Feb 16

A Designer’s Eye

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, architect, architecture, art and interior design, art as gift ideas, art custom commissions, artistic expression, artistic imagery, artistic talent, artists, beauty behold it, color trends, colors, creative process, creativity, custom art in interior design, decorative accessories, decorative arts, design, design details, design process, design trends, designer fabrics, discovering artistic talent, drama of color, fabric design, fabrics, fanciful design, fashion and design, fashion design, floral fabrics, flowers in design, good design, Graphic art, graphic arts, handcraft, handmade, hiring an interior designer, home decor, home improvements, interior accents, interior design, Interior design pro tips, interior design trends, interior enhancements, lifestyle, Lilly Pulitzer, Marimekko, Modern Art, paint colors, painters, patterns, personal expression, Subscribers, textile design, textiles, travel and design, trending design, trends, value of good design / 1

Hidden genius can be found amidst seemingly redundant arts and crafts. Walking by you might not notice. Passing by many beach stands, they begin to look alike – very repetitive. The colorful wares and handcraft are striking and eye-catching and full of fiesta, yet if you pay attention you will notice the nuances. Discovering the true designer/artist.

An escape to the tropics and especially to another country offer a reprieve from the cold and add an exotic element to getting out-of-town. Discovering the many indigenous art forms that come from all over Mexico is fun and exciting. Getting to know the makers and the distinctions in their work is another exciting level of appreciation.

As is true with so many things, detail and design matter. I buy a smattering of things for my gallery/gift boutique. I like to support the local vendors and makers that produce these fantasy-filled folk-art pieces. From fabrics to stuffed animals, painted pottery to murals and mosaics, the art is abundant and deserves to be examined.

As an example, I am focusing on Victor Rivera. Victor is an artist and more so, an incredibly gifted designer. His sense of pattern and imagery is exquisite. It reminds me of my mother’s love of Marimekko and Lily Pulitzer in the 60s and 70s. Her appreciation was a tremendous influence on me. The joy of color and pattern was a exhilarating celebration to wear and accessorize your home. Victor seems to possess a like-kind of innate sensibility and talent for devising and executing sensational color, pattern, motif and resulting design. He is currently creating, from a modest beach stand, what I believe is clearly different from others doing what might be thought to be similar work.

Like Maija Isola – a peer of my mother’s, having been born in the 20s her designs transcend the many decades in which she influenced color, pattern and bold imagery. Her work continues to live and influence the evolution of Scandinavian artistic direction and its impact on the world of design. https://www.marimekko.com/com_en/world-of marimekko/design/designers/maija-isola

Similarily, architect Josef Frank contributed greatly to the design world through his architectural work and also his love of his limitless artistic expression through color and pattern. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/josef-frank-fabrics-london-exhibition

Watching Victor select his brushes, for the various applications and control on his designs, is fascinating and amazing.

The sense of pattern and design is a different category of artistic talent, in my observation and estimation. A master, of pattern, form, design detail and art, is an artist. However, the focus on the repetition and integral connection of patterns – for this purpose in a one-dimensional application – is an intensely different pocket of an artistic brain.

And this brings me back to Victor. I want someone in a position to embrace and promote him, in the world of fabric design and influence, to catapult him to the level to which he can and should aspire. Shout-out to Alegreea and the fabulous designers at Pineda Colavin!!!!!!!

His hummingbirds begin with a pencil drawing and basic “fill” colors at the start.

Working on both clay and wood prefabricated bowls by other artisans, his many layers of colors and details take shape.

With myriad, mostly monotonous, Mexican street/beach artists, Victor is a beacon of light that stands out among the throngs. Once you stop to notice – the work he is creating is astonishingly unique and beautiful. His designs are laced with meticulous detail, outstanding color combinations captivating and beautiful.

He will paint expeditiously simple works to satisfy the tourists and keep an inventory at the ready for spontaneous purchase – but when he has quiet time and is caught-up on his table of offerings, he creates amazing pieces that are truly remarkable. It is important to note though, that his more expeditious pieces still have a color combination with strokes of accents that still are above and well beyond the common.

He will paint commissions all day long – but left to his own devices, his creativity is boundless. And, referencing back to the Scandinavian designers, his floral designs are outstanding!

Taking time to examine the world around you and the beauty of detail that awaits, is a joyful experience of great discovery and satisfaction! Not to mention great fun!!!

Aug 18

Back to School: 10 Pro-tips for Setting Up a Dorm Room

By pattisays In 1970s, Albuquerque, New Mexico, apartments, Arizona, artistic expression, before and after, clutter, Color schemes, color trends, colors, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, decorative accessories, design, design challenges, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designing small spaces, designing with a purpose, dorm room design, existing materials, expanding spaces, fashion and design, hiring an interior designer, how to select colors, illusions of space, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, lifestyle, nostalgia and design, organization, personal expression, personal taste, pink, practical design, selecting colors, Subscribers, throw pillows, trends, Tucson / 1 1 Comment

It’s that time again…the end of summer and getting kids back to school…exciting, hectic, a bit stressful and today, very nostalgic. I (who saves everything) still have my little black and white Sony TV, embroidered fiber art that hung on my wall, floral twin bed sheets and bath towels! I remember the white chenille bedspreads that I got – giving one to my bestie/roommate so we’d match – even though she was a red accent person and I chose blues and greens!! We picked each other, our college and designed our neat and tidy package.

Earlier this weekend, as Victoria navigated this information highway that is the lead-up to getting her dorm room assignment, roommate and all the related details, she texted her yet-to-meet roomie and asked what her color scheme was going to be. Victoria, having established her pink (dusty rose) and grey scheme last fall upon entering her freshman year elsewhere, was hoping that she was not going to have to share her intimate space with a shocking orange scheme or similarly discordant color. All of a sudden, from the back seat came a exclamation – “NO Way!” To what, we asked – “What?” And she said “Guess what her color scheme is? Pink and Grey!!! YAY!!! What were the chances?”

Well, strolling through the stores with their piles of offerings displayed in tempting color-coordinated arrangements, pink and grey still carries over from last fall in a big way – so the chances, it seems, were not all that far-fetched!! LOL.

With the prominent pink and grey, popular turquoise and grey and for the boys (if we are being color/gender-esque) black and grey – seems grey is the common denominator facilitating merchandising and keeping everyone in color-trend order.

Pro-tip #1 Make a list of what you’ll need prior to hitting the stores with their limitless temptations for dorm decor! It can be daunting if you go shopping – cold. It can be daunting anyway – but best to attempt to be prepared! As I looked around all the displays leading these trends…leading these kids…I wondered how many – if any – might veer off course and pick an orange and lime green theme or brilliant cherry red…and what does it say about one if they buck the established trends? Some might be oblivious to the trends – despite being bombarded in every store by the “must have” selections. Those independent thinkers who like what they like – if it matches or not. The eclectic ones who are driven by memories, personal expression and acquisitions gathered and honed over the years that were not guided by trending decor influencers.

