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 would like to start by saying that Allison Ramsey Architects are brilliant. Their website is over the top fabulous for those of you thinking of building a home one day. They provide so much information, photos, links… You MUST check out their site… amazing is all I can say! AllisonRamseyArchitects.com – I would also like to thank them for use of their images… This house was built in Beaufort, SC and images of the interior are on their site at AllisonRamseyArchitects.smugmug.com. Wow, does it help to see actual images of the inside of this house. Not everyone is good at picturing the floor plan in their mind.
The windows upstairs make this the most charming house ever! I love how they open out, just like the old cottages that you see that are in pristine condition. It isn’t easy to tell if this house is old or new. It has wonderful detail and charm, something missing in a lot of today’s house plans. The Bay Point Cottage is a clear winner! It boasts a heavenly porch, screened porch, Master bedroom downstairs, and an open plan in terms of the kitchen, great room and eating area. I’m not at all concerned about having a formal dining room. It’s not a priority to me… we would rarely use it. We can always repurpose a room when the need arises instead of being saddled with an unused dining room all year long (if it’s not your thing).
This floor plan is roughly 2300 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. It is in Allison Ramsey’s “Carolina Inspiration Book I” Page 35 (C0058).
Contact the architects at info@allisonramseyarchitect.com or 843.986.0559 to verify square footage, house dimensions and additional information or to purchase a set of plans. Their house plans show how their attention to detail time after time makes them a great architect to choose!
Distant Snowfall by Tom Perkinson 10×10 oil on panel
Tom Perkinson’s paintings are magical. Each one has an element that takes it over the top. The texture in this painting is amazing… and that orange… ahhhh, that orange is the part that takes it over the top for me, well, that and the clouds… I love how that wonderful orange light is reflected in the sky a bit. This is such a striking painting!
Moonlight, New Mexico by Tom Perkinson Watercolor/mixed Media 28×38
To me, this painting is magical. The full moon, the moonlight reflecting on the tops of the clouds, the small cabin with the smoke billowing out of the chimney just makes me really wish I was there… hunkered down with some great food, a bottle of wine or two and a book… and of course Fred! It would be worth staying up to watch the moon until it faded away.
It was really exciting to run across Tom’s work, I’m a forever fan!
Tom Perkinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1940. He was raised in the country, and developed a love for the natural landscape. He discovered that he had a talent for art while in elementary school. Art quickly became his chosen passion. During high school he studied at John Herron Institute of Art in Indianapolis. After high school, he studied at the Chicago Academy of Art.
He left Indiana to pursue an undergraduate degree in Oklahoma. Each year while attending the university, he was invited to stage an annual exhibit of his work. His early work focused on the landscape, but also included still lifes and city scenes. At that time, his favorite artists were the early American painters, like Homer, Sergeant, William Merrit Chase, Potthast, and the painters of the Boston School. Particularly influential to him were the early painters of southern Indiana who painted the landscape in which he grew up; painters like T. C. Steele, Vawter, Schultze, and Forsythe.
After graduating, he moved to New Mexico to pursue his Master’s Degree in Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico. During graduate school, he was creating large-scale works that had a foundation in Surrealism, using detailed and highly rendered images. But he still continued to paint the landscape, which now reflected his new fascination with the southwestern landscape. He found that the drama of light and shadow, and the mystery that characterizes the New Mexico landscape held great appeal to him. He recognized that he had found an infinite source of inspiration in the panorama of the southwest landscape.
He taught art at the University of New Mexico for two years after receiving his Master’s Degree. In 1970, he committed his life to painting full time. His work is included in private and public collections across the globe, and he is represented in the collections of many museums, including the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe; the University Art Museum, Albuquerque; and the Eiteljorg Museum of Western Art in Indianapolis. He has lived in Corrales, New Mexico for over twenty years. His work is included in the May 2006 book titled “Landscapes of New Mexico, Paintings From the Land of Enchantment”, authors Suzan Campbell and Suzanne Deats, published by Fresco Fine Art Publications LLC.
