Daily Dolan Geiman

Thanks for the Love

2009-12-13T14:09:00.016-06:00

We have many thank yous to send out today in recognition of some wonderful print and online press we've received over the last few weeks. First and foremost, we send heartfelt thanks to Boho Magazine for the amazing coverage in the current winter issue. Boho Magazine is a green fashion and lifestyle magazine, the first fashion magazine to be 100% recycled in paper, packaging, and inks. For those of you still needing gifts for your sister, girlfriend, or best friend, might we recommend a gift subscription to the magazine? I think yes.

Boho Magazine
Winter Volume 2
Text by Jennifer Iacovelli
Photography by David Ettinger and David Schalliol

Next up, we want to thank the editors of Apartment Therapy's Re-Nest, recently including us under their Best Green Gifts 2009: 10 Green Gifts Under $50.

For green gift giving this holiday, check out our Panel Paintings (under $40), small paintings created from recycled paint and water-based textile ink on salvaged wood panels, and Rescued Wood Constructions (starting at $275), 3D assemblages constructed from salvaged wood and found objects in popular themes like birds, deer, and whales. We just finished re-stocking the Panel Painting section of the online shop in preparation for today's final e-mail newsletter of 2009.

Last weekend, thanks to the fine folks behind the One of a Kind Show and Sale Chicago, we were visited by Marcus LeShock for this live interview on the WGN Evening News on Friday, December 4. The day before, our buddy Billy Dec of Rockit Bar & Grill and Sunda fame (among many other things), shot this quick video live at the Merchandise Mart for his blog, A Chicago Thing.

Also thanks to the One of a Kind Show and Sale, Dolan was interviewed by Chicago Sun-Times editor Denise O'Neal for this article appearing in last Friday's Weekend Edition. The article features one of our favorite collections, the Lovebird Rescued Wood Construction. For any of you thinking ahead to Valentine's Day or looking forward to your fifth year anniversary, check out the 2 available Lovebird works, on sale for $300 through 12/20/09.

Finally, we wish to thank blogs Straight From Sarah, LilacPOP, and BananaSaurus Rex for their recent posts.

Hope everyone has been enjoying the weekend. We're off to roast some fall vegetables and enjoy a relaxing Sunday evening.

Valley Holly

2009-12-05T11:18:00.002-06:00

This morning at 5 am I got a text from my sis Brecken in Virginia. She had an armful of wreaths but wanted to let me know it was officially show time. For the past two months my sister has been living in a world of jingle bells, holly wreaths, shiny ribbon, peacock feathers, and pine-sap-covered fingers, and today her largest decorating gig goes live for the annual home tour. She's been painstakingly putting her creativity to the test, covering Frazier Furs and White Pines with strands of vintage beads, homemade ornaments, and twinkling lights to make every room sparkle like a new gemstone.

This tree was created for my mothers retail space in Fishersville and I love the layered ribbon effect.
Here Brecken puts a wreath together at midnight, after a day of cutting greenery and placing window treatments.

She twists in her favorite vintage grapes and places her signature hand-painted magnolia leaves for a personalized touch. And the peacock feathers are my absolute favorite!

Only fifteen more to go!

Then she went to cut a 12 foot tree and decorate it before the crowds lined up for the home tour. Needless to say, at 5 am this morning she was ready for a nap! To find out more about Brecken's personal decor service, or to place an order for holiday wreaths, send her an email at artsychick84{at}yahoo.com

-- Post From My iPhone

One of a Kind Show Dec 3-6 Chicago

2009-12-01T12:22:00.006-06:00

Happy December everyone! December means the One of a Kind Show and Sale Chicago is just around the corner, starting this Thursday, December 3. Dolan is over at the Mart now bringing in the first load of work as I take care of things around the studio. The show officially begins on Thursday at noon and continues through Sunday at 5pm. If you're in town or have family in the area, direct them to this PAGE to print a free pass with code ECPFriend. We'll be setup in a new spot this year in booth 5053 (see floor plan). New this year, be sure to visit the Etsy Pavilion to view works by 25 Etsy sellers and to pick up a map of Etsy sellers participating in this year's One of a Kind Show and Sale. Click HERE for more information about this year's special features.

