Ancestral Spirits on Halloween

Superstitious!

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

African Art, original watercolor

This original charcoal drawing with watercolor was created from studying original African art artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This particular mask painted in earth tones depicts a specific individual and was from the Kimano Village in the Congo region of Africa. The tribal wall art has a wonderful abstract quality giving it modern sophistication. Dominant colors in this ethnic artwork are Indian red, coffee brown, tan and cerulean blue. The watercolor was given an additional texture to add to the visual appeal.

I made seven new drawings from the African Art collection during this visit and painted them with watercolors later in my studio. These abstract interpretations would look great in your house and would complement your modern global home decor.

African masks are considered amongst the finest creations in the art world and are highly sought after by art collectors. Masking ceremonies in Africa have great cultural and traditional significance. Latest developments and understanding of aesthetic principles, religious and ceremonial values, have brought about a greater insight into the ideas and moral values that African artists express in their art.

Detail from Tribal Art

Five Hottest Winter Coat Trends

Bundle Up In Style
By guest blogger @lindsayleboyer, Lindsay LeBoyer

Combat the winter blues with a fashionable and functional coat! This season, designers and retailers are offering a colorful palette, rich textures, and stylish silhouettes. No matter what your style, there's surely something that suits your climate and your budget.

The Puffer

Rugby Down Jacket $278

A warm puffer jacket is essential for chilly mornings. This olive toned, down jacket from Rugby Ralph Lauren is the perfect hue to complement your end-of-fall ensembles.

The Cape

Zara Poncho Coat, $129

This wine-colored piece from Zara plays off the hottest coat silhouette of the season- the cape. Throw it over a pair of jeans for a look that's instantly chic.

The Peacoat

Anthropologie, $198

Peacoats are always a classic. This one from Anthropologie has toggle closures for a luxe feel, and a very McQueen-esque tartan print.


The Pop of Color

Asos A-line coat, $161

Colorful outerwear is all the rage this season! Get in on the trend with this adorable turquoise coat from ASOS. You can count on it to brighten up even the gloomiest of slushy mornings.

The Aviator

Michael Kors, $285

Stay tough this winter with a (faux) sheepskin aviator jacket from Michael Kors. The lining will keep you toasty warm while buckles on the collar bring edge to your look. 

If mass market fashion is not your thing, go vintage or handcrafted with a coat from etsy. 
Which style coat will you be wearing this winter?

Lindsay in her favorite fur-lined
winter parka

Lindsay LeBoyer is an intern at Schulman Art. She writes a fashion blog called The Style Child.

mentioned in this article: @schulmanArt, @lindsayleboyer, @RugbyRL, @ZARA_US, @MichaelKors, @Anthropologie,  @ASOS, 

Autumn's Romance with Purple.

Plum Pretty!

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt ...

Decorating Idea with Teal and Purple

Casual style can be yours with a coat of Benjamin Moore paint, romantic dried flower arrangements, a white garden stool, purple throw and original artwork. In this relaxed and refined living room, designer Jim Howard chose to paint the walls an azure blue and used two coats of clear high-gloss varnish. White trim and rope-backed chair keep the room relaxed. Walls are Benjamin Moore's Shenendoah. The rope-backed Orkney Island chair from Phoebe Howard who has a personal shopper interior design blog. Touches of phlox purple are in the flowers, artwork. and cashmere throw. The photo originally appeared in House Beautiful

Get the House Beautiful Look with Handcrafted Touches

Original Artwork 

Fall Purple
Size: 22x29.5" watercolor on Arches paper

Nature appears nearly abstract when simplified as a color field painting. Original mixed media collage tree art depicts an abstract landscape with bare trees in a forest. In the distance the sky is a light orchid, with a golden band of sunshine beneath. The mountains and the deep forest beyond make the next band that ranges from deep teal to phlox purple.The collage elements are torn pieces of painted pieces of sheet music. The painted piano sheet music represents the bark of trees. This stunning large wall art will look great with many decorating schemes. Dominant colors in this artwork are lavender, phlox purple, lilac, teal and a band of golden yellow. The idea of creating color fields with trees in front were inspired by the oil paintings of Wolf Kahn. This painting is done entirely in watercolor including the collage pieces which are tinted with watercolor. Buy this artwork online from etsy.

Detail of Tree Art with Yellow Sunset

Mixed Media Collage has Plum and Cedar

White Ceramic Garden Stool

Garden Stool by Lush Lemonade Stand

Hand painted ceramic garden stools are timeless and look great inside the home as a side table or stool.  Lush Lemonade Stand has a number of these stools in various colors as well, and  can also paint them to order.The price is very budget friendly.

