I had the privilege of checking out the Affordable Art Fair this morning before it was opened up to the public later in the day (thanks to HGTV & Antonio Ballatore‘s sneak preview lunch). Here were the absolute highlights (for me) and they might still be for sale if you hurry! (hover over each photo for the artists’ names)
Less is More! This is a simple and easy concept for a wall treatment—perfect for rooms that already have enough going on.
I cut rough 8″ squares of reclaimed wood, whitewashed them with matte paint, laid them out on on the floor to make a template and then nailed them right through the center into the wall with 3″ nails. I left the nails protruding (by 1–2″) to give the overall look a little more texture—the shadows at different times of the day give it a little depth and movement.
After years of efforts to resolve financial problems (or some say years of scandal—see the documentary The Art of the Steal), the famous Barnes Foundation will (as of May 19, 2012) relocate to a new site—on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the heart of Phili—from it’s historic home in the suburb of Merion.
It was founded in 1922 by Albert C. Barnes, a chemist who collected art after making a fortune by co-developing an antimicrobial drug. Today, the foundation (curated by Barnes himself) possesses more than 2,500 objects—including 800 paintings—estimated to be worth about $25 billion.
Here are some of my favorites.
While on a recent trip to the South of France, my husband and I met a fascinating New York expat who now resides in the medieval village of Lacoste with his wife and child. We enjoyed some vin rosé together, visited his studio and even got into some heady political dialog. All in all it was a pleasure to meet Dan Adel, a wildly talented (and famous) painter and illustrator. I took a special liking to his newer “still” life oils (like the one above).
I would highly recommend a trip to that region and a visit with the artist himself, but if you can’t find time to get to France, you can find his work on Greene St. in NYC at Arcadia Fine Arts.