Hoping to view specific works at the One of a Kind Show? While we will have many of our originals and BOX PRINT reproductions with us at the show, feel free to drop us a line to ask about a specific piece.

For more about the One of a Kind Show, visit their website and also follow with Orange Beautiful's The Scoop blog for some great One of a Kind Show picks. Emily, of Orange Beautiful, will be set up in booth 7055 with beautiful paper goods including letterpress printed cards, handmade boxes and boxes, screen-printed stationery, and journals.

Can't make it to the show? View our entire inventory of available works online at dolangeiman.etsy.com.

Psst: look for an article about Dolan and the One of a Kind Show in this week's Chicago Sun Times!

Mountain Lion Attack

2009-11-28T09:49:00.001-06:00

Not unlike many travelers this year, by the time I hit the plane seat I was exhausted. I didn't care that my flight was being delayed, or that I'd have to spend 3 hours parked on the runway;like the old bluegrass song says, I was going to "my blueridge mountain home."
I arrived in a sea of clouds and fog,but I arrived nonetheless, and after making it to my mothers place, contacted my cousin John. John was taking the next day off and we had laid down some plans to reconviene with mother nature- he was taking me Grouse hunting. Now, I like to caputilize the word Grouse, because anyone who has ever hunted these hen sized avians knows they deserve the respect that only a capital letter can emphasize. When I talk of Grouse hunting, I am really speaking of Grouse hiking, because in between the occasional bird sighting, there are miles of steep mountainside to negotiate, as well as rockslides, brambles, thickets, laurel patches, honeysuckle, poison ivy, grapevines and acres of pines that block out all signs of sunshine and only let the rain through. This is my kind of mountain.
I drove to Johns house in the morning and jumped into his truck. The dogs were in the truck bed whining and ready to get I to the woods. If you tried to hunt Grouse without a dog or two, it would be interesting but mostly unsuccessful. The dogs are there to sniff out every possible hiding place, to track down the birds, to point them out, and then on the hunters command, to flush them out and get them to fly. If this sounds unfair, let me just add that the Grouse is no fat chicken. These birds fly a hundred miles an hour in the opposite direction you are facing, behind trees, under thickets and literally disappear into the brush, all in about 3 seconds. Oh, and they are camouflaged as well. There is ample reason why most Grouse hunters return exhausted and empty handed at the end of a hunt, and why they return to the woods whenever they can to match wits with mother nature's speeding speckled ghost.
We arrived at our hunting locale around 10 am, a spot in the mountains about 6 miles from the West Virginia line, and John let the dogs out to run a bit before we started up the trail. After we got our blaze orange on and John loaded his shotgun, we started up the trail and headed into the woods.

The dogs were running all over the mountain, excited to be out in their favorite habitat, and the day was beautiful. We flushed birds every half hour, but John never got a clear shot. The smell of gunpowder and pine warmed up the chilly air,

and we wound our way up the craggy trail while the dogs sniffed circles around us. The clouds hung close to the shoulders of the mountain and the trail led us up and up til we reached the rocky top, where we sat snacking on apples and silently soaking up the surrounding vistas, looking out into West Virginia and beyond.