However, it is entirely possible to genuinely LOVE the trends and invest in the colors for more than the first semester of eager dorm room decor! We were living it! What was purchased last fall was saved and expanded upon, with new-found knowledge of the tips learned from the pros! There are boxes, bins, rugs, lamps, staplers, desk organizers, linens, bulletin boards, throw pillows, blankets and throws – all color coordinated making the job relatively easy and swift.

The stores are prepared. Welcoming students – their signs are out and their shelves are stocked! Rows of pillows, mattress covers, foam pads, artsy accessories and accents galore…all to enhance the otherwise bare rooms that will soon come to life!

The morning of the move, they staggered the move-in time to insure an orderly point of arrival and processing to the rooms. We were assigned 9:30 and met curbside by a handsome posse of volunteer boys who were armed with rolling cartons cleverly created using carpet-wrapped moving dollies upon which were mounted large, sturdy cardboard cartons. These rolling bins were piled high with contents from the cars and wheeled into the dorm rooms with efficiency. Co-eds in red t-shirts identified them as the RA staff – the ones with the answers to all of your questions.

Being organized is key. Victoria had benefit of a previous semester where she watched the pros and got their tips! Pro-tip #2 Be organized!

To that end, utilize your limited space to the max! Capture all available real estate! Pro-tip #3 Bed risers. The beds are high – high enough to stack storage drawers/bins beneath them. They can be raised even higher with risers. Pro-tip #4 The plastic stacking drawers are cool because they make easy access to contents just like added dresser storage space.

Victoria had it all figured out. Pro-tip #5 To consolidate luggage, she packed a lot of her clothes in the bins – all in very specific order and folded making it easy to transfer once in the room.

Once in the room, she raised the bed even higher on 4 cone-shaped plastic riser units that she had purchased. She then placed her new mini frig (Pro-tip #6 Get a mini frig) and bins beneath the bed in an organized fashion. She emptied the bins one-by-one into the chest of drawers thereby freeing the bins for other supplies such as snacks, kitchen supplies and miscellaneous other necessities.

Having a mini frig in the room keeps personal perishables under control and handy instead of having to label things in the shared frig down the hall.

Pro-tip #7 Take extension cords and multi-plug surge protectors. This was handy for the reading lamp waaaaay up high above the now super high bed and also to run power to the mini frig. You can never have enough power sources and another bonus was that one of the set of four bed-riser units had power outlets and a short cord!

Pro-tip #8 Get a collapsible shoe rack/shelf (for ease of storage and transport). They have nifty wooden ones – but we took ours back as the closet had a tidy set of built-in shelves perfect for shoes.

Once the power was all connected and the bins organized clothes put away, it was time to make the bed and add the finishing touches.

It was beginning to look like a home-away-from-home! Pro-tip #9 With hanging implements that will not harm the wall like Command Strips, the walls will gradually come to life with strings of photos clipped with clothes pins, twinkly lights, bulletin boards and other imagery.

Pro-tip #10 Take photos – the memories are priceless!!!!!!

Thanks Sam, for the memories!!!!!

Jan 14

“COLOR IT FABULOUS” – A Color Game to Play and Learn!

By pattisays In airports, Albuquerque, New Mexico, architecture, art and food, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, color trends, color wheel, colors, Company C, Contemporary Art, Contrasting colors, contrasts for balance in design, creative process, creativity, decorative arts, design, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design tips, design trends, Discovering Art, drama of color, fashion and design, floral designs, flowers in design, food and interior design, Graphic art, handcraft, handmade, hiring an interior designer, home improvements, how to select colors, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, lifestyle, Living Coral, Mexico, Modern Art, paint colors, painters, Pantone, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, quilting, quilts, remodeling, selecting colors, Subscribers, teaching, timeless colors, travel and design, trends, tropical, Tucson /

After last week’s Color of the Year observations, I furthered the subject regarding the importance, influence and value of colors.

I don’t know the science behind how individual’s eyes perceive and translate color… rods and cones and the anatomy of the eye as it speaks to the brain…but what I do know is that COLOR and the context of COLOR MATTERS even if it is not perceived exactly the same by everyone.

My parents were coincidentally both apt to notice, remark about and describe color specifically. To them, and ultimately to me, colors were something to regard and absorb, for better or for worse, and all colors deserved acknowledgement and specification.

I distinctly remember their descriptions, “Parrot Green, Sapphire Blue, Lemon Yellow, Fire Engine Red and Brown as a berry” – a compliment which indicated that you had tanned sufficiently! I think it was a result of our island home-away-from-home that prompted many of these titles. We, for sure, had no parrots making their presence known in Virginia! But for some reason, colors in the islands prompted unusual appreciation and scrutiny. This parrot green was like grass green but a bit more intense – saturated – not a dark green and certainly not a spring green – just a brilliant, clear, secondary green! The result of true, primary blue and yellow mated to make GREEN!

Color is a communication tool to convey – color. But what color? What type of color? What specific color? Is your version of a color the same as mine? Do we “read” color the same way? Do we express the description of color the same way? How might you explain a color to a person who is blind?

I’m writing this today from the tropics and it seems worthy to note that colors are abundant here in brilliant evidence through all seasons. Whereas in a decidedly changing seasonal and climate, colors come alive in spring, progress through changes and pretty much crash for the dormant winter months. Contrarily, the topics meld their rainbow of blooming floribunda, bounty of fruits and palette of these brilliant colors year round.

Maybe it is because we straddled both worlds. The lush, verdant, colorfully blooming and always reliable tropics countered by the decidedly and distinctly changing seasons through dormancy in the northern climes. There must be an appreciation for the change. The lovely, yet possibly monotonous climates that produce blooming color all year round might dull the senses to the seasonal reemergence and staggering beauty of new growth and blooming abundance and mute the verbal expression and appreciation thereof.

For example, my color antenna is always up and running. As I struggled with my pair of carry-on luggage monstrosities clearly in excess of 75 pounds (good thing there is only a size and not a weight limit!!), I came upon 2 art pieces in the Houston Hobby airport. The colors beckoned me. Although I had noticed them in swift passing, I couldn’t help wanting to see more. So I stopped and dashed back, disassembled my cumbersome haul and quickly took photos of these two paintings on exhibit, in the concourse, in order that I could enjoy them a bit later. Initially attracted by the color, they arrested me allowing and inviting an opportunity for further examination of their subject matter and detail later, when I had the luxury of time.