This recipe is too good to be true! A perfect combination of healthy ingredients, chicken sweet Italian sausage, fresh spinach, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, fresh basil and white wheat pasta… these ingredients together with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar will make you so happy… W A R N I N G : You may crave this after you’ve made it once. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
Pasta with Italian Sausage, Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
1 – 12 oz pkg white wheat pasta (like Barilla)
1 pkg Chicken Sweet Italian Sausage (like Al Fresco), skins removed, cut into small pieces
1 container of FRESH Mozarella, cut into fairly small pieces
1 large container (or 2 small) Grape Tomatoes, cut in half
Fresh Basil (to taste)
⅓ – ½ cup Olive Oil
⅛ – ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
Pepper
Spinach
In a large nonstick frying pan add a small amount of olive oil. Cook cut up sausage until browned. Remove from pan and place on a plate that has a few paper towels on it.
Start a large pot of water to boil the pasta, while you’re waiting for it to boil,…
Cut the grape tomatoes in half, set aside.
Wash the basil and chop it up, set aside.
Cut the mozzarella into small bite sized pieces, set aside.
In a large bowl, add the balsamic vinegar. I never measure, I just eyeball it to see what I will need to coat the pasta well, it’s ok if it’s more on the heavy olive oil side, you’re going to put this salad on top of fresh spinach, so you will need it! Slowly whisk in ⅓ – ½ cup of olive oil. If you whisk it slowly it will emulsify (become one where it won’t separate). Add some pepper. Go ahead and toss in your cut up tomatoes into the olive oil/balsamic mixture so they can be absorbing those wonderful flavors!
Once your pasta has finished cooking to the al dente stage (firm to the bite), drain it well, and place it in the large bowl with the oil/vinegar. I give it a quick stir to coat the pasta well and then I cover the grape tomatoes with the hot pasta and let it sit for a few minutes.
After a few minutes add the fresh mozzarella, the cooked sausage and the fresh basil. Stir to coat.
You can eat it like it is, or wait until it’s chilled. I usually will take it out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes so that the olive oil will have a change to un-congeal… Place several large handfuls of fresh spinach and then a few large scoops of pasta salad… it melds together wonderfully! Enjoy!
Apple and Angel by Ann Gesinger [image: DowlingWalsh.com]AMAZING paintings by artist Ann Getsinger, I’m telling you each one is so intriguing! Ann’s show opens this Friday, October 4th, 2013 at Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine. It is one spectacular show! If you can’t make it to the show be sure to check out their website!
How creative is this painting? You see the angel… and the apple… the fabulous trees, the moonlit water, the rocky coast… what’s not to love about this?
Ann Getsinger grew up in Watertown, Connecticut, studied in San Francisco and has spent most of her life either in the Berkshire Hills of far western Massachusetts or in coastal Maine.
The youngest of five in a creative household, as a child she often spent time either at the dairy farm next door or in the surrounding woods where natures creativity influenced her powerfully. After attending Paier School of art in New Haven, CT, and the San Francisco Art Institute, she settled permanently in western Massachusetts where she studied with realist artist Sheldon Fink.
The coast of Maine has been a lifelong love beginning with family vacations as a child and now continuing in her family’s home near Port Clyde. The experiences of sea and shore, along with views of Mosquito Island and Head , have been incorporated into Ann’s work countless times in all weather, seasons and circumstances. From the age of twelve, exposure to the artwork seen in the nearby Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, Maine, especially the work of the Wyeth family, has been pivotal.
The artists’ home and studio, since 1988, is in the rural Berkshire town of New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Ann’s oil paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries and hang in hundreds of homes.
Ahhh, the Carina… it’s so much more than a grocery store, it’s more of an institution… it’s a place to run into old friends after a year has gone by, a place to catch up like no time has passed. A great place to grab lunch, a snack, or groceries… End of October will be then end of the Carina as we know it… A big thumbs up to Tara Hire for making it as fabulous as she has all these years! She is moving on and following her passion… Monhegan Wellness! So check it out!!