While we waited for nothing in particular the dogs began to get nervous and wanted to move on, so we grabbed our gear and pushed down the mountain into the deep and the thick. All at once the dogs began to get excited and were locked on to something. John knew right away it wasn't a bird, and he said it's probably a deer or something. All of a sudden the dogs rushed to a pile of logs and began to dig frantically,

tossing leaf litter and sticks aside. John and I ran to pull them off whatever they were digging, and we came upon a grisly scene.
A medium sized buck deer was stuffed in between two logs, covered over with leaves and brush, it's broken neck twisted and legs sticking out like broken branches. What happened here.? I asked John, and we sat staring at the mangled body before deciding to make a closer inspection. I held the dogs back while John pulled the deer out from it's makeshift grave , and we immediately saw something that sent a chill down my spine, and made me quickly scan the surrounding woods. The deers neck was red and had been bitten,

and something had eaten it's heart out, leaving the rest of the body behind for later. Now, John has hunted those woods for years, and when he said "I've never seen anything like this" I took his word for it. The next thing he said made me both excited and terrified: "this might be a mountain lion attack, Dol"
Needles to say, I immediately asked about the possibility of being able to fend off a large cat with a small shotgun, to which he responded something to the effect of: shooting a mountain lion with bird shot would be like slapping a Grizzly bear in the face. So we decided to cover the deer back up and get the dogs moving up the trail, and try to leave the body the way we found it: mangled, messy, and mysterious.

-- Post From My iPhone

Black Friday-Cyber Monday Sales

2009-11-26T13:00:00.004-06:00

NEW Birthday Party (Cowgirl) Paper Print

Regular $45 | Holiday Sale $25 | Black Friday-Cyber Monday Sale $23.75 with free US shipping

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We're sitting around turkey like good Americans, but also preparing for the almighty Black Friday. This year, we're joining in on the fun (or insanity depending on your perspective) and offering an EXTRA SPECIAL sale of our own. Starting at 12:01 am tomorrow, November 27, we're offering an extra 5% off all Etsy orders and offering free domestic shipping. There's no need to break down doors at 5:00 am; this online sale continues through Cyber Monday, November 30, at midnight. If you preference is PayPal, just proceed with the order and payment and you're 5% discount and shipping fees will be refunded by Tuesday. If you prefer credit card (as we do), give us a ring on Cyber Monday to process any major credit card over the phone. Remember: all orders $100 or more also receive a free gift and these savings are on top of 10%-50% discounts on every item in the shop.

Want to support us and brick and mortar retail? Here's a list of a few other Black Friday sales and events:

Sacred Art (4619 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago; sacredartstore.com) opens early at 9am on Friday. Starting at 30 percent off, discounts decrease every hour until 1 pm.
High Street (1401 Reading Rd, Cincinnati; highstreetcincinnati.com) the highly-anticipated Black Friday White Russian Holiday Sale starts at 7pm on Friday. 10% customer appreciation savings, White Russian cocktails, and cakes from the city's finest chefs await you
Zella Brown (1444 N Milwaukee, Chicago) 50% off everything in the store (consignment items excluded) through December
Cactus Creek The Store (400 Main Street, Weston MO; cactuscreekdaily.com/about/retail) now open at a new, much bigger location in downtown Weston with regular hous Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm
Squash Blossom (2531 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs) savings start at 20% at 10am; 15% at noon; and end with 10% from 3pm-7pm on Friday

Thanks for the Love

2009-11-25T10:53:00.010-06:00

Before heading out of the studio for the Thanksgiving holiday, we want to give thanks to everyone that has supported us throughout the year, especially during a year that has been difficult for so many families and individuals. You have allowed Dolan to continue making the artwork he loves creating and me to continue working as his full-time business partner, a job role which I absolutely love and wouldn't change for anything. Though Dolan and I work our tails off, this profession still wouldn't be possible without our wonderful clients and customers. Thank you to everyone that came out to see us at an art fair or have connected with us online. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

While giving thanks, we also wish to recognize the many bloggers and editors that have contributed to the success of our ongoing third annual Etsy holiday sale. Thanks to you for these recent mentions:

Bloesem November 25, 2009

Great Green Goods November 25, 2009

Constant Cravings November 20, 2009

Time Out Chicago November 19-25, 2009

Poppytalk November 18, 2009

Fluxcore November 13, 2009

Etsy One of a Kind Gift Guide

Daily Half Off Special

2009-11-21T07:00:00.002-06:00

Now through December 18, we'll be offering a daily holiday sale special in which we will offer a print or original artwork for 50% off for 24 hours. Look for this item each day in the "Featured Items" row at the top of our online shop. We're kicking off the special with a gift for the men on your list, the Victoria Cigar Co. paper print. Enjoy!

