To Which Do We Owe The Honor?

(Image on left is entitled "Dan-eesh")

For maybe the first time in my blogging history, I will have this post out, not only on time, but early. Wow...! Will wonders never cease. In case you haven't noticed the large image to the left of your screen... STOP NOW! Look at it closely now. No! Not like that... I mean CLOSELY! Yeah... More like that. Ok, this is my newest piece. I like it.

However, art really isn't always about what I like. I forget that sometimes, but in the end, I find my readers opinions very important, as well. So, here is your chance to let me know. I will be returning to the States for a visit in about 2 months with the hopes of producing a number of pieces of original art, sculptures, and maybe a few small pieces of furniture. The furniture depends on the time I have available. Also during this time I will be reviewing a few prints to consider selling on the Etsy store I will be setting up. To help me select which prints I will offer, I am consulting the mass population. After all, you'll be the ones buying 'em.

Of course my newest one (Dan-eesh Fisk) is a possibility. There are others as well though. They are as follows.

"My Scoot"

"Dig Those Noisy Neighbors"

"This Then Is Mod"

"The Mod-est"

"Crater-Cool"

"Daydreams"

"A More Tonic Future"

"Balanced?"

"Solid Bass'd Twilight"

"Signs of Inspiration"

The thing is, I am only looking for two right now, maybe three. This is because I am going to order samples so I can see how they turn out. I don't want to offer bad quality art to any of you fine people.

So in the end... PLEASE HELP!

To see some of my other art, check out my FLICKR.

Am I The Last?

As is usual, I seem to find out about artist that inspire me only when someone is writing a recap of the art they had spent decades perfecting. Also as usual, it's only after they have died that I notice this individuals name. I then feel like I am the last person in the world to know about them. This recently happened to me with Ib Geertsen.Recently though, I found myself helping a few readers of my blog learn about people and styles that, over the years, had become daily terms for me. This showed me that, while I am not the most informed about all things MCM, I can have the enjoyment of helping people to expand their vision of the art world. That's kinda cool! So, as I have learned over the years, art speaks louder than any word. For that reason, I will leave you with the following. I hope this proves to enlighten and inspire you all.

Also, you should really check out his site. I can't read it, but it has a lot of info on it.

amidstmod@yahoo.com

Buffet or Dresser?

This is a question that came up recently on my Flickr account (and yes... I am posting this tonight just because of you Tikimama). So as Tikimama was looking thru my photos she saw the doors slide to one side. Therefore she though that I was making a simple buffet, and this is where my story begins.

Ok, so we live in Chile South America, if you haven't seen from some of my other posts. We chose to live here based on a number of things. We ended up picking a small town a few hours south of Santiago. By the way, I mean SMALL! The community is about 10 miles in length by about 6 miles wide. In this sector there is only a population of about 8000. It is mostly vineyards, Kiwi vineyards, apple orchards, cherrie orchards, and... oh yes, did I mention vineyards? The area is fairly poor. Not extremely, but none the less poor.

Just to give an example, I bought a Suzuki Samurai 1998 and now all our neighbors think we are rich. Very few people here have cars, and for this reason, we drive very little. Plus gas is like 3 to 4 dollars a gallon on a regular basis.

It's very calm here, with hardly any crime or violence. The most common crime is that someone's bike, cow, or horse is stolen. I'm not joking about the animals. Everyone works in agriculture. It's E-X-T-R-E-M-E-L-Y rare to find someone that works in another field.

That's a short cap to help explain a little about the buffet/dresser that I'm building. There are very few places available to rent here in this town. The one we found is small. It is about 400 sf, and all kinds of oddly laid out. We have a 10 ft x 20 ft bottom floor where the bathroom and kitchen is and a 10 ft x 20 ft upper lever which is our living and bedroom.

When the buffet/dresser is finished, the Tv will sit on top of it and that is the reason that I am making it like I am. See, I wanted something that looked like a buffet while looking at it, since... I will be doing a lot of looking at it. This being the case, plus the fact that we still don't have a place for our... oohhh... I'm blushing... je je je under ware, I decided to make one the other. I hope you got all that.

