Fantasy Decorating Continued!

John Saladino is one of my favorite decorators.  I am truly in love with this apartment in NY featured in Veranda Magazine.  I have poured over these photographs so many times that the pages are starting to show wear.  I've considered pinning the images up on my inspiration board in my studio, but don’t want to tear the pages!  Now that I have them saved on my computer, I can print them and enlarge them!  I thought it would be fun to put together these photos and some of the pieces they have inspired.  Enjoy! 

Veranda Magazine, Design by John Saladino

'Miss Lila', Artwork by Shelly Hamill
Embler Gallery, Laguardia Admiral's Club, NY

Veranda Magazine, Design by John Saladino

'Miss Nantucket', by Shelly Hamill
BlueStone Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Veranda Magazine, Design by John Saladino

'Miss Anne', by Shelly Hamill
BlueStone Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Fantasy Decorating with Art

I love, love decorating and decorating magazines.   At the end of a long day, I enjoy flipping through a decorating magazine; I don’t read the articles per se, I just love looking at the pretty pictures, visual candy.  Oftentimes, I imagine what my artwork would look like in the homes that are featured.  Here are a few ‘pairings’.  What do you think?

House Beautiful
Decoration by David Lawrence

Wouldn't 'Blue Belle' look great on the table behind this sofa, to help 'fill' the space between the curtains?

'Blue Belle'  by Shelly Hamill
E.S. Lawrence Gallery, Aspen, CO

The Tiffany Suite at the St. Regis in NY

I think the mirror on 'Miss Washington' would be smashing- no pun intended- to reflect all the crystal on the table and the decadent beads hanging from the chandelier. 

'Miss Washington' by Shelly Hamill
In Private Collection

Architectural Digest, August 2011

The circles on the linens and the circles on 'Roxy' would be really fun together.

'Roxy' by Shelly Hamill
Embler Gallery, Laguardia Adimiral's Club NY

Veranda Magazine

It would be great to see 'Miss Nantucket' reflected in that beautiful mirror and to play off the blue and white ginger jars.

'Miss Nantucket' by Shelly Hamill
BlueStone Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Miss Bermuda Rose

Meet 'Miss Bermuda Rose'.  'Miss Bermuda Rose' is 22 inches tall and has a lovely rose pattern on the china plate.  I used coordinating pink beads at the neckline and pink tiles through out the piece.  She is very dainty and feminine.  I was a little worried that the sea foam pearl green tiles along with the pink would look too much like it belonged in a baby's nursery.  But actually, she is delicate and sophisticated at the same time.  As she was destined to continue her journey in Bermuda, I titled her 'Miss Bermuda Rose', I miss the old Bermuda roses.  They too are dainty and feminine.  

I am still loving this halter neckline.  I forget each time I attempt it, that I must then complete the piece with the concrete and this neckline is more difficult to accomplish.  I usually get irritated with myself in the middle of doing it, but then I am happy with the results at the end!  'Miss Bermuda Rose' is gracing the lobby of the Rosewood Tuckers Point Hotel & Spa in Bermuda.

Willow Bliss

 Please welcome 'Willow Bliss'.  'Willow Bliss' is 12 inches tall and is the second piece delivered to Rosewood Tuckers Point Hotel and Spa in Bermuda this week.  Traditionally, I like to mix the blue and white china patterns, but in this piece, I have used Blue Willow pattern exclusively.  I am loving working with this size piece as it allows me to use the smaller plates, like salad plates.  

I found these beads last summer and they coordinate perfectly with the blue in the Blue Willow pattern.  They are clear with blue flecks running through them.  This piece is the perfect size for placing on a dressing table or  entry hall table.  Or maybe even on a book shelf.  I wonder where she will end up?

Introducing Miss Yacht Club

Introducing 'Miss Yacht Club'.  'Miss Yacht Club' is 12 inches tall and is created using a lovely yellow plate with royal blue on the rim.  The royal blue coordinates perfectly with the Blue Willow pattern I use so often.  I have used the 'middles' of the Blue Willow plates for the bodice.  I truly enjoy these two colors together and think 'Miss Yacht Club' would look fabulous next to 'Miss Soleil'.  

Miss Soleil
 

'Miss Yacht Club' is named for the blue and yellow curtains hanging in the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.  All I kept thinking about while making the piece were those curtains!  If they have redecorated, I will be crushed!   'Miss Yacht Club' was delivered this morning to the Rosewood Tuckers Point Hotel & Spa in Bermuda. 

Miss Sacha

Introducing Miss Sacha.  Miss Sacha came together out of the beautiful blue and silver on the china at the ruffle of the bottom of the dress.  I had the perfect blue and mirror tiles to use at random within the pattern of the pearl tiles.  

I also had just one strand of this beautiful gray, blue bead.  I am experimenting with different necklines and love how this one turned out.    Miss Sacha is on her way to Carson Art Gallery in Dallas, Texas.

Miss Liberty

Introducing 'Miss Liberty'.  Here is a sneak preview of another piece heading to the Artist Project NY.  This is the second piece I have created using the blue and white china for this show.  I love working with the same materials and creating different designs.  To me, it is like creating a 'collection' similar to a fashion designer.



I have been experimenting with using the china at the necklines.  This dress feels feminine and flirty with the ruffles at the neck vs. the skirt. 



I also want to use the 'middles' of the plates more as I really like how they lay and create a vivid mosaic.  The variety of the blues can really be seen when you place them together.  

'Miss Liberty' will be available at the Artist Project NY

March 17-20, Pier 92

Weekend in NYC- influences abound!

I have just spent a long weekend in NYC with my husband.  We have taken the opportunity to visit several NY landmarks and to act like tourists- even though both of us have lived in the city at one time or another.  Travel is so refreshing and important, I was a flight attendant as a young adult and truly enjoy experiencing new things, cultures and influences.  The first exhibit that we saw was the King Tut exhibit created by National Geographic.  While I thought the exhibit was a little lacking for the ticket price, I enjoyed seeing the intricate details given to even the smallest of items for the pharoahs, such dedication by the artisans of the time.

Influences were everywhere, this is in a store window for the new book store at Bloomingdales.  The dress is made of advertising pages from magazines.

This is a fabulous art structure/sculpture on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum- a mosaic of bamboo!

A large mosaic portrait at the Metropolitan Museum.

We also saw a great exhibit titled 'American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity', you can definately expect to see numerous dresses in my 'Fall Collection' directly related to this exhibit at the Met.

And I had to throw this in, while I didn't see it this weekend in NY, I thought it appropriate for this blog entry!  Is it mosaic or collage!?!

My friend and mentor, Gabriella Brunner, once told me to always keep my eyes open, you never know when inspiration or objects will present themselves.