Remembering Jeanne-Claude

2009-11-20T11:28:00.003-06:00

Today I’d like to remember the life of Jeanne Claude, who was a wonderful and inspiring light in the world, by relating a personal story. She was the life partner of Christo, and was truly the wheel on the great clipper ship of creativity in that relationship. I saw them speak at the Corcoran once. I think it was nine or ten years ago. My great friend Matthew Grimes (now a faculty member at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, ironically) grabbed me one day and said “You wanna go see Christo at the Corcoran?!!” At the time I was in school, and had my head deep into my studio work, and Matt was my lightening rod for great happenings. I of course said yes and he said, “Okay, grab your jacket, we have to leave now." So we drove to the Corcoran, almost missed the opening introduction to the presentation, but made it in time to hear both Christo and Jeanne-Claude speak. She was truly a diplomat of the art world. She was eloquent without being too verbose, and was honest and straightforward about their personal connection to each installation and event. After the presentation, I waited patiently to get a chance to talk to them and was so focused on Christo that I almost didn’t see Jeanne Claude. She was trapped in a crowd of eager autograph seekers and sensationalists who were throwing a barrage of art-speak her way. I could see she was exhausted. I knew they had been doing a sting of presentations and she looked like she was extremely tired of being in the public eye. So I thought I would help her out. I barged right through the crowd and went up to her and said: "You wanna step outside for a smoke?” She grabbed my arm and said, “Lead the way!” It was like a dream. We stepped out the back door and chatted for fifteen minutes, about life, about the artwork they were doing, but mostly she wanted to know what I was working on and what I had in mind for the future. I remember showing her my sketchbook (I know I am a total art nerd) and I told her I would send her a collage if she gave me her address, which she obliged. Then we hugged and she went back inside to face the crowd. I was speechless. Later, for Valentine’s Day, I sent Jeanne-Claude and Christo a card and a collage. A short while later I received a package in the mail from them. It was a copy of their book The Gates and on the inside cover was little note. I have kept that in my studio since then, to remember the authenticity of Jeanne-Claude and the inspiration that I felt from being in her presence. I miss her already.

Holiday Tip: Panel Paintings

2009-11-19T17:57:00.003-06:00

They're back! After a long art fair season, we've restocked the Panel Painting section of the Etsy shop with almost 50 individual Panel Paintings fresh from the studio. In honor of the holidays, Panel Paintings have been marked down to $40 each (normally $45) and will be continuously updated with new versions as they sell. Looking for a different color? We'd be happy to help. Panel Paintings are a great gift for teens and tweens; moms and dads, and anyone with an appreciation for bright colors and hand-pulled prints. For those treehuggers on your list, Panel Paintings are created with recycled household paint, water-based textile inks, and waste stream recycled wood panels.

Check out the Cowboy on Horse Panel Painting currently featured in Time Out Chicago.

* * Shop for Panel Paintings * *

3rd Annual Holiday Sale is Live | Save on All Artwork Nov 18-Dec 20

2009-11-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

Huge Savings on All Artwork

'Tis the season, everyone! Our 3rd annual Etsy holiday sale is officially live. Score huge savings on each and every work in our online shop with discounts up to 50% off select works. All orders $100+ receive a free gift and orders $500+ receive free shipping. Got a holiday-related question? Drop us a line as we'd be happy to assist. Have fun shopping!

