There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth...

(Above) Chalkware diorama. Click image for larger view.

Click image for larger view.

Click image for larger view.

Click image for larger view.

Click image for larger view.

Click image for larger view.

Click image for larger view.

HERE’S A SPECTACULAR, RELIGIOUS 19th CENTURY CHALKWARE DIORAMA, that was discovered in a Catholic church in Philadelphia. The pictures describe it all, except for the size: this thing is 4 feet 8 inches long, 28 inches tall, and 7.5 inches deep and is heavy. You can see it has wonderful detail and dimension. What you can’t see is that it has an iron frame.

Location is in the Urban Country store of 1stdibs.

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five...

(Above) TEN: Ten hand carved folk art birds, by Bob Rowe, Albert Zahn, Miles Carpenter, William Dawson, Carl McKenzie, and an anonymous carver.


(Above): NINE: Nine heads in a drawing by Gugging artist Johann Fischer (1919 - 2008).

(Above): EIGHT: Eight sets of antlers on an eccentric, bizarre birdhouse by Elwood Graham James (1890 - 1960), Mingo County, West Virginia, c. 1930s.

(Above): SEVEN: Seven tulips in an anonymous, thrift store painting, c. 1950.

(Above): SIX: Six hand-painted hair styles on an African barber shop sign.

(Above): Five: Cinco brand metal cigar box with beautiful color and patina of blue and orange.

(Above): FOUR: Four photobooth photos in one by self-taught artist Lee Godie (1908 - 1995).

(Above): THREE: Three vintage harvest masks, c. 1940, from the Zitlala region of Mexico, used to evoke rain during the Dance of Las Tiacololeros.
(Above): TWO: A pair of painted photo booth vernacular photographs.


(Above): ONE: One round enamel outdoor Coca-Cola sign, c. 1950.


I FOUND THIS VERY OLD CIGAR BOX LAST WEEK, with the word “Cinco” on the front, which became the impetus for this post of finding ten things from our collection with “a number between 10 and 1” personified in the object. It was a fun assignment, walking around and looking for objects to fulfill the assignment. It was Cinco’s fault. Enjoy.

Tro-lo-lo-lo-lo... Russia Has Talent!

OK, I HAVE A NEW KICK—A NEW DRUG—AND I AM HOOKED. THE DRUG IS EDWARD HILL. I am a new fan. Hill even has a FB fan page here.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking maybe your favorite singer has been lip syncing too. Madonna? Pink? Ha! You REALLY THINK that Carrie Underwood or Susan Boyle actually SING their own songs? Waaa-haa-haa! Edward Hill knew years ago that making the effort to actually really sing was a huge waste of time and energy. Take a look at this and you’ll be a fan too. You’ll be slipping to YouTube during the workday, staying up late for another hit.

Once the Edward Hill drug is in your veins, you’ll want more. You know you will.

Sleeveface

Click on any image for larger view.



Click on any image for larger view.




Click on any image for larger view.



SLEEVEFACE IS A CULTURAL PHOTOGRAPHIC phenomenon that is sweeping the world where one or more persons obscure or augment any part of their body or bodies with record sleeve(s) causing an illusion.

It’s fun and you can see more great concepts people upload here. There is also a book out on the subject.

Send me yours and I will do a special post about them down the road!

John Hendrix Sketchbook Cover

(Above) Sketchbook cover by illustrator John Hendrix. Click image for larger view.


JOHN HENDRIX DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS “A DRAW-ER OF PICTURES.” I like to check out his blog Drawing on Deadline, where I (and the world!) are given access to his wonderful mind. Hendrix is a top illustrator in St. Louis, and in the country. His work has received national and international accolades, and is the author of a wonderful, fully-illustrated and award-winning book John Brown: His Fight for Freedom, which can be purchased on Amazon here.

John fills sketchbooks with his drawings like St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols hits homers out of the batting cage. Above you’ll see the cover of one of John’s many sketchbooks, a lovely reuse of old stamps he found at a rummage sale. It’s a work of art itself and I dig it. Check out his blog/Web site Drawing on Deadline (see link above), for a peek inside his mind.

Feeling Small (and Amazed)!

(Above and below) Ron Mueck at work in his studio. Image © Gautier Leblonde.
Click any image for larger view.


Click any image for larger view.



Click any image for larger view.

Click any image for larger view.

(Above and below): Museum visitor’s stand in awe of Mueck’s work.

Click any image for larger view.



Click any image for larger view.


Click any image for larger view.

(Above): Mommies-to-be study a familiar sight.





RON MUECK (b. 1958) IS A HYPER-REAL SCULPTOR FROM AUSTRALIA NOW LIVING IN LONDON. His work can create an alarming reaction to viewers because of what he does with scale. When you look at photos of his studio (all © photographer Gautier Deblonde) you will see that what he does is extremely labor intensive.

Mueck started his career as in London where he was a model-maker for children’s television and films, including the amazing film Labyrinth. His first work which captured the attention of collector’s and the fine art world was Dead Dad, a sculpture of Mueck’s father. In that piece he used his own hair for the piece which was smaller in scale that life size.

See Leblonde’s photographs here.

Unusual Portrait Head

Click any image for larger view.


Click any image for larger view.

Click any image for larger view.

HERE’S AN UNUSUAL CARVED BURL WOOD FOLK ART BUST of a man with a bowler hat. This carving has a unique approach, almost an exaggerated caricature. It has an African American look, similar to a minstrel player. I am guess 1920s -1930s, but I have not been able to examine it. You can see it here.