ARTIST OF THE MONTH + MARCIA MYERS

Marcia Myers has been one of my favorite artists for years, her technique of "fresco" on linen is among the best. My only regret is not purchasing more in the early days, you have to be a serious collector today. The photo above is a room we used one of her paintings along with the clients antiques, great juxtaposition. The photo below is my dining room in Bend.

You can find Marcia Myers work at select galleries across America and Europe.

AMERICAN ART TILE

click on photo to enlarge

Looking for something to collect? I have been fascinated by antique and vintage tile for years. There were over 100 companies throughout America producing tile from 1876 thru 1941. these tiles have become very sought after ranging from the low $100's to the $1,ooo's for a 6" X 6" tile. I have started several of my clients with collections, the idea is not to retile your back-splash but feature your collection like it was art. In the kitchen above we found a nice grouping of different designs and had them mounted in a steel frame. The result is quite the focal point framed in a niche over the range.

Check out "American Art Tile" by Norman Karlson

CARGO !

For those of you who don't know, Cargo is one hip place. An Importer of hand picked antiques and artifacts, you can't buy more direct than this (right off the boat) thus the name. I like to be there when they unload a shipment, it's like a kid in a candy store! Over 20,000 square feet of fun located in the Pearl district, Portland Oregon.

Click on Cargo above and go to the website.

My favorite public sculpture (today)

"Lodestar" by Roger Berry

Located in Bend Oregon at the roundabout on Bond & Reed market Rd. How lucky are we to live here !

A Lady in her garden

The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury

Last Fall I was privileged to hear Lady Salisbury give a talk on her garden designs. Now in her eighties she was delightful and had the audience spellbound as she shared stories of designing the gardens for her seventeenth century home in Hertfordshire England, along with many of her clients gardens including HRH The Prince of Wales. Pictured above is his home Highgrove

Check out the book "A gardener"s life" If you ever have the chance to hear Lady Salisbury or tour one of her gardens, do it !

Master bedroom suite

In this bedroom I used custom painted parchment to cover all the walls. We had it hung horizontal and left 1/2" space between each panel, when the reveal met up with the fireplace we had the glass etched to continue the pattern. The result was to visually add architectural interest and expand the space.

Parchment wallcovering

This treatment is one of the most beautiful finishes you can apply to furniture or your walls. The photo above is a detail of a torn parchment pattern, it is very organic and resembles a stone texture. There are beautiful custom papers available through your designer, or if your feeling adventurous you can paint your own using white parchment paper. I will be demonstrating this on my monthly "design tip" on COTV channel 11 "good morning central Oregon" Friday July 3rd.

I will try to post video segments from the show in the future.

Water feature

This is my latest garden design, for this entry courtyard we used a 6' square steel sculpture that acts as an infinity pool spilling into the basin below. It creates a beautiful zen like mood. Fabrication and installation by Goph Albitz a very talented Central Oregon artist.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH + PAUL SCHICK

Paul Schick is one of my favorite artists working with natural materials. I have been a collector since the early eighty's. find his work at www.paulschick.com

My favorite skirted table

OK for this room I splurged, I used a antique flemish tapestry to cover a plywood round, who says you have to hang them on the wall ? You can achieve the same look with a rug or vintage textile and have a very unique table. The room in the photo is part of a dining room I designed for the Pasadena Showcase house, the house called "Pegfair" was built in 1930 by the architect Gordon Van Pelt.

Floating wood shelves

I collect these wonderful wood bowls. Every year at the Sisters Fall festival this artist shows his work, I try to be the first in line. So far I have collected twelve bowls and I cant tell you which one is my favorite. I like to display them on these floating wood shelves, I had them made by a local cabinet shop and painted them. You can also find them on the web at West Elm.

Tulip party !

My client decided to host a party celebrating her spring garden (how wonderful is that !) We decided to keep the flowers simple and play up the color. My inspiration was her hand painted china, We found it at a fun store called Twist in NW Portland.

A few of my favorite things

concrete table by John Dickinson, Steel daybed by Shannon & Jeal and a wonderful antique door I found in a flea market is now a floor mirror. "If you love what you collect it will never go out of style"

Fabulous find!

I love this gallery! D.A.O. (design around objects) located on Robertson Blvd in Los Angeles. They have the most wonderful collection of natural objects from all over the world. I fell in love with this root console, I had to purchase it for a client in Laguna Beach. It's there favorite thing in the house! I will share more treasures I have found in the future.

Bamboo fences

I was recently visiting my favorite Japanese garden in portland and photographed this fence. It has inspired me to create a bamboo fence in a garden I am designing in Southern California. I will keep you posted on the results, in the meantime if you have never visited the Japanese garden at Washington park in Portland. Put it on the top of your to do list! Also check out the book Bamboo fences by Isao Yoshikawa.

wabi-sabi

This is my concept of making a statement when entering. The design for this residence was a seven foot wide pivot door, I love the contrast between the geometric design and the organic wood pull. I promise to show you more of this wonderful house in the future. We just installed an 8' live-edge dining room table. Love it !

Arroyo Seco Landmark

I loved this project, my last space I designed for the Pasadena Showcase house of design. I retired that gig after participating for ten years. This house was a landmark brick tudor estate overlooking the Arroyo Seco. Sadly it burned to the ground a few years ago, but it survives in many movies that were filmed there and in my photographs from the show house.

George Rickey sclupture

A beautiful garden in Bend Oregon features a kinetic sculpture by the artist George Rickey. Here I have collaborated with the talented garden designer Maureen Klecker from Central Oregon.

Feeling the need to spend?

OK here is my favorite thing for today, Caesar stone / Concetto collection

I love the light smoky quartz. Can you imagine a slab of quartz rock crystal

on you wall or counter? Did someone say were in a recession? I look at it

as the ultimate economic stimulus! Check out www.caesarstone.com

Enduring design

I can't believe it's been eighteen years since I designed this residence,

still looks pretty good to me. I worked along with Fred Briggs one of the AD 100 top architects, what a pleasure.