* * Take Me to the Holiday Sale * *

New Retailer: Squash Blossom Colorado Springs

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

This month, we welcomed a new state to our growing retail map, Colorado. Former Sacred Art employee Emily Lincoln has relocated to Colorado Springs to direct Squash Blossom's Colorado Springs retail location. Dolan's work will be rubbing shoulders with a few notable artists including Laura Zindel Ceramics, featured recently in our 15 Handmade Items We Love post. We're thrilled to send our work west of the Mississippi and look forward to continuing to work with Emily at her new home in Colorado Springs.

Facebook users: can you fan Squash Blossom Colorado Springs here.
Dolan will be the featured artist during the monthly First Friday Art Walk held in Old Colorado City along West Colorado Avenue.

Local Girl Missing for 100 Years

2009-11-12T12:42:00.011-06:00

This morning I arrived at the studio determined to stay on task and finish several commissions I have been working on. Needless to say, I got sidetracked by a large pile of metal.

My landlord has been replacing the 100-year-old windows in our warehouse with brand new ones...a wonderful idea before winter. Since I love to collect piles of useless old rusty scrap metal (mostly for use in my artwork), I asked him to set aside the old window frames for me. Well, this morning I was taking out some recycling and noticed one of the frames laying all by itself out on the loading dock, so I decided to take a closer look at it. It was what you might expect: a huge, heavy metal window frame, complete with heavy chicken-wired windows. However, there are several layers of peeling green and red paint, which I love, so I decided to drag this particular frame into my studio. As I was trying to lift it, a huge chunk of concrete slid out of one of the corners of the frame and smashed the hell out of my foot. Apparently, 100 years ago, the installation of the window frames required that the installer fill the hollow metal frames with concrete. I was about to drop the frame and go back into my space for a large hammer to show the window who was boss, when I noticed a small chunk of trash stuffed into the hollow area behind the concrete. As I dug it out I could see that it was actually a wad of newspaper that had been stuffed into the frame, presumably to fill the empty space before the remainder was filled with concrete. As I dug further, I was able to find several handfuls of these wadded up newspapers. It wasn't until I took then into my space that I noticed how old they were. So, now that I was fully and completely off task, I thought it would be in my creative interest to open the papers and inspect them fully. Unfortunately, the first wad of paper crumbled to dust in my fingers. Now, I've heard people say this before and have always thought "is that really possible" and so I will tell you that it is definitely possible. With the help of some glue, however, I was able to piece together two scraps of paper, and was able to make out a small amount of the writing, as well as a great image. I'm going to keep searching the interior of these frames. If I find any bones, I'll report back immediately.

Weekly Wrap Up 11/10/09

2009-11-10T18:53:00.008-06:00

Overlooking the amazing Indian Summer this past weekend here in Chicago, I do believe the holidays are here! For Dolan and I this means a number of wonderful things: no more out-of-state traveling for art fairs, some much needed quality time with friends and family, hikes through the fields and streams of the Shenandoah Valley, fun handmade shopping, the baking of holiday cookies, and, as goes the tradition, the launch of our annual Etsy holiday sale. Now in it's third year, the Etsy event is our biggest sale of the year with store-wide discounts on each and every work in the online shop. All orders over $100 will receive a free holiday gift and orders over $500 will receive free shipping. Additional deal and discounts are available to newsletter subscribers so be sure to head over to the sign-up page and join. In honor of the sale, you'll start noticing Panel Paintings in the shop starting this weekend along with new Rescued Wood Constructions and other original works. Starting Tuesday morning, you'll see prices begin to change throughout the shop as we update the site with our discounted holiday sale pricing. Throughout this process, we appreciate your patience with the shop construction and brief transition period and hope you'll excitedly visit the shop Wednesday morning, November 18, to see the completed holiday shop.

For the next week, we'll be quiet online as we busily prepare for the holiday sale. Before we go, we leave you with a quick recap of some recent news:

Completed Commission
Inspired by Fall Foliage at Renegade Craft Fair Chicago, the colors were inverted and the trees filled out for this most recently completed commission for a Chicago couple. The final piece was delivered this evening and is going to look beautiful on the couple's large brick wall. Dolan has 3 more commissions to complete before the end of the year. Up next, is a 24" x 48" bird-themed commission with tactile, 3d collage elements. Look for more commission pics on Facebook and here on the blog.

