I started the ArtFoodHome.com daily (now 4 times/week) blog 1/1/11 (easy to remember, right?) and have kept it going since then. Come back each day - I share with you:
ART: featured artists, art events, workshops, etc.
FOOD: recipes, restaurants, and good finds along the way
HOME: house plans, home design, places here in Charleston...
On year 14 of artfoodhome.com - share this site with anyone who you think might enjoy it!
I meant to post this prior to May 4… I hate that I missed this! Darn, darn, darn… Too many sticky notes everywhere with ideas… it’s dreadful when some of the ideas have time limits, ugh!
BUT, we can all wish them a “Happy Birthday” and stop by for something fabulous! What a cool place, it’s where you see many locals as well as people visiting. It’s very cool how you sit with others if you don’t have a large party. Let me tell you, almost every time we go we meet someone so interesting. That makes this place so much fun!
Gaulart & Maliclet (also known as G&M or FAST & FRENCH) has great specials, and if I remember right fondue night is on Thursday! We usually make it there for lunch, the cold cucumber soup is to die for AND healthy… for real!
Check out their MENU, it will blow you away! Too good for words! Check it out if you get a chance!
Nightlines by Steven Walker Winner of Plein Air Salon “Best Nocturne”
Amazing painting, right? Nocturnes amaze me. Steven really packed a lot into this painting. This painting has such a nice feel to it with the soft light from the lamps in the house and the nice light showing fabulous shadows from the street light. Very nice how the power lines were illuminated just enough to catch your eye. Steven’s work is fabulous!
Can’t you feel that bright sun in your eyes? This painting is a treat… look at those clouds.. oooh how they highlight that orangy yellow so nicely… the sun kissed landscape, very nice! Be sure to look at Steven’s website, it’s chock full of fabulous paintings!
Read a blip about Steve from his website (also check out his blog):
Born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Steven has been captivated by art for most of his life. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in illustration. After only a few years as a freelance illustrator, Steven earned his master’s degree at Marywood University and began focusing his efforts towards fine art.
After a string of small shows at coffee shops and libraries his focus turned to gallery exhibition. Since his venture into gallery life, his landscapes have been well received by collectors. His paintings are part of several private collections such as Hilton Hotels, the Boy Scouts of America, Dominion Resources and the United States Air Force.
Steven has been included in several local and national juried competitions including the Richeson 75 Landscape Competition, the American Landscape competition in Maryland, several juried shows throughout Ohio and Virginia, the International Salon Competition and most recently, the Oil Painters of America Salon. Steven also had the privilege of being a part of a statewide traveling exhibition with the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. Recently he’s participated in several artist in residency programs in Michigan, Indiana and Iowa through the National Parks Service.
Steven, with the assistance of his lovely wife Evelyn, continues to work hard in the advancement of his career. Currently, his work is represented by the B. Deemer Gallery in Louisville, KY, The Sharon Weiss Gallery in Columbus, OH, the Vision Gallery in Atlantic Beach, NC, and the Glave Kocen Gallery in Richmond, VA.
“I should have quit years ago but that would have proved so many people right.” – SW
Happy Mother’s Day! But wait… before you say, “I’m not a mother”… this wish is for all of you who…
–ARE a mom: I’m sure the joy is overwhelming, as well as the worry and stress, but the love… ahhh, that beats all, right? Know you are blessed…
–WANT to be a mom: so it’s not your time yet, that’s OK. Enjoy your life, get out and do things so that once you do have children you don’t feel like you’re missing out!
–TRIED to be: for all of you who have felt the heartbreak of wanting to be a parent, but having it not work out for one reason or another, I feel for you. I understand. I’m in the same boat. Find what brings you joy and move on with your life. You can spend forever on “what if’s” but you will be much happier if you move on… (such as) help out a friend with children, teach them something special, something important like being nice to others, volunteering, there are other options, not the ones you probably dreamed about, but life does get good again…
–DON’T want to be: hey, everyone has a reason. If having children isn’t your deal, that’s fine. Help a friend with their child once in a while, or teach a child how to bake cookies, some cool, fun, important (cookie baking!) life skill!
To my mom, I would like to say that you are the absolute coolest mom and I love you to pieces… I wish we lived closer! AHHH… I’ve learned a lot from you, even though I don’t think you realized it. Like… the importance of saying no instead of being overwhelmed and miserable. My note taking surely I got from you, and that lead to my writing… I love to talk about cooking and recipes, food and health, books and so much more with you. I love knowing you’re on the other end of the phone when I call! Thank you for being my mom! I love you mom!!