Romantic Flower Arrangement

Flower arrangement by Hopeless Romantic

Add a romantic, soft colored, arrangement to your home decor. This one is just right for the bedside table, foyer, coffee table etc. The container is a pretty aged ceramic in a neutral color. Get two to flank a mantelpiece as shown in the decorating inspiration.

Hand Knitted Throw by MimosaWorks

Lilac Throw

Cuddle up with this large shawl and throw over a chair for style and comfort as autumn turns cooler.

Check out all these plum pretty finds on etsy! Why do you think purple works so well in fall fashion and home decor?

mentioned in this article @housebeautiful, @schulmanArt, @benjamin_moore, @shopmrshoward,

Gladiator Chic

Jeanie Lisenby of House of Genie

Interview with Designer Jeanie Lisenby

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanart

SchulmanArt: How long have you been an artist?

Jeanie Lisenby: As long as I can remember I have been creating things. I once made inch worms out of my brother's leftover faux fur and sold them to my friends at school.

SchulmanArt: Where did you study art?

Jeanie Lisenby:I had a few great art teachers in grade school, mentors that shared their knowledge, and I studied at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

SchulmanArt: What are your inspirations?

Jeanie Lisenby:Everything is fair game, but current events and things that have happend to me personally provide the greatest inspiration.

SchulmanArt: What has been your most exciting moment as an artist?

Jeanie Lisenby: When I see someone that really likes my art. If they like it enough to buy it or wear it that gives me great satisfaction.

Dress, lamp and artwork all designed by House of Genie on etsy

SchulmanArt: What music do you listen to while you create?

Jeanie Lisenby: I like a quite and tranquil space, but I do listen to music often when I create. I have a very wide musical taste, but enjoy jazz, lounge, or alternative/dance depending on my mood.

SchulmanArt:     What is your studio space like?

Jeanie Lisenby: My "studio" is an upstairs bedroom and I sometimes do work at the bar area downstairs. My dream is to someday have a space with a view.

SchulmanArt:     Do you have any pets and do they keep you company while you create?

Jeanie Lisenby: Cats! I have a cat family that helps me do everything from creating art to making coffee! They are involved in every part of my life and provide me with sense of peace and tranquility.

What defines Gladiator Chic for you?

All the color is in the paintings

Quietly Sophisticated
by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

Fine Art Botanical Prints

In ordinary Cuban houses, the furniture is plain, the floors are tile, the walls are white. All the color is in the paintings. ~Diaz-Azcuy

Silk fabrics, sisal, and ivory tones give a San Francisco living room a soft, serene look. Designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy wanted it to be casual and modern, with a quiet air of sophistication. Lancaster sofa and club chairs, Lyonnaise chair, and Rateau coffee table are by DessinFournir. The framed botanical artwork is available from my etsy store either as large fine art prints or as unframed original pastel drawings. McGuire's Cocoon lamp by Robert Kuo sits on a Gregorius Pineo side table. The original photograph by David Duncan Livingston of this interior appeared in House Beautiful

Chevron Needlepoint Pillow

Do-it-yourselfers can get the look of these pillows at home with classic 1972 green and gold bargello pillow needlepoint kit

A handcrafterd subsitute for the color blocked pillows on the sofa can also be found on etsy through The Urban Cottage. Create an instant design makeover for your home by simply adding some decorative pillows to your sofa, chair or bed. This is an easy and affordable way to update your look and show off your personal style and Urban Cottage offers these pillows in a variety of sizes.

Pillows from Urban Cottage

What defines Cuban style for you?

mentioned in this blog post: @schulmanArt, @gregoriuspineo, @Robert_Kuo, @house_beautiful

Scarsdale Village Halloween Style

The City of Pumpkins

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

Scarsdale Village Original Watercolor Painting

The town came alive on Sunday with children painting store windows with washable paint. High school art clubs sold baked good and painted pumpkins. Children lined up to parade around the streets in their costumes and then eat donuts in the park.

This original watercolor landscape painting features a street scene of Scarsdale, New York. The village's distinctive architecture is represented by the tudor buildings at Boniface Circle. Beautiful pink impatiens are in bloom next to a bench where shoppers take a break to gossip. The cityscape artwork is painted with archival quality watercolor paper using highest quality watercolor paints and signed by the artist.