Fall Foliage No. 02 (2009) - mixed media on wood - 40" x 60"

Bright Side Project
In October, we were honored to participate in The Bright Side Project, a blog whose mission is to brighten your day with daily giveaways centered around fun, thought-provoking questions. We gave away a $100 gift certificate, immediately redeemed for a Fall Foliage paper print, after selecting our favorite answer to the question we posed "If you were exploring an old house and pulled up the floor boards, what would you most like to discover?" Thanks to everyone that participated; the answers are definitely going to inspire some new collage works by Dolan.

News from our Retailers

Lark & Key (Charlotte, NC) just opened a second location in Southend, NC | mark your calendars for an official opening celebration on Dec 4
HighStreet (Cincinnati, OH) has launched an online shop for heir favorite home furnishings and decor | more to follow so stay tuned
Seagrass (Winnetka, IL) has also launched an online shop | we love all the cottage/coastal selections especially this woven stool
Fly Bird (Oak Park, IL) don't miss the once-a-year Holiday Hootenanny where you can save 25% off all purchases November 12 from 6pm-9pm
Artful Home (online) be on the lookout for the In the Cattails BOX PRINT reproduction in the upcoming holiday catalog mailing | also check out their holiday guide with 100s of gifts under $100
NEW STORE Squash Blossom (Colorado Springs, CO) thanks to former Sacred Art employee now Squash Blossom Colorado Springs director Emily Lincoln, we just shipped 4 boxes of work to our first Colorado shop | check out Squash Blossom's Facebook fan page while their new site is developed

Art Wall
Check out Art Wall, a new virtual display space for discovering the work of independent artists curated by Katie Stephenson. We're honored to be part of the site's launch; find us in the living room display with an illustration by Jessica Gonacha Swift.

Wholesale Catalog Headed to Printer
Over the next few weeks, we'll be printing and mailing over 250 wholesale catalogs to nationwide retailers. If you've been considering artwork for your shop, now's the time to apply for a wholesale account. Complete our online wholesale application to receive your copy of our 2010 catalog.

Mission to Decorate: Wild West Finds

2009-11-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

Just purchased: Tie rack from Etsy seller antiquegrrl

Laila Asgari Art Glass from OutWest Marketing

Santa Western Suit and Cowboy Boot Letterpress Cards by Yee-Haw Industrial Letterpress

Ride Cowgirl Ride Sign from The Gunslinger Store

Cow Camp Sheet Sheet in Cream From Cry Baby Ranch

Thanks for the Love

2009-11-03T14:40:00.006-06:00

Thanks to We Covet for today's Dog Show paper print feature. We Covet is written by a New York editor with a background in interior design and fashion.

Heartfelt thanks to papernstitch the blog for today's feature highlighting our countdown to 400 sales in our Etsy shop. The next few buyers will be entered to win the new Peppertree Park DG MINI Set. We're up to 397 Sales so we have 3 more buyers to go! papernstitch the blog is written by Brittni Wood and focuses on design and style with an emphasis on indie labels. The second part of papernstitch is their exhibition site where makers are able to showcase their goods in a curated, hand-selected community.

Last but certainly not least thanks to Poppytalk for these recent mentions highlighting our table in the current Indie Love marketplace. Poppytalk Handmade is a monthly online street market curated by Poppytalk to showcase, buy, and sell handmade wares from around the globe.

