Monday, December 20, 2010

The Artist's Studio

Helen

A couple of weeks ago, we took a fun little trip down to San Rafael to visit Helen at her studio. After reading my post about her recent gallery show, she extended an invitation for us to come down and choose one of her pieces to have come and live in our home for awhile!

Rather than have them stored away, she likes to loan pieces out to friends and family so they can be actively enjoyed. I can tell you right now that we have been very actively enjoying the one we chose! More about that though, after I show you some photos I snapped of her dreamy studio…



Bones, bird nests, sticks and stones, creature-like cacti in terra cotta pots, ceramics, woven baskets, books upon books, objects of inspiration at every turn… not to mention all the art supplies and magical paintings in various stages of completion.



Artist’s studio meets natural history museum meets Southwest Trading Post, a curiosity cabinet of creativity… I could have moved in.



An old trunk filled with years and years of notebooks all bursting at the seams with ideas and annotated sketches. Just leafing through a few brought up tales of travel and adventure. Helen is a really great story teller, by the way, with many a great story to tell…

Renaissance Folk

As I'm checking out this gorgeous photograph hanging above the old trunk, she starts to tell me about it. Turns out it was taken in the late sixties by her old roommate, Annie Leibovitz! The cute girl with the pixie-cut on the left is Helen at age nineteen! Helen and Annie were roomates for a couple of years when they both studied at the San Francisco Art Institute.

This was back when Annie (who later became known for such iconic images as this and this) was first getting into photography. They had just come from the very first Bay Area Renaissance Festival, which was coincidentally held at China Camp State Park where we went with Helen following her gallery show. The photo was taken at the Hall of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. You can get a better look here.


Lucas and Clover channeling some of the studio space's palpable creative energy. Helen’s idea to bring out the paints was successful at keeping Clover occupied as I wandered around examining each and every available painting and deliberating over the tough decision at hand.

Lucas gave me final say on the matter and I’ll admit, I’m not the quickest of decision makers, especially when there are so many wonderful choices!

Christmas Tree at Dawn

As tough as the decision was though, I’m sure those of you who remember my post about Helen’s gallery show won’t be too surprised to see who is now mischievously peeking out from behind our Christmas tree…

Festive to the Bone

So awesome! We are utterly stoked to be able to enjoy such a unique piece of art in our very own living room for the next year or so… many big thanks to Helen for her generosity and hospitality. She’s currently on a much anticipated trip to Egypt… filling up more of those notebooks no doubt!

12 comments:

Eyeliah said...

wow, Helen has an incredible studio. I love that piece you chose and the AL photo is very dreamy.

moonshinejunkyard said...

holy shit her studio takes my breath away! i love how everything is sort of a dusty white, like a galleon of ghosts are traipsing across the landscape of her artroom. i love that her books vary from tribes to drapes to bookbinding and that she has rusty tin cannisters jam packed with paintbrushes and rickety baskets packed with knick knacks. i want to roll around in it, soak it in, dream it.

i love the piece you chose. i love that it is a little bit mischief, a little bit magic, a little bit maniacal, a little bit mystical.

and her skirt and cape in her friend annie's photo just kills me, what style and flair, what coziness and jaunty ethereality. gorgeous woman. thank you so much for posting this.

moonshinejunkyard said...

such womanly arts that were brewing in their souls! i love sf and its rollicking years. so cool to imagine miss leib back then, and to think what an icon she'd become. CRAZY old beautiful world.

Andrea said...

The studio looks amazing and I think the picture is a great choice as well :) Very interesting story - I love the Annie L pictures that I have been discovering lately as well.

Victoria / Justice Pirate said...

I just love the Irish oatmeal tin. haha. Very nice pink art Clover!

Karen/Small Earth Vintage said...

Wonderful! Helen's studio looks like an absolute treasure trove. And I think you chose perfectly. (Your tree looks great, too!)

Alexa said...

How fabulous! What a generous spirit to share her work like that, and open her studio to you!

Cel said...

The studio definitely reflects that are that comes from it, so cool! And how lucky of you to get to enjoy your favourite piece of art from her show :)

Victoria / Justice Pirate said...

Thanks for the well wishes!
I didn't make the stockings at all. I got them from etsy last year. My parents used to always buy those red with white trim boring ones and I love the whole homespun christmas different ones so that's why I got them. I don't think the woman has an etsy anymore though. :(

sally said...

wow, missa! amazing piece you chose and how fun to hear about sf and marin history. is helen in downtown san rafael? i love her collection of natural things. i'm going up that way tomorrow for some family christmas time! hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday!

anne said...

what an amazing studio! and what a treat to go there and pick a piece of art! i love what you chose. it looks super cool. i also love the photo. it's seem slike it was certainly an inspirational day :D

Tera said...

Really cool and awesome Lady. Love the piece you picked. LOved reading this post!