To Fred’s mom, I would like to say that you are such a great role model, someone who is truly caring and shows it by helping others every chance you get. You are always there if we need you. We’re very fortunate to live close although we don’t see each other every day, its a nice feeling knowing that we can be there in a moments notice! It’s fun comparing our Dr. Oz notes and trying to keep up with what’s good for you and bad for you since it changes constantly! Thank you for being Fred’s mom! We love you!!
Ok, get out and do something good for someone. Make someone smile today.
MAKE. SOMEONE. SMILE. TODAY…
Repeat tomorrow… and the next day… and the next day… and the next day… etc.
PS/ Thank you Kate Mullin for making the world a more beautiful place with your flower arrangements!
View from Bowens Island Restaurant, Charleston, SC
Beauty as far as the eye can see… Bowens Island Restaurant… located in Charleston, South Carolina near Folly Beach (about 5 minutes away!) is one restaurant you need to check out next time you’re in Charleston. It’s, well… eclectic? The food is fresh and so tasty, I always get the fried shrimp, (my one splurge) and this is the place to get it!
They’re open from 5-10PM Tuesday – Saturday (CLOSED ON SUNDAY & MONDAY)… we usually get there early and there is a line, but just look at the view (above)… bring your camera, especially if you go near sunset… gorgeous!
Bowens Island Restaurant
This may not be a fancy restaurant, but LOOK AT THAT VIEW! I have gotten many gorgeous photos from this location! I have their updated menu set to post May 18 so check back then… but see the previous menu HERE, not much has changed!
Ooooh, what a place to be right now! Florida’s Forgotten Coast Plein Air event is happening through May 11, 2014. Then there is a workshop with Ken DeWaard and Greg LaRock. If you want to see if there is still an available spot HERE is the link!
What an impressive list of Artists they have this year! Check it out! And if you’re in the area, by all means… GO! What fun!
Plein Air Painters To Capture Forgotten Coast on Canvas
More than 20 nationally acclaimed artists will gather on Florida’s Forgotten Coast to participate in the 9th annual Forgotten Coast en Plein Air Invitational, America’s Great Paint-Out, May 1-11, 2014. Painters will set up their easels and pull out their brushes to document the landscape and culture of this last vestige of authentic “Old Florida” – the coastal stretch of scenic North Florida between Mexico Beach and Alligator Point.
“Plein Air”, a French word, simply translated means “open air”. The roots of plein air painting are found in 19th-century Europe. An Englishman, John Constable, believed that artists should forget “formulas” and trust their own vision in finding truth in nature.
About the same time in France, in a small village called Barbizon, a group of artists focused their attention on a subject matter that had never been done before: everyday life and the natural world surrounding it. These realists laid the ground work for the next development: Impressionism. Plein air forever changed how artists see the world.
A true plein air painting is done on location, capturing the atmosphere of the moment. The majority of the painting must be completed on site with little to no work to be done in the studio. Most artists agree this is the true test of skill as it requires complete confidence in placement of color and brushwork in a short amount of time. For example, a sunset may only last 30-40 minutes. That would be all the time the artist has to capture the scene.
The event includes 5 exhibits across the coast, daily artist demonstrations, 2 workshops, art sales and a series of public receptions. Art enthusiasts can visit the exhibits and attend the many free special events that occur throughout the 10 day event. “Many artists from across the region gather and paint alongside the event’s invited artists; it is amazing to see the art being created” stated Joe Taylor, Event Chair. The “Wetroom”, which alternates each year between the Apalachicola Center for History, Culture and Art in historic Apalachicola and a location in downtown Port St. Joe, is always stocked with fresh paintings that the artists deliver daily throughout the event.
The Forgotten Coast en Plein Air is coordinated by the Forgotten Coast Cultural Coalition, a non-profit organization established to produce regional multi-community cultural events that improve the quality of life for the coastal area. The communities of Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island, Carrabelle, and Alligator Point have joined forces to produce the most impressive art event seen along the coast. Support from the Gulf and Franklin County Tourist Development Councils, Mexico Beach CDC, and Visit Florida has helped to gain the event a national following.
A selection of America’s finest plein air artists are scheduled to participate in this year’s event, please look over our artist list to see the diverse talent.
I ran across this plan by Alison Ramsey Architects, and its really quite different from what I’ve been posting… So… in an effort to reach everyone’s likes, I am posting a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom plan that is roughly 1,847 square feet of heated living space. It’s not always easy for me to imagine this sketch as a real house… Allison Ramsey Architects shows photos of real houses, and that helps immensely! See the images HERE.