15 Handmade Items We Love

2009-11-02T08:00:00.002-06:00

Waterproof Watches Embroidery over X-ray by Matthew Cox (courtesy of Red Truck Gallery)

Tupperware Wall Installation by Theresa Honeywell

A burst of perched birds post earrings by Lisa Cimino

Laundry Painting by Jon Flaming (courtesy of Blue Star Trading)

Dressed to Kill inlaid collage by Tom Torluemke

Swallow Bandana by Box & Flea

Crow Vase by Aaron Sober

ABC Cushion in Graphic Black by Helen Rawlinson (courtesy of papernstitch)

Large Harlequion Beetle Vase and Small Hercules Beetle Vase by Laura Zindel Ceramics

Safe Astride painting by Signe & Genna Grushovenko

Family Ring by Melle Finelli

Luxe Collection Leggings by I Heart Norwegian Wood

Set of 10 notecards and envelopes by Olive and Ruby

Alpaca Rug by Zen Alpaca

Ondeggia Dresser by Paul Lombardi (courtesy of Artful Home)

Thanks for the Love: Making it Lovely

2009-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wow! Our fans are going to love this mood board created by the infamous Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely. We're honored to be featured in this Modern Cabin Making it Yours feature.

Houston's The Tipping Point

2009-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

After dinner with friends during Bayou City Art Festival in Houston, we took a stroll through the downtown area of Houston on our way back to our hotel. Sadly, downtown Houston is pretty dead at night with the exception of a few restaurants, some bodegas, and a lot of homeless individuals. For this reason, the existence of a shop like The Tipping Point on Houston's Main Street could not be more important, a beacon of economic and retail rejuvenation for the downtown Houston community. We happened to wander into the store, hearing the sounds of a live DJ emanate from a modern-looking store on an otherwise darkened street. Needless to say, we were curious. As it turned out, the store owners had opened theirs doors to allow a friend to host a party in their space as part of their overall mission of community and reciprocity. The Tipping Point, after all, strives to be a "sneaker lifestyle destination", coupling a well-edited selection of sneakers with art, music, literature, and more. Speaking with one of the owners, The Tipping Point is part of a sincere and impassioned quest to bring cultural and retail diversity back into downtown Houston. If the stores that follow have a fraction of The Tipping Point's passion, I think Houston's downtown area is off to an exciting future...

Denim Pack sneakers purchased by Dolan

>>>posted by Ali<<<

Thanks for the Love: nom, nom, nom

2009-10-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to {kat}, a 24 year old interactive designer infatuated with new technology, for the recent blog love. {nom, nom, nom} is a compendium of her inspiration finds surfing around the internet.

If you've recently featured Dolan Geiman and we haven't thanked you, please drop us a line and include a link to the feature.

Mission to Decorate: Wooden Crates

2009-10-23T17:37:00.004-05:00

We have stacks and stacks of old wooden crates in our studio. We just might have to start putting these to use at home to display thrift store finds and handmade goodies from our art fair travels.

Image: New Corner by ErinLangNorris/YellowCanoe

Thanks for the Love: The Best Part

2009-10-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the recent blog love from artist, designer, and The Best Part blog editor Jason Dean. Learn more about Jason and view his portfolio here.

If you've recently featured Dolan Geiman and we haven't thanked you, please drop us a line and include a link to the feature.

5 Artists to See at artclectic

2009-10-22T11:48:00.008-05:00

This week, Dolan and pal Chris Nightengale headed south to the Music City for the University School of Nashville's art show and fundraiser, artclectic. This is truly an event not to be missed and here's ten reasons why. Given all the amazing art on exhibit this weekend, it's difficult to limit our selections to just five artists but here's a list of must sees:

Justin Robinson:

Kem Alexander:

Harry Underwood:

Mr. Hooper:

Mark Bradley-Shoup:

Art Fair Artist Spotlight: Debbie Little Wilson

2009-10-19T10:01:00.007-05:00

As we transition into fall and winter, we're excited to reactivate the blog and begin sharing more artists, creators, and sustainable businesses with our readers. Up first, we're pleased to introduce Texas printmaker Debbie Little-Wilson. Having recently moved into a spacious apartment worthy of decorating, we're finally spending money on something other than our business. Naturally, our first inclination is to expand our art collection as we did at the Bayou City Art Festival in Houston with two purchases from Debbie. Debbie was born in Rochester, New York and currently resides in Dripping Springs, Texas. She works in etching, monoprint, illustration, and mixed media. Her nostalgic images, Americana themes, and found imagery lured us into her booth and we're honored to have two of her works now hanging in our Tangier Island themed bedroom. I expect a few more of her works will be listed on our wedding registry down the road..

