and a bunch that I have missed by a hair on Craigs List. I have also missed one of my other favorite chairs an Arthur Umanoff narrowly a million times. This Sunday I found a pair of both. I arrived at the flea market late with my 81 year old dad and there were the Umanoff's and then later the Pier 1's (oops Van Keppels) on Craigs List.

http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=446053

Ackerman ? mosaic missed on Ebay

2011-04-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

HI I saw this lovely little mosaic on Ebay in N. California and bid $66 on it. I really did not pay much attention and when I came back found out there was only one other bidder who got it at $67. Think it was an Ackerman? Certainly the same blues and framing but maybe not abstract enough?

a bird in the bush damn it - sgraffito Italian modernist ceramic Aldo Londi ?

2011-03-08T23:23:00.000-08:00

If you see this bird I am obsessed with it and have to have it. One of those awful Ebay misses.
Step1 ) forgot to bid
Step 2) not sold ask for a buy it now
Step 3) Buyer asks for more clarification on which of his items it is
Step 4) Buyer lists without responding to me
Step 5 Go to check your message an hour later, and someone else has bought it on the buy it now.

Please let me know if you see this bird and send it home. Any other info on who made it would be appreciated it has a sort of Aldo Londi feel to it

Retail mid century modern aint half bad

2011-03-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

Now and then you find things that are brand new that are just well done. I wanted to pass along these items that I think are worth a look. Of course I am in no way affiliated to CB2 or West Elm heck I only have 5 followers but I am so excited about that!

I like the alcove wall shelf from CB2 http://www.cb2.com/storage/furniture/alcove-wall-shelf/f5491
I bought one for my nick nacks and was very happy with the quality and proportions. It can attain a kinda Japanese or Paul Mccobb feel on days where I do not throw junk on it.

Their red book case is also fun http://www.cb2.com/storage/furniture/wall-bookshelf/f6553

West elm has these John Paul Phillipe sculptures on sale
http://www.westelm.com/products/john-paul-philippe-sculptures-a996/?pkey=csale-new

Very nice but still not as nice as my Ivan Terestchenko's

Abstract Modernist Industrial Garden Sculpture

2011-01-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to have acquired two wonderful sculptures from Al Roche. I was just browsing google images of abstract sculptures when a pic caught my eye it was from this great blog http://www.gardentyrant.com/2010/09/in-brimfield-mass-you-will-find.html entry.
Long story short I stalked this guy down. Blog showed sculptures at Brimfield, called the field at Brimfield, no info but he is from Texas, much stalking and found him devoid of website, flickr or facebook!

I love his work it is simple and the proportions and angles are so right.. I had no idea it would be so hard to find simple large garden art. After finding it would be cost prohibitive to have his sculptures delivered from Texas to LA, crazy nice Al offered to deliver them for me for a very reasonable amount and a meal. I also got to meet his lovely wife who is a vintage textile expert. I think some of his pieces will soon be at the Philadelphia Garden Show, and of course right here on our humble little street.
I also have this one and the last one is a piece I had to pass on. What a gem.

And here are some pieces at Brimfield

I would also have been very happy with this playground below (from someone else's blog post- way back- sorry lost info)

struggling with kitchen lighting

2010-12-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

Well we have an ugly old recessed kitchen flourescent bank (hate it so much I am not even going to find out how to spell fourescent). Any ideas on dealing with this would be highly appreciated.

What I should have done was take the drop ceiling up to its original line when we were starting out - but I didn't ,in the meantime I will continue to experiment with whacky ideas. I am thinking of stretching taught scrim silk and making a circle pattern with embroidery hoops. Another idea is just running wood beams along the length or a kind Nakashima screen but nothing seems right.

UGLY

What mom does when she should be making breakfast

Cool mom it looks like a Selena Gomez backdrop - Plan B

California Cubsit modernist mid century mosaic

2010-12-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Well after much patience and being told this was not for sale, was for sale, was not for sale, will be for sale, cannot find the keys, cannot find the keys again, etc and 2 very patient and reasonable movers. I finally have this stunning mosaic. I bought it sight unseen. The mosaic work is a bit rougher than I had anticipated but in a strange good way that does not matter. At parts there are actual crystals sticking out.

