Thrift Art Gallery - More Beautiful Mystery's

I've posted a few Beautiful Mystery's from my Thrift Art Gallery before and actually got help identifying a few pieces, so I thought I'd show ya' a few more from my collection.

This is the 1st piece of art I remember buying. It was at a thrift in FL and has hung in every one of our homes since.  So much for starting small, LOL.

It's signed "Dormz Weimer" or Weiner...I've never found out any info on it, but love it just the same.

This beautiful floral painting is also really fun. I love the color and texture of the sunflowers though the artist "Redi" has never come up during my searches?

Asian art is all the rage and this litho by P. Chu has been a mystery for a few years. 

Signed: P. Chu, Poppies II 170/500

It hangs proudly in my spare bedroom all the same, as does this lovely asian inspired bird painting hanging in our dining room.

Signed H. Johnon, Oil on Canvas

Though they may not be worth their weight in gold, these pieces all bring a little beauty to my life everyday. You don't have to spend a fortune on art that makes you happy...but it's always fun to know that artist behind the art!

If you have insight on any of the art on my blog I'd love to hear about it! Thanks for stopping bye!

Cheers ~ Lara

Mystery Solved

I've had this beautiful lithograph for at least 5 years.  I picked it up at a thrift in Florida, and it has hung in several places in both of our homes throughout the years.  Most recently however, it's been hiding in a closet.  Until today, I never knew the artist...but I always knew it was really cool.  It's numbered 116/260, and the signature has been sending me on wild goose chases since the day I got it!

I searched for Pluar, Sluar, Plurr...and many more combinations.  Then today, out of nowhere I found THIS listing for a Sunal Alvar serigraph on Shopgoodwill.com and I was like BAM!!! THATS IT!!!

Woo Hoo, mystery solved!!!

Sunal Alvar is a highly recognized Spanish artist whose work has been exhibited and collected throughout the world.  His original paintings and lithographs can bring a pretty price, and I'm so excited to have finally put a name to the amazing piece I've been carrying around for years. 

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Share - Going Global

Holiday Cheers...Christmas is almost here!  

(I've added lots of linky links on this weeks post so be sure to click & 

check out the background & details on some of my finds)

This is our Baby Tree in the living room with my favorite Thrifted Vintage Ornaments.

I was afraid our bad dog Lucy would eat the big tree if I put it up!

(Notice my mid century chair has yet to be reupholstered! lol.)

I'm excited for Christmas this year because I'm preparing for a trip to KY to see my family (and my Mommy..YIPEE)!!!  It's been over 3 years since I've been home for the holidays and I can't wait!

Unfortunately, I haven't even started shopping yet due to all kinds of craziness at work, 

but I have managed to stop at a few thrift shops recently and look at some of the goodies I've found.

It's funny how themes develop.  I've always enjoyed having a vintage globe or 2 sitting around the house, but in the last few weeks I've amassed several more for my collection.

This one is my favorite however, because it lights up and makes a rather beautiful statement at night!  It's a Readers Digest globe from the 1980s and is in excellent condition.  

I'm always buying art and really need to get the Thrift Art obsession under control...but I just couldn't pass up this lovely lithograph by LosAngeles/Mexican Folk Artist Esau Andrade.  It's large (18X24) and nicely framed and for only $5 at the Goodwill it was certainly a steal.

I suppose part of Frank Del Olmo's estate was certainly my treasure!

Can't wait to see what goodies your sharing this week too, so I'll be linking up to Sophie's Flea Market Finds and Selena's Thrift Share Monday!

Holiday Cheers ~ Lara

What Do You Do & Studio ReDo!

I reorganized and de-cluttered my studio Sunday...and in the process realized how many unfinished art projects I have laying around! Half painted canvases and scratch pencil drawings galore!  I really should challenge myself to do something with the unfinished canvases.

I'd love some feedback from you other creative gals.  I wonder how many projects you work on at a time?  What do you do with projects you start and never finish ...do you revisit and rework them until you get to a point of completion?  Do you repaint the background of canvases and start over from scratch?  I'd love to hear more about each of your processes.

A journal entry & rough sketch for my room redo

I've really been enjoying the Creative Courage e-course I've been doing hosted by Stephanie Levy.  Last week, one of the topics focused on Improving Your Workspace.  Stephanie challenged us to really take a look at our studios and envision a place where we feel relaxed, inspired & excited to work.  

I'd posted several pictures of my "before" studio here and here.