Scarsdale Village Fine Art Print for Sale

This fine art print from a watercolor painting also features a street scene of Scarsdale. A patriotic flag flies high in the blue sky. The town had a fundraiser where artists painted chickens and one is still on display under the flag pole. 

What does your town do for Halloween?

Painting cats on a Lazy Sunday Afternoon...

Who ever said cats hate water?

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

original Tuxedo Cat Art

This watercolor painting is of my black and white tuxedo cat Ebony who we adopted from an animal rescue shelter. This kitten is fascinated with running water so here she is perched on the edge of my bubble bath watching my red painted toes. She likes to dip her paws in the water and the soap bubbles. When I am done she splashes in the last two inches of draining water and then lies down for a nap in the warm cast iron tub. This painting would make a fantastic present for the cat lover in your life. If that cat lover is you, then you will love owning this original artwork.

 You can buy this work online in my etsy store: Cat Art

Detail of Cat Painting

Detail of Red Painted Toes in Watercolor Painting

I love cats and all their funny faces, don't you?

Russian Teddy Bears

Interview with Crafter Katya Loskutova

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

Find Katya on facebook!

SchulmanArt: How long have you been an artist?

Katya Loskutova: I`ve been an artist for a long time, trying lots of different techniques and playing with textures and ways of self-expression. I love painting in watercolours as well as shaping lovely things from ceramic clay or dough and creating toys, of course, which are usually teddy bears. I really love teddy bears. That`s my passion.

I started making bears in 2005 and I still keep my very first teddy bear with me at home.

SchulmanArt: Where did you study art?

Katya Loskutova: I`ve studied art including basic design for 10 years since primary school. It was school number 43 in Perm, Russia. This education was enough to understand that I can`t live without creating something. As for making teddy bears, nobody ever taught me how to create them, I just followed my artist`s intuition and here they are!

Follow the Teddies to Katya's Blog

SchulmanArt: What are your inspirations?

Katya Loskutova: My inspirations are cartoons, some childish stories and fairy tales which inhabit many magic creatures and create an absolutely special atmosphere of mystery and wonder. But I am also inspired by usual people who have their special character, habits and mood. I try to give each bear I make a unique character vivid through his posture, accessories and look.

SchulmanArt: What has been your most exciting moment as an artist?

Katya Loskutova: The most exciting moment for me is to see that my work can bring happiness into the world. When I see that people admire my work it makes me feel that I`m doing the right thing. Finishing every new creation is also quite exciting for me personally as it is wonderful to see that your own idea has grown into a true new life, that just an instant thought has been materialized.

Find this adorable Clown Bear and more in Katya's etsy store

SchulmanArt: What rituals do you have to get ready to create?

Katya Loskutova: To get ready to create you should be in a good mood, for that you should put yourself in a good mood. Holidays of any kind are really inspirational to me as I start thinking of giving presents to my family and friends and as a result I have plenty of ideas in my mind. So the main thing to do in case of not being ready to create (but it happens very rarely with me) is to create a festive mood around you and in your heart.

SchulmanArt: What is your studio space like?

Katya Loskutova: My studio space is my flat which is full of teddy bears of different kinds and sizes. I am also collecting teddy bears so I have more than 30 now in my collection, starting with tiny ones for about 5 cm and finishing with a huge bear who is always sitting on my bed (he is about half a meter high when sitting).

That is a funny coincidence but out of the window in my flat you can see a bus stop with an illustration of teddy bears on it. I have no idea how they guessed that a teddy bear artist lives in a block of flats just across the street!

SchulmanArt: Do you have any pets and do they keep you company while you create?

Katya Loskutova: I have a ginger cat called Simba (named so because he resembled a lion form the Disney movie when he was little) and he always keeps me company whenever I create toys, teddy bears, sculpt or paint… I even think of making a tiger or lion toy in the near future. =)
 _____________________________________________

All wonderful things chocolate brown!

mentioned in this article: @Kitty_April

Home is where the Art is

A Home doesn't have heART without the ART

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

Completed House Painting from Photo

A few days ago I talked about how the most popular holiday gift so far this year has been the house portrait. In this blog post I want to take you behind the scenes from start to finish to show you how I create my house portraits.

The first step always starts with the love of a house. In this case, a couple just purchased a new home together. Obviously, the husband takes as much pride in this home and knows he will also be able to share the joy of the house portrait he plans to give his wife. While she is away on business, he secretly takes some snapshots of the home. I was impressed that this husband started his holiday shopping way before Halloween ( I hope my husband is reading this!)