Another thumbs up to Lisa Brackett, who will be running the new store on the island called L. Brackett & Son… A store and a diner… there has been some major fundraising going on, this is a creative, hard working bunch!
We wish them both the best in their new endevours!
“Morning… Her Chilled Breath We Feel” by Kenn Backhaus [image]October and November are fabulous times of the year to visit Charleston. There is usually a lot going on in this art-loving city, but hang on to your hat… Tomorrow the American Impressionists Society (AIS) 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition begins! It’s being held at M GALLERY OF FINE ART(soon to be renamed PRINCIPLE GALLERY) right here in beautiful Charleston, SC! This show runs from September 28 – October 30, 2013 at 125 Meeting Street. The AIS reception and awards presentation is October 3rd, from 5-8PM and a public reception will be held October 4th from 5-8PM in conjunction with the French Quarter Art Walk. This is one event you won’t want to miss!
Kenn Backhaus, AISM (American Impressionist Society Master) is the Judge of Awards and will be conducting a painting demonstration in the gallery Oct. 4. Personally, I can’t wait for that!
Here is the AIS SHOW GALLERY… just look at these paintings! It’s like a dream come true for this many wonderful paintings (and artists) to be in one city!
A few quick thoughts on American Impressionism and Contemporary Realism. As we unpack over 200(!) boxes containing the very best recent work in the genre, it occurred to us Impressionism IS the original Realism. All of these ‘isms’ aside, the thrust of the expression is on being true to the moment and leaving the viewer with an enduring mood or narrative- as does Contemporary Realism. This upcoming show celebrates the incredibly varied voices that differentiate American Impressionism from its more intellectual European counterpoint. During the rise, fall, and re-introduction of AI, American Impressionists were witness to familiar surroundings in rapid, dynamic transformation from agrarian to industrialized communities. The general malaise of wartime and the Depression led many an Impressionist to evoke a more nostalgic and familiar life. Rapid brushstrokes and dynamic color were two marked principles that contemporized the reassuring lines of a more pastoral life and expressed the inner life of the figure. M Gallery is honored to be hosting this multi-faceted show and support the enduring legacy of plein air and Contemporary American Impressionism.
HAVE SOME THOUGHTS OF YOUR OWN? STOP BY FOR A CHAT:
This house plan is from a company I respect so much. GOLogic. It is our dream once Fred retires to build one of their homes. We’re always looking at the plans and trying to figure which one would work best for us. Why not save money (and the environment) all while living in a beautiful, efficient, well thought out house?
Just look at all the standard options, the construction, and the overview… this company truly has their act together! It’s a house you can feel good about building! See a plan that you’ve fallen in love with? Check out the Process of Buying a House link…
Here is the plan, via the GOLogic website. If you’re interested in building one of their plans, here’s the link… there is also a separate link if you use your own contractor and you want to purchase plans only. Personally, I want the people who have done it time and time again with great results to be the ones to build my home one day…
It’s so nice to have a mudroom, a place to store all the shoes, jackets, etc and keep them out of the way! A small powder room down stairs is perfectly tucked in the corner. I love the open kitchen/living/dining spaces… and the exterior of this house… whoa! Good looking! Did I mention the windows? Read about them… they’re gorgeous, but they’re also about as efficient as you can get!
This plan has all bedrooms on the upper level. There are variations of this plan, and one has the master bedroom downstairs. Since we’re planning for our next house to be the last house we build, we would probably opt for that plan. Check out the other plans available, they’re fabulous!
I swear, some artist’s have the hugest hearts… with all the devastation that has pummeled Mexico, your help is needed! Frank Gardner has started a fundraiser selling his paintings at super prices. Once some of his fellow artists found out about this adventure, they shared their paintings as well… These paintings are sold on a first come first serve basis… and they are stunning… check it out! They are going quickly, so if you check and there are none left, but you would like to help out anyway… I’m sure that can be arranged! If there is any way that you can donate any amount, it would be more than appreciated. Frank is easy to get in contact with… Just email him…
Here’s the latest from Frank 9/24/13 PM:
We are at $2,200. dollars so far in less than one day! Added new pieces today by Peter Kalill, Dennis Poirier, Colin Page and me. More coming soon. If anyone wants to donate or purchase please contact me.