If I were to build this house I’m thinking I would either have wood siding, painted white with a galvanized metal roof and black trim around the windows or shakes, but I’m leaning towards the white/black/metal… I would use an amazing front door (friends don’t let friends buy ugly doors!) something a tad wider than normal, with as much glass as you’re comfortable with… I think that would look amazing. Install a gas lantern (or two) and add an American flag and whoa! You have one gorgeous house! Ahhhh, that was fun… what would YOU do?
I love the setup of this plan. I like that the master bedroom/bathroom is in the back of the house, and I like that its not a huge bathroom… its just right! Nice walk in closet as well… very nice and cool that there is a small deck off of the master. The utility room is close by, which is helpful when folding and putting away clothes. Our laundry room is currently in our bathroom and I love it there! It’s so convenient to pull clothes out of the dryer and fold them on the bed. Easy on the back too (we have a high bed). This plan has a great open kitchen, dining, living spaces and a small powder room tucked out of the way. Perfect!
The upstairs has a few bedrooms that share a bath (thankyouverymuch!) I think it’s nice that everyone has their own bathroom if they’re the ones cleaning it (hee hee)… otherwise I think a shared bath is the way to go!
I love the loft area, either to use as a little private tv/reading room, or a place for a dreadmill, uh, I meant TREADmill… Could also make a nice little office… the possibilities for that space are endless!
I am excited to have run across Laura Shubert’s work! Any of you who read this blog know how much I love paintings of interiors. I just don’t run across them very often, but I did today! Check out artist Laura Shubert.
What. Amazing. Paintings!
I love the light streaming in the window, the blinds on the door, and all the paintings on the wall!
#22 by Laura Shubert 24×24″
Another favorite! What a sweet vase of flowers. The brightness of the green against the rich color in the flowers is so nice!
#26 by Laura Shubert 40×30″
Light and shadows, a comfy sofa, light pouring in… I want to curl up with the stack of magazines that I have sitting here waiting to be read…
Laura Lacambra Shubert, daughter of a Basque father and American mother, grew up in Florida and Spain and chose art as a career at an early age. She studied painting, drawing, and printmaking at Southern Methodist University, where she received her B.F.A. in 1986.
After studying painting at Academie Port Royal, in Paris, France, for one year, she returned to the United States, where she began exhibiting in solo and group shows across the country. In 2000, she was named a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London, England (established in 1754).
Her work can be found in private and corporate collections in the United States and abroad.
All images via LSSStudios.com with permission from the artist.
Fred and I missed the Farmers Market in Charleston this past Saturday, so we swung by the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market on Tuesday… Oooowie! We bought some tasty veggies… as you’ll see below! As well as the best brie I’ve ever had! Made for a wonderful dinner!
We were there right when they opened (you have to wait until the bell rings at 3:30PM, vendors are not allowed to sell anything prior to that time because they are located on school property). By the time we left it was really filling with people! So good to see! All good food, what a treat!
Dinner was too good for words… brown rice, butter peas, radishes, corn on the cob (all from the farmer’s market)… and a few slices of baguette from the bakery near us (Normandy Farms) with some brie from the farmers market.
YUM!
It just can’t get better than this! It felt so good to eat fresh healthy local food! Catch you back here tomorrow!
I have admired Frank Gardner’s work for quite a while now. He creates the most amazing paintings, full of depth and texture as well as interest! With today being Cinco de Mayo I thought I would pick some paintings of Mexico, and Frank has some beauties!
Fresh Paint is a gorgeous painting and those colors, ahhh, those colors, they grabbed me right away! The buildings in Mexico are so beautiful, I really want to go there one day! Fresh Paint is available at Galeria Gardner.
Procession by Frank Gardner 30 x 40″ Oil
I have loved this painting from the moment I saw it! What a delight to be able to see Frank’s paintings in real life! The photos are great, but the real thing is so much better. You can better see the richness, the texture, the feeling of the painting is much more apparent. Frank is a good guy, he’s represented by many galleries throughout the USA as well as his own Galería Gardner. Check out his work when you get a chance!
