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Thursday, September 22, 2011

All Work & No Play...

Kind of took it easy today.  My partner is returning home tonight after being in California for a week. And while he was away I sort of let the 'real life' house go to pot!  I've been so focused on Merriman Park that I guess I forgot about dirty dishes and soiled laundry and muddy paws on slipcovers and stuff..  So the morning was spent attending to these everyday hum-drum drudgeries and then I toddled off to the art supply store to fetch some gold paint and matching pigment powder (thanks, Ray, for the tip)!

Unfortunately, the art store only sold the gold pigment powder by the pound --to the tune of forty bucks a pound!  Why couldn't I have picked a slightly less-expensive hobby? 

I tried, oh believe me I was working it, to get them to sell me a half pound but no dice.  The sales lady was nice enough to whisper in my ear as I was leaving that the Minnesota College of Art & Design sold the pigment powder in small vials in their supply shop. 

Well, I was planning a field-trip tomorrow anyway to The Minneapolis Institute of Arts,  mainly for inspiration, but also to troll their gift shop for more postcards to be framed and hung in the Entrance Hall of Merriman Park.  And the art school just happens to be adjacent to it.

Isn't it funny that the room isn't even finished but I'm already hanging art?
Here's two more Titian pieces I put together today.  I got the frames from the local dollhouse shop, On the left is The Rape of Europa and on the right is Diana and Callista.  I'm not sure if they will 'make the final cut' --I can't decide if the pieces are too well known to be hanging in the likes of Merriman Park.  
This piece, on the other hand,  Erninia and the Shepards, by Guercino, a work in the permanent collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is, I think, sufficiently obscure.  Plus, I am drawn to the work and it would be the perfect anchor on this wall, don't you agree?

While at the dollhouse shop, I also picked up some mirror material to be placed at the top of the stairs to (hopefully) aid in the illusion that they go off forever (and not end abruptly at the wall)!  I also got some bull-nose molding to finish the lip of the stair and oh-- I tried to get replacement bulbs for my sconces but I think I might have picked up the wrong ones.  These have really long wires attached and I thought I could just trim the wires but I dunno --just not sure if they're the right bulbs!

Waiting for my Sue Cook balustrades to arrive and then, I'm pretty good!

5 comments:

Simon said...[Reply]

Another day spent hitting the Refresh button on the Merriman Park page and, for some reason, I keep waking up at 4 in the morning (like now!!) which is almost perfect as I can check your Blog for updates (I think you are 5 hours behind me). I digress, sorry John. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Its not like I haven't mentioned it already but your updates are becoming the central axis of my day (and night) and they never dissapoint. The more "obscure" picture looks perfect and I love (calls for repetition) the two Titian pieces. You have a real gift John, I'm inspired.
Well done.
Si

Irene said...[Reply]

I'm liking the artwork - especially having the two on either side of the arch.

Re the bulbs, if you've got what I think you've got (they come 4/5 in a pack) then it's ok to snip the wires (they fit into the little candles with two holes?)

I hope you get them to work for you today.

Giac said...[Reply]

Good morning John,
It looks perfect. THe colors and scale of the frames work very well in the room. I would'nt worry about how popular the art work is, as long as it works in the room. If anything they are period appropriate in the setting and add a real touch of elegeance.
Absolutely perfect! Pretty people everywhere are in awe!
Giac

John said...[Reply]

Thanks, everyone! I'm taking a field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art today so hopefully I'll come back with some more paintings for the Hall. Any suggestions about a resource for frames?

Giac said...[Reply]

Hi John,
One resource for frames I like very much is Jim Coates. He has an ebay store. He makes great frames and they are very high quality!