The wildly organic plant life, featuring an animated orchid that tangled and writhed on the painting’s surface in a variety of verdant green’s set against a perfectly selected fiery orange table surface, was brilliantly alluring and seemed to set the stage as a precursor to my soon-to-be-destination in tropical Mexico. ARTIST: Lucas Johnson Still Life with Schomburgkia

A bit further down the corridor of the concourse another piece caught my attention. Similarly with its colorful invitation, but with entirely different subject matter which upon closer inspection was quite intriguing, a patchwork quilt of batik fabrics and collage with applied letters beckoning the viewer to wonder what might be beneath was magic. The woman or child and beloved pet in the center of the action nestled under a cozy and colorful quilt, wrapped in a cloak of starry darkness which might suggest clinging to each other against the foreboding imaginings of the night.

The intense collection of the brilliant colors contrasting against black was dramatic, mystic and inescapable in this powerful piece, It Helps to Think We’re Sleeping Underneath the Same Big Sky by artist Joo Young Choi.

Watercolor artist extraordinaire, Susan Weeks, captured this crate of mangos at an exotic market somewhere very south of here. Peru? Ecuador? I don’t remember. Susan gets around. And, Susan sees color and detail and renders it with remarkably exacting precision.

As I greet the day, I’m taking my stash of mangoes out onto the balcony to be seen and photographed in context. Reminded of how Susan rendered this succulent sweet fruit, with the delightfully “hairy pit” (nods to Tricia), I celebrate this colorful collection of nature in a sensational setting! These gorgeous tones of warm golden yellow, baby iguana green and yes, 2019’s rosy warm coral (Pantone’s “Living Coral”) are nature’s color scheme. The orbs are sensuous and the colors are excitingly bright and luscious.

Mango colors of rosy coral and warm, golden yellow are paired in this arched interior entry.

Here a similar scheme featuring one of our favorite Company C rugs illustrates the bold, effective power of color selection.

Try this exercise with color. I have no idea what your eyes see and your brain translates, but walk around and look at things in your world. Notice color. Notice individual items…book bindings to fresh fruit. Evaluate each color’s effect. Does it evoke any emotion…good or bad? If you wanted a painter to paint a wall that color and you didn’t have the paint selected, how would you describe that color in an attempt to get it on the wall as you desired?

In a more thorough test, you might be prepared with actual paint – like tubes of acrylic from the craft store. Get a print-out of a color wheel to illustrate the primary, secondary and tertiary colors. https://bit.ly/2SVKUMg Buy red, blue, yellow and white and use them to attempt to create the color being described. This could be a party game – but you would need to also have paint chips from the home improvement store or paint store to use as the prompts that would have to be described and used to match the success or failure of the person attempting to create the color.

Noticing color brings appreciation to the details and nuances of our color-filled world. The little exercise/game, to try to convey a color to another person based upon similar life experiences and references, is interesting. Please share your thoughts and experiences, dilemmas and frustrations with this project through the blog’s email.

I hope this encourages you to go forth with a new-found appreciation of color and how it adds layers of depth and interest to all that you see. Examine the natural world, or man-made creations in film, set-design, architecture, graphic advertisements, fashion design or interior design. See why color matters!

Dec 14

Designing is like Cooking…

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, architect, art of cooking, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, commercial interior design, commercial remodel, composing, cooking and design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, design, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design tips, design trends, fashion and design, fashion design, furniture finds, good design, Graphic art, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, interior design, interior design trends, interior enhancements, landscape design, lifestyle, oatmeal cookie recipes, painters, personal expression, personal taste, practical design, public design, re-upholstery, remodeling, sofas, Subscribers, up-cycle, upholstery, value of good design /

Designing is like cooking – I guess cooking is a form of design. Yes, it certainly is. Whether it is graphic design, fashion design, architecture, musical composition, poetry, landscape or interior design – artists of all media – the art of creating, designing, composing, it is all about the right ingredients in the right amount to balance the scene. Proportion.

Even though I will be focusing on interior design, the”scene” could be the sheet music, the canvas, the poet’s screen or paper…the “scene” is the window that frames/encompasses the finished product. To compare these artistic endeavors, to the art of cooking, is so obvious to me.

Everyone must cook something. Whether it is merely heating up beanie weenies, with a sliced dill pickle tossed in, chased with a gin on the rocks, it is a composition that must result in a tasty scene – for someone. Having said that, we must also note that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” The more successful compositions appeal to a greater number of aficionados.

To cook, one must combine the right ingredients, in the right proportions, to combine to result in the best finished product. When I design, as with cooking, it is often “create as you go”…it is important to add an element and taste…re-think…evaluate…

Assembling ingredients and considering the balance of them in the finished product.

At a glance, the significant distinctions between cooking and interior design is that in cooking, the finished product might be gorgeous, but taste terrible. Interior design is all visual – on the surface…or so you might think…until you evaluate function. A beautiful cake needs to taste as good as it looks. An interior must function as well as it looks. Both are dependent on the subliminal factors that result in a truly successful finish product.

Successful is also in the eye of the beholder…25+ years ago my mother and I went shopping for a leather sofa. She, at 5′ 3″, was a bit on the “vertically challenged” side of the ergonomic spectrum. Therefore, actually sitting in the contenders was important so that her feet comfortably rested on the floor and her back against the back – no propping up with throw pillows to make the fit. So we searched and sat and searched and sat until one day, like Goldilocks, we found one that was “just right.”

A few weeks later, having waited anxiously for this perfect sofa to arrive, Mom excitedly called me and said “they’re delivering my sofa today!” I told her I would be by after work to see it. But before I could finish my day and see this long-awaited focal piece, she called again exclaiming “It’s the wrong sofa!” To which I replied “hang on – I’ll be right there.”

Sure enough, I watched her as she sat on her beautiful new leather sofa and looked like Lily Tomlin doing Edith Ann! Her legs shot straight out and even with a scoot forward, her feet dangled in mid-air. We knew something was wrong. It looked like the right sofa, but we didn’t have the intended dimensions of what we ordered. So all we could do was go back to the showroom and hope the sofa that we thought we had ordered was still on the floor and go from there…

With great relief, we found the showroom model…Mom crossed the room and took a seat. A very comfortable seat. Everything fit just right. So what was with the sofa that was delivered earlier today? As it turned out, it was the right sofa, only hers was brand new. The one on the floor had been sat upon for months and by a thousand fannies…the answer was simple prompted by a simple question. Would they exchange the brand new cushion filling for the broken down stuffing that was in the floor model? And with that – voila! Her new sofa was modified to be the perfect fit – old, broken-down cushions and all!!!!! She still sits comfortably on that sofa today. Function. The outside looked great – the ingredients were a bit off. Ingredients make the difference.

