Etsy Spotlight: Janet Hill Studio

I love paintings of rooms; vintage and new. I wrote about Anne Harwell's fantastic prints a while ago (visit her Etsy store here: Annechovie)... but never blogged about another favourite Etsy seller: Janet Hill Studios.

She Liked To Call Them Her Canary Shoes by Janet Hill

I love Janet Hill's work... here's some of my more favourite pieces from her store.

1. Sarah and her Fan, 2.Rosecutter's Cottage, 3. Summer Dresses, 4. Flowering Orange Tree, 5. The Reader Paige Has New Books, 6. Port And French Cheeses, 7. Dressing, 8. The Music Box, 9. Irises
Taken from JanetHillStudio's Etsy Store

Rush to her store to pick up your own Janet Hill!

Update: Jacqueline Kennedy: the White House years

Woo heee!!!! I just received a heads up from J.Mette letting me know that the Jacqueline Kennedy poster has been reprinted and is on sale again at the Field Museum at Chicago!

I discovered it way back in Jan 2008. Thanks J.Mette!



Get yours today!

Nutcracker costume by Rachel Papo

really inspires me and makes me feel happy... but at $600 a print... that's just something I'll have to enjoy onscreen and printed out on my home colour printer to stick onto my inspiration board.



Purchase Rachel Papo's print at ClampArt Gallery.

Brian from ClampArt kindly also referred me to a MUCH more affordable print by Rachel Papo at 20x200. Entitled Nastya Before Class, St. Petersburg, Russia for $20.



Thanks Brian

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! We're going to be busy clearing junk in our house for the council hard rubbish collection on Monday!

My Nicola at Kim's!

I wrote a couple of months ago about my Shabner's Nicola being for sale. I love it... but gave it up to someone... not without regret... but it's so great to see it in the home of someone so utterly deserving, and it looks soo damn good in her home.

Kim from Desire to Inspire was the lucky buyer and I'm so pleased. I'm also so jealous that it fits so much better in her home!!!!! Nicola never looked so good!

Image from Kim's Flickr

For those of us in Victoria, Australia and are facing the threat of the bushfires, my prayers and thoughts are constantly with you. Hope none of you lose homes today in the threat of high temps and high winds. I too, will be watching my skies and fields around us!

Ish and Chi Etsy store

Ya all have to go to Ish and Chi's brand spanking new Etsy store to see and grab some happy prints!

Love the pink one! Already have a spot picked out ;)





See more here. Well done, Viv!

Inspiration at my desk

I moved a few things around recently and just put these on my desk temporarily while re-arranging another spot..

I've left them there because I love the different shapes, textures, lines and finishes of white! (And that burst of yellow, a Christmas gift from MIL.)

Today I'm inspired by

... vintage floral bouquets in simple white frames against a snowy white wall...


I've been trying to collect them especially since we moved and I painted my large and high living room 3-4 coats of white :) I don't have as many nice ones since they are getting expensive...

Here's my slowly growing collection:


This is my latest... a floral bouquet painted 2 years ago by my husband's 94 year old Nanna.


Coco+Kelley also posted a similar image here. (Actually looks like the same frames rearranged!)

James Merrell

Nicola by Shabner for sale.

This is now for sale. I thought I'd offer it here before eBay-ing it. Any takers? I can try to remove it from the frame and insert it into a mailing tube if preferred, since the frame is damaged at the bottom.

Measurements with frame are 60cm height, 50cm width.

Leave a comment or email me via my paperbean design website.

My new {Family} Poster

No one in my family (not even 2 year old Hannah) or circle of friends like Nicola. Only I do. The frame needs replacing, sure but Nicola herself is in great condition! There's just something about her gentleness, her poise...

Anyway. Fact is fact: No one likes it.

So under subtle hints from husband and 2 year old Hannah, the in laws, the rellies, the friends, I got it replaced. (Plus I have to admit, it does seem odd her hanging there solo above the fireplace when she's not our ancestor or friend or my portrait :P)

Now that space is replaced with my newest poster, {Family}.



I love it, although I wish it were larger but I couldn't afford the print price plus framing in view of recent more urgent needs. One day! :)

I'd love to do one for you in your own custom colour and size choices! Contact me via my paperbean design website :) (link above on left)

My Nicola and her friends

I wrote about my eBay score nearly two months to the date... the gorgeous Nicola by Shabner.

