December 14, 2011

Restoration Art

The event of the season arrived at our home last Saturday night. A replay, shall we say, of "Art in the Ruins" that took place one year ago. Eight artists moved eighty seven pieces of art into the house on Friday and by Sunday afternoon it was all gone. There were paintings and sculpture in every room of the first floor. Somewhere in the neighborhood of three hundred local, and not so local, art and old home enthusiast came out to see, be seen, drink lovely wines, view and perhaps purchase works of art. It truly was an amazing event and a lot of art found new homes. The highlight of the evening happened for our close friend Garry, who has painted sixteen portraits of Russian River Rocks. The paintings were picked up by a gallery and will now be available to all.

The secret things that have been going on around here can now be revealed, and after you view some pictures from Saturdays event I will introduce you to our dining room.

Paintings by local artist Lar Landa and sculpture by Borris and Natasha Landau grace the fireplace

Some of the Russian River Rock portraits by Garry Tosti

Jessica Martin held court in the breakfast room, very popular as it was right beside the bar!

Tania's fascinating and beautiful photographs in the center hall

Paintings were tucked everywhere, even sipmply setting on the floor

"Tropicana Holiday" by Garry Tosti, was the first painting to be sold, and was actually fought over by two guests.

Works by Quinn and Emily Scheibal in the study.

Even the doors saw art action.

More Garry Tosti in the library.

Retitled "the dressing room of dreams" these paintings are eight feet tall and were hung in the library bay window.


The Dining Room Treatment


Before the big reveal, lets begin with the arrival of the newest member of our family. She is big and expressive, and rarely seen in this day and age, our live gas, crystal and glass chandelier. The chandelier came out of a home in upstate New York. After being completely disassembled, each piece was wrapped in blue tape and then bubble wrapped twice. All of the pieces were put into four large boxes and those boxes were put into four even larger boxes, we were not going to have any breakage this time! She made it all the way across the country without a single bit of damage. The fixture was hand delivered three hours east of here to Paul Ivazes of Quality Lighting. Paul's task this time was to take a one hundred and fifty year old gas light fixture, which had been electrified twice during its existence, and return it to burning gas. Like a wizard working magic, Paul found amazing ways to reseal and make this glass beauty safe.

The base unit ready to attach directly to the gas pipe and then to be dressed.

The upper stack in place.

After attaching the fixture to the gas pipe, Paul tests the burners.

The dressing continues.

All that is needed is the six shades, which at this point were on their way.




Shades in place.

Amazing!!!

On to the rest....

As I hope you will recall, the plaster color for the dining room came out rather dark, instead of silver gray, it is more like the color of wet concrete. We had every intention of resurfacing the room in a lighter version, but Natasha Landau, a very dear friend with talent oozing out of her very being said she was inspired and wanted to create art. Our walls became her canvas and we gave Natasha carte blanche! The results are truly inspired and during Restoration Art the room was the hit of the evening. The walls are an amazing juxtaposition of old and contemporary and rumors are flying that others are desperate to have her do rooms for them.

The room was roped off for the evening so that people would not touch the walls.



Natasha herself posing with her work.

We are truly blessed to have such a work of art in out home and will be forever grateful to the artist and her talent.



3 comments:

  1. what a great event and what a thrilling mural in your dining room! So nice to see Paul was involved once again. you have some of the nicest lighting going on there!

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  2. Wow, oh wow!! The chandelier is amazing (actual gaslight!) the walls are amazing, you are amazing. I wish I could have come to your art event. Thank you so much for sharing with us all--it's inspiring!

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  3. Gentlemen, seriously, I have tears in my eyes -- that chandelier is so incredible and the dining room walls suit it perfectly. Absolutely STUNNING. We're at the point where I'm feeling like we'll never get moved in...sigh....and it's only been six months.

    Wishing you the very happiest of holidays!!!!!

    -Ann

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