Enjoy these works by Debbie Little Wilson

>>>Posted by Ali<<<

Weekly Wrap Up 10/06/2009

2009-10-06T10:34:00.008-05:00

Holy moly, it's been a busy month! In addition to busy September art fairs and moving into a new apartment, here's just a few other exciting announcements:

Bayou City Art Festival Downtown Oct 10/11
Tomorrow morning we hit the road for our new outdoor art fair, the acclaimed Bayou City Art Festival Downtown in Houston, Texas. It's our first show in Texas so we're excited to see the crowd's reaction to our artwork in the Lone Star State. Show hours are 10am-6pm Saturday and Sunday and our booth number is 342 i. For a festival map and additional information, click here. If you have friends or family in the area, please let them know that Dolan and Ali are coming to town!

Commission Profile: Hacienda Condos (Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos Mexico)
Last week, we completed a commission for a condo renovation in Los Cabos, Mexico. The process began with the creation of two works in the September Song Collection with colors based on fabric swatches and other decorative accessories. These works were then scanned for digitally printing as BOX PRINT reproductions. A total of 32 BOX PRINT reproductions were printed, 16 of each work. After printing, 3 holes were cut from the printed surface. Finally, Dolan created paper collages to appear inside the circle cutouts using Mexico-inspired imagery and affixed this collages behind the printed works to complete the piece. The final works are shown above.

Upcoming Commission: Hyatt Regency Jersey City
This month, we also received a purchase order for guestroom artwork in the renovated Hyatt Regency Jersey City. We've been working on this commission since the fall of 2007 so we're thrilled to see the project come to fruition. We'll be providing 183 BOX PRINT reproductions of the modified Ophelia piece above, each 45" x 36", for rooms in the hotel. Our estimated ship date is December 11, 2009 so we have a couple busy months ahead!

Dwell with Dignity Donation
This month, we were honored to get involved with a Dallas-based organization founded by client Lisa Robison, Dwell with Dignity. Dwell with Dignity is a non-profit outreach organization that furnishes and refurbishes Dallas-area apartments for qualified families seeking to escape homelessness and poverty. For their upcoming project, we were happy to donate a Ophelia BOX PRINT reproduction for a bedroom inspired by this room. You can follow along with Dwell with Dignity's project (and get inspired with your own home interior makeovers) on the Dwell with Dignity blog. Interested in getting involved? Click here to find out how you can help.

Early Warning: Wholesale Catalog Coming Soon
This fall, we'll be releasing our first-ever printed wholesale catalog. The catalog will complement the online wholesale pricing and resource pages available via login on our website. If you'd like to receive a copy of our catalog and wholesale login, complete our online wholesale application. Special deals and discounts will apply to store owners and buyers placing orders before the end of 2009.

Thanks Bloggers
We also want to give thanks to the following blogs for recent mentions on their sites: Home Interior Design Themes, Art Propelled, our photographer David Ettinger and his new blog Mmmminteresting, and Tackad. Thanks, too, to Christine and Etsy's Get the Look: Decor column for inclusion of the Field Guide Tennessee paper print in the most recent feature. You can look for these blog mentions in the left-hand column of our blog.

Now it's time to go pack the cargo van!

Last chance for a tan

2009-09-27T10:45:00.001-05:00

Let's face it Chicago. Today might be one of those last sweet sunny days to hit the streets in your shorts. I'm out here at the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, selling my wares, and soaking up the rays.

Come holler at me in booth 151, at the corner of Broadway and Roscoe. And heck, mention this blog post and I'll give you a little discount for coming to see me

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-- Post From My iPhone