What’s On Your Walls Wednesdays – Eclectic Wall Grouping

This post is for a delightful weekly blog event called What’s On Your Walls. Barb hosts it at Grits and Glamour.

In the hall to the bedrooms and study, just across from the door to the guest bathroom, is an eclectic medley of framed items including a mirror, watercolor, two Asian prints and a wooden pineapple plaque.

The mirror has a stylized floral border in an Art Nouveau style. (Please overlook the dust!)

The blue and white souvenir plates on the guest bathroom walls are barely visible in the mirror.

Here is a vintage Japanese print framed in a bamboo frame. I bought this at a junk shop that is now closed. I enjoy looking at the placid landscape, with the mountains, trees and lake with tiny boat.

Hanging above this is a second Asian print. It shows a pair of Chinese panda bears enjoying a bamboo patch.

I found the print at a junk shop and then had it matted and framed. The print came with the inner gilt mat.

The round wood plaque is the seal of the Republic of Honduras, in Central America. My aunt brought it back in about 2003 when she and my brother’s daughter went to visit relatives. Our family moved to NYC from Honduras in 1959, so this souvenir means a lot to me.

Another round item in the wall grouping is this watercolor of a lotus flower painted by one of my sisters. She placed her painting in an old wood frame with gilt edging.

This is a vintage print of George Washington’s home in what seems to be the original frame:

The print is titled "The Piazza at Mount Vernon, VA" and was copyright in 1930/// by the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association. The artist is Elizabeth O’Neill Verner.

I enjoy the perspective of this drawing of the piazza.

The next item is from Marshall’s. It was made in South Africa and shows a lady made of real butterflies. I posted about it for a Show and Tell in 2008.

Finally, the wall group includes a carved wood pineapple-shaped plaque.

The carving is very realistic.

Thanks for looking at this display of some of my wall art. Do some again and please leave a comment.

See more wall display ideas and treasures at Barb’s blog.

What’s On Your Wall Wednesday – Eclectic Wall Grouping

What’s On Your Walls Wednesday is hosted by Barb at Grits and Glamour.

I like to display a mix of various items on the wall. Here is a grouping from my guest bedroom in 2007. It includes a decorative wall shelf, porcelain plates and plaques and a mirror.

The disparate but harmonious (I think) items in my grouping include:
A round mirror in a narrow wood frame in white with gold,

A European porcelain plaque in a lovely wood frame with wire mat,

A Bavarian plate with roses and gilt embellishments,

A wall shelf with a Lenox porcelain