Photos from the Brownie Hawkeye

So the results are in. . . I took a bunch of pictures with the 120mm film and they the camera yielded hazy and dream like photos. Actually pretty difficult to achieve naturally in this day and age with digital. The wonderful and unique thing about these photos are that they are 5x5" and not just the ordinary 4x6" or 5x7". The camera is from the mid-century and it had built up dust particles throughout the viewfinder and the lens behind the shutter. So, I took it apart and cleaned it. Currently I'm shooting another roll of film to see if the picture quality will improve.

 

Phonographs and vinyl revolutionized the film industry lending voices and music to moving pictures. As they became popular, they sold as household appliance and played a part of the American culture that makes up the fabric of this society. Records were heaven sent showcasing musical talents giving opportunity to both musicians and the general public to own their works. 

Then came the digital age, that made these wonderful machines obsolete. I purchased the above phonograph off of Craigslist for $15, repainted it, and it was used as a prop in a photo shoot. In it's retirement, it has lost its voice but not it's mobility. Using a hot glue gun my son and I found small plastic toys to adhere onto vinyl records creating various interchangeable scenes and remaking the use of the analog phonograph. It is art!

Empty Bowl 2011

There is an annual event put on in Chinatown called the Empty Bowl event to help to wipe out hunger. You can buy ceramic bowls for $20 and a bowl of soup is included along with the purchase. They are all donated and handmade by various ceramicist. This year, there were over 4000 bowls to choose from. The line ran from Mark's garage down Nuuanu Street and it wrapped around King street. There was a large turnout. Many local restaurants helped by donating soup which made it a successful event. Art collectors like me could choose and buy a piece and at the same time help to fight hunger in Hawaii.

Above are the two bowls that we purchased. They were made by no named artists.  They symbolize night and day for us.

Sake' Sets

Hello to all of you who frequent this blog. I recently experienced artist block which was far from having ideas bottled up, or even the lack of motivation to create, but more accurately finding nothing very interesting to share... that is until now. I had lunch with a friend today who asked if I kept up my posts on Apartment Art and my response was that I had slowed down quite a bit. He articulated that he likes to find small artistic pieces whenever he travels because of the ideas that he has read from this blog. I was inspired by his comments so I wanted to thank  Elijah for the positves!

Recently, I was shopping at a Japanese market called Marukai. Frequenting the household items I found this sake' glass set with a sumo motif. They were very unique and I knew that they would be wonderful conversation pieces for dinners with friends who enjoy Japanese rice wine or sake'. There are five different poses by five different wrestlers.

The glasses are about 1.5"in height even though the photos make them appear larger.

Inspired by Japan: Hawaii Potter's Guild

Esther Shimazu, "Cleaning My Head I and II"

My family and I left our car at Jiffy Lube for a jiffy lube and we decided to walk around the corner to get a burger for lunch. Before arriving at the burger joint we noticed that there was an event taking place at the Japanese Cultural Center which we decided to check out. There in the distance was my high school English teacher Pat Takeshita who articulated that we were at a ceramics show sponsored by the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation. The work speaks for itself with a very high level of talent from the Hawaii Potter's Guild. I hope that you enjoy these photos as much as we enjoyed the show!

Shelle Avecilla, "Smoke Stacks"

Judy Okimoto, "Angelina Flying"

Domenica Sattler, "Light:Happiness"

Yoko Haar, "Drifting"

Patti Gallagher-Jones, "Lost at Sea Fish"

 Pat Takeshita, "Copper Earth Willow"

Queenie Kwock, "Dimpled Shadows"

 Esther Shimazu, "Cleaning My Head I and II"

 Aaron Padilla, "Red Swril"

 Esther Norwell, "Lion Dogs"

Maile Yawata, "Boy Soldier"

All Tied Up

 

As a sailor of the high seas in old ships, Mike Lawnsby has been to corners of the Earth that most of us would only be able to view in shows like Planet Earth. One evening over a shots of espresso, he told all about sailing to the Midway Atolls Wildlife Refuge and the natural beauty of this protected bird sanctuary. As an amateur photographer, he captured stunning and breathtaking shots of the landscape, the seascape, and the wildlife. In describing his two month expedition it led into a conversation about his knot tying knowledge which is a requirement for sailing the types of old fashioned ships that he did. 

Pulling out a green glass flask with raised lettering at the bottom which read, "POISON" he showed me a complex weave decorating and protecting the narrow body of the bottle. Inspecting it with my fingertips, my first impression was that some kind of adhesive must have been holding the weave together for it to adhere so tightly to the slick surface of the glass. Mike explained that the decorative quality is repetitive knot tying and the tightness of the entire weave is pulled by hand and leveraged by an awl like instrument one knot at a time. He was very generous with his knowledge by giving me a Turk Head knot tying lesson on the spot.

Pulling out a needle case that he crafted from bamboo and a wine cork, Mike used raw materials to make cool functional art that had a pulse. Of course he highlighted the art of tying tight knots on this piece and it's decorative quality. He burnt the image of the ship that he had sailed onto the bamboo as modern day scrimshaw on wood instead of on bone.

Thanks Mike for the lesson and for the opportunity to hear about your experiences!

Jewelry Maker Renae Erickson

Jewelry makers are a special breed of individuals who have the fortitude and tenacity to bend the will of raw materials to fit their vision. The result of their works are ornate creations made for decorating a person which gives birth to an individual style. My friend Renae is a jewelry makers who uses fire, metal clamps, resin, hardware tools, presses, etc... to create perfectly simple yet complex and artfully quaint gems that highlight the people wearing them. She carefully considers the design of each piece to ensure that the jewelry complements the fashion for the owner. Her pieces are bold but not overly done. It has taken many years for her to hone her skills making her work unique and sharp. Here are some pictures of her jewelry designs below:

Filigree Rings

 

 Earrings

Cherry Blossoms in resin. Stud earrings 1/2" in diameter

Cherry Blossoms in resin. Stud earrings 1/2" in diameter

Damask in resin. Stud earrings 1/2" in diameter

Vintage Swarovski crystal on antiqued bras

Vintage Bakelite Art Deco centerpieces with rhinestone; Clear Swarovski crystals; Green faceted Onyx Briolette; antiqued brass

Swarovski briolettes; red Garnet; Brass

Brilliant works of art Renae! rdecojewelry@gmail.com

Where to keep an Elephant?

 

The answer to the title is, "in the kitchen." I picked up this little elephant bottle opener at SF MOMA. It is a fun decorative piece that doubles as a conversation piece. The trunk and front feet pops open non-twist bottle caps, and the back fits over the twist-off caps. It is functional ApArTmEnT ArT.

Merry Christmas

 

 As Christmas nears, I'm behind schedule with gifts and cards. That is because I'm too busy painting and blogging. Ha ha ha! At least the designs are holiday cheer images. Perhaps I should print a stack and send them out as belated thoughts of season's greetings. Or should I send them out next year as early holiday wishes in 2011?

Hog Board

Hog Cutting Board

Today's post is about functional art, specifically a cutting board. This simple piece is a slab of wood cut into a shape of a pig. It serves as an art piece when it is not being used, as a cutting board, and as a serving tray for cheese, chocolates, salami, or bite size h'orderves. It stands proudly over our sink.

The Guardian of the Sink

The side with the insignia is used for slicing meats like beef, chicken, fish or God forbid pork! Yikes!

Side of Cutting Board Used for Slicing Meats

The other side with no mark, is used for slicing fruits, vegetables, breads, or as a serving tray. Cheers!