Below is information from a newsletter from Frank… what a great group of artists!
I hope you are all well. This newsletter is to let you all know that for the next week or so, I am going to be using the My Paint Box blog to set up a fundraising campaign. We are raising money to help people affected by the tropical storms that battered the Mexican coasts last week. The one-two punch of Manuel’s first landfall on Sunday and Tropical Storm Ingrid’s lashing of México’s east coast on Monday. (Ingrid was a hurricane offshore, but made landfall as a tropical storm.) Manuel became a hurricane before heading back to shore for a second hit on México’s upper west coast. So far, at least 80 people have been killed in Mexico from the storms, not including the 58 people missing from a landslide in La Pintada, located a few hours north of Acapulco.As you probably know, my family and I live in Central México. While were wedged between the two storms and got a lot of rain last week, we were spared the brunt of these storms. As we began see reports from the affected areas we began to think of a way that we could help, beyond just taking a few canned goods down to be donated, we want to try and help in a bigger way. I can’t imagine losing everything and or losing friends and family members in a disaster like this.I decided to make the small gesture of putting a few of my paintings up for sale at specially reduced prices to raise some money for relief. Then take that money and buy necessities and non perishable goods to donate to the Mexican Red Cross. Both my niece and nephew are volunteers with the Mexican Red Cross here in San Miguel and the Red Cross has the best infrastructure for getting donations where they need to be.Before I could even get some pictures taken and get it on line friends began contacting me wanting to help out. This project continues to grow with the more than generous support from people who want to help. Please keep checking back, because we will continue to add more donations that are available.On my blog are images of donated artwork and other items. Many of these items can be seen at Galeria Gardner, Zacateros 75 in San Miguel de Allende. Some things that have been donated by friends will be shipped by them directly to the buyer. We think trying to auction these items will get too confusing and time consuming for everyone. After much thought we decided to go with the “Buy it Now” system of a set price, first person to make the offer to buy it gets it. Below each item I will put the Title, Artist’s name and information, Special Fundraiser Price, Shipping cost if applicable, and any other pertinent information.Because these are also available “off line” we are not using a “Buy it Now” button to avoid selling a piece twice. If you are interested in purchasing anything listed below you must email me at frank@frankgardner.com with the name of the item and your desire to purchase. Please do not try to purchase in the comments section of this blog. We can’t check email constantly, but the first email in my box for each item, or person that buys in person at Galeria Gardner, will get it. We can accept payment with PayPal on line, or cash and checks in person at the gallery. If buying on line, I will contact you to confirm your purchase. and send a PayPal payment request.Remember to keep checking back for more items. We will be adding more soon. Please help out in any way you can. Every little bit helps. Thank You. http://frankgardner.blogspot.com
If you have not seen the damage from these storms you can see images here:
WOOT! WOOT!Confetti falls from the sky, the music is blaring… this is my 1,000th post on this blog! A daily post for nearly three years… I can’t believe I’ve made it this far! A big thank you to all of you who read it!
This was a thrilling find on FINECOOKING.COM! I like a sure thing… a recipe where the cooking time is fairly consistent… this has worked for EVERY pork tenderloin that we have grilled this summer. I guess if you had a large one or a tiny one, the results might vary a bit, but use a meat thermometer if you have one, and you’ll be fine!
I didn’t brine our pork tenderloin, I took a ziplock and micro planed a few cloves of garlic (or mince), poured in some olive oil (enough to coat the pork) and some pepper… mush it around and add the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag, move it around to get it nice and coated. [Note: something you might not know about me… I’m weird about meat… 1) it can only go on the bottom shelf in the fridge per dr. oz… so no meat drips (*GASP*) to prevent contamination of any other food 2) I put the sealed bag inside another bag (told ya… weird) 3) I put that bag inside a plastic container (see… weird! when that container comes out of the fridge it goes directly to the dishwasher… it does not pass GO, it does not collect $200… straight to the DW!)… I drive Fred crazy… enough said…]
Grill burners all on high… Fred puts the pork on at 400 degrees… temp continues to rise… or you can wait until it reaches a higher temp… either way yields great results!
