Public art or Public Nuisance?

I was driving in Calgary today in the rain and noticed what I think was a city worker taking a photo of a bit of graffiti art on a concrete retaining wall. I presume that he wasn't stopped just to admire it but was likely documenting it so that crews would know where it was so that it could be removed. It got me thinking, as many things do.

Would I rather see a plain, ugly concrete retaining wall, or a kinda cool, black and white stencil of Charlie Chaplin? Personally, I vote for Charlie.

So, the question is, is graffiti free public art, or a costly public nuisance? I get that not all graffiti is beautiful, but I also get that in some cases it actually adds beauty to otherwise ugly places. I watched an episode of 'What the Future' a while ago, which talked about Faith 47, a South African graffiti artist.
 

artworks by Faith 47

There was a story about a homeless woman who lived in a doorway beside one of Faith's street artworks. Similar to the one above, it was a figure of an angel, and it made a difference to this woman's otherwise difficult life by bringing beauty to her environment.

So, what do you think? Art or nuisance?

A Kindness Project

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Santa Rosa, California to meet for 5 days with a group of people who all mentor with BTB Feng Shui expert Katherine Metz. We came together with the common goal of bringing Feng Shui to a family who was building a home with the help of Habitat for Humanity. 12 people were to create a singular vision for a bedroom, on a very tight budget (think second had stores and donations), using Feng Shui principles.

Our Inspiration photo - source Pinterest

It was a wonderful experience which reinforced many lessons for me. I'd like to share some of them.

• No virtual world can come close to the real world. Meeting people in person adds a tangible quality to your relationship which simply cannot be created over the internet. Wherever possible, connect in person.

• Flexible chi is essential, especially when working in groups. Being able to go with the flow is a valuable quality. Letting go of your own needs and ideas is essential to work toward a common goal.

• Having said that, recognize your own strengths and be sure to speak up when you are absolutely certain that you have something of value to add. Don't let the brilliance of others dim your own special and unique light.

• Step out of your comfort zone. Although having a design background gave me an advantage in this particular project, many needed to step up and try something that they were not as familiar with. The results were amazing!

Our finished bed. Creating a strong foundation for this couple.

• Feng Shui really can be implemented in a space in a beautiful and subtle way. We included about specific 5 Feng Shui cures in this room and I doubt that most people would know that it was a part of the design.

• Color is beautiful. Neutrals are king in the design world but color is powerful and beautiful. It is an under-utilized Feng Shui tool.

Re-purposed furniture and a custom artwork

• Ceremony is essential. Taking a few moments to be in gratitude, to be open and to celebrate what is right and what is possible can make all the difference.

• Each of us plays a part. Some of us designed, some sewed, some painted, some created art, some fixed things and some did whatever they were asked to do. Every single person on this planet plays an important role. We create beauty and solve problems when we combine our talents to work together. 

• You need just a touch of male energy when you have a group of females. The balance is helpful.

• Kindness is easy and it is fun. There are so many wonderful groups of people who come together every day to do nice things for others. If you have the time, find one and join them, you won't be sorry!

Filling in the Blanks

Finally spring has sprung in Western Canada! It was a busy weekend as hubby and I continued to tidy up and prepare our garden. We've been at it for a few weekends now. Living in the country means this is no small task but we are nearly done the big spring push. The veggies are in, the flowers are ready to go into the pots once that final threat of frost is over, and the fountain is finally set up.

One of the highlights for me is the week that my espaliered apple tree blooms. It is a little lopsided so far but in the foothills alive and blooming is a good start.

 

My reason for attempting this technique stemmed largely from needing to do something decorative with the large blank wall at the back of my garage. Later in the season the apple will be flanked by two clematis. It is shaping up nicely and actually wasn't that hard to do.

I started with an inexpensive hardy apple that I purchased at Canadian Tire. I chose this particular one because it already had two sets of branches that were directly across from one another. I guess I cheated but it worked for me. After that it has just been a matter of pruning and training it onto wires bolted into the wall.

I'm pretty pleased with it and would encourage anyone with one of these big blank spaces to give it a go. Now if I just had some great tips for controlling the dandelions....