Many of the small tiles ( in excess of 300,000) are sticking up on their side to create visual effects like clothing fringe and an argyle pattern.

Ok of all these thousands of tiles one is placed incorrectly. There is a tile around the central figures nose area that should run horizontally not vertically. It makes him look as if his nose is a bit beakish from certain angles. I am so tempted to gouge it out and perfect it? should I? Does anyone know who this may have been made by?

It came from a mid century home in Beverly Hills by architect William Stephenson. IT is slated for demo. Actually the house is not really all that, and I was surprised to find once I entered it I was not that outraged that it was being torn down.

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Beverly-Hills/1705-Angelo-Dr-90210/home/6822604

I do not think this is an Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman or Millard Sheets mosaic. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Ok now how do we hang this puppy 103" x 46"

Ivan Terestchenko sculpture - really mine? I feel so lucky

2010-12-05T15:42:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to purchase these two wonderful ceramic sculptures from the excellent photographer and artist Ivan Terestchenko. He also makes time for a great inspiring blog.
http://itopus.blogspot.com.

I think his eye is so refined becuase visual balance is like breathing to him. It simply is and must be. Thanks Ivan I will treasure these and thanks to David John of http://youhavebeenheresometime.blogspot.com/ for introducing me.

These pieces have all the presence s of large works. They have a potential energy and gravitas that confounds their size. As close as I will ever get to having a little Calder on my table top. I am surely happy.

Home is finally happening

2010-11-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

Unpacking mid century treasures of sentiment more than value

2010-09-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Well home is taking shape - putting out mid-century bibs and bobs. It still lacks a bit of a sense of humor but hopefully that will come with time.

Oak wood floors

2010-08-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

We bought the worst quality cheapest wood floors. Thanks Luis for listening to me and trying endless color samples you did a great job.

Memorial for abstract sculpture

2010-08-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

Oh well things happen - but only when my husband transports them! this sculpture is the only casualty of our move it fell over and broke in half so this is a little memorial post.

Oscar our trusty helper and Oscar of all trades is going to try to fix it - what would we do without him - I am sure it will change slightly

our store at the Rosebowl - mainly mid century

2010-07-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

I was terrified to sell at the Rosebowl but it turned out to be a lot of fun.

Things went well and we made a bit of money. The strange thing was we made it from the small stuff and I still have most of the furniture. My worst sale was I sold a Raku plate that I thought was mid-century studio potter to a Japanese man for $10. He and his friends then took out a loop. I asked them if they could tell me anything about it and I quote. " It 1850's Japan ,very good, you loose , you loose" Kinda funny. glad I made their day but wish I had know what it was.

Farewell - economy version Kagan and Grossman for sale

2010-07-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

Well the time has come to say goodbye to some of my favorite pieces that no longer work for our family. Today I posted my old Kagan feel dining table and two chairs on Craigslist. I love the chairs they give me that really early modernist feel. ( weirdly enough made by a Japanese co. called Maruni)

the wrong tile - bait and switch

2010-07-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Do not use Stone and Tumbled - they ship a different tile to what I ordered- this has happened before but I thought because I mentioned this problem and had them write down the type of marble they would get it right - now I realize it is bait and switch. Our bathroom was supposed to be pure white marble ( see my sample) by the time I got home and what had come in the boxes was laid this is what I got, a lot of grey off cuts in there. Ok...need to rethink wall tile and pretty much everything in the bathroom.

abstract cubist composition fleamarket painting

2010-07-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

I bought this little painting off ebay - I love the composition and weight of form. I could not read the signature I think it reads Cummings.

