Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts

Friday, April 24, 2015

Gibson Girls and Instant collections




Maud Davis Baker was a pioneer in the world of photography. She was one of the rare American women who had her own photography studio in the 1890s in Helena Montana. At a time when women were not allowed much freedom, Mrs. Baker had a studio of her own and made a living from her art. Later in life, in the 1920's, she moved to Hollywood and was a member of the growing art crowd in LA, the Hollywood Art Association and the Hollywood Woman's Club with her daughter Viroque Baker.
I've just listed is this charming collection of portraits mounted on sepia paper and signed by Baker. It has 13 lovely women, likely high school or college graduates, most with the fad hairdo of the day, the Gibson Girl, invented by popular illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. About 1890 he wanted to draw a version of a young  American woman of the times, that wasn't a free-thinker or suffragette. The Gibson Girl is the opposite of the late 1800's "New Woman" who wanted liberty, freedom, a career, and the right to manage her own life as a human and not as a wife or second class citizen.  Gibson's girl, however, is smart, rich and enjoys her freedom. You can read more at wikipedia. 

Call it a gallery wall, or a collection, choosing to decorate your wall with a group of objects, some pictures, some frames, some paintings, and whatever strikes your fancy can really add that free-spirited bohemian aura. If the objects all share 1 or 2 similarities, it will come together as an artistic whole.




Perhaps the similarity is color or shape, maybe it is subject matter such as a grouping of  dog paintings and pictures, or maybe beach theme art and crafts. When choosing a collection to hang together add differences as well as sameness. Strive for different colors in the same family, and don't forget texture. If it is too bland, hang a few baskets, or rough weavings, or hang some antlers. Although hipsters have overdone it recently, it will come back to popularity because it is an element of casual decor that is always in style. It adds a cabin, cozy, arty look to almost any arrangement.

I've just listed an antique hand carved walnut frame. It combines patina, authenticity and gravitas to any grouping of objects. This one is at least 100 years old, and likely even older. It has no markings. It can hold a photo or painting that's 8" x 10", but I've always loved it alone, loving the grain, the patina and the texture.



Here's a few more rooms with great collections arranged with a bohemian artsy vibe in mind. These are on Pinterest, so if they are your pics, let me know and I'll give credit.




Sunday, March 10, 2013

Saturday. Art. Car. Snow. Seattle. Scotland.

funkomavintage attended an art show Saturday night featuring stunning photos by friend Nich McElroy,  held at Prism in Seattle or more correctly ...Ballard! 
What a beautiful evening....we only had to walk 7 blocks to the gallery/shop...or maybe, if Skip was giving directions.......13 blocks.

The Scotland comes in at the after show drink at Macleod's with a lovely map of Scotland painted on the ceiling, ala Sistine Chapel-wise.
On the wall are framed photos of famous Scots....Robert Louis Stevenson, JM Barrie, Ewan McGregor....Andrew Carnegie...Judy Garland....Katherine Hepburn....
Really!
The List is Long....
photo belongs to Nich McElroy 
Vintage 122 Volvo in the snow.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

New places Old vintage

I rearranged a bunch of stuff.....and I have a nice new photo spot...It. has. barnwood. I hope you like me better because I sure do. Moved the lights around it wow, such a difference. Spring cleaning! I needed a change...and now I'm very happy....the pictures are so much better and clearer too.
Lots more work to do...reorganizing my whole work space too...
After ---




BEFORE---



The other reason for moving/cleaning and organizing....is so Mark and I can revamp small furniture and get going on all the projects we THOUGHT we'd be able to do when we moved our shop to downtown Tacoma. ....but, fighting construction woes, building breakdowns, flooding, electricity blowing up, thieves, and general building-sharing fuckery, meant that I was continuously preoccupied with putting out fires instead of..... making things, and staying super-organized, which makes me happy!!!
2 things I learned from that 3 loooooooong years in Downtown Tacoma.
1. I'll NEVER open a shop in Tacoma, ever again.
2. I'll never share a space in a building EVER again.
So, it's good to learn lessons as one goes along....But why are the best lessons always so damn expensive???
oy vey.

random shots....still more organizing to come ...because....I'm going to increase my listings...and so organizing is very important or I will go crazy ...





Monday, October 25, 2010

Back to the gypsy

I set up my new picture area....


It's white and a concrete floor....which I love. I'll fiddle around with the fabric. I love the White Box effect that splashes light around. I have only one light here...I also love the drama! I'll add more lights...but...
I love the ethereal....



I see a lot of online sellers use a plain grey paper background. Plain. I like to tell a story with the background and the light.... I like the pictures in my house too....but I really missed the white background and the concrete floor I had in the shop. Well, we also want to show you the widget fer sure....and detail shots will be easier out here also.

So mixing freedom with a little fear....

After I processed these few pics this song came to mind......it may be my favorite Stevie Nicks song....mmm  Look at the proto-steampunk-vintage-historical-industrial-economy-noveau-crafts effect....




or maybe it's this one..........