Hanging Art Without Getting Hung Up

My parents have recently moved into a new house and are rapidly moving toward making it their new home. Since my Mom doesn't really have an artistic bone in her body she asked me to come and help her hang up her many artworks. Since I'm pretty good at this, in just a few hours we were one step closer to making their house a home.

Here are a few tips for hanging art:

Many people hang their art too high. Remember that art will be viewed at different heights depending on the function of the room. In a living or dining room art will be viewed from a seated position and should be hung only a few inches above sofa height. In a hallway art can be hung a bit higher as it will be viewed from a standing position.

These three tiles are both grouped and hung very low to relate to the scale of the meditation chair.

 

If it is a large wall group items. Create a gallery by grouping items that are similar. This could be similar subjects, similar frames, or similar colors. There needs to be something that makes them family.

If you aren't sure about how to make a balanced grouping cut paper rectangles in the size of the frames and tape them to the wall until you like the arrangement. If you are using new frames you can just use the paper backing that comes in the frame. 

This painting (by yours truly) is about 2/3 the size of the wall space.

Choose a wall that is appropriate to the size of the artwork. Nothing looks more lonely than a single piece of small art on a huge wall. A good rule of thumb is the rule of thirds, the art should take up about 2/3 of the wall space.

Tucking this painting in close to the bookshelf means it is not hanging out all by itself.

Tuck it in. Artwork does not have to hang right in the center of a wall. If you have a smaller piece, or a large wall, you can tuck it closer to an arrangement of furniture so that it is not left hanging out in space.

Choose art you love! If it doesn't uplift you, don't own it!

Obsessed with Orchids

As spring takes its own sweet time to arrive here in Alberta I am finding myself craving the lovely vibration of orchids.

I have several of these beauties in my home and I think I could develop a serious addiction to them. They brighten my living room, dining room, and one of my bathrooms and keep me from going insane during the long winters.

Here are five reasons to give orchids a try;

1. They are as cheap as a bouquet of flowers but last longer. Orchids used to be very expensive, but are now so widely grown that for about $15 you can find one to fill every empty corner. This price tag means you can either keep them and see if they will re-bloom, or toss them and buy another. The one pictured here has bloomed for me twice a year for about 4 or 5 years, now that was $20 well spent!
2. They are easy to care for. Water once a week (I use rainwater on all of my indoor plants), make sure their roots get air (pots should have holes to let excess water escape), let them be cool at night, about 16 degrees Celsius is perfect.
3. They are said to have a very high vibratory quality and will raise the chi in your home. If they don't do well, you might want to do a little chi check.
4. They soften and smooth the energy in a space and are a great cure for attracting a refined mate.
5. They come in a huge variety of colors, sizes and styles. You can find one that will enhance any decor or fit into any space. Grouping smaller ones into a larger bunch makes for a really dramatic display.

You can find orchids everywhere from specialty florists to your local supermarket. The trick that I have found is to buy them when they first come in and look super fresh. This is especially important if you buy them at big box stores. You gotta get 'em before they are over watered or ignored to death.

Need a little chi boost? Try an orchid.

A Trend I Can Do Without

Recently I was in a popular home furnishings store, browsing with a friend, for nothing in particular, when I came across a display which made my 'Feng Shui Eyes' pop open in disbelief. Sitting perched prominently upon an interestingly appointed bed were two toss pillows which made me stop to take a second look.

Seriously! I could hardly believe what I was seeing, and more importantly, what I was feeling. Now, I am all for embracing a trend, and these kind of word graphics have been around for a while now, but this one makes me shake my head.

For whom would one want to leave this message? Particularly in a bedroom! Your partner? How would you feel if your partner left this message for you?

I felt assaulted by this cushion, and I was just walking by it in a showroom.

www.ourfifthhouse.com

Then yesterday I found another example of this typographic art online. www.ourfifthhouse.com blogger, Carmel, loved this graphic and felt that it represented her family's sarcastic sense of humor perfectly, employing it when she went to decorate her foyer. I must admit that the feeling it gave me was not quite so offensive, perhaps because I also have a bit of a sardonic streak.

Ultimately though, I believe that the images and items in our homes have an effect on us and on those whom we allow to enter them. I think that with all of the fear based, negative messages we are bombarded with daily, adding them to our living spaces is just too much.

This, for me, for now, is a trend that I can do without.