Frank Gardner was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1986 with a BFA in Painting. A desire to find true inspiration for his paintings eventually led him to relocate to Mexico in 1990. His studio is in San Miguel de Allende, where he resides with his wife and daughter. Gardner’s painting style adeptly captures his subject’s mood, whether it be a dramatic landscape, colorful Mexican street scene or boats in a harbor. The combination of confident brushwork, dynamic compositions and lively color invokes true character in Frank’s work. Although Mexico inspires a large amount of Frank’s paintings, his diverse subject matter includes landscapes from across the United States as well as a recent series of steam locomotives, automobiles, and industrial machinery. Gardner is represented by several fine galleries in the US and Mexico and his work is part of numerous fine collections across North America and Europe.
Artist’s Statement
My paintings are interpretations of my experiences. They come from the desire to share the beauty that I see every day by arranging bits of color and ideas to tell a story. Drawn to the colors of fleeting light effects on the landscape I try and accurately represent color I see. However, I also interpret and push color if it is useful to convey how the scene makes me feel. Color combinations and juxtapositions are a lot of what make a subject appealing to me. I look for situations that are unique to a particular place at a certain time, depending on lighting conditions, but also filtered through my mood at the time a piece is painted.
Painting in a representational style, and influenced by the impressionists, I am drawn to fleeting light effects and color while sometimes sacrificing detail. A controlled chaos or loose spontaneity is my favored look, although each color and stroke is well thought out and carefully placed. My goal is to convey to the viewer my feelings about the scene through my use of color and brushwork. I’ll let the subject and my mood determine how much detail is required to complete each painting.
Paint application is important to me. It is a very personal facet of my work. An artists brushwork and paint handling is what sets their work apart from another artist’s interpretation of the same view. It is as unique as a fingerprint. I not only brush paint on, but lift it off, or smear it with a finger or paint rag. It is often the lifting off of the paint or moving it around after it is on the canvas that gives the look I am after.
ALL IMAGES VIA FrankGardner.com with permission from the artist…
This is a tribute to a friend… Scott Dulin. An amazing guy, so interesting and full of life. Fred and I met Scott on Monhegan Island (Maine)…. we quickly became friends and looked forward to arriving on the island at the same time the next year. We had fun, we talked until late, late… about everything. Scott was just such a nice guy, and it was nice to have a friend like him on the island. We would keep in touch throughout the year…
Life changes in the blink of an eye. Call or write your friends, let them know how important they are in your life.
Through the sadness there was a definite silver lining. We will always miss Scott and his smile, but through him we met his sister Jennifer. I feel like she is a sister to us as well, and we haven’t even met yet. We will meet Jennifer (pictured upper right with Scott) this year… can’t wait! I truly think he would be smiling knowing that we’ve become friends.
Big hug to you Jennifer… see you soon!
Also would like to say cheers to our friend… until we see you again…
We are very fortunate to live in such a beautiful area of Charleston, SC. The live oak trees that line our street are magnificent, grand and stately. They have grown together to form an arch which is so beautiful to see. Our neighborhood is protective of our trees. Can you imagine what it would look like without them? I hope I never have to know…
Just look at those shadows dancing in the street. Wow! This photo doesn’t do it justice…
If you have a spot, plant a tree… it’s good for the earth, the shade keeps your home cooler in the summer… makes a nice memorial or tribute to a friend or relative. We are only here a short time… make it beautiful while you can!
Clouds Over Penny Creek by Dee Beard Dean – 30 x 40″ Oil Available at Galerie on Broad
Dee Beard Dean’s workshops always bring in rave reviews. She is a highly sought after instructor, and it sounds like everyone learns and has a good time while they’re at it, what a great combination!
Well, Dee has a few workshops coming up… one is May 5-7, 2014 and she has a few spots open… so if you’re looking for a great workshop to take… look no further! (Info below)… and if that workshop doesn’t fit into your schedule she has several others, check out Dee’s WORKSHOPS…
On another note, the May art walk in Charleston, SC isTONIGHT from 5-8 PM. This is such a nice time of year to get out and visit the galleries! Stop by Galerie On Broad (29 Broad Street) and see Dee’s work in person! What a perfect ending to the work week!
Artists will receive challenging group and individualized instruction in studio painting. Dee will observe the artists’ works and help them to improve rather than change their individual styles.
The emphasis will be on learning to see value changes, color temperatures, and composition. We will be building arrangements of abstract shapes that will form a strong foundation for the painting. There will be extensive studies on color temperature and value that will make the students’ paintings “sing” and vibrate with evocative color. Students can bring favorite photographs or small studies to create larger works in the studio. There will be short lectures and demos in the mornings. The remainder of the day will be spent painting and Dee will be working with artists on an individual basis. Instruction will be with oils, however all mediums are welcome. The workshop is geared toward intermediate and advanced artists who are striving to bring their work up to a new level.