Part of the problem with my workspace had been that I had been adding so many things to the room that I just didn't have any place to spread out.  The top of my desk was so cluttered that I had no room to lay out supplies while I was working & that was putting a slight cramp in my creativity.  So I fixed it!

I started by rearranging the furniture.  I picked up a new bookcase (thanks Goodwill $12.99 ~ score!) so I was able to completely clean off my desk and make a proper worktable.  Not only that, I can now just swing my chair around and work easily at the desk or easel!

I'm on the lookout to find a longer worktable...but the newly de-cluttered desk is working much better already!

I may resell a lot of vintage goodies in my Etsy shop, but I hold a special place in my heart for thrifted art & books. I tend to collect a tad too many paintings & framed prints.  By keeping the larger pieces of furniture offset from the wall a bit I have a place to store what isn't hanging.  This is much nicer than before where it was all just lining the walls. Though I already had some inspiration pieces hanging on the walls, I filled in a few more of the open spots with some of my own art along with pieces from my Thrift Art Gallery.

New Bookcase & Art Storage

I'm so much happier with the space now!  I'm feel more relaxed and creative, and have had so many ideas generated throughout the process.  

I have to admit though, I'm not the only one enjoying the new room.

 

Stella seems to have found her new spot too...I even caught her napping up here this afternoon without me!  Silly dog :-)

I can't wait to see whats coming up this week in Creative Courage!  I'm feeling so grateful that I signed up for the course!  Thanks again to Stephanie & the other amazing women in the group.

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Art Gallery - Laurent Marcel Salinas

 After Toulouse ~ Lithograph

I came across this wonderful lithograph by French Painter Laurent Marcel Salinas (1913 - 2010) at a Thrift Store in Florida.  This was printed in an edition of 1500, and is a beautiful image after the style of Toulouse Lautrec.  I believe this lithograph may have been from his 1957 Solo Exhibition in NYC. 

Signature in Pencil with Stamp of Authenticity 

Salinas died in 2010, making his art more sought after & collectible.   RoGallery in NYC has a large collection of his paintings and lithographs for sale, and I seem to really like his more "cubist" style paintings.

Here are a few more examples of his work that I really am drawn to: 

1945 ~ Untitled Cubist Composition. Gouache on Board

1941 ~ L'arbre sec. Oil on Masonite

1950 ~ Untitled: Red Pitcher with Grapes. Oil on Canvas.

Cheers ~ Lara

Decorating Dilemmas

We've been living in our Long Beach home for a little over 2 years now.  It's a rental, so we can't do any major changes like painting or remodeling ~ so I do a lot of tweaking to our furnishings.

My biggest decorating challenge has been our back room~den.  It's an odd shaped room off the kitchen and along the back of the house.  The door & window open up to the patio.  It's very long & kind of narrow and I just can't get it right.

View into Kitchen...say Hi to Stella!

I know hanging curtains would make a world of difference.  In a dream world, I'd knock all those windows out and put sliding glass doors across the back of the house!

Back corner of Room

View from Kitchen...notice how the TV has to be hooked up on this wall.  It makes area where brown couch is awkward.

I've rearranged the furniture several times & lately have been moving paintings & accessories in from other rooms.

This was a while back, notice all the red accessories.  They look great, but I'm sick of staring at the same colors for over 2 years and just needed a change.  Also, notice the bench & couch are angled differently?

I just changed up some of the pillows & the coffee table (this is the 3rd that I've tried).  I love the shape and height of this one...but the mirror is just not practical in this busy space.   Too many smudges & too much dog hair.

Also looking for new pillows.

Morgan at the Brick House just found the perfect coffee table on Craigslist in LA...it's EXACTLY what I've been looking for!  Why wasn't I scouring LA Craigslist last week???

I'm so jealous...wouldn't this table be perfect!!!  

I guess I'll keep tweaking till I get it right...and I'm open to any Decorating Suggestions!!!  You probably can't tell from the pictures that the tags are still attached to the pillows. lol.  But I'm still not decided on the brown floral pillows.  I wanted some more color, but think they feel a little too "patio furniture" inspired.  Thank goodness Home Goods has a 30 day return policy, I just don't know if these are right.

The hunt continues!

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Share - Prison Break

Do you ever come across those people who seem to have a never ending Yard Sale?

You see the same neon signs every week, but hesitate to stop back in because you've already been?

