my love for you is a stampede of horses.

Studio visit: Evan B. Harris.

****Jillian Mackintosh headed up to Portland, OR a few weeks ago to visit friends and see some great art. Jillian has an incredible eye and lady who's style and opinion I admire very much. I am excited to announce that she will not only be sharing the many studio visits she had while in PDX over the next of couple of weeks, she will also be a contributing blogger here on ML4U. Stay tuned for more news on that and coming changes to the blog over the next couple of weeks, but until then check out this beautiful foray into Evan B. Harris' studio and world. Such a visual boom. Thanks so much Jillian! ~meighan****

In the rainy gloom of Portland, OR, Evan B. Harris finds solace in his beautiful attic studio. Using aged acrylic and oil paints, charcoal pastels, plastic resin and melted wax, he creates images that seem unearthed from the past. His work often refers to his father’s artisan philosophies and inspired by his upbringing in the backwoods of Medford, OR. Evan’s art studio feels as though you stepped into a scene of his paintings. Everything in the place it was made to be, with deep accents of color and a rustic nostalgia.

Not only does Evan's work transcribe beautifully on paper but he also uses his knowledge of carpentry to create sculpture and furniture. Pictured below is a bench made into a sailboat as well as a cupboard and shelf. Unlike many artists these days, Evan’s paintings are beaten, brushed, sanded, polished and then hung. These manipulations create “the appearance that this wasn’t made in the 21st century, but perhaps in the 20th. So, behind every scratch and claw mark is a story waiting to be told.” - E. B. Harris

The secret to clean lines and the amazing textures you see in Evan's painting is his super old ink and acrylic paints.

Some of my favorites Evan B. Harris paintings from the past. To see more check out his Flickr.

Guest Blog: A Childish Wish List with Alison Feldmann

I have a serious weakness for antique handmade toys — anything that, once upon a time, was carried from room to room in the crook of a tiny, be-smudged arm and lugged through rain, mud and dark of night. I have a vested interest in taking care of relics that were made with such care, and as such I'm always questing after old dollhouse furniture, wobbly first-time wood shop projects and any other bits and bobbins that were made with love (and the best of intentions).

There are also some red herrings on this week's wish list (hey, who doesn't love library perfume and illustrations of the renal cavity?), so enjoy those as well.

Onward!

I worship at the inspiration altar that is folk art + antique jewelry mecca Erie Basin. I envy the Christmas morning ecstasy that must have followed the unveiling of this intricate homemade toy castle, complete with working drawbridge and a knight on a pedestal.  

 

Antique dolls are my obsession. Whether it's just the head or the entire doll, I line my shelves with their never-closing eyes. (Well, except when they fall over.) These particular specimens brings out all manners of "ENH!" from me. 

I love taxidermy, fur and miniatures, so these fur-covered animals will do quite nicely for me. (I adore the antelope!)

I'm pretty into the Krampus at the moment (fascinating stuff). According to Austrian folklore, Krampus are the demonic companions of St. Nicholas that dole out the punishments for those who've been naughty. These anonymous figures wear "goat-hair costumes and carved masks, carry bundles of sticks used as switches, and swing cowbells [or chains] to warn of their approach." Their masks are the stuff of legend. If I could decorate an entire wall of my apartment with pagan Alpine paraphernalia I would be infinitely happy. Until then, these antique novelty masks will surely do the trick.

The jagged terrain of this ring by Schmuck and Klunker compels me to bling out every finger and contemplate the universe while driving across Siberia in a Sweet Pickles Bus.

 

Soaps shaped like gems and rocks make washing your hands seem much more exciting than the mundane reality. These mineral chunks bring to mind fantasies of spelunking in search of mythical Andean mummies and breaking off a warmly humming gem or hunk of calcite to take home as a memento.

CB I Hate Perfume is one of my favorite places to visit: there's a seemingly endless array of unreal scents in every flavor imaginable  — like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory Factor (snozberry, etc.). In The Library combines all of my favorite memories of working at the library: fragile paper, worn leather and wood (minus carpeting and the smell of sweaty books). The scent is summed up as "English Novel taken from a Signed First Edition of one of my very favorite novels, Russian & Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish."

This digestive lithograph from the 1940s — well, this is the kind of stocking stuffer that I'd gladly forgive for being oversize and ruining the surprise. Love the illustration of eating at the table for digestion context.

I think antique wind-up toys and organ grinders' monkeys are the sweetest things. The more they've been loved (ahem, missing eyes), the better.

Ah, tinysaur! Kelly Farrell's diminutive T-rex is intricately laser cut and displayed within a hand-blown glass jar. Lovely.

And last, but not least, I ache for a killer collection of vintage marbles. I'd love fill a gigantic tumbler with glittering glass bits.

 That's all for this week! Stay tuned for more gift ideas in the coming weeks. In the meantime, hit me up on Twitter or read me on Etsy's blog, The Storque.
 

Guest Blog: A Swooning, Art-Centric Wish List with Alison Feldmann

There's such an abundance of art in this world that fills my (squishy, gummy, probably blackened) heart with wanting. However, not all of it is hung out of reach on a gallery or museum's cold, foreboding wall. In fact, a lot of it is within (virtual) reach through the wonders of the interwebs.

Here's my shortlist of art I wish to own. Let the rearrangement of my apartment begin!

I've always been fascinated by hand iconography, be it religious, anatomical, roughly sketched or forgiving flesh and blood. Poodle Breath's sculpture (and cowls with big ol' buttons, and jewelry) is at the top of my wish list. I'd place a gentle feather, tinkling beads or other found objects in those waiting hands and use them as a devotional.

