New This Week...

A few new listings this week...

Vintage Pink Dress

English Literature & Prose Antique Book Stack 

40 Vintage International & Bird Stamps 

2.2 Yards Pink and White Funky Fabric

Blue Dior Oxford

Vintage Lace Trim

Vintage Satin Edge Lace Trim ~ Gunne Sax by Jessica McClintock

Be Sure to stop by soon and browse all the Vintage Goodness in my Etsy shop

 NowSoLA

Cheers ~ Lara

Thrift Share - What a Gas

I just returned from a trip abroad and one of our many stops was Cologne, Germany.

It was a beautiful city, but one recurring & rather disturbing theme there was Gas Masks!

This display was in an antique shop in Cologne. SCARY!

On our last day in the city, there was an anti-nuclear protest about 5 miles long, and seriously 1/2 the protesters were wearing Gas Masks.  I saw gas masks in store displays, antique stores, and museums.

Is that normal? 

Instillation at Museum Ludwig.

This all leads me to my question.  I was at a Yard Sale and purchased a trunk with a bunch of vintage linens.  When I got home and started going through the trunk, I had to throw many of the linens away due to mold, but at the bottom lay this gas mask.  I've never known what to do with it.  Morally I thought it was a little too morbid to list in my shop, but I hesitate to just throw it away.  Do people collect these things? Does Goodwill sell them?

The bag is actually sort of neat, it would make a cool camera bag.

If you had a gas mask (or if you do)...what do you do with it???  Any insights would be greatly appreciated! 

I'm linking up to Apron Thrift Girls Thrift Share Monday post again, so drop by and check out all of the other amazing (not so morbid) finds there :-)

Have a great week ~ 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

New This Week...

SOLD ~ 5 Yards Vintage Cotton Fabric by Schwartz Leibman Textiles

SOLD ~ 70s Summer Dress by Dutchess

Vintage Fabric

Set of Funky Folk Art Prints by artist *Richard Howard.

Vintage Buttons by LaMode

Pink Day Dress by Lady Carol Petites

Vintage Hand Embroidered Baby Blanket

80s Blue & White Dress by Karin Stevens

Cheers ~ Lara

Inspirational Outings ~ Museum Ludwig, Cologne Germany

During my recent journey through Europe, I had the opportunity to visit Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany.  It was an amazing contemporary art museum & by far my favorite museum visit during the European trip.

Franz Gertsch ~ Marina Making up Luciano 1975 Acrylic on unprimed cotton, Museum Ludwig.

I discovered the work of large scale photorealist painter Franz Gertsch, and was drawn right into this unbelievable painting! Yes...it's a painting!
This sculpture by was so realistic that it took me a minute to realize that this wasn't actually another museum visitor! 

Duane Hanson~ Woman with a Purse. 1974. Museum Ludwig

 The immense collection of contemporary art was so impressive & I admired many of the large scale instillations!  

Wall of Warhol's

Some students in the Gallery.

I see Me in this Rene Magritte Painting, Presence.

Jasper Johns

The gothic architectural of Cologne provided a striking backdrop & beautiful juxtaposition to the contemporary masterpieces inside.

Rooftop Sculpture

Dom Cathedral

Rhine River, Cologne Germany

If I ever have the opportunity to visit Koln Germany again, I will definitely pay head back to Museum Ludwig!

Richard Hamilton ~ Bathers. 1967. Museum Ludwig 

What is it with the Germans & the Gas Masks??? They were everywhere!!

On a brighter note! A much happier painting by James Rosenquist.

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

Blooms

California is in Bloom much of the year, but the flowers seem to glow in the Spring.

On my afternoon walk with Stella yesterday, I snapped a few pictures using my new favorite app Instagram.  

This beautiful rose is in my front yard.

Here she is in the Morning Dew.

This home always has such beautiful roses, but I loved these 2 sticking through the fence.

Simple beauty of the Calla Lily.

Birds of Paradise always make me smile.

Sweet bunnies hiding in this garden are ready for Easter!

This overgrown garden is one of my favorites.  It always holds a new surprise.

Happy Spring to You!