Introducing Buy More Art, a subtly-titled weekly collection of art and art events I'm recommending to the world. A close runner up name for the new series: Love your Artist Neighbor, Buy More Art! (borrowing language from Lauren Winner's advice for art patrons in this book)
After writing 101 Monday Mixtape posts, I'm throwing a farewell party and welcoming in the new guy. You'll notice the mixtape lives on in spirit. We're just hanging up the jersey on the metaphor.
In case you're wondering, a couple of things I consider when I'm putting together my collection:
- Is this an emerging artist who could use a shout-out?
- Is this an emerging artist I've met, friend of a friend, reminds me of someone I know?
- Do I enjoy the painting/print/tunes/exhibit/piece/pages so much I want to own it for myself?
- Does this artist have a risk-taking story I'm cheering?
- Does this work feature the banjo? Move it straight to the top of the list.
This first week back to the regular series of Buy More Art I'm shamelessly plugging the amazing creators and cultivators in my family. Truth is, there are many more -- musicians, carpenters, architects, best-party-throwers-in-the-world and closet-artists of all sorts, bakers-extraordinaire -- but not wanting to scare you away with my superpower of bragging-on-family I selected only those with a web presence. Easier to share with the world that way.
Never one to miss a chance for self-promotion, here's a list linking you to all the other times I've bragged on my creative family here at This Sacramental Life.
Where's Ulysses, review of Wilderness by one proud mamaEnjoy!
Couponing for Community
Dismantling the Family Enterprise
My Favorite Creators and Cultivators in 2008
Photos, Family and Fairy Gardens
Monday Mixtape: [the-inspired-by-my-kids edition]
Monday Mixtape: [the family edition]
Confession
-- 1 --
Grant and Deb Photographers (Virginia Beach, VA)
Unless you live in central or eastern Virginia you probably won't hire this dynamic photo duo (husband and wife team Grant and Deb) but I promise you'll love browsing their website anyway. They're so good we drove from New York to Virginia -- not once but twice -- for our boys' senior photo shoots.
Wedding photography is their superpower. That's not just me saying so; so says every bride's standby resource The Knot.
Way to go cousins!
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| only a few of our favorites from Grant and Deb Photographers |
-- 2 --
studio:christensen (Philadelphia, PA)
Ten years ago on New Year's Eve our family room burst into flames. Only the grace of God and the efficient response of our small town volunteer fire station kept us from losing our entire house. During the sub-zero temperatures the rest of that winter and into the spring Brian and I tried to figure out how to make the best of the damage, to rebuild a new and better kitchen and family room.
Thankfully we didn't have to figure it out alone.
Three talented cousins -- Jason the carpenter, John the architect and Jt the designer -- sat around our singed dining room scratching out ideas on graph paper. We felt pretty lucky then but really had no idea how much.
Following those dining room table sessions Jt has pursued experience in fine arts, graphic design, and photography culminating into his degree and professional career in interior design and architecture. In 2009 he launched studio:christensen- a multifaceted design firm specializing in hospitality and residential design. Now he's making his mark in center city Philadelphia.
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| studio:christensen is not only gallery and workspace, but offers home furnishings by brands such as Kartell, Moroso, Vitra, Paul Evans, Knoll, Herman Miller, Gio Ponti and Eames |
-- 3 --
Glennon Interiors (Phoenixville, PA)
I may be a bit premature with this shout-out as my delightful cousin Megan only just this week launched the Facebook page for her Interior design business. Still, make yourself a steaming cuppa and spend a happy half hour drooling over browsing her photos. (while you're there make sure you click that good ol' LIKE button!)
Next, if you live in the Philadelphia/Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania hire that girl quick. I have a feeling she's going to be busy.
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| a collage of some of my favorite Glennon Interiors work; the office makeover at the top center is my sister's house |
-- 4 --
Cha-Ching on a Shoestring (world wide web!)
OK, so it's a bit of a stretch to include my sister's work in a post titled Buy More Art. Let's say that she excels in the art of living on less and if we follow her advice we'll find more money to Buy More Art. See how beautifully that fits?!?
Truth is my Kaley has a passion for saving money and helping others do the same. She's taken that passion and made culture as a super-thrifty creator and cultivator. And I'm really proud of her work.
Truth is my Kaley has a passion for saving money and helping others do the same. She's taken that passion and made culture as a super-thrifty creator and cultivator. And I'm really proud of her work.
Anderson Cooper segment:
You'll also love the regular contributions to the site from my very own mama -- aka, the Dollar Store Diva.
-- add your art --
Now it's your turn! What art are you making, selling, buying? Tell us about it in the comments below. If you've written your own post, share the link.
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"The God who impoverished himself is also the God of abundance, and somehow, perhaps at times nonsensically, Christians are called to live out of an ethic not of scarcity but of abundance—an abundance that extends both to the homeless neighbor and to the artist neighbor. . . " -- Lauren Winner, from her chapter THE ART PATRON: Someone Who Can't Draw a Straight Line Tries to Defend her Art-Buying Habit in For the Beauty of the Church