What can improve a Bertoia design

2010-07-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Amy

I love these sculptural handles

2010-06-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

I love the handles on this record cabinet that is for sale on Craigs List

Industrial modernist garden sculpture

2010-06-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

This is a piece of garden art by a local artist Paul Owen. His sculptures usually move in the wind and chime. On this one he did not have time to add the swinging gong and I kinda like the simplicity. My kids always hit it with spoons anyway and it sounds great

Vintage School letter charts - sorry for my spelling

2010-06-20T05:37:00.001-07:00

I just reviewed my posts oh my - sorry for the typos and spelling errors. I have a collection of old school reading and writing charts. I had better start using them. Here is my favorite -

latin modernist mid century cubist mosaic gotta have

2010-06-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

I have found a mosaic from a house that is being torn down. I really want it but it is very large.102" x 46" Click on image to see full - incredible

What do you think? Any info would be greatly appreciated I don't think it is Ackerman.

our new modernist post and beamish sort of house

2010-06-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posting but the last month has been nuts here are some photos of our house in the middle of renovation on a shoe string

oil spill oil painting

2010-06-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Oh my lord I am such a lazy blogger well not really we are knee deep in renovation - but I finally found I have a follower that is not a family member. How exciting. So here is some updating. I bought this oil refinery painting about 3 months ago it has turned out to be so apt. The photo really does not do it justice. It is less brigh and the painting almost looks like an oil pastel but you really cannot tell from this shot.

I promise to post again soon.

Lynn Foulks Brewery Art Walk

2010-05-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

Every year I go to the Brewery Arists Colony art walk. The absolute highlight for me for the last 9 years has been Llyn Foulkes, Church of Art. He has created the most amazing one-man-band machine using old brass car horns and many other instrument including irreverence. While this may sound cheesy...we are not talking about anyone here we are talking about Llyn Folkes, a man of incredible intellect and gut.
His music is incredible and I ignorantly went on raving about it, not know that he is a greatly respected visual artist http://hammer.ucla.edu/newsblogs/?p=460

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAC6DyDhz6M&feature=related

The art grapevine told me at times he as been out of favor with the usual patrons and galleries for not towing the line. His fellow artists respect and love him though (same grapevine) Well he is certainly wonderful and generous with his talent to little fish like, and it is clear his interest is art and not the scene. Oh I could go on, but next art walk go and see and meet him... you will be glad you did.

Love this Bauhaus meets Danish chair

2010-05-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

I saw this great chair at the Brewery art walk. It belongs to a very talented Batik maker - but I wanted the not for sale chair. I am not sure what state the original wood was in but I loved his use of tomato orange and black. Chairs they really are my weakness.

modernist steel sculpture curtis Jere

2010-05-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

This is a sculpture I had a few years ago. I wish I had more info on it. I kinda wish I had kept it now that I am working on a space in the Caltech astronomy building, I think it would have been fun. People have thrown out that they think it may be Curtis Jere. I don't think so. Any clues?

New house no modernist kitchen

2010-04-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

We are in a pretty bumpy escrow on our hopefully new house. We love the area and the schools. There is too much work to be done and we do not have the money but we think it is the right decision.

Keep you all posted.

Here are some pics from our old kitchen our new one will be much more challenging.
The corner area was a clearance ikea sectional sleeper and them I used the facric from clearance Ikea Tise Curtians to make cushions. and there is the Dorothy Schindele desk (mark 1) mentioned earlier.

The linoleum was new vintage linoleum fron Linoleum City (incredible place). Alas we bought it all - Wish we had kept it for the new house

Happy birthday my Darling Julia you are 7

2010-04-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

You are a wonderful kid retrospective

You never played with plastic bags,, or ate the dirt

You put modernism in it's place... but never broke a thing. I love you

Atomic Sputnik Tripod table a steal at Urban Outfitters or Jean Royere for K Mart

2010-04-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

HI
This wonderful little table is on Sale at Urban Outfitters for wait for it $4.99 marked down from $28.
NOTE ON THE WEBSITE SALE 19.99 IN THE STORE 4.99 - Look better in person

They come in white and red and fold up into this great little box with a handle. Now Jean Royere they are not but they are pretty stable and quite cute for less than a chunk of decent Cheese

I think I will stain the balls slightly warmer and oil them? I am sure these will show up in somebody's store for more!