Reference Photograph for House Portrait

He sent me this snapshot as well as two other angles and also a photos of their two small dogs. Normally, I recommend that the pets be a separate portrait but I thought they would look just right nestled at the stoop. I love the flag in the front of the home,. the pumpkins and the blooming hydrangeas. I suggest to my client that we add more flowers to the front of the home which he loves.

Initial Drawing for Custom Portrait

The next step is I have to carefully reproduce a line drawing of the house and our discussed modifications onto the watercolor paper. Since my collector knows he wants the name of the street on the bottom of the painting I add this now in pencil just to make sure I get the spelling right. Then I scan my drawing and email the client for his review. He likes the addition of the dogs and the daffodils but is a little concerned about the sides looking sparse, but I know once the paint goes in everything will be as he imagined so I am good to go.

The whole painting comes to life in watercolor. When I m done I send a scan again for him to review. Just one small request is to darken one of the two dogs. I send him a revised scan of that detail and get the package ready for shipment. For portrait I prefer to include a mat as this adds to the visual presentation. I wrap the painting in an acetate sleeve with my business card slipped in the back. Then I create a box that is the right size for the matted painting. I don't want anything too large so the painting doesn't have room to bang around inside the box. Whew! That was a lot of work, but this painting will be a part of their home for many years and a treasured heirloom for their children and children's children.

Detail showing charming dogs on stoop.

What kind of art makes your home special?

Halloween Hostess

Handcrafted Touches for the Season

by Miriam Schulman

Halloween decor that lasts beyond October 31

The spider painting makes a great Halloween gift that can appreciated long after the holiday is over! Spider painting wall art with beautiful black spider over a kaleidoscope of bright orange, bamboo yellow, kelly green and bright cobalt blue. Gorgeous affects are obtained from watercolor on a textured canvas. This artwork is done with archival watercolors on specially prepared canvas which gives gorgeous affects as the transparent watercolor has texture and luminosity. The boys wall art would be at home in modern or traditional decors. A frame is not required for display since the sides are painted black. This art is great for grownup boys too!

Greet Your Guests with style in an apron by Lover Dovers Clothing

For grownup girls hosting a Halloween party, be flirty in this retro apron ! This retro apron is made with pumpkin orange solid, and has a black and white striped contrast. The little apron is fully lined, and has fun black ric rac details. This retro apron has a black waist band to set it off. The heart shaped bib has white lace trim and ric rac.Seller, Lover Dovers Clothing will make this in plus sizes too.

Just one of the many adorable holiday earring finds at Jenni Leigh Creations

Get in the spirit without going full force in a costume with Halloween themed earrings. These candy corn earrings by Jenni Leigh are scaled perfectly and will look fabulous with all the hot orange clothes this fall. She has a lot of other Halloween inspired jewelry to check out.

Pumpkin Soaps by Sweet Candle-ations

If you are going to a party and looking for a hostess gift, these pumpkin shaped candles are just the ticket. You may want to get some for yourself too to add to your powder room for a little seasonable fun that will still resonate through Thanksgiving.

Wine always makes the best hostess gift for any party. Dress up your bottles with funky Halloween wine labels. Small Creatures customizes the labels with your names and any other wording you like. These labels come to you on adhesive paper, ready to put right on top of the existing label, with a matching gift tag and tie to pull the whole look together.

Dress up wine with an artsy kitchy label! by Small Creatures

What's your favorite tradition for setting the scene for Halloween?

What's the most popular art gift for the holidays?

House Portraits!

by Miriam Schulman, @SchulmanArt

The portraits commissions have been coming in as well as orders for the holidays. This year's clear winner is the house portrait. A personalized gift that never goes out of style, everyone loves their home and watercolor portrait is the perfect fine art gift. My first order came in a month ago from a Canadian shopper who swears she gets all her holiday shopping done by October 1st!  She sent me a photo of her husband's childhood home and all the siblings chipped in for this surprise gift for her in-laws.

House Portrait Sketch

A local collector also had her in-laws in mind but wants to give the present during Thanksgiving so I'll be working on that one soon too.

This weekend I received a photo from a husband who wants to give his wife a painting of their new home. I sketched it out (shown right) and am waiting for him to approve the sketch before I start painting. House portraits are the most popular, but I also am getting sales of landscapes. A California landscape is an anniversary gift for a husband. Check out all my online galleries of originals and prints. If you don't find the perfect landscape, I'd be happy to create a special art commission of any place from your photo just for you.

