Eclectic Art Moments

In the children books and comics I grew up reading, mushrooms were always red and white. I was walking in Birmingham's Christmas German market a few days ago when I saw some ornaments that brought back this vivid memory. I came back home and painted  my mushrooms on paper clay plates I made, just like I did with my pebbles and stones I collected at the beach of my beautiful Mediterranean city: I used to paint so many of  them red with white polka dots. A moment to share!

When you are not sure of what to paint, you might surprise yourself or someone, by picking up random colors  and letting the brush work its way.

My paint brush and crafty sense have been resting for much longer than I desire. A quick mini project can do for now,  until...

Eclectic Art Moments and Fairies Hands original work Claire Moore from Gunder Goods www.facebook.com/gundergoods Stephany Dickey's hats Freedom Underground www.reverbnation.com/freedomunderground It's ten after six. I'm still sitting at the Rustbelt Market and don't know how the day went by so fast. It may be  Freedom Underground playing their live jazz music (a must add to my music blog as it falls into my Beat, rythm and melody category), the chocolate I bought from Pete, or just being surrounded by so many talented artists and talking to all kind of interesting people.It might also be friends and family that stopped by and said hi. Whenever I had the chance to walk around the market, I tried all of Stephany's hats, smelled soaps and creams and bought Claire's home made jam. Both Claire and her husband Jon own Gunder Goods and make their product in the heart of their home kitchen. In the morning I talked to her but was not

When I started having consuming thoughts of so many people I miss and wish I could talk to every single day, I brightened my ideas  with colors I added to my dull white lampshades. That was a soul refreshing project that lightened my indoor space and helped attenuate my reverberant inner talks.

"What city?" you might ask. Any city that's bewitching to you... Audaciously beautiful in the dark... Mine is a secret in a fairy tale... Mine disperses the blues...

When Samar met Rania, a spark of ideas ignited a new line of work that just started with Paper Mache (Papier  mâché) bowls made by Fairies Hands http://fairieshands.blogspot.com and painted by Eclectic Art Moments http://eclecticartmoments.com True red Sunny blue Fresh For customized orders email Samar at eclecticartmoments@gmail.com or Rania at fairieshands@gmail.com

I am jet lagged but still able to reflect on the past two weeks favorite experience. Walking and watching the city wake up. Leaving the building  close to sunrise, I am greeted by a few cats startled at the sound of  my steps wondering if I am a threat or just a safe walker.  I start my descent and pass by the neighborhood baker  warming up his oven and spreading his dough with his special zaatar (thyme) mix. I continue my walk going a few meters uphill then down again. A security guard (the same one) is  sipping his first turkish coffee of the day with a full rakweh (coffee pot) next to him.  Shuffling songs is always fun as the music gets as eclectic as my observations:  from Camille to Pete Murray to  the Cat Empire... now it's Stael's "Le temps de dire Ouf". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z293fEIUhuw . I walk by a corner shop where bags of fresh bread are already delivered, sitting on racks waiting for the shop to open.  The wind starts blowing harder: I am ge

An eclectic moment slightly different from my art work has more to do today with my passion of teaching French culture. I have been waiting for  Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen's movie since I saw the cast filming last July in Paris.  The beauty of art movies is having many different interpretations with no right or wrong!  Woody Allen to the right, directing the movie in July 2010  I lost a few other pictures I took hoping to recover them at some point (curse of technology) The streets of Paris as well as its historical buildings and monuments are beyond beautiful but in Midnight in Paris, I was mostly taken by the beauty of rich cultural references to authors and painters who were French or lived in France at some point in their lives. It all happened by going back in time with Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard (one of many interpretations, imagination or...)  and meeting through them painters and writers who made history. I was amazed by Woody Allen's talent in a specific sc

Who says that every long weekend has to be spent somewhere away from home? I enjoyed every bit of multitasking on this Memorial weekend. In fact, I painted and spring cleaned and painted and cooked and painted and had time to run errands with my family and painted and biked and painted again and drove through the storm (that was scary!). I had my paint brushes handy and used them sporadically throughout the three days, in between little trivial jobs that didn't seem boring or annoying afterall.

Warm heart shaped bowls for a sunny day.

sold A moment of happy childish thoughts. That's blue to me.

sold A friend asked me two days ago  if I get attached to ONE specific piece I paint or make. I actually do. I  do cherish all the things I make because they all come from the feeling of the moment. This does not mean at all that they are perfect but what's important is that they are close to my heart.  Surprisingly, her question made me think of this collage that I made a few weeks ago. My attention  was drawn to Josyane Savigneau's new book "Simone de Beauvoir, une femme libre". I was reading this article in the French newspaper "Le monde" and instantly cut it out and found some time the same day to make a glass vase collage. Why Simone de Beauvoir?  She brought back two clear memories. The first one is the day Madame Dakik, my French philosophy teacher, introduced my 9th grade class to one of her books. That was my first class discussion about feminism.The second memory is much more recent. It's that day I was walking with my daughter a

Eclectic Art Moments display of clay bowls, glass plates, heart necklaces/ornaments and collage at the Michigan Artisans Youtique April 2011. What a nice Saturday spent surrounded with very talented artists . http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150234467200681.347976.363635870680

Eclectic Art Moments and Fairies Hands  http://fairieshands.blogspot.com/  are featured among many others in Youtique's "Spring into Handmade" April 16th, 2011 in Royal Oak Come see the new crafty collection.   http://www.youtique-detroit.com/current-vendors.html

I  missed my blog but have been busy preparing for a craft show coming in two weeks. It's my  new collection of  crafty ideas. I wish I can walk you through my workshop but I don't seem able to set a foot in it without the risk of messing up clay that is not totally dry or spilling glaze here and there. I have done it already and learned my lesson.  The only painted clay is those miniature bowls representing my poppy field that normally announces spring and I repeat normally because it seems that this winter is endless. Winter is my favorite season but not in April.

A field of daisies pouring all over my plate whispering that spring is here.

 My mama's attention to details when entertaining stuck with me through the years. Her Limoges teacups and saucers had to be used with a white or beige lace tray cover and napkins. It was always accompanied with her succulent marble cake presented on a handmade crochet circle: pleasure to the senses. The guest tray was always ready (still is, with much less guests unfortunately) on the round table in that square bay window breakfast area, where I love to have a nescafe with her and my aunt after my sunrise walk at the beach. This corner  of the house is more like a tea room in an arcade. Lace is still in some spots of her house with the shiny brass that she cleans organically with lemon wedges and salt, one of her other attention to details. This love of lace skipped me but went straight to my daughter's wardrobe.  Lace inspired me today by adding some of its details to my new pottery collection. I can assure you that working with clay was dirty, messy and nothing like

Breathing spring air  between snow days. Absolutely beautiful and inspirational. Cafe Zola, Ann Arbor, sun and great company, what more can one ask for. February does not sound bad after all.

Design inspired by a Persian rug with a touch of Samar: that makes an art moment. Always.

Save the earth. Find happiness within. Earth. How many titles can I give a table top? Honestly, I can't make up my mind. I enjoyed so much looking through my collection of cherished postcards to come up with an eclectic display that combines colors and a message. One missing element. The table needs to be assembled but that's a trivial detail isn't it!

Snow, sun and fruits in season. Beautiful and refreshing, no matter what the temperature is. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Partial view of the frozen lake at sunset. In memory of Rob Radtke, a very very dear friend to whom this lake meant the world.