More desk love - this one a mid century modern Baughman I think

2010-03-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Well I am on a roll with desk stories now. This one I bought of Craigs List in the pacific palisades. They did not tell me till I got there it was this vertical house built down a hill and it was at the bottom so this one was really sweat. The top was sun damaged and I worked on that. It landed up with a lady in her new office just starting a business - stay tuned for my story or ascending Dorothy Schindele desks

A desk saved from the rain- a bit bauhaus

2010-03-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

I found this desk in clumps of growing grass outside a house a few blocks away. All the wood veneer was bubbling and some was missing so I guess it had been left our awhile. I gave it much love... and glue... and finally it ended up with 2 young architects in Santa Monica.

Mo Better Desimone pottery

2010-03-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

I posted an earlier post about Desimone and mentioned I had bought ( and resold) a vase that was just toooo right to be by Giovanni Desimone himself and not a studio worker. Well I am happy to say I think this little gem is exactly as it should be.

I also bought this very unusual large Desimone with the rider it is my favorite Desimone ever.

The Conversionette

2010-03-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

HI

More about the pieces I got from the estate below. The Grandparents were missionaries in Japan and had bought back quite a few kokeshi dolls. I also found these lovely little wood nun figures in the garage but grouped together with the kokeshi dolls they were kinda like a missionary expedition that had bitten off more than it could chew, and a homage to their origin. The line drawings are very fine. I love them

Things I got

2010-03-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

I went to an open house - (yes we still have not found the perfect house yet). While the house was not quite for us the furnishings were wonderful. I wrote the family a note and when the house sold the children contacted me and let me buy some of their parent's collections. They were definitely too generous but I hope to treasure and use these pieces for a long long time. The mom was a pretty fine potter herself. Some of the pieces, I found out afterwards- are quite fine, Rupert Deese and Ake Holm?

ok house choice number 2

2009-08-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

I finally got in to see the backyard of what I thought was going to be my dream house. IT is wonderful but it is a mess so I have put an offer in on number 1 (hold thumbs/cross fingers)

I have included a few shots of the yard that was leading me off the straight and narrow - you can see why. Love the concrete Indian blanket.

I should start posting regularly now that the kids are in school, the house offer is in and the smoke from the La Canada fire is blowing east.

Itty bitty excuse post

2009-08-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

HI Sorry for the itty bitty post but we are trying to buy a home and it is hard. I have found one I think we like but it is so far from our vision we are not sure. There are insane oak tree protection laws where I live and the huge tree in our considered house is giving us 2nd thoughts. Wow this house is a mess and it will take some work. So, sorry I will be posting soon. I also have my eye on a spectacular outsider artist mid-century that MIGHT come on the market. Oh the dilemma to buy a really good deal or to wait for possible breath-taking perfection? What do you think?

Desimone

2009-08-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here is my collection of Desimone Pottery I first saw a few pieces at a friends house and fell in love. Most of these are from Ebay.Desimone was a student of Picasso. I have also heard Picasso liked him to mix his reds for him? Desimone opened a pottery studio and supposedly the pieces that he himself painted always have the name "Desimone" painted on the surface in the picture, not just signed underneath.
I currently have none of these but I think I gravitated towards the style of a particular studio painter that worked for him. As you become familiar with the pieces the commonalities and the personalities of the different painters in the studio come through.

I did have one piece that might have been actual Desimone. It is the blue vase with the butterfly catcher. It had all the classic Desimone elements. These included, a sun depiction, Picasso like figures, courtship and of course the signature in the picture.
When it arrived it lacked a certain simplicity - I think it was a copy as there was just too much going on that was "right"- Either that or I prefer one of his assistants work. The little clay figures that look like they could have stepped out of Desimone village where a $2 find by my 5 year old daughter Julia.

HI my first blog

2009-08-12T10:20:00.001-07:00

I just started this on a whim this morning...
Let's see where we go...