Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Color coordinated garden


It seems that when you decorate for a living, the desire to make things look right permeates everything you do and every aspect of your life.

For instance, I planted seeds for the garden to be all in shades of pinks and purples. Now the kicker is that things never turn out as you would plan. My garden has started coming into full bloom and very few are in the colors I planted. As a matter of fact, I don’t recall planting most of what is coming up. The whole thing is a profusion of yellows! Are they remains of some long past garden, before it was mine? Have the birds gone berserk and dropped mounds of yellow bearing flower seeds? Oh where, oh where have the (pink) flowers gone? Yet, I can’t bear pulling them out. They are God’s beautiful creation, so I cannot destroy them.

For you purists out there, I admit, weeds are also part of creation, but I believe they were put here by the devil to cause confusion and chaos. Don't all flowers have a an evil twin weed?

Alas, I guess I’ll try changing my color theme to yellow, then maybe next year they will come up pink.....or red.....or orange.....or...........

Monday, June 29, 2009

Art placement?




What makes some people better at placing art than others? Is there really a better way?


When I was a child I often heard people say (and still do on occassion) that art should be hung at eye level. This is quite confusing to a 4' tall child standing next to a 6'4" man, and still is at my full grown 5'2".


I entered a restaurant the other day that had a small picture on one wall. The eye level would have been for someone at least 6'6" tall and the piece was so small that it looked like a post it note on a refrigerator. You had to be standing on the table on the other side of the room, with binoculars, to view it comfortably. This is, by the way, frowned on by the owner of the establishment and no matter how much I tried to expain my reason he just wasn't understanding.


So, for all you out there not sure what to do, here are a few simple guildlines.


1. Small wall: small art


2. Big wall: big art or tight grouping to give the effect of 1 large piece


3. If art is placed over furniture or a chair rail, the bottom of the art should be 3-11" above the object. I find that 6-7 " works for most pieces.


4. If not over anything: What are you doing primarily in the area? Standing or sitting?


a. If standing : Pretend the art is a mirror reflecting most adults chest up. If you are in a "Mutt and Jeff" situation, as I am with my spouse, imagine the art as a reflection of how a photographer would capture the two of you standing side by side. For those of you not old like me and don't know who Mutt and Jeff are, put a tall and a short person together.


b.If sitting: Place the art where it can be viewed COMFORTABLY while sitting. You don't want to be straining your necks to see it.


Art is to be seen and enjoyed. Placed well it enhances the art as well as the room it is in, and that will make us all much happier!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

It's not the 4th of July, yet!


It's another hot June day and really quiet in the shop. Everyone is at the park celebrating the 4th of July. The fact that it's June 27 doesn't matter. Our fair city wants to be the 1st to display fireworks in the area and makes a whole day of celebrating. Food vendors, dance schools and acrobats performing, some military equipment with the local guard. You know, an all around fun time. My favorite thing in life is looking at army trucks. The parade is so "good" that as one 6 year old put it "That's the worst parade I've ever seen!" They had a band this time. Haven't had one of those in years. Must be improving!
So here I am, with the hope that someone will wander off from the park and maybe stop in the shop and spend some money. I've been hoping that would happen on this day for many years and it hasn't occured yet. Even when we've offered free snacks and ice water!

Oh well, guess I'll close and go look at army trucks.