The front will have the two sliding doors. One will have a Witco-ish design on it (which I cut today). The other will just be a solid stained door with a handle. The inside of the cabinet will have 6 drawers with a shelve-less compartment in the middle. This compartment will be about half way accessible while the sliding doors are move all the way to one or the other sides. There will be 3 drawers on each side. The draw back to this is that you can only access one side or the other at one time. Oh well I guess... the things we do for looks.

I have changed the legs from the drawing a little bit. The legs will now be 9 inches tall and the overall piece will stand 29 inches. This is in comparison to the 4 inch legs as original and a 24 inch standing hight.

All wood is Eucalyptus plywood with raw edges. I love plywood and the layers that can be seen from the ends.

Really for now, that's all I have. I will post again when it is finished, or at least close to being finished.

Note: I am by no means an experienced wood worker and am always looking for information on the subject. Especially in connection to mid-century modern woodworking. Also, sometime tomorrow my editor and chief will edit this and make all my mistakes go away. Enjoy the raw art NOW before it is erased from humanity for ever.

Check out my Flickr

amidstmod@yahoo.com

It's just like that! Well...sort'a??!

This here is my art. It was inspired by something. No. really... that's more or less it. 

Ok, I know it was inspired by the great old Motor Inn signs. You know... the ones that littered all the major highways before those new fangled things we now call "Interstates" came and by-passed them. Yep, those are the same ones. 

It's interesting because I really don't remember which site or sign really inspired me. However, it was a sign, and for this reason I am going to feature another treasure that I found by digging thru the links on Tikimama's blog www.atomicteaparty.blogspot.com. She has been helping me be inspired a lot lately. That's when you know that someone has a good blog. This inspiration really came from one of her links but, in the end, I found it thru her. So, that counts. 

Truthfully, I will probably just keep following this inspiration for now. What can I say? It seems to be working. 

Oh! But, wait! That's not all. See, while I was looking at this site that I found, I thought of you. That's right, I thought of each and every one of my readers. So here is my present to you.  www.lileks.com/motels/index.html

"Wait??! What is this?" 

You wait! You...! This is your present.

"Who said I wanted a present?" 

I did. So there!

Sorry! I'm back. I really think you will like this site. There are TONS of old motel post cards and, even better, is that... there is seriously funny humor here. I haven't finished going thru all of them yet, and I'm looking forward to getting back to it. Some of the selling points on these old postcards are classic. No pun intended. I hope you find the site well, and if you have any problems, just let me know.

Also, check out my Flickr when you get chance.

amidstmod@yahoo.com

This is Googie

I think that the majority of us know what Googie architecture is. If not, I will describe it as an exaggerated architecture style mainly from the mid 50's thru the mid 60's. This form of architecture was an interpetation of space age futurism.  For a more precise definition of what Googie architecture is, check out this link.

A few years ago, I went thru a serious Googie phase. I looked up everything I could and found a lot of interesting stuff. However, my thoughts had moved on to other interesting things until a month or so ago when MoonDoggie started getting into Googie. With her looking for Googie in good old London Town, she seemed to be looking at all that she could online. Her enthusiastic blogs about the style motivated me to look at more Googie stuff, as well.

So yesterday I was looking at TikiLisa's blog, and re-found a site I had forgotten about. Thru this site I found "Googie Art". If you like Googie architecture and are inspired by the future left behind, then check out the images in this post and see the rest of these great architectural feats here.

Check out my Flickr

amidstmod@yahoo.com

You Just Never Know!

As I was making the rounds of my frequented blog haunts, I noticed that there is a commonly overlooked artist that always makes me smile. When I see the art of this person I instantly have a better mood. It's really strange, also, because some of his paintings really aren't my style at all. Yet, they still make me feel better instantly. Who is this artist? His name is Karl Benjamin. 

We all know of the most famous artists that had mass exposure, the likes of which include Jim Flora, the Eames, Knoll, and, of course, Nelson. Each of these people influenced a style of life. Therefore, they all have a direct effect on my art and that of any true mid-century inspired artist. Thing is, we know and except this fact. 