More holiday gifts for the House proud!

Decorating a Dark, Moody and Sensual Bedroom

Mahogany Forest

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

decorating Idea using Mixed Media Art

Moises Esquenazi designed a little L.A. house with a lot of California cool. This bedroom was featured in House Beautiful. You can mix high and low end design resources to copy the look yourself for your own space. I decided my new exuberant mixed media tree art was perfect for the rich colors of this bedroom although it will also complement many decors. I was also able to find many similar home decor items on etsy such as the hot pink shams, plum shams and pink ikat pillows. Etsy seller Rogers Brothers can make you a similar upholstered headboard. Curtains, a lavender throw, cedar stools and an abstract oil painting finish the room. Not shown in the picture, is a blue dresser on the oppostite wall.

Get the look: The master bedroom is dark and cozy, with walls painted in Farrow & Ball Mahogany No. 36. Interior designer Moises Esquenazi designed the mohair velvet headboard; curtains are Donghia's Uma Black Print. Leather Saigon stools are from Bourgeois Bohème. Moroccan rug from Mosaik.

Scanned Close Up of Tree Art

Artwork: Original mixed media collage tree art depicts an abstract landscape with bare trees in a forest lit up by the exuberant red and magenta leaves of autumn.

Watercolor Painting with Framing Idea

Detail of Tree Art

This stunning large wall art will look great with many decorating schemes. Dominant colors in this artwork are teal, turquoise, orange, red and burnt sienna. The color fields with trees in front were inspired by the oil paintings of Wolf Kahn. This painting is done entirely in watercolor including the collage pieces.

 

The collage elements are torn pieces of painted pieces of sheet music. The painted piano sheet music represents the bark of birch trees .

Get the look for less!  
The master bedroom of interior designer Moises Esquenazi’s Los Angeles bungalow inspired the selection of all these handcrafted and vintage finds on etsy!


Mentioned in this article @house_beautiful, @Donghia, @moisesesquenazi, @etsy

Three Not to Miss Picasso Exhibits in NYC

Pathways to Picasso

by Miriam Schulman

Mark your calendars and program your smart phones to make sure you catch all three of these exhibits this season!

Picasso's Drawings, 1890–1921: Reinventing Tradition

The Frick Collection

A close look at the development of Picasso’s extraordinary draftsmanship, with more than 50 works encompassing classicism and Cubism. October 4, 2011, through January 8, 2012

A gold brooch by Pablo Picasso

Picasso to Koons: Artist as Jeweler 

MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN

Personal and one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry by more than 100 artists, including Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons and Anish Kapoor. September 20, 2011 - January 8, 2012

portrait of Gertrude Stein by Picasso

The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso, and the Parisian Avant-Garde travels to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Feb. 28 through June 3, 2012  this touring blockbuster explores the visionary patronage of Gertrude Stein and her brother Leo.  

mentioned in this article @frickcollection, @madmuseum, @metmuseum

Decorating with Masculine Burnt Sienna...

Fall Classic.

by Miriam Schulman, @schulmanArt

Decorator: Steven Gambrel artwork: Schulman

Taking orange in a more masculine direction, Burnt Sienna serves as the standard, fall classic. Accent pieces for the home such as pillows in this warm orange are a must or go really bold and paint your whole house in it.Pantone predicts this is a hot color for men for home and fashion. A close cousin to persimmon orange, this color is more muted.

In this room decorated by Steven Gambrel, the colors range from burnt sienna to coffee. The lamps are vintage and the carpet is from Carini Lang. Buy the mixed media artwork online from my etsy shop. The birch trees are created with piano sheet music and vibrant colors are executed in glorious watercolor.

Sonatina Forest, Mixed Media Watercolor

BENJAMIN MOORE WARM SIENNA

Paula Perlini recommends using burnt sienna in the kitchen. "Might as well make it cozy. Everybody comes in anyway, you can't beat them out with a spoon. Plates would look great on the wall against this warm cayenne, and I'd do teak countertops and cork on the floor — very soft and warm to bare feet." 

  

FARROW & BALL MENAGERIE

Some designers draw color inspiration from their travels. New York interior decorator Susan Zises Green says "We were driving in the countryside outside of Delhi very early in the morning and saw all these women out in the fields in their exquisite saris, in every shade from yellow to gold to this luscious melony terra-cotta. I can still see the material wafting in the breeze."

@etsy finds in burnt sienna

mentioned in this article:@benjamin_moore, @pantonetrends, @farrowandball, @schulmanart