I used this example with a client recently when she had a chair reupholstered. Per her request, the stuffing was not changed – but the upholsterer thought that the collapsed appearance was not good and would reflect a lack of attention on his part. So he plumped and made more firm the stuffing inside his new, tighter envelopes. She was not pleased and thought all was lost. I assured her that it was an easy fix and asked that it be redone. He is in the process of modifying the fill to accomplish the comfort she remembers. The chair looks great – but the ingredients/details are not creating the function that would make it a truly successful design.

As a designer, we often (especially in bidding environments) are faced with “or equal” substitutions to our design selections. The specifications have to be within a certain tolerance, but the results can radically change the complexion, success, look and effectiveness of the design. Imagine how this could affect a recipe? Well,sometimes great new recipes come from unintentional substitutions….take these cookies I baked last weekend.

Barbara Bush’s popular Cowboy Cookies – unplanned, I had a wild hair to bake cookies. I can count on one hand how often that has happened in the last 20 years!! So having had these fabulous cookies recently (thanks Feath), I rummaged through the pantry for the ingredients. Well, I had wholewheat flour, not all purpose, I had a few butterscotch morsels and a few more white chocolate chips. I had no chocolate chips nor coconut. I had steel cut oats not rolled oats. Too lazy to run to the store, I thought that the worst that could happen was that my cookies would be terrible and I would have wasted the ingredients and a couple hours of time…However, I am pleased to report that they are wonderful and resulted in a new oatmeal cookie worth sharing. Substitutions can work, but the harmony of ingredients is the key.

Another issue that can challenge a good design is when there are too many chefs in the kitchen. The ingredients can become imbalanced and substitutions can be made that alter if not spoil the intended results. In some projects, the”lead” shifts. The contractor, subs, and owner can all insert changes that alter the design. This usually occurs without regard for the design as a whole. Each person has their field of vision, their focus of expertise or special interest. Sweet, salty, acidic…each has its place – balance. A disregard for any of the ingredients, poor substitutions or imbalanced quantities – will alter the results.

Yin and Yang – the balance of our known universe – is all at the root of the balance of good design. Balance and the relationships of scale (which are also forms of balance). Rough/Smooth, Shiny/Dull, Dark/Light, Soft/Hard are all ingredients of good design. The balance of these are the equation of successful solutions. And this doesn’t even include the magic of color its balance and compliments.

Many people are good cooks. They have an innate sense of what works. Many people have an innate sense of good design. They often take it for granted. They might not be able to articulate it – but they can create it, they know it when they see it and they employ the rules of balance whether they realize it or not. In both of these cases, theses innately talented people often need reinforcement or encouragement – validation – affirmation.

From dinner guests to friends coming over to see the new furniture arrangement, talented cooks and decorators can get the job done – as with all professional chefs and designers – with the support and contribution of the talents around them.

Oct 14

Seasonal Shifts in Design – When Do YOU Make the Transitions Between Seasons?

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Arizona, art and interior design, art as gift ideas, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, autumnal design, Centerpieces, ceramic, cocktails, Color schemes, creative process, creativity, decorative arts, design, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, drama of color, fanciful design, fashion and design, fashion design, figurines, floral arrangement, floral designs, flowers in design, folkart, functional art, handcraft, handmade, handmade tableware, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design trends, interior enhancements, kachina, kitchen, lifestyle, lighting, luminarias, luminaries, Manhattan, patio, personal expression, personal taste, pinks and greens, retail storefronts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, seasonal interior design, selecting colors, silk flowers, southwestern design, Subscribers, summer, sunflowers, table top, tableware, terracotta, trends /

I am often asked, “When should I make seasonal changes and how?” This can come from retailers debating their front window displays to individuals wondering when, to change the wreath on the front door and on into their interior decor, to reflect the seasons.

The answer is a combination of things. It’s personal – probably starting with where you live. And for me, it is more than just decorative accents, it’s food and drink and clothing for sure. Clothing though might have real, practical adjustments for temperature, but fashion design and seasonal changes are part of the fun!

So to kick-off fall, I shifted into my seasonal drinking modification – dark drinks – moving from citrus embellishments to the delightful, succulent, marinated cherry at the bottom of a well crafted Manhattan. The perceived warmth of darker drinks is real for me. I would never select a Manhattan in the summer. But I must admit, a vodka martini with a twist is a 365 fall-back beverage for any festive situation.

The rich warmth of a well crafted Manhattan…

Clothing and the opportunity to make design statements that reflect the seasonal shift are also fun to embrace! Along with the Manhattan last Friday night, I transitioned into a felted wool tunic with a local artist’s hand-woven black chenille over-sized scarf. Still sleeveless – as the shift is still a bit of a struggle to let go of summer, it was a decidedly seasonal reality nod!

Truth be known, the wide expanse of floor to ceiling folding glass panel doors were wide open right behind us as we sat at the bar allowing a direct connection with the crowds gathered on the patio beneath the high-hat heaters. Truly a straddling of the seasonal shift – not quite ready to let go of al fresco dining???!!!

Seasonal shifts in weather will be a sure way to respond to a want to change decorative elements. And even being a bit pro-active can be a good thing – but when is too early – too early?

Most of us cringe when we hear Christmas music in October or see the merchandise out that early – combining Halloween costumes and candy corn with Christmas trees and all the ornaments. Awful!!!!!!

Across the country, we have experienced a delay in the autumnal shift this year. Summer kept clinging. Warm weather belied the calendar. But when the weather shifts…and the temperature drops…we want to hunker down and cozy up. Perhaps in addition to the decorative items, you might simmer cinnamon sticks on the stove or light candles with spicy scents. How about a hearty beef stew for dinner?

Here we are in mid-October and summer was here yesterday and gone today with the incoming storms, cool drizzle and cloudy skies.

I just got off the phone with Victoria up and over in Fairfield and she bemoaned the fact that last week she was attending classes in shorts and today she is bundled up in a Patagonia fleece jacket not wanting to leave her bed! The seasons have shifted like a slap in the face!

Color is a key element in expressing the seasons. Between summer and fall, golden yellows bridge the gap. Leaves on our red bud tree change from brilliant lime green of summer to brilliant lemon yellow as fall sets in…lime to lemon – a brilliant color statement!

From late summer sunflowers to early autumn chrysanthemums, the brilliant golden yellow satisfies the transition between seasons.

As fall proceeds, the darker tones of rust and caramels suggest the waning season…crunchy, dried leaves and final wisps of foliage going dormant for the winter.

I’m hanging my Black-eyed Susan wreath today out on the front door! I might even leap to the addition of a funky black cat that I have to welcome Halloween. But it has not been a gradual expression of acknowledging the change in seasons, it has been summer…bam – fall.