Karl Benjamin, though, is different. He has influenced probably

 all of us more than we realize. I was amazed at how well known his art was to me when I started looking thru his catalog, and I had never known his name.  His art, though, isn't the most inspirational part of his persona as an artist. He really had a unique start and story. To read a great article on him and his art just make the jump.

For other art related pictures, check out my FLICKR.

amidstmod@yahoo.com

Lynive In The Now!

Lynne Naylor, well... In reality that's all I need to say for a lot of people to conjure up all kinds of thoughts. Specifically, good, futuristic and most of all fanciful thoughts. These thoughts in them selves have a way of putting people into a mental state that helps to escape life a bit.

However, until recently I didn't know how much the works of Lynne Naylor had touched me personally. It's quite amazing the catalogue of Cartoons she has created, worked on or directed that inspired me in artistic directions. Lynne's art holds a true simplicity that is founded in the mod theme through and through, while at the same time being readily accepted in a more mainstream market. Lynne's ability to hold true to both forms just helps to show how accomplished she is.

Well! How accomplished is she? Very! Within the TV world Lynne Naylor creates characters that hold to a timeless truth in their existence. This no doubt is due to the timeless Mid-Century influence that they employee in stature and demeanor.

Thru this timelessness of her art, Lynne has garnered many accomplishments in her career to be proud of. Some of which includes being creatively involved with Ren & Stimpy, Batman the animated series, Powerpuff Girls, and Samurai Jack. Her work on such cartoons has afforded her the privilege of receiving the Rueben Award in 2002 from the National Cartoonist Association. In conjunction with the Rueben Award, Lynne received the Annie Award for her work on Samurai Jack in 2002, and was nominated for the Annie Award in 2005 for her work on Foster's Home.

Even though, these forms of art may be the what she is most commonly recognized for, I find that Lynne's paintings and illustrations surpass her more mainstream accomplishments. When looking at the characters and the settings, Les Baxster, Bobby Darin and a whole slew of other space age pop artist suddenly start playing in the background and it looks like 1958 all around. Most of all, personally I just find Lynne's work to be All Mod Fun!

I really suggest taking the time to check out her work when you have some time. You will definitely enjoy it!

amidstmod@yahoo.com

In Orbit?

Sinatra's time... That was living! The Eames were in full swing and Vegas was as classy as it ever would be. You want to see Dino and Frankie? Try getting away from seeing them! On the screen, on the radio, and in the casinos. There's no escaping them. If they're not singing, they soon will be. If nothing else, more than likely the Rat Pack will be frequenting one of the many casinos for dinner and drinks. Better yet, possibly the famous Sinatra and

 his Pack of friends may very well be sitting on one of his modern couches in his spacious Mid-Century Modern home. Looking thru the wall of windows, across the immaculately pristine pool,

 past the dark, dry desert to see the ominous shadows of the menacing mountains of Palm Springs stretching out as if they were trying to overtake the world.

Fact of the matter is... never again will these experiences be realized to the same degree. This, however, is the reason that the Orbit In is the featured blog of today. True, the last of the Rat Pack recently past away, and for some inexplicable reason people keep razing Mid-Century buildings. As if these outstanding buildings are outdated. Why, you may ask? To put in a more modern strip mall. Makes a lot of since, doesn't it?!

There are some, however, that feel the essence of Palms Springs still lives in the style

 of the past while enjoying things of the modern world (and I use 'modern world' loosely). A few of these very people are Christy and Stan who opened their 50's motor coach in 2001 with many of the original interiors like the tile bathrooms and much of the interior elements intact. Going beyond solely keeping with the original interiors, what additions to the exterior were needed were well thought out and carefully planned so as to not detract from the fluidity of the original design. Rather, if you look closely at the photos of the complex you will find that the buildings look as Jet Set as ever.

Most of us will never have the ability to own one of the amazing Mid-Century Modern homes of Palm Springs. Serene, peaceful views of the desert contrasted with Space Age styling of Eames, Nelson, and Bertoia furnishings, not to mention the outstanding architecture, can still be enjoyed if only for a few days thanks to places such as the Orbit In.

amidstmod@yahoo.com