Tag Archives: art

mid-week round-up

January 6, 2016Wednesday Linksart, cats, conspiracy theories, links, long-form, Netflix, news, post-traumatic growth, printable calendar, products I love, round-up, true crimeBeth Berger

According to several news sources, winter has arrived in South Florida! While that translates to temperatures in the 60’s, and high 60’s at that, I’ll take it! Keeping our giant sliding doors open during the day for a cool breeze to blow through the apartment is amazing. How’s your winter faring? However it’s going, I hope you enjoy these links…

Keep your chopping board from sliding around.

Have you watched Making a Murderer yet? So gripping!

Many people thrive in the aftermath of adversity.

A Ragdoll’s favorite things.

How gorgeous is this nail color?

It seems these days that every major global event attracts a corresponding counter-narrative.

A beautiful (and free!) way to stay organized in 2016.

A bunch of drunks and a few cops achieve art’s “golden ratio.”

Taking the home office to a whole new level.

Challenge yourself in 2016 with #BustleReads.

A great long-form read, if you’ve got the time.

Bad Yogis.

An Afternoon of Art – Frost Art Museum

September 21, 2015Every day life, Style and Designart, art exhibits, college campus, Cuban artist, Cultural Enrichment Saturday, FIU, Florida, free activities, free entrance, Miami, museum, paintings, The EvergladesBeth Berger

Just because Chet works at Florida International University doesn’t mean we can’t play there too! Universities and colleges are a great resource for finding fun (and usually affordable) experiences and activities. On a recent rainy afternoon we headed to campus to check out the Frost Art Museum. There was no entrance fee and the staff at the desk explained what exhibits were up and where they were located within the museum. We set off down the hallway and were greeted by this installation by Pawel Nowak featuring Polish passport photos.

Upstairs were the main exhibits. The rooms were gorgeously kept, with shiny wooden floors and the occasional skylight letting in peaks of natural light, and the art expertly displayed. Here’s what we saw —

Cartographies of Water by Rufina Santana

Santana’s art was deeply inspired by her homeland–The Canary Islands. The rugged volcanic rock shaping the islands, the exotic plant life, and of course the ocean are all expertly depicted in her work. It’s the endlessness of the sea, she says, which captivates her imagination. Just like a wide stretch of dark ocean waters, the paintings felt bold and expansive while also fearless.

There Are No Other Everglades in the World by Jim Couper

Couper’s paintings highlight the characteristics unique to the Everglades, a distinct and fragile environment located no where else in the world. He utilizes a bright palette of colors to play with the various ways the sub-tropical light changes and transforms the magnificent waters. His brushstrokes reminded me of an Impressionist painter’s, like Claude Monet. I found myself wanting to jump into the canvas and live in one of these serene waterscapes.

Green Machine by Carlos Luna

Luna is one of the foremost contemporary Cuban artists. He represents a generation of Cubans who embrace their heritage but also reinvent and adapt themselves to new trends and techniques. The exhibit featured a multitude of artistic media styles, including; painted canvas, mixed media work on paper, ceramics, and fine art tapestries. Luna is clearly a multi-talented artist. Working in Puebla, Mexico for 13 years after leaving Cuba, Luna now resides in Miami, and it was interesting to see the strong influences of those three places coalescing in his various pieces.

Behind the museum is a lovely little lake watched over by this guy. Oh, Florida!

We topped off our afternoon with iced coffees and a stroll through campus. The student union was buzzing with weekend activity. The space between buildings is full of great outdoor seating, including some contraptions which I feel are called gondolas but I really have no idea if they have a name. They’re essentially a picnic table…with a canopy for shade…and the whole thing swings back and forth. I. Want. One. Anywho, I can’t wait to go back to the museum as the exhibits change over the coming months! And I’m excited to discover what else FIU has to offer us. Perhaps a dance performance or a concert!?

Do you scope out activities at your local college campus? Would you? Do you have a favorite art museum? Let me know in the comments below!

mid-week round-up

April 15, 2015Wednesday Linksart, cinema, food, links, marketing, news, printable, pulling on my heartstringsBeth Berger

What are you up to this week? This past weekend was in the 70’s and sunny, so I had a lovely time zipping around the city and even took in an outdoor percussion concert. Can’t wait for summer adventures to begin! Have a great Wednesday, and here’s a little link love from me to you…

I wonder why people keep mentioning this story to me? #lastnameproblems

Doodle blog.

Lawmakers would have us believe that being poor is awesome.

In case you’re apartment hunting.

Grow your food! (More garden porn.)

These jokes take me back to 2002 in a BIG way.

A sweet grocery list template.

Looking at the first and final frames of great films.

Food secrets for a long life.

Marketing bifurcation is generally bullshit.

Relatable.

As a former forensics educator, this piece hit my heart. #LetMatthewTeach

My modest art collection.

January 29, 2015Home, Style and Designaffordable art, art, framed, maps, screen prints, wall swagBeth Berger

Today, I thought I’d show you my extremely modest art collection. All of these pieces make me smile, bring me inspiration, tell a story, and have happy homes on my walls. They are all extremely affordable options to adding a little color and personality to your living space. From maps to prints torn out of books, screenprint shop finds to upcycling a speech trophy…perhaps you’ll find an idea that suits your taste.

Living Room

Chet and I found these little foxes hanging out in a thrift store in Bowling Green last summer. A Print Mafia piece, these babes have a special place in my heart. And it’s no mistake that my computer matches this print perfectly, Chet custom painted it with this print in mind(and his computer is orange!!). We love these guys!

Way back in 2002, I lived in Ireland with my family for a spell. We lived in Dublin but we spent a lot of time hiking along the cliffs of the seashore and around the Wicklow mountains. This is a map of some of those peaks. I like that the folds are still visible. I like that at some point it was probably shoved in my Dad’s pocket before it made it’s way across an ocean and into this frame.

These second-hand framed prints informed the color palette for this room. I love the yellows and blues and oranges and greens.

Bedroom

My mandala-making sister gifted me with this creation back when I was TV-less and the only thing that happened in my living room involved a mat. I called it “the yoga studio.” Now that I’ve scored a TV, this hangs in my bedroom right next to my dresser so I can look at it while I’m getting ready for my day. A gentle reminder to create my own sunshine.

I love bees and I love pretty much everything Cricket Press does. I also have a ridiculous love of hanging things with binder clips. (Is it tacky or cute? IDK.) I bought this tiny print at the Woodland Art Fair along with one featuring fireflies for my sister, Katie.

When my mom and sister went on a trip to Europe a few years back I requested a painting of the Eiffel Tower that they could buy for me off the street. They did not disappoint. I felt like a real grown-up when I took it to Michael’s to be professionally matted and framed. It’s pure luck that my bedroom wall color matches so well…it was painted that way when I moved in.

Kitchen

My favorite Picasso. Bold and fun colors in my kitchen, please!

I cut this lil abstract number out of a free Bowling Green publication (probably during some vision boarding phase). I received the frame with a printed certificate inside for talking pretty at Berry College one weekend. When I was about to chuck it (whoops!) I noticed the reds matched exceptionally well. So I slapped that puppy in the frame, on top of the certificate, and called it a day…and also called it art.

Dining Room

My favorite Chagall. Read: Goats. Sidenote: My mom took us to a lot of museums growing up when I was really too bratty to appreciate them. I’m #blessed to HAVE a favorite Chagall. So, thanks Mom.

Who doesn’t love Bill Murray? This beautifully-sweatered Bill was popped out of the Bill Murray coloring book gifted to me by my brother and given a frame all his own. Because Bill Murray does not belong on a shelf.