 Uh, YES. It's high time that my "poor Yorick" impersonation had a physical manifestation upon which to project. (Really, any skull representation will do for me. They are my favorite.)

 

I'm fascinated by the universe and my place within it, so hunkering down with an interstellar art quilt riddled with white dwarfs, supernovae and black holes leaves an infinity to ponder (literally).

 

Justin Durand seriously rules. I love everything he produces; his Mermaids VHS piece literally made me laugh out loud. This original drawing is captioned as such: "this drawing is about being alone in pitch blackness.
and being totally still and silent.
either being scared or feeling peaceful.
not sure! both!"

I could moonily gaze into BergmansBear's rolling knolls, deep creeks and hazy expanses for, pretty much, ever. They're like portals into an alternate reality.

Luca Dipierro is a new artist on my list. His ominous, slightly carnivalesque assemblages remind me of the skeletons and ghouls from Minnie the Moocher meeting a carnivorous zombie processional in a darkened alley. His inspirations read: "Northern European Renaissance painting, Italian Mannerist etchings, the cartoons of Fletcher Hanks, the work of François Rabelais, Mexican chapbooks, early advertising, funhouses, graveyards and marionettes."

Because...who doesn't need a convenient wishbone? 

Sculpture is a new passion. The dry and chalky // glazed and sweet // delicate feel of ceramics makes me ache for a wall bedecked with pieces such as this roughly hewn bottle.

The Miscreants of Tiny Town series by Alex Kuno is at once mythical, uplifting and terrifying. It's a tad raw + grisly, but I always appreciate artwork that provokes a reaction. "Sally and the Serpent" is by far the best.

Because the intersection of bivalves and pom poms is something of which I must plumb the depths. (Damn, this is cool.)

Caroline Gaedechens' work is just mind-blowing. The spareness of her linework and the simplicity of her subject matter is ethereal, tenuous and ridiculously up my alley. I own many prints of Caroline's work and would love to own this diminutive book of illustrations, entitled "13 Dreams."

This decrepit antique horse reminds me of something from a Chinese emperor's tomb. I would gladly give it a new home in which to gallop.

That's all for this week's gift bazaar! Next week: perfume, plants and so much more. In the meantime, hit me up on Twitter or read me on Etsy's blog, The Storque.

Guest Blog: A Fashion Wish List with Alison Feldmann

As a constant maker of lists, thinking about gifts to give (and receive!) is an exercise in self-indulgence that I look forward to all the year. This week's wish list is all about fashion: specifically, the Gothic sensibility and obsessive accumulation of detail that I'm currently infatuated with, à la Ann Demuelemeester meets oversized tunic meets biker mama meets Edward Gorey. Basically, if it has an avant garde bent with some leather or fur and an inky hue, we're in business.

Fashion gift ideas, ahead!

I adore Zara Carpenter's over-the-top hats and headpieces, and this outsize trout-themed bow brings to mind visions of Captain Beefheart. Splendid.

 

HOT DIGGITY DAMN. There are so many elements to Isobel and Cleo's work I love, the first being the Fifth Element, Milla Jovovich styling of the model. The intense layer of the knits and the almost fur-like texture are intriguing. I also enjoy that "proverbial blood, sweat and tears" are included in the list of ingredients for this vest.

YES. Mini dress perfection.

I am a total freak for vintage, and the styling of this blouse has sold me completely.

I've been obsessed with Rackk and Ruin's blog and jewelry for a while now. I'm continually inspired by her DIY fashion reinventions and hard scrabble, rock and roll look. This Gothic rosary is so rad, I can't stand it: it's bold, it's vintage Madonna, it's a tongue-in-cheek Catholicism (I have a collection of antique Catholic memorabilia!). I own one of Rackk and Ruin's human hair necklaces, and I have to say that it's one of my "favorite things." (This list also includes "whiskers on kittens and brown paper packages tied up with string," et al.)

   

I never thought I'd get into the spats trend, but I have to admit that I'm fascinated. I'd wear this leather and chain version with my Frye motorcycle boots, or maybe with some velvet platforms for contrast.

=

I most definitely need a vintage leather jacket. Holla!

 

What is it about these redhead models, making everything look so good? Black Market Baby's jersey and lambskin leather panel leggings look comfy enough to wear on the couch while watching reruns of Roseanne, edgy enough for the the street. Also, nice creepers!

No need to justify: Laura Lombardi's work was made for my neck. Love!

Holy wow. These FINSK ponyskin wedges are heaven-sent.

Natural history is one of my favorites, as was evidenced last week. This preserved spider web pendant protects the ephemeral and delicate nature of spider silk. I want, I want!

I'm smitten with the three dimensional structure of these ruffled gloves by Gemma Degara. They're proper, a little bit la di da, but also kind of avant garde.

That's all for this week's gift bazaar! Next week: art and plants! In the meantime, hit me up on Twitter or read me on Etsy's blog, The Storque.

Hi Alison!

Just a quick intro. I am beyond excited to have Alison Feldmann guest blogging through the holiday season here on ML4U. She'll be joining us on a weekly basis to bring us her impeccably, stylish taste through a gift guide. I have followed Alison for awhile on Twitter and always end up saving most everything she blogs about over on Etsy. I hope you'll welcome her warmly! I have left the comments open on her posts so you guys can jam on it! A little info about the lovely doyenne:

Alison Feldmann loves abandoned buildings, Gothic overtones + motorcycle details, as well as making squee noises over tiny animals. By day she writes for Etsy's blog, The Storque, as TeenAngster. You can find her in the serial killer section of the library, knee deep in antlers at the local flea market, or if all else fails, on Twitter.

Enjoy!