Image from Decor8

Today I realised I hadn't updated you on where it now hangs! Holly from Decor8 posted a pic from London store, Etoile Home where the Shani has photographed her gorgeous vintage and new wares. I spy a Nicola there!



She now graces my fireplace. I'm looking for smaller, similar artwork... maybe some vintage brown and black prints...

(Fireplace to be painted crisp white or yellow soon).

My latest silhouette

I wrote about my first silhouette in May 2008. Hangs proudly on my yellow and white art section in my study...



My latest is a canvas art for my sister in law's birthday. I love it... but would you have guessed it from the original snapshot?



Contact me (see email address above left) for your own personalised photo-turned-silhouette!

Visit Paperbean Design for my other silhouettes.

Verdant Kelly Green

Blue and chocolate
Pink and orange
Yellow and white and black...

I'm finding now I really really like this verdant green! And seeing it so bold and strong in living spaces really invigorate me!

Domino

Sherrill Canet Interiors

Area Interior Design

Domino

Flickr: my imaginary boyfriendz

My First Gorgeous Portrait: 'Nicola' by Shabner

Image via Flickr: iheartnorwegianwood

I've been following this recent revived interest in vintage portraits by artists the like of Tretchikoff and Lynch. (Actually, the blue faced women freak me out!) Nevertheless, the increased interest lately is undeniable. The talented Anna Spiro mentioned a few months ago she had been collecting portraits for Black and Spiro as well as some for her home. Kim from the awesome blog Desire to Inspire won a Tretchikoff piece from eBay a while back. Just to mention a mere few bloggers around.

Because it's such a strong statement of art and a reflection of the collector's personality and interests, portraiture begs some attention. So while trying to unwind from a busy day, I surf eBay... and have started to take an interest in the vintage portraits for auction.

I spotted this beauty on Australian eBay early last week and after constantly looking at it for a few days, I couldn't help but get it. I fell in love with the elegant yet sensual lady. She wears a lacy black evening gown with a very chic rose pinned to her cleavage. But it was the expression on her face, the look in her soft eyes...

I got it today. I love it more. My birthday gift to myself. :)
Even though the frame's chipped (will get that replaced one day)... I love her.


Nicola, by Loui Shabner (contemporary of Tretchikoff/Lynch).

Deciding on which wall to grace her...
My husband however, asks "But why would you have some stranger's portrait in your house??"

Have a great weekend :)

Figments

I received an email from painter Kristine Baerlin from New York about Figments Studio, specialising in artwork for the children. As you know, I love the idea of converting loved photos and portraits into art. Kristine's style is different from mine. She hand-paints the portraits using a signature circular pattern. A modern take on pop art tradition.



Contact Kristine Baerlin for your commissions on a personalised conversion of your favourite photo of your children taken this summer!

Marian Bantjes

I love typography. I spend many hours playing with type and fonts. I'm working on a project now with that and soon will reveal here. My passion for this is why, I was hooked on Marian Bantjes, via Orange Beautiful.

Marian Bantjes lives in Canada and illustrates, writes and draws, among other things.

One of my favourites from her work is her series of Love Stories, which was included in the latest UK-based Creative Review magazine (unfortunately, only available to subscribers). Love Stories is her story-telling of someone she loves. If we bothered to read them, she describes these loved ones too.

Her mother (through her work, you can also tell something of the person she lovingly crafts masterpieces in honour of). I'd imagine her mother to be so colourful, a many-interests lady, warm, friendly and vivacious.



Her neighbours:



I'd imagine her eldest brother to be strong, dedicated, big hearted and bold:



Her father, who must be a person who loves automobiles and mechanical processes and probably also thinks analytically:



A friend, who would be a great person to get to know, whimsical, flamboyant, big-big hearted:



For the boys who loved her back, how they've affected her heart, her life, and how deep their affect has been on her and to beautiful moments shared (this is painstaking gloriously beautiful burnt wood!):



Glorious work huh? I'd love some of these as reprints. :)

Another item of Bantjes that I absolutely love is her custom-designed clock she made for a fund-raising event for AIGA/DC.



Starts wheels spinning in my head for custom designed clocks for loved ones for Christmas... (thanks Marian, for the idea).

Etsy, Marian?? :)