Place the oiled pork tenderloin onto a hot grill and CLOSE THE LID. NO PEEKING!
Set timer for 7 MINUTES… yep, use a timer for each step, you don’t want to forget… because if you’re like me, you’ll have good intentions, you’ll keep your eye on the grill for 6 minutes and 50 seconds and then something will capture your attention and off you go… then you think to yourself… what’s burning?? Ugh, that would be dinner… that scenario hasn’t happened yet because I use a timer, but I guarantee you that it would… if I didn’t…
When timer goes off, FLIP the pork tenderloin… (note the action shot, thankyouverymuch!)… CLOSE THE LID! NO PEEKING.
Set the timer for 6 minutes! (Did I say no peeking?) – it’s really important that the grill is closed… so I wonder why I didn’t take a photo of that? Hmmm…
When the timer goes off… TURN THE GRILL OFF… DO NOT OPEN THE LID!!!
Set the timer for 5 minutes!
Then… just to be sure it’s done, insert an instant read thermometer (thickest part of the meat), it should read 145-150 degrees. If it doesn’t just close the lid and check on it in a few more minutes. Ours always has registered perfectly!
Then remove the pork from the grill, place a piece of foil over the top and let it rest for 5 minutes… it’s worked hard, it needs a break!
To recap this 7-6-5 method: Grill on high, place oiled pork tenderloin on grill, close lid – 7 minutes.
Flip to other side, close lid… 6 minutes
Turn grill off… (keep lid closed) 5 minutes
Take temp… let rest 5 minutes if it’s reached 145-150
From FineCooking.com (Use this link to see their entire recipe, I did not brine my, however, they show you how… I need to try it some time! This link also gives details for charcoal grills)
Season and grill
Rub the brined tenderloins all over with the glaze and then season with the pepper. Or, season to taste with another flavoring of your choice.
Heat a gas grill, turning all the burners to high until the grill is fully heated, 10 to 15 minutes.
Put the pork on the hot grill grate. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes.
Turn the pork over, close the lid, and grill for another 6 minutes.
Turn off the heat (keep the lid closed) and continue to cook the pork for another 5 minutes. At this point, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest end of the tenderloin should read 145° to 150°F. (If not, close the lid and let the pork continue to roast in the residual grill heat.)
Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Cut across the grain into 1/2-inch slices and serve immediately, with the sauce of your choice.
It’s nice to have this recipe isn’t it? Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, although it is considered “red meat” for those of you who limit your red meat intake… it goes great with little red potatoes, a salad, or rice and blackbeans… yum!
I was thrilled to find this recipe on FineCooking.com… woohoo! Happy to share my good finds with you!
“Trunks and Sky in Winter” by David Grossmann [image: Abend Gallery]This is not a pretty painting… David will know that I’ve read his NEWS page “What not to say to an artist”. It made me smile. This isn’t a pretty painting, no… that’s not how I would describe it. A brilliant painting? A unique perspective that I absolutely adore, something fresh and different, that’s how I would describe this painting. I enjoy David’s style, very nice!
Read a blip about David from his oh so nice website(and be sure to check out his NEWS page, its fabulous!):
Art has been a constant presence in David Grossmann’s life. Drawing was his favorite activity as a child, so he spent much of the time exploring his imagination through pencil and paper. David’s family consistently encouraged his love of art, and some of his first art lessons were from his grandmother, who taught him to use oil paints when he was ten years old.
A love of the outdoors has also been a life-long companion for David. He lived in Chile until he was fourteen, and the towering Andes, the vast ocean, the barren deserts, and fertile valleys shaped his appreciation for the beauty of nature. When he left Chile and moved to Colorado, the majesty of the Rocky Mountains brought a touch of familiarity through the time of transition and culture shock. At that point, David continued to study art and also began taking art-related jobs, including painting commissions and a series of illustrations for a publishing company.