There's a lady in Los Alamitos that fits this exact description.  I've actually acquired several great items from her (like these yellow lamps which I'd be grateful if you gave your opinion on)...and on my 3rd and last visit she gave me a big roll of posters because I'd bought so many other things and she remembered me. 

When I initially inquired about them, I'd only seen the first two posters not rolled into the pile, which were some local art gallery posters from 1984.  The rest of the loot was all rolled up and taped together and I wasn't actually able to see what the content was...all I knew what that she'd gotten them from an architect  years ago.

This past weekend, I finally got out an exacto knife & started cutting and peeling away the tape...and you can imagine my surprise when I uncovered a trove of architectural plans for Prisons!

Utah Regional Secure Facility

Look how happy these prisoners are...hanging out on couches with good art and their families. lol

Maricopa is actually pretty cool graphically & on a shiny silver paper (doesn't look too hot in the pic)

Omaha Correctional Facility

Once again, these prisoners are living the high life...playing cards & sleeping in nice beds. 

These are just a few examples, but all and all, there are over 20 posters that were produced in the 1970s and 1980s by the Architectural Firm HDR (Henningson Durham & Richardson) out of Phoenix, AZ.  I don't know what in the heck I'll do with all these prison posters...but if you know anyone locked up that may need an escape route let me know, I may be able to send you the layout. LOL.

Once again, I'm linking up to Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday along with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds so be sure to check out all the other found treasures there!

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Art Gallery - Irving Shapiro

Jenny's Cove ~ Watercolor on Paper. 9" x 12"

I came across this watercolor painting by Irving Shaprio at a Goodwill a few years ago.  The jagged rocks and vivid color in the painting caught my eye.  It's nicely matted and framed and seems to be from the 60s or 70s.  I fell in love with it immediately and it's been hanging in our home ever since.

Irving Shapiro was born in Chicago.  He studied painting at the Art Institute and the American Academy of Art, both in Chicago.  The American Academy of Art Library is actually named after Irving Shapiro who was a distinguished fine artist and watercolor painting instructor there from 1945 until he retired.

Signature:  I. Shapiro, AWS

This beautiful example of his work is in the permanent collection of the Illinois State Museum.

Irving Shapiro (1927 - 1994)
Forest Floor, circa 1968
Chicago, Illinois
watercolor, 19 3/4 by 27 1/2 inches
Illinois State Museum collection

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Art Gallery - Beautiful Mysteries

While I have some pretty cool noted artists included in my Thrift Art collection, there still remain some amazing paintings that for now belong in the Tomb of the Unknown Artists.

Can you help me Solve these Beautiful Mysteries???

 I've had this beautiful painting hanging in both of our homes & I really love it!

36" X 36" Oil Painting Signed Sandoval.  

There is an artist Robert Sandoval in Taos, but I was informed that this was not his signature...

This wonderful Geisha has been hanging as a centerpiece over the flat screen for a few months now.

She's just stunning & so masterfully painted.

12 X 24 Oil Painting of Geisha signed MFR?

I found this mixed media piece at an Antique Shop in Torrance, CA. 

I was drawn to the whimsy & petina of this amazing assemblage on thick block of wood.

The faces are drawn on rocks, and the small rock at the bottom is signed IRWIN.

I thought it may possibly be by Long Beach native & famous CA artist Robert Irwin.

I've sent out a few feelers to research the possibility, but still haven't been able to connect any dots.

Any ideas?

*****UPDATE****

I believe I've uncovered the mystery of the Irwin piece, and oddly enough have also bought another piece of his work.  I found this photo online on a Skinner auction page, and it just has to be the same artist.

Click HERE to learn more about Irwin H. Brown

Maybe someday the other makers will be revealed too, but for now I love them each the same.  All of these amazing works of art are proudly displayed around our home.

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Art Gallery - Klee & Kandinsky

I just love the artwork of Paul Klee, and when I saw this 1930 Gallery Poster advertising an exhibit with Paul Klee & Wassily Kandinsky...I knew it was special.

This poster is from Galerie Berggruen in Paris.  Uner the image it says: Paul Klee, Aquarelle 1930, and Spectre D'Un Gurrier.

I just love the poster, but unfortunately I don't have anywhere to hang it.  Poor thing lives on the floor of my studio.  I have however, used it in a photo shoot or 2.

I've used it as a prop once or twice.

As I'm sure you already know, I love to collect Art Books.  I've snagged a few on Klee that I really adore...

I would be remiss without showing you my own ode to Klee, a mixed media drawing on paper.

Cheers ~ Lara