HOPE

Our final window display at MTA, filled only with HOPE.  

Heart of Glass

Once I had a love and it was a gas
Soon turned out had a heart of glass.
Once I had a love and it was divine
Soon found out I was losing my mind.
Once I had a love and it was a gas
Soon turned out to be a pain in the ass.

Our 20/20 Vision

Our holiday windows look forward this year.  We're looking forward to 2020 and a new year, a new decade, and a new chapter.  We just purchased a new old house in our new old town.  We're very happy to let everyone know we're going 'home', and moving back to Port Hope!  For our friends and clients who have been so helpful and supportive while we searched throughout Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia before we realized Port Hope was always where we belonged, thank you for your input, enthusiasm and support.  Once we settle in, I'll be searching for a Port Hope location for the shop.  In the meantime, the Hamilton shop will be open until March.  We'll be posting new hours after the holidays.  Wishing everyone all the best for the holidays and the new year!!

   

HOPE

HOPE.  Former First Lady, Michelle Obama is speaking in Hamilton at the end of this week.  When President Obama was elected in November of 2008, it was such an amazing day, week...start.  The Port Hope shop had only been open for a few months.  I did a 'HOPE' themed window that week inspired by the now famous poster by Shepard Fairey, and also inspired by the sense of hope and excitement that was in the air at the time.  In some ways it seems like yesterday.  In some ways it seems like another world.  In so many ways it truly was another world.  December of 2016 was the 'Build Love, Not Walls' windows.  I don't think anyone could have imagined what the next three years would bring during that holiday season.  Back to today, it felt like the right moment for another 'HOPE' window.  You have to look a little bit harder to find it in these windows than you did in 2008.  Look in the mirror.  It's in there.

Harry Bertoia Bird Chair and Ottoman

The Bird Cage.  Our new windows feature two pieces of 20th century modern art by master sculptor Harry Bertoia.  The iconic Bird Chair and ottoman were designed by Bertoia in 1952 and are still part of the Knoll catalogue today.  These are 1960’s production pieces and the cover fabric is original Knoll.  There is an original Knoll label from their East Greenville, PA facility.  East Greenville was the site of the first Knoll factory and is still their headquarters.  Chair 40" h., 38" w., 32" d.  Ottoman 15" h., 24" w., 17" d.  American, c. 1960's  SOLD
Condition:  Good vintage condition with age appropriate wear, some surface scuffs and nicks and 2 small pieces of wire missing from the seat, but not visible with cover in place.  Fabric in good usable condition.

Superstyle 1970's Window

Did you know about the 'Supergraphic System'?  It was a 1970's D.I.Y. kit to create 'professional wall graphics made easy for you to paint.'  I came across one of these a while ago, but sadly didn't purchase it.  It would have come in handy for our new windows featuring this super stylish pair of 1970's lounge chairs by Carson's of High Point.  I thought they would look great against a Supergraphic style backdrop, so I improvised on the system with some painter's tape and a tape measure.  The chairs are sophisticated, sinuous and sensational!  And Carson's was 'the style leader for contemporary furniture' in their day.  The flat bar chrome frames are in excellent condition and the chestnut velvet upholstery is original and in very good vintage condition.  30" h., 26" w., 30" d.  American, c. 1970's  SOLD 

Giandomenico Belotti for Fly Line; Set of 4 'Spaghetti' Stools

Strung out over Spaghetti.  Our February windows feature four stools from Giandomenico Belotti's 'Spaghetti' series.  (Pieces from this series can also be found in the permanent collection of  MOMA.)  The frames of the stools are enamelled steel.  The back rests and seats are made of thick PVC strings, making them very comfortable.  The string theme was carried through to the window design.  A single piece of yarn strung around a bunch of nails formed each of the four backdrops.  

Stools; 35" h. back, 25" h. seat, 18" w. 18" d.  Italian, c. 1960's  SOLD

Condition:  Very good vintage condition with age appropriate wear.  

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Wishing everyone all the best for 2019.  Hope it is a year filled with many wonderful surprises!  And thank you for all of your support during the past year.  We are back from holidays and back to regular shop hours.  

Christmas Tins

This year's Christmas windows, as in the past, were inspired by our December charity.  They were also inspired by our tenth anniversary (which is the tin anniversary).  Our December charity is Food Banks Canada.  FBC is the only national charitable organization dedicated to helping Canadians living with hunger.  They do this today through support of over 500 food banks across Canada as well as by finding ways to reduce and eliminate hunger in the future by influencing policy through research, awareness raising and advocacy.
The 'Christmas Tins' windows started with many rolls of tin foil.  I wanted to do a modern take on old fashioned paper garland chains.  After cutting, folding and forming somewhere north of 1,000 pieces of foil, the links in the chains were joined and hung to make a fairly delicate garland curtain.  The Christmas trees were made with inverted pot pie tins with painted bottoms.  The color palette is a 1950's Christmas palette which works nicely with the pair of Saarinen chairs.  I thought those chairs would have sold as soon as I brought them into the shop, but everything happens for a reason.  They were just the right pieces to finish off the windows.
During the month of December, we will be donating ten percent of the profit from each sale at MTA to Food Banks Canada.  If you would like to learn more about this wonderful organization or donate directly, please visit them at https://www.foodbankscanada.ca/
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday season!  May your Christmas tins be filled with love, good memories and tasty treats.

Blackwood

Our new windows celebrate the art of master printmaker David Blackwood.  The inspiration came in part from works he has done based on nautical flags.  (The handpainted canvas flags in the windows spell out his name.)  Inspiration also came from a great affection for David.  Some of the best memories of the Port Hope shop revolve around conversations about art and life shared during his regular visits.  His generosity with his knowledge, advice, stories and humor have added so much to the shop experience over the years.  Often when I brought a historical piece of Canadian art into the old shop, he had a story about, knew, worked or studied with the artist.  Nothing beats a living, first-hand art history lesson.  The history lessons sometimes included an intriguing trip to Yorkville and the Toronto gallery scene during the 1960's and 1970's.  Sometimes it was Vancouver, other times the east coast.  In addition to invaluable art lessons, he has been an inspiration, through example, in life lessons....marching to the beat of your own drum, following your passions, working hard and staying the course.  Through his art, teaching, championing and mentoring young artists, he has and continues to make the art world a kinder, more beautiful and more authentic place.
The etchings displayed in the windows are Dante's Barque, 2011 and The Wesleyville Under Construction, 2012

 The International Code:  Flags for David Judah, 2005

The Wesleyville Under Construction, 2012

Etching

17.75" x 20.5" framed

$2,650.00

 Dante's Barque, 2011

Etching

20.5" x 17.25" framed 

$2,650.00