Surrounded by art

[clevermanka]

Forgot to mention here that while packing I found the very first mix tape I ever made! Recreated in a Spotify playlist.

Never have I ever wanted so desperately to purchase a tote bag. Where would I even carry stuff these days? But I want it. Seriously considering buying a pack of printer iron-on transfers to make my own. Won't be nearly as fancy, but...

Got most of the art up yesterday. I've never had all my best pieces grouped like this and I love it.


That's not the final configuration for the mantel, but it was good enough for the photo.

The five pieces in the middle are all from the same artist, Julie Zarate. I started following her work in the late 90s? early aughts? That top heart is the first piece I bought from her that wasn't an art card or decorative tin. The two large ladies are probably the last originals I'll ever buy from her because she's out of my price range now (good for her!).

The fiber art on the far left is from an MFA thesis exhibit. If you live near a college with a fine arts program, I highly recommend checking out thesis shows and asking the artist if pieces are for sale. You can pick up some incredibly beautiful and innovative pieces for very reasonable prices. It also gives the new graduate a nice boost.

Mr. Nightmare there is actually Mr. Nightmare--Christopher Carrion from Clive Barker's Abarat illustrations. I picked it up at SDCC when I went back in.... 2014? Damn I love the framing job on that one.

The lithograph is an Elizabeth Layton. It was my first purchase of original art and I'm so fucking proud of it. I was only 19 when I bought it. (There's another copy in the MoMA which tickles me no end to think about)

I have hopes of buying something by Paul Flinders at some point but... *shrug* I picked up one of his pieces (a gift for McKitterick) before he left town for NYC, well over a decade ago. He's probably out of my price range now too though, and who knows if his current style will be something I want.

Breeze Wong's "Shen Wei's Dream" is of course hanging in the bedroom.

Comments

[naye]

That is a gorgeous art wall! I love the arrangement. ♥

[clevermanka]

Thank you! I'm happy with it.

[goss]

Lovely! <3

[clevermanka]

My attempt at a fine arts degree didn't do much for my own artistic vision, but it did give me a great appreciation for buying stuff by other people!

[trobadora]

What a gorgeous wall! That looks fantastic.

[clevermanka]

Thank you!

[moodsong]

Looks very sacred space.

[clevermanka]

In the bedroom:

[shipperslist]

Ahh, art! Art is good, art is great, art makes life so much better!

[clevermanka]

It really, really does.

[plingo_kat]

Whoah, this looks beautiful! A+ decorating.

[clevermanka]

Thank you! No way I was gonna wait to hang them until I painted.

[minoanmiss]

I couldn't see the tote bag, but I can PayPal you its price if you like. I missed buying you anything, because everyone had gotten to your registry by the time I got paid. :)

[clevermanka]

Alas, it's at some special store in Tokyo. IDK why the tweet won't load for you. Maybe the embed image will work?
eta: apparently can't embed images on Twitter, sorry!

[minoanmiss]

That's pretty adorable, and yes, should be replicable.

[seascribble]

oh my god you did more art hanging than I have in four months of living in the new house. It looks fabulous!

[clevermanka]

LOL! Thank you. ❤ My art ~collection~ is very important to me.

[redheadfae]

So lovely. I can't express just how happy I am for you, and a wee bit jelly too.
Thank you for continuing to be one of my very best, and longest, friends.
I love you to pieces!

[clevermanka]

I don't envy the circumstances of my being here, but I'd certainly be jealous of my own place, too.

All the socially-distanced hugs, bb. I look forward to having you here in the space with me sometime.

[ride_4ever]

When I saw that you had written "Where would I even carry stuff these days?" I thought "Yeah, I sure picked the wrong time to send you that due South tote bag...would have been better if I'd sent you some due South home décor...."

Your art wall looks wonderful, so wonderful in fact that it inspired me to get a lot of my wall art out of storage and start trying to figure out where to hang it.

[clevermanka]

Best wishes hanging your own stuff!

[nnozomi]

What a lovely thing to post, especially with the notes on what each artwork is and who did it. Maybe this could be a DW posting meme? (although almost all the art on my walls is just postcards...). anyway, glad you are settling in well.

[clevermanka]

In the earlier days of COVID isolation, a few people posted pics of their walls...I remember goss did it. It considered doing it, but I'm kinda glad I waited. I would love for more people to do it, though!

[tinny]

Wow, very cool art indeed! I love the Shen Wei's Dream painting a lot. <3

The tote bag design would definitely look good self-made as well. Also, I learned what "hot to trot" means from the twitter comments. :D

[clevermanka]

That Breeze Wong print is gorgeous quality if you're ever interested in getting it for yourself. I'm super happy with the framing job on that one, too, along with the Clive Barker one. My local Michael's store does stellar work (although I take full credit for picking the components!).

[khellekson]

Shen Wei's Dream is gorgeous!

[clevermanka]

I'm so glad I got the largest size. It's a wonderful piece.

[wrote_and_writ]

I love your art! I need to get my SWDream framed and hung as well

[clevermanka]

Thank you! And yeah, that Breeze Wong print a gorgeous piece of art.

[thetimesink]

Very nice!

Clean looking as heck!

[clevermanka]

Thank you!

[brandywine28]

Holy wall art, Batman! There's a lot going on up there -- and I adore all of it!

[clevermanka]

Thank you! I'm already wondering what's gonna be the first new piece I bring into the new place. Just... gotta get a job first. 😄

Julie Zarate!

[the_lucky_nun]

I have one of her paintings hanging in the hallway downstairs: https://www.six06.com/blog/2017/11/16/alis-grave-nil-

I also have a tiny bird painting by Paul Flinders and a painting of a woman in the moonlight that I'm pretty sure was inspired by the cover of this book because it's EXACTLY this, but in shades of green and black: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/425697.Wise_Woman_Herbal_for_the_Childbearing_Year

Now that I think about it, we may have discussed this before.

Re: Julie Zarate!

[clevermanka]

I have a vague memory of excitement that we both had something by Julie Zarate but I don't remember the Paul Flinders. Yay for (excellent!) similar art tastes!