Monday, March 13, 2006

California Penthouse




There are so many good causes and it is hard to decide who to give to. At least twice a year a worthy charitable organization contacts me about a donation of art. I am always happy to help out. I have a lot of prints and gift packages of cards and fun stuff. There are some charities that would benefit more from the gift of an original. I decided to create an original for www.operationdreamseed.org . It gives the gift of notebooks, pencils and craftsupplies to children in Afganistan. My neighbor Gerlinde Gautrey works tirelessly for this cause and I felt that if I made a fun painting it could raise some much needed dollars for the benefit they were holding on March 11th. I decided to look at my list of ideas and I felt as though I could pull off somthing quickly using the idea, "Penthouse". I pictured this idea in my head, using a tongue in cheek view of what could be the outcome of escalating costs of beachfront property and all property here in California. Then I realized that I needed to make a custom bamboo frame to get the buyers juices flowing. This way you get a completely unique item and the original is 3" x 5" so the whole piece is only 5"x7". I really enjoyed making this painting and frame and I decided to make two. This sometimes happens with me when I make something small, I always flip the painting and make another in reverse. I change it up in subtle ways so there are differences. They both are originals, paint on paper with a custom frame but they make a pair. It is a lot of work to pour resin and make your own frames so that is one more reason to make two. I have not heard the outcome of the auction but I hope they had a good turn out, it was raining on Saturday... I hope it went to a good home!

18 comments:

andrea said...

When I was a child I used to fantasize about living in a "house" like this. You make a little girl's fantasies come true again, Val! :)

Anonymous said...

very neat idea, cool pictures, thanks for letting us in on your process! Always so interesting.

CRISTOSOVA said...

A perfect solution for a beach penthouse! (Have you considered working together with an architect :)) It is interesting to see what the real life scale is. The frames turned out really beautiful. (But now we know the secret infusion to splendor, it must be the coffee type...)

I am pressing my thumbs for a great auction outcome! Operation Dreamseed looks like an interesting and very worthy organisation.

Lee said...

I could definately use some time in a beach resort like that...maybe once you get the details worked out IRL, you could turn a grove into timeshares ;)

fun stuff val, hope they made a bunch of money!

Janet said...

Neat!..must be fun coming up with ideas for custom frames.Sounds like they went to a very worthy cause.'Hope they had a good turnout!

Unknown said...

Ahh Val this is great! You will have to post the outcome from the auction when you find out.
I would love to live in one of your fantasy homes.
I would party all the time.

Jaimie said...

These are beautiful. I absolutely love those frames! How did you make them or could you provide a link to the process? I would love to try making one.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

How sweet and kind of you!!! And how cute an idea!!! yes, I too have had fantasies like this. Mary :-)

Bearuh said...

wow I can't believe you made those frames... cool
how much do you sell your work for?

merlinprincesse said...

Nice!!!!

Anonymous said...

What a cool place to live. Wouldn't it be cool if we weren't so big? All the neat places we could make our homes.

isay said...

you made it easier for me to imagine reaching the top of a coconut tree. i have tried a couple of times-trying to copy those boys and men in climbing and getting a coconut from the tree but i guess, i was not strong enough or doesn't want to have scars on my skin.

so lovely illustration and a fantastic idea. the frames are so beautiful. you are so full of wonderful ideas.

Unknown said...

This is very cooool!! Totally So CAL!

Kay Aker said...

Now, how cool is this and for such a good cause too!

carla said...

This is like a fantasy come true...imagine a tree house inside a tree! The frames are very cool - I love the shoots coming off from the sides:>

katat0nik said...

I love artwork for a good cause - those penthouses are brilliant! Lovely frames too...and nice job matting....ok your whole blog just plain rocks. :)

Anonymous said...

wish I live in a house like this.
...and,I am an architect!
:)

Jim said...

Totally awsome frames! The paintings are very nice also, but those frames rule!