DIY – I made this and one for Mom a few years ago – they last. Get a grapevine wreath, select your favorite leaves, fruit and flowers, grab your glue gun and wire clippers – Voila!

What spurred this subject for this week’s blog was seeing my neighbor’s witch’s legs a few days ago sticking out from the elegant planter by her front door. I first thought – what a riot! Then I realized, it’s mid-October and I have yet to accept that!

I am very reluctant to release summer. I’m a warm weather one for sure. I cling to the last vestiges of sunlight as it tracks around out house…less evident, less accessible…shorter days…darker mornings and evenings… NO!!!!!!! I resist, but must succumb. There’s no escaping it. The seasons change and time marches on….The happy fuchsia and pink vinca in our front yard might not make it another day with night temperatures threatening to drop.

The happy pinks and greens of vinca out by the mailbox are about to get nipped!!!

Decorative accessories punctuate the landscape of autumnal interior design. From real pumpkins and gourds, squashes and mums, to their artificial counterparts made from many media. Glass and pottery, papier-mâché and straw-like wraps, silk flowers and faux fall leaves, the possibilities are endless.

This year some outstanding hand-built pottery figurines caught my eye. Artist Robyn Chlad of Tucson, Arizona has designed and created a collection of wonderful statuary luminarias that are an extraordinary design decree for this and all seasons! Kachina-like, these art-pieces make a fabulously functional statement!

This proud raven holds a berry in his beak!

At first I was attracted to their vertical shape and fine detailing. The characters had personality – rigid in their cylindrical forms, yet very animated of expression and fine features.

Chlad has depicted regional animals with a bit of folkloric whimsy (in the jackalope – half jack rabbit/half horned antelope) to present a collection of irresistible characters to gather at your dining table, or greet you on your entry console, perk-up your powder room, collect on your cocktail table, grace your patio, or animate your kitchen!!! How fun are they?

A caped coyote – the masked bandit!

They each are pierced with designs, to allow the light to glow from inside, that depict the landscape or regional architecture in and around which these creatures roam. Illuminated by electrical lamps, battery bulbs, or candles, they are fantastic!

Functional art – these pottery luminarias are exciting art pieces to add a joyful glow to your shorter days and darker hours….

The raw terracotta clay contributes to their natural beauty and complimentary color with a fall palette. It is a strong statement, yet the surfaces are smoothly burnished and have a soft read. The touches of matte glazes add just enough adornment enhancing the statues with soft earthen color accents.

Embrace the seasons and have fun selecting your personal design statements as you transform between seasons!!!

Aug 27

Da Vinci, The Genius

By pattisays In architect, architecture, art and interior design, artistic talent, artists, civilization, context of interior design, design, designs in nature, education, fabrics, fashion and design, Fiber art, Golden Mean, Graphic art, graphic designs in interiors, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior design, Leonardo da Vinci, mirrors, multi-media design, Museums, natural designs, naturalist, nature, nostalgia and design, organic design, painters, patterns, proportion in design, Subscribers, teaching, textiles / 1

When you hear the name da Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci, its undeniably familiar. You might instantly call-up a synonym – genius. But what do you really, other than the Mona Lisa, recognize? And what do you even know about her and the painting itself? For the past several months now nearing the end of its run, the exhibition Da Vinci, The Genius, at the Albuquerque Natural History Museum, presented by Grande Exhibitions of Victoria, Australia in collaboration with the Museo Leonardo da Vinci , Rome and the French Scientific engineer Pascal Cotte is an amazing consolidation of information on this singularly remarkable man.

An artist or even designer are such understated titles for this man of extraordinary inventions, concepts, engineering, art and science, because he was the true Renaissance Man! He touched so many things to advance countless trades and disciplines many of which are the basis of machinery and equipment in use today. But as brilliant as the universal exploits of this amazing polymath are, this would be a tedious blog if I focused on the many pulley systems, gadgets, mirrors, SCUBA suits and even flying machines that he created in his lifetime.

Rather, I would like to use this fascinating field trip that I just experienced to examine how I as a designer have been influenced by da Vinci – specifically, the spectacular rendition of the Golden Mean – nature’s perfect ratio that occurs in nearly everything around us. This common mathematical ratio is used to create subliminal perfection and pleasing compositions that mimic the perfect ratio found in nature and specifically, for my purposes, in design.

If you remove this square from the rectangle, you’ll be left with another, smaller Golden Rectangle. This could continue infinitely.

I have written about this previously in greater depth. It is a subject that has no limits as the application of this ratio helps assure good compositions whether you realize it or not. For graphic designers it is a must. For interior designers and architects it the formula for so many aspects of their work. People in art and design have employed the use of this perfect ratio for thousands of years. If you apply it – it is foolproof.

But back to the exhibit…there he was – the iconic man rendered in gold on black. You’ve seen it. But to know him is to see the perfection in the proportions that da Vinci used to create this perfect figure.

Right there in a commanding focal point was da Vinci’s drawing of Vitruvian Man. The accompanying video explained the relationship of all the dimensions as they related to the perfection of the Golden Ratio. Time and time again it is evident in the sections of this perfect anatomy.

Da Vinci correlated that the perfection of the proportions should be applied to represent the perfect human anatomical body and that it was an analogy for the entire workings of the universe.

His magnificent study of knots became sought-after for luxury fabrics used in 15th century fashion – many of which costumes and finery he designed. Interpretations as lover’s knots – the bond between them was a popular notion of his time and afterward.

It is an exhibition worth seeing. Even if you have stood in front of the real Mona Lisa and have visited sites exhibiting his vast creations and noted observations, this exhibition is worth a visit!

Mar 11

For the LOVE of Fine China – USE IT – Inspired Table Settings

By pattisays In art and food, artistic expression, beauty behold it, Centerpieces, Color schemes, creative process, creativity, design, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, dining and design, dining rooms, DIY design, entertaining, fashion and design, fine china, floral arrangement, floral arrangements, floral designs, folkart, Food and art, food and interior design, handmade tableware, hiring an interior designer, inspiration from nature, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design trends, joy, lifestyle, natural designs, natural integrity of the materials, natural stone, organic design, party themes, personal expression, practical design, seasonal interior design, Spring, Subscribers, table dressings, table top, tableware, textures, trends, value of good design, weavings /

From the Diminishing Dining Room of last week’s observations, https://patriciandesign.com/category/dining-rooms/, I decided to further the conversation to encourage a new-found appreciation for having fun setting dinner tables! I found fodder from Kentucky Fried Chicken served on formal silver platters to wipe-clean placements of dazzling designs to dress your tables. A collection of tireless designers defend the use of fine china – own it, buy it, find it, inherit it, enjoy it, keep it and use it – don’t send it to the thrift shop!!!

