Art Supplies In Shanghai

Aren't these pretty?

I am trying to figure out a project for these, any suggestions?

I picked up a lifetime supply of crepe paper! I loved the chaos in this booth.

I recently visited the indoor art supplies market in Shanghai. It is a crazy, cramped, and claustrophobic place. Some commonplace items are still hard to find here, but random weird items are plentiful. Packages of tiny people and paper mache fruit can be found in just about every booth. I single handedly cornered the world supply of crepe paper sheets!!! I will keep you posted on what I am going to do with all of it.

Gang Of One

I came across the wonderful photos of Gangfeng Wang, the owner Gang Of One studio in Shanghai. Wang began photographing daily life in China back in 1981 with a "used camera and expired film". He is a self taught artist and his neighbors were his first inspiration. I am delighted every time I look at two of his photographs we have hanging in our home in China. A new friend of mine had Gangfeng Wang photograph her family in an old shikumen neighborhood in Shanghai. The photos are stunning. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Qi Zhilong

I am a huge admirer of Chinese born artist Qi Zhilong. His enormous portraits based on Chinese propaganda posters are truly wonderful. I hope we can see some of his paintings during our time here in China.

Living Out Of A Suitcase

Have you ever seen anything cooler? I love these repurposed suitcases by South African designer Katie Thompson, the founder of REcreate Interior Design.

Recycle Art

Radiator chair, you will certainly need a cushion, but it looks cool!

Guest House made out of sewer pipe?

Headboard made out of books

Floor of copper pennies

All images from Recyclart.org

Recyclart.org is a wonderful site for finding inspirations for create repurposing. Why don't I have a top hat light in every room in my house and a copper penny entryway? What do you think of the little guest house made out of a giant concrete pipe?

Let The Wild Rumpus Begin!

Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are

I can't wait to see the film "Where The Wild Thing Are" this weekend. In 1988, when I was working for The Chicago Opera Theater they produced a spectacular opera based of Sendak's book. The costumes and scenery were extraordinary.
I treasure the tiny book "Pierre" which I was lucky enough to have Maurice Sendak sign for me!

Jessie Willcox Smith

Jessie Willcox Smith (1863-1935) was a prolific American illustrator for Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal and Collier's Weekly. Jessie illustrated Charles Kingsley's odd fairytale The Water-Babies in 1916.
I keep hoping I will find a first edition of this book at an estate sale or junk store for $1.00!

L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu to all of my friends celebrating Rosh Hashanah.

Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy's art involves the use of natural and found objects, to create both temporary and permanent sculptures. I adore Goldsworthy's beautiful sculptures and I feel compelled to pay tribute to him every time I see brightly colored leaves in the Fall.

The Art of Victorian Photocollage

Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage (Art Institute of Chicago)- Elizabeth Siege

The Marvelous Album of Madame B: Being the Handiwork of a Victorian Lady of Considerable Talent- Elizabeth Siege

The Art of Victorian Photocollage

The Art Institute of Chicago
October 10, 2009- January 3, 2010

The Art Institute of Chicago will be opening the most wonderful exhibit on the Victorian art of photocollage. Victorian women in the 1850s and1860s began experimenting with collage for their scrapbooks and photo albums. " The compositions they made with photographs and watercolors are whimsical and fantastical, combining human heads and animal bodies, placing people into imaginary landscapes, and morphing faces into common household objects. "

Why Do Pianos Beach Themselves?

Florentijn Hofman, Dutch Artist
Signpost 5
The Island Schiermonnikoog 2006
Three grand pianos each 8 x 6 x 5 meters
Wood and nails

I love this sculpture of three grand pianos washed up on the shore of a Dutch island in the Wadden Sea.

Piano Adoption

I love a great bargain and I especially love free stuff! I have noticed many classified ads for free pianos over the years and Craigslist always seems to have a number of free pianos at any given time. I stumbled across PianoAdoption.com, it is a free site where you can find a home for your unused piano or get a free piano.



There is a very cool musician named Neko Case, who began collecting free pianos from Craiglist. She filled her Vermont barn with the free pianos and recorded her album using her thrifty piano orchestra.

Aw Shucks

I would like to thank two of my dearest blogging friends for their recognition and kind words!

This pretty award comes from Joan Babb at the lovely blog Anything Goes Here. Joan is a flea market vendor with a gift for finding the most wonderful vintage treasures. Joan also has the most stylish booth imaginable and a home to match!



The very talented collage artist Marsha Jorgensen/Tumble Fish Studios
gave me this wonderful award. Marsha exploded onto the collage world about one year ago, and has since been published in many lovely magazines, and has built a tremendous loyal following.

Please visit all of my friends listed in my sidebar under "Cool Places". They are all more than deserving of recognition and awards, and I pass these awards on to them.

Joe "40,000" Murphy

I first discovered the beautiful art of Joe "40,000" Murphy in one of my favorite books, Create And Be Recognized, Photography On The Edge, by John Turner and Deborah Klochko.
Joseph (Cerny) Murphy worked as an usher in Chicago for fifty years and had his photograph taken with just about every celebrity , athlete and politician . He altered the images with pen, gold star stickers and ephemera and displayed them in his Chicago garage.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Murphy got his nickname when he was asked to estimate the crowds "during Chicago's bleak baseball days of the 1920s, he would say there were 40,000 ...(pause)... empty seats."

For more information about Joe "40,000" Murphy (1897-1979), check out Interesting Ideas, it is chalk full of cool information about Joe and other outsider artists.