What a great house plan this is! This is a new plan, called the Randolph Cottage (Southern Living Plan 1861). The architect for this plan is Bill Ingram. This house is 1800 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. It’s a wonderful (and creative) open floor plan.
So it looks like when you walk inside the front door there is an entry area and the staircase. To the left is the kitchen and on the ride hand side is the Living Room.
Behind the kitchen/living area is a powder room, laundry room, dining room and porch. I really like how the dining room opens on to the porch!
On the other side of the dining room are two closets for the master bedroom, then the master bedroom and finally the master bath.
What I might do…
Move the powder room underneath the staircase, add a pantry near the kitchen, and move the laundry room where the powder room was.
I would also swap the dining room for the living room. I prefer not to sit in the front of the house, so I would put the dining room in the front and move the living room to the center of the house. Especially since you could put in some nice french doors leading to the porch, then screen the porch and have some nice air flow for cooler months!
Upstairs is a bedroom on each side with a closet. Behind the bedrooms is a nice TV room that they share, and behind that a bathroom. What a great plan! It tucks a whole lot of living into 1,800 square feet!
Greg LaRock, most of you have probably heard of him. His work is fabulous… crisp and clean. His brush strokes are intentional and his light is incredible! The sunlight dances around this painting, so nice! I love the tips of the fence. Brilliant!
I swear I have featured Greg before, but when I checked… I haven’t… I. Am. Slipping. Read on to find out more about Greg…
Blocked In by Greg LaRock 18×24″ Oil – SOLD
Just look at this light! A working area that some wouldn’t think would make a great painting actually makes one of the best paintings! It’s when you paint the atypical that magic appears. This is amazing!
Greg LaRock’s passion is to capture the outdoor landscape and its ever-changing light and beauty. The challenge of depicting the three-dimensional world onto canvas is a difficult pursuit, but when it all comes together, it is an extremely rewarding experience. “When the gap between believability and painterly expression is merged, I’ve done my job.”
A signature member of AIS, LPAPA and ASMA plus an artist member of the CAC, Greg has won numerous awards for his painting excellence including the $5000 first place/grand prize at the Easton Plein Air event in Maryland and the top purchase prize awards for the Newport Bay Naturalist Mural Competition in California and at the Callaway Gardens Plein Air Show in Georgia. Greg has been juried into four of the Oil Painters of America national shows, awarded a “Jury’s Top 50” at the Greenhouse Gallery’s Salon International twice, was an invited artist seven times to LPAPA’s annual Plein Air Invitational. He has also been featured in Southwest Art’s “Artist to Watch” column and included in Jack Richeson Fine Art Series book “Plein Air New Mexico.”
A sought-after instructor for plein air workshops, he resides in Newport Beach, California with his wife and their two basenjis.
Ahhh, I ran across a fantastic recipe in Bon Appetit. It turned typically dry boneless skinless grilled chicken breasts into something absolutely heavenly! The secret? Yogurt! I made very few variations. Instead of regular yogurt I used Greek Yogurt and I did not use Cilantro. Pretty much everything else was the same.
This is what I did… click HERE for the link to Bon Appetit to see the original recipe! This will change the way you think about boneless/skinless chicken… I PROMISE!
Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken on the Grill…
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pound between wax paper to make an even thickness, so you don’t end up with shoe leather on one end and not quite done in the thicker areas).
In a bowl, mix together:
1 cup Greek Yogurt (plain, not flavored!)
1/2 cup chopped Onion
1/4 cup Olive Oil(or a wee bit less, use some to coat the grill good)
2-3 Garlic cloves, minced (or use the microplane, that’s even better)
1/2 Tablespoon Lime juice
1/2 Tablespoon Garam Masala (spice) – if you aren’t a fan of Indian cuisine, you may want to go lightly on this spice.
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1″ ginger, peeled and microplaned (or minced)
Stir ingredients together and put in a zip top storage bag.
Add the chicken and squish it around until its coated. Place it in a dish and let it soak in all the heavenly flavors for at least 3 hours (or overnight).
Heat the grill (coat the grill with oil).
The recipe says to wipe off the marinade, before putting on the grill which is good, and looks prettiest. The first time we did it, we didn’t see this step, and put it on the grill with the marinade. It was far tastier BUT it was white with grill marks… the flavor was overwhelming! It will transform what you think about grilled chicken. Cook until chicken is done!
I serve with cucumbers sliced, in a mixture of Greek yogurt and a splash of vinegar with some dill… It’s a nice combination!