Yes, the art of fine dining seems to be set aside in favor of ease and expediency, but this article from The Washington Post’s HOME section (thank you Feath – my clipping service) brings it all home to use and enjoy. It is a celebration of art, design and playful creativity.

Not everyone loves to entertain, to create the “tablescape,” to even bother to put together an outfit to wear. Not everyone loves to get dressed in the morning – it is a chore, an obligation, a mere necessity. That’s unfortunate in my estimation. For those of us who do – love it – it is all about having fun with fashion or interior design is just that – FUN!

Last spring I began a series of emails that I blasted to our mailing list called COOK + PARTY. It was (and will continue this next season) a collection of weekly recipes paired with table-top art pieces. In our gift boutique, we represent an incredible collection of artists who create fabulous tableware. I paired a piece with a recipe each week to inspire and encourage everyone to use “functional” art in their daily lives and specifically for entertaining and even the family dining table.

https://patriciandesign.com/category/art-and-food/

Recent fodder revealed a great source for fabulous wipe-clean placemats from Caspari. For decades a fine source for the best paper cocktail napkins, Caspari offers these bold patterns and colors, prints of fine china and fabulous fabrics – re-use and easy to clean – why not?

https://www.casparionline.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=placemat

A previous fall blog that I wrote illustrates the open-mindedness of looking around to find inspiration for seasonal table dressings. The decision for your table-top inspiration can be spontaneous – just go outside and look around!

Among the refreshingly optimistic designers that were quoted in the Washington Post article:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/that-old-fussy-china-can-fit-your-casual-lifestyle-designers-talk-about-how/2018/02/21/46761538-0084-11e8-8acf-ad2991367d9d_story.html?utm_term=.3a6fde2e5124

Barry Dixon, from the verdant rolling hills of Warrenton, Virginia, specifically points out that this process of setting your table should be fun! Don’t pull-out the same things each time – mix it up! Change it up by adding color and pattern differently with every new opportunity.

Seasonal flowers, yellow woven cotton place-mats, embroidered folk-art table runner, basket chargers beneath classic Limoges topped with ceramic napkin rings – it looks like spring!

Designer Timothy Corrigan tells us that many people find it too difficult to entertain with their best things because the onus of proper cleaning and put-away is too much! But Mr. Corrrigan points out the joy of using your best things every day – everyday is a celebration and what you enjoy should be used.

In another springtime setting…organic, rustic things with finery – black stones nestle fresh purple Campatula flowers antique Limoges and basket chargers – makes an eclectic table settings – it’snot all or nothing…it’s the combinations and scene that is being set.

Hutton Wilkinson – way out in L.A. where casual chic is the practice of distilling what migrated from the more formal sister coast to the east – noted that he believes presentation is the key to success. It isn’t so much about what is served (don’t tell the chefs that), but rather on what it is served and how it is presented. Imagine buckets of Kentucky Fried chicken served on elegant Georgian silver platters. That simple fast-food chicken becomes magnificently irresistible. You can’t say you’re too busy to cook with that creative solution! Wilkinson believes that presentation helps food taste better in addition to looking beautiful! He advocates buying china because it’s beautiful – not merely serviceable. I agree…it’s not all about the mundane purpose of eating off of it – but rather the joy of eating off of it!!

Making your guests feel appreciated and treating them to a unique, pleasing experience is a gift to them. A special treat to show that you care – going that extra distance of detail and design.

Color combinations, textures,patterns – wonderfully pleasing tablescapes are a treat for the eye. (So special Marsha!)

So don’t say it’s too difficult…keep it simple with Real Simple – the source for easy, ingenious ideas and simple truths……the following link for proper place-settings will get you started.

https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/entertaining/how-to-set-a-table

Patti says – “make it special every day.”

Feb 18

What Do Fabulous Fabrics Have in Common?

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and interior design, artistic expression, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, design, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, fabrics, fashion and design, Fiber art, graphic arts, handcraft, handmade, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, organic design, patterns, personal expression, re-upholstery, Refresh, retro, Subscribers, textiles, textures, updating, upholstery, value of art, value of good design, wall texture, weavings, weavings, window dressings / 1 Comment

Fabulous fabrics are NOT common – that’s what they have in common!! After paint, fabrics are the most malleable design element that can make dramatic transformations in an interior. New pieces, reupholstering existing pieces, treasure-hunting to cover vintage pieces, salvaging family heirlooms, plastering or padding walls and ceilings, draping and accenting – doesn’t it sound exhilarating? Imagine the possibilities!

Metal studs to trim things…wrap a lampshade, border draperies, trim a sofa, adorn a pillow…so many things…and the stormy cloud printed velvet in the background of this trim – is blustery and powerful.

One of the most fun-filled events in our design studio are the road-trip visits by our fabulous sales reps that bring the world to our conference table!! In larger cities, the design resource centers, markets and their showrooms offer myriad marvelous samples of furniture, decorative accessories, art, lighting, fixtures, finishes and fabrics. Exciting new design trends are presented each season.

But when you live, in isolation from the major centers, as we do here in the high desert – we are treated to personal presentations that are intimate, relaxing, inspiring and educational. Here is an exclusive collection that was presented just last week. Sit back and watch the fabrics unfurl and float – one after another – in layers of color, texture and incredibly inspirational style.

Weighty over-stitching or “top-stitching” adds detail-either high-contrast, color-on-color subtlety or the median slightly contrasting grey with white. Trending – touchable textures! Here presented for interior fashion, but you can bet that clothing fashion designers would love to play with these textiles for wearable art too!!!

Sure, throughout the year we travel to source hubs, surf the net, call our reps, request samples, compile materials and gather what we need across the miles. It is challenging. Like living on an island and bringing the amphibious containers of supplies over the sea and up onto the beach! But inasmuch as we don’t have a design center handy to do a lot of “one-stop-shopping,” we do curate our own very extensive source library of fabrics and architectural materials. With that at our fingertips, without leaving the studio, it’s a time-saver, a stimulating place to to engage clients and we are easily spoiled!

Fine weaves make terrific grounds for bold prints – here in three different color-ways – what a POP! Retro to new concepts – patterns add pizzazz!!

This recent textile presentation brought refined and rugged landscapes of intriguing textures and patterns that stimulated our design juices.

Intentionally cut after the weaving process provides extra texture and pattern interest.

Often the “backside” of these fabrics are as interesting (if not more so) than the fronts – but be mindful of floating threads and other weaving details/methods that interfere with practical use.

Bold “geometrics” are not only vivid with high contrast threads, the texture is what cannot be accurately replicated or conveyed via digital images on a screen. Despite the fact that I got up close and personal with these samples to photo, nothing beats touching and feeling the fibers and textures.

