Latest Contemporary Art Displayed at FIAC, Paris

Irwin Weiner ASID - While we were in Paris the weekend of FIAC, the International Contemporary Art Fair, we weren't keen to stand in long ticketholder lines at the Grand Palais and queue up to see an infinite number of art spaces. (A lame excuse; we probably were too late to get tickets.) Instead, we saw other exhibitions nearby, took in an art and design fair just outside FIAC - more on that in a future post, and saw an inflatable Stonehenge that we thought was a kiddie amusement feature (nope; even though everyone was bouncing around inside it, we learned later that it was an outdoor FIAC art installation). In today's featured video, you'll see some of the latest contemporary artwork. I'm not astounded, I must be honest.

There are "room installations" (a treehouse built in a corner gallery space, a disheveled bathroom scene), contemporary works in acrylic, photography (close-up on a body part or industrial and architectural), playful use of objects-as-art (car wash brushes, decaying grand pianos, faceted mirrors turning), and many works in neon and mixed media showing English language words and sayings (done to death; hopefully the trend is over with).

My favorite artwork in the video was a lenticular or video framed canvas (I couldn't tell which) of a man juggling; supremely clever and mesmerizing. The winner of FIAC 2012, however, was the sculpture shown in the top photo, a reclining tombstone figure called Diving Man by Daniel Dewar and Gregory Gicquel. Does this herald the death of contemporary art? (It really is a sculpture privately commissioned for a cemetery.) You be the judge.

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Home Decor Tip: Introduce Yourself to New Artists

Philippe Lardy, Life Forms, 2012Irwin Weiner ASID - You shouldn't be afraid to make new art friends! They won't bite. They come in peace. And they can add fresh oomph and much-needed juice into your home decor. I often say that interior design is not about turning your home into a museum. Just because you've already hung things on the wall doesn't mean they have to stay there forever (even museums change it up every so often).

Philippe Lardy, Oscillations 5 and 6, 2011

We just got back on Monday night from a week in Paris and was introduced to the work of an American illustrator Philippe Lardy whose works of fine art are represented by Galerie Menus Plaisirs. We admired the graphic forms and confidence in his work, but the point is to go out to galleries, look at online resources (even inexpensive ones that offer fine art like 20x200), and find something new for your walls. And you can always switch artwork back or move one or more items to walls in other rooms. Go wild. (Click on artwork for more information.)

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DIY Alert - 3 Products to Help Repair Cracked Walls

Irwin Weiner ASID - I confess to the guilty pleasure of enjoying a do-it-yourself read now and then, and one of my DIY go-to guides is The Family Handyman. FH is loaded with great projects and what-works-for-me tips from their readers. I was recently impressed with their article on simplifying wall repair. Here are a few of their products and tips.

Good-Bye Cracks - imagine a spray can that works miracles on cracked walls, particularly those walls that keep getting hairline cracks! Try spraying it on both wide and hairline cracks, although it's primarily recommended for the little guys. Clean the loose material out of all cracks, filling them with joint compound. Then spray on two or three coats of G-BC (make sure you're spraying on a nice, even coat as this isn't a surface you can sand). When completely dry, prime and paint it.

Step Saver Stress Crack Tape - the directions say that you just stick this tape over the crack and you can paint over it, but experts advise that you skim over it with some joint compound so that you don't see the edges of the tape repair area.

Wall Liner - when your walls are so badly cracked that you don't know where to start and how to finish ... and you don't want to install new drywall ... many homeowners use heavy-duty wall liner; this extra-thick paintable wallpaper functions like a huge patch over the cracks. Look for the best solution for your wall texture as you can find rolls at home supply centers that are textured, patterned, and smooth. (You can also use wall liner to cover cinderblock and other wall surfaces so you have a completely different look when you're done.)

Now back to The Family Handyman; you might want to follow their advice on How to Repair a Drywall Crack - click on the link for an easy step-by-step guide.

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Wish List: Artwork and Framing - a Bicoastal Thing

Irwin Weiner ASID - I love the framing services and artwork from Mike McClintock's Lambertville, NJ based store Artfull Eye - and he runs a very successful eBay storefront, too. Mike's work is exceptional, and I always take client framing into him, and have the chance to often browse his packed-to-the-gills shop for artistic goodies, from sculpture and old photographs to paintings and etchings. So that takes care of the East Coast.

Artfull Eye: Abram Molarsky gouache landscape

I have a new client that I'll be doing some framing work with on the West Coast, at Rick's Custom Framing in La Mesa, CA.

Rick's does lovely work with French Mat, and it's a technique that can help you create a lovely Old World look under-glass. I'm purchasing some lovely etchings and woodcuts on eBay around a favorite theme my clients picked out, and using Rick's French Mat materials to add impact and beauty to each framed piece, and also reducing the size and expense of the outer frame so as not to detract from the art and artistic mat themselves. It saves cost on the entire job, and the results (I predict) will be smashing. Click on the photos below for more information on artwork from Artfull Eye, and click on the links above for more info on Rick's Custom Framing.

Artfull Eye: S. Pinto impressionist still life

Artfull Eye: W.W. Swallow Red Pottery Bowl

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