There are so many things to admire in the November issue with guest editor Charlotte Moss.  One is this dynamic marbled paper.  I have it in stock and Hollyhock will next week.

Howard Slatkin was admiring the Menshikov Palace when he designed his kitchen, so was I while painting the watercolor study above. For me, painting is a way to contemplate the time and joy of the craftsmens' work successfully executed.  The beautiful and comprehensive Quintessence review of his book may be found here:  www.quintessenceblog.com 

(The second photograph is from Howard Slatkin's pinterest site)

The first photograph is a valet tray prototype for Hollyhock.  Priscilla responded; beautiful but is there any way to pinch the corners?  Later that same day, yes, we like them pinched.

I like painting the Lincoln log green color base for the Haga Park Tent Diorama.  And I especially like painting the sky backdrops. I see the paint on the book binding boards and my mind travels to the time I photographed the maquette below in a Milanese antique shop.  I had just left the Palazzo Busca, the lovely temporary home for the La Scala Theatre Museum, where I sketched and noted items like Papagena's dress (bird cage hoop skirt, birds painted on dress, feathers applied to fabric).  I don't know if this is a La Scala set design but, oh, the paper and paint.

 

These pieces are cut along a classic manual drafting tool, the french curve. The Carmontelle letter holder depicts French pavilions lining a riverbank and it is sized to hold magazines with ones correspondence.

Thank you to House Beautiful and Hollyhock for the October Haga Park Tent pitch!  It was my special pleasure to work with the warm and enthusiastic Orli Ben-Dor; HDG Editor, Cellist, and Comedienne.  When Hollyhock's Priscilla Wright introduced us I recognized Orli's distinct name from the upper right hand corner of many House Beautiful pages.  You may visit at this link:

http://www.housebeautiful.com/ mobile/shopping/decorating-trends/beth-scanlon-studio-1013#slide-1

Welcome, I am so glad you are here!

Last year the study of Tiepolo led to dioramas, a boat, and correspondence with a Cardinal in the Vatican.  Last week Kathy Sitzwohl and Margaret Furnas and I had the great privilege of studying Tiepolo in the archives of The Cleveland Museum of Art.  Last year and last week were two perfect gifts.

This French paper I am working with for Fall has just the feel of my study after Fragonard's self portrait in red chalk.  "...he (Fragonard) returned at length to the medium of his academic training and adapted it to his mature interests and sensibilities."-Eunice Williams    This is a vibrant paper and beautiful with gray, like the trois-crayon old master drawing by Neufforge(Paris 1714-1791) from the website of Spaightwood Galleries.

The extra depth of the wall diorama allowed me to recreate the sunflower with even more dramatic curling and positioning of the petals. It captures the feel of this dried Sauvie Island artichoke blossom. My new assignment is finding a paper in the artichoke colors.

Dappled sunlight yesterday, inside and out, reminded me why I like to work with Carmontelle. Dappled light and follies, Carmontelle presents a perpetual summer afternoon.