Complex weaves dazzle with design creativity. Bringing an artist’s concepts to fruition, with a mill to fabricate the dreams, is enchanting.

Traditions of weaving artisans are found in countries around the world. Sadly, not many fine fabrics are woven here in the States, partially due to the cost of fabrication and also due to the generations of crafts people who are experienced in the art of weaving more cultivated in other cultures. Whether organic, engineered, by hand or efficient, fast-paced mechanization – art and technology continue to push the envelope of fantastic creation and production in the fabric industry.

Here’s a great tip – if for only a pillow cover – if only ONE side of a pillow cover, having unique fabrics is having art. Living with functional art. Appreciating the designs, textures, craftsmanship and unique qualities of fine fabrics and wall-coverings is most satisfying.

Paints hand applied to the surface of fine woven fabrics is gilding the lily.

Who doesn’t love these colorfully, whimsical dot halves hand-applied to the surface of this nubby neutral??!!

Silk-screening also is an art-form that enhances the quality and appreciation of fine fabrics and papers.

Some of this collection are vintage art-pieces resurrected with new colors on the screen prints. The caliber of a fine, timeless, resource is about quality of both design and construction. A collection that continuously offers – classic and new, bold and subtle – answers to so many opportunities, is a resource that is to be celebrated!!

We investigate the most extraordinary fabrics, in the world, so that we can compile and create the perfect combinations for your exclusive lifestyle.

Sep 24

A Most Illuminating Lighting Course Proves – It Exists!

By pattisays In ceiling lighting, color and temperature re: interior design, color of light, Concealed lighting, custom lighting, design tips, design trends, element of surprise in design, fashion and design, furniture finds, hiring an interior designer, interior design, interior design trends, Kelvin, kitchen lighting, LED, lifestyle, lighted fabrics, lighting, Luminous furniture, medical offices, multi-media design, murals, OLED, smart surfaces, temperature of light, theatrical design, video walls / 1

As is often the case, after attending an engaging and informative continuing education class, I am compelled to share at least a fraction of the energy that I experienced today. When a class is good, it is energizing. This was a most illuminating lighting course!

We know that as interior designers that light plays a significant role in creating a scene. Whether task lighting, ambient lighting, spot lighting or washes of color – light plays an important role. What’s so exciting and compelling is the technology that is so rapidly changing the possibilities!

The profound change is a result of the perfected application of Light Emitting Diodes – LED lighting. Lynne Wilkinson takes the complexity of physics and speaks in plain language with a humorous and entertaining delivery distilling that which is incredibly complex into digestible information.

Here’s a link to Philips for more information:

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-m-li/led-light-bulbs

So today I want to impart a tiny bit of the exciting content of this day. If a child asked you – “what is light?” How might you answer that? Um…well…it’s uh…Electromagnetic radiation. Duh! After clearing that hurdle, we settled into distinguishing the technology between incandescent and fluorescent and a number of other lighting sources. We discussed temperature Kelvin, luminescence, illumination and the atomic composition of protons, neutrons and electrons that are involved. So how is this interesting to YOU?

Well…inasmuch as we in the field have kept step with much of this terminology throughout our careers, and the sci-fi interpretations of the possibilities – the future is HERE! If you just look at I-Phones being only 10 years old, yes, 2007 – we’ve come a long way baby!! Nearly anything you can imagine already exists! And if it doesn’t yet, the brains in the incubators are racing to discover and invent the next iteration of these amazing possibilities!! Look at these cool dots and dashes dramatically streaking across a living room ceiling!

You probably know that LEDs are energy efficient. Have you noticed how dramatically their price has come down in the last, say, three years? They used to be $50 and now they are under $10.. They burn for 50,000 hours…but as they diminish, the quality of their light changes – they will burn long after the accuracy of their illumination has changed. Do you care?

So many health issues are still being discovered with regard to the effectiveness of lighting. Circadian rhythms – how your body is biologically on a timer. How it needs rest and waking hours. What interferes with the natural melatonin in your system that can affect your health. Dark is for sleep. Blue light versus red light can interfere with your good sleep? Here’s a hint – don’t leave computer screens or cell phones on in your bedroom – get rid of the clocks and other light-emitting devices when you are trying to sleep. AVOID the cool colors – blue especially.

To take this to a higher level of interaction, artificial lighting can be “tuned.” We know it can be dimmed and change color – but tuning is the technology of changing the temperature and related color to compliment the activity in the space. Your living room can be tuned to track the time of day to compliment warm early morning, bright cool mid day, dimming down to the warmth of an evening glow. Do you care? Maybe not today – but to better organize and track a busy day, this can be soothing to compliment your morning coffee…energize you into a more productive mode as the day progresses and calm you as the day closes. It might be handy if you lived in Scandinavia where the days are shorter and the desire to create a sense of daylight’s progression is real.

In an operating room – do you want your surgeon to see well into your body parts? By tuning the room in zones, you can place certain colors of light over the surgery to better illuminate and contrast the focal point or dim the light to read monitors better (as in many endoscopic procedures where they go in with a camera and don’t even see the action except on the monitors which are better read with a darkened surrounding quality of light or lack thereof), or brighten other areas where medical implements, keyboards, etc need brighter light to do the job. The understanding and ability to control these various light levels, colors and luminescence is becoming very apparent. Might ultimately be invaluable.

Back to interior design applications and concerns – the idea is to create effective, appropriate light and not see the source. I have always said this especially in the realm of landscape lighting – yes outside. I never use the “runway lights,” rather I chose to conceal the light source and have it spill, wash, spot and filter without giving away the source of the light. It is more subtle, effective, natural, soft, and pleasing. So in a kitchen, don’t let the under-counter lights be spotty, reflected on any adjacent dark or shiny surface, use smaller aperture ceiling fixtures (cans), hockey pucks in cabinets create shadows…with all the new LED tapes, fixtures and diffusers these faux pas are very avoidable.

Lightology has an exciting site full of great images, ideas and information

http://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=how_to&sub=new-recessed-lighting

As recently as 18 months ago we were remodeling a bar and wanted to use LED tape the full-length beneath the long countertop – but the cost was significant. Today, that cost is a fraction of what it was. So I might be re-visiting that bar detail!!!

So many lights can be field modified cut and shaped. With the perfection of Organic LEDs, seemingly limitless possibilities exist. Imagine your laptop being so pliable that you can roll it into a tight tube and pack it effortlessly without fear of cracking or breaking. Light-weight and completely flexible. They exist.

Imagine an entire wall in your home that is a touch screen that can be installed as easily as wallpaper. Yes, pliable and paper thin, glued onto the wall and operate as a computer – all your news and information at your fingertips at a scale that commands the room. Smart surfaces – they exist.