While still in high school, David studied drawing with artist Valorie Snyder. He went on to earn degrees in business and Spanish, and then attended a classically-based art academy in Boulder. It was at the academy that David had his first class in plein air (outdoor) painting. He responded immediately to the challenges of this new method and the way it fit perfectly with his love for the outdoors. David’s dedication to landscape painting kept growing, eventually leading him to study with renowned artist Jay Moore.
Since then, David’s work has been included in many exhibitions, including national shows sponsored by Oil Painters of America, The American Impressionist Society, and Salon International. Southwest Art Magazine featured him as one of their “Artists to Watch,” and David’s work has also been included in Plein Air Magazine and American Art Collector Magazine. In her description of his work, acclaimed artist Nancy Guzik said that he “goes beyond his paint by bringing a sensitivity that appears to be magic.”
David continues to find inspiration from all over Colorado, the western United States, and wherever else his travels may take him. His adventures have spread from Patagonia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Central America. No matter what location inspires his work, David’s paintings are noted for their understated sense of tranquility: “I like to think of my paintings as prayers and as visual poems. They are simplified rhythms of color, light, and shape. On the surface they are quiet whispers, but I hope that they convey a depth of emotion to anyone who takes the time to stop and listen.”
Is there anything better than to wake up early, have fabulous coffee, chat with friends, have a wonderful breakfast, go for a hike, stop for a snack, sit and read, go for another hike or two, or three… come back to the inn, take a shower and head to dinner… nope. I’m hear to tell you there is nothing better! To relax like this is truly a luxury!! Hope you have your luxury relaxation some time soon!
There is something mesmerizing about this!
Hey! Happy first day of Autumn… WOOHOO, my favorite season begins!!
Oh, how I have Monhegan on my mind… going to miss the nice cool air, the seagull’s morning wake up call, the fabulous food, and our friends! We hope to be there next year!
Jon Redmond has been described as a “poet of light and shadow” and I would say that’s a pretty accurate description. This guy’s work is absolutely out-there-amazing! The way Jon can simplify a scene, quite like Edward Hopper, keeps his paintings contemporary and unique in style. Each and every one of his paintings is unreal! This is only one of the paintings that Jon is exhibiting at the Somerville Manning Gallery located in Greenville, DE. There are so many wonderful paintings it was difficult to choose only one! If you’re anywhere near Greenville, DE, make your way to his show if at all possible! The opening reception is Friday (today!!) and the show runs through October 12, 2013. If you aren’t in the area, then check out Jon’s work on the gallery’s website!
“Jon Redmond is a poet of light and shadow, whose paintings reflect a range from the clarity of Vermeer to the palette of an impressionist. He is a master at capturing the natural beauty and wonder of the Brandywine Valley, and he has also encompassed the essence of landmarks and scenery he has encountered in his travels to Philadelphia and Maine”
I swear Coastal Living has some wonderful house plans on their website. This featured plan is called the BLUFFTON (SL-594) and it’s an exclusive design for Coastal LIving by Hall and Hull Architects, Inc. A beautiful plan that can be used in different ways, which is so nice these days! Proves that when you have a good plan you can fit a lot of living into a 1,435 square foot space!
Just look at all the wonderful porches! It’s nice to have French doors in the family room… let the cool air in (well, as soon as we can open windows!)… One thought, it might be a good idea to screen the back porch, that way the French doors could be opened without mosquitoes getting in the house, as well as sit on the porch without being “bugged”, hee.
It’s so nice when a house plan can be versatile, and this one is. There is a lovely dining room off of the kitchen, and while many people enjoy a formal dining ensemble, some of us just don’t use it. So personally, I would put my desk, a few wing backs (ours aren’t formal, they’re slipcovered in white duck cloth), maybe a neat old table that we could use if we had people over for dinner, but otherwise would put books and a lamp on it. I would maybe even tuck one of those cool (and compact!) wood stoves made by Rais (love this model!) in the family room for the cooler months. Heat and fire add such ambiance, and they take off the winter chill! Elegant, a bit modern and useful!