Learn more from Planar

http://www.planar.com/products/led-video-walls/led-calculator/#!/welcome

Learn more from Corning:

https://www.corning.com/au/en/about-us/news-events/features/willow-samples.html

Back to now – smart homes can do so much from an app on your phone and lighting is a huge part of that control. You already know that you can turn you lights on and off from your phone on a beach in Tahiti. But did you know that your phone can be as small as a lipstick tube or small flashlight and have a retractable screen of flexible OLED – easy to hold, pack, carry and with a simple tug, click or push of a button reveal a thin full screen? It exists.

Learn more about OLED:

https://www.oled-info.com/introduction

Architecture and interior design benefit greatly from this technology, but are probably the last to be jumping on the bandwagon. This technology is introduced in so many other aspects of our world before it gets to mere offices and residences. Fabric panel walls that have lights IN the fabric and can be controlled for color and movement, resin furniture glowing from inside that can be used outside in all-weather, stair treads that sparkle with glass embedded into them and coffee tables that have pressure sensitivity that when you touch them they respond. So many of these creative applications are already very cost-effective and remarkably accessible.

Here is more about glowing furniture from Marceladick:

Led Furniture

A German company, Cerion, making exciting glass pieces embedded with LEDs

http://glassprocessing.eu/dg-glass-furniture-glass-processing-3d-laser.htm

Glowing ceiling layers that once were inconvenient to replace lamps (bulbs) often were left dark rather than scale the heights to maintain. Now the long lasting light sources produce their glow for many years.

Fashion is also enhanced with the advent of these light sources in the actual fabrics. Models sporting luminous layers, glowing translucence, sparkling luminescence adding elements to clothing imagined. Think about draperies!

Here is a fashion-forward blog to share:

About the Materials

These exciting applications will be sure to get you thinking about the many possibilities. Love light? Use light!!

Nov 27

Oh the Faces! Spanish Market

By pattisays In A Red Like No Other, Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and interior design, artistic expression, artists, cochineal, colors, decorative arts, design, Discovering Art, expressionism, fanciful design, fashion and design, Fiber art, folkart, handcraft, handmade, inspiration from nature, interior design, Museum of International Folk Art, Organic art, painted furniture, personal expression, red, Santa Fe, New Mexico, travel and design / 1

The sky was grey and the air had a decidedly seasonal still-cool yesterday which called for a cozy indoor activity – offered this weekend in the handsome Hotel Albuquerque, host of the Winter Spanish Market. Yes, the decades old traditional Spanish Market held in Santa Fe outside around the Plaza, on warm summer days in July, has begun a new tradition in Albuquerque in the opposite season indoors. http://www.visitalbuquerque.org/abq365/events/detail/28th-Annual-Winter-Spanish-Market/31793/

The collection of world class artists’ booths beneath the enormous hand-tooled tin chandeliers suspended from the spacious ballroom sparkled with festive illumination and colorful creations.

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A variety of Mariachi bands played to the crowds as the curious and collectors wove in and out of the rows of talented exhibitors.

Fine tin-work, dyed and cut straw assemblies, weavings and jewelry presented an incredible variety of work. Fine crafted furniture and spectacular wall pieces were displayed by master carvers. It was a collection of world-class art and fine craft.

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Crazy interpretations of his beloved traditional retablos are Charlie Carillos commically contemporary interpretations of vintage cars with saints at the wheel. Humor that is received with mixed reviews. But his talent is undisputed. Here he entertains at his booth with his colorful delivery.

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By startling contrast, the rich warm colors and traditional reverence that Catherine Robles-Shaw displays in her incredible carvings and painting techniques, wonderful detail and soulfully expressive faces. Her rich hues are Old World in their sensitivity to tone on tone and dark earthen colors outlined and enhanced with ribbons of gold.

Daughter, Roxanne Shaw-Galindo, a respected santero in her own right has continued to carve her own niche in this exclusive world of bultos, retablos and other manner of fine carving and painting.

The mystic powders carefully sought and gathered from ancient land forms and mineral-rich geology diluted with water and even the precious red of the rare cochineal all contribute to the luminous, translucent colors that read so differently from other media.

And further contrast is Frank L. Garcia with his primary colors of electric blue, yellow and red shining off of his wood surfaces. Uplifting and extracting smiles from all who pass his booth.

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Oh the faces!! Each santero has his or her own style. Like fingerprints, the santeros each have cultivated a unique “look” to their work and expressions of their subjects. The eyes say so much. Mournful, cheerful, pensive or stony stares, the characters are exclusively their own. Despite the similarities bound by tradition, each artist presents a specifically unique style which conveys incredible personality. These signature expressions, as individual as fingerprints, represent so distinctly each inimitable artist. Despite the similarities bound by tradition, the methods and materials, each shine with startling individuality!

Here santero Ruben Gallegos poses with Mary Anne Green an avid collector and fond owner of several of Gallegos’ work.

Lee Valdez hunches over his soon-to-be cross carefully carving the rope detail around the edges. Light pencil lines define the decoration that he follows with remarkable precision – and look – he is sporting two pair of glasses stacked atop one another – which he says works just fine.

Behind him displayed on the wall are several other crosses in all manner of carving and decorative woodwork. One piece in particular is a yellow pine cross that is riddled with dark cinnamon colored worm holes – splattered actually – creating a spectacularly natural design. And further marks of nature that Lee captures are a knot hole and adjacent burled wood that he places dead center in the intersection of the cross. The four end pieces are carved from a piece of butternut wood providing the perfect natural contrast to the yellow pine yet complimenting the dark flecks of the worm holes. Quite a find, in this amazing piece of wood he spied in a hardware store, and remarkable sensitivity to isolate and assemble the various pieces to create the whole.

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A striking woman caught my eye. Her thick curly black hair and handsome silver cross strung on a multi-strand necklace of turquoise made a big statement amidst all of the art and drama. Meet Vanessa Baca.

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As we visited briefly I learned that she is a fellow blogger and I am sure it was fate that we met as her foodinbooks.com is a wealth of observations centered around great books and fabulous food within described. She writes with great depth of description and observation AND she breaks it down and teaches you how to prepare that about what you have just read!

Sean Wells painting as we watched, represents her art in her own striking appearance. Dark hair whipped and twisted with a stylish flair and topped with screaming orange flowers.

Wells’ images are equally colorful, happy and festive. If not her fine retablos, You might recognize her Fanciful Day of the Dead wine bottles and famous, collectible Lottery Scratchers! Find her on Etsy!

It was an inspiring day of extraordinary art in a genre that is so historically and regionally rooted with original methods and patient execution paired with the artistic imaginative people who practice and study this fine work. Thanks so much Mary Ann for a rare treat!

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Today YOU can go see this final day of the 28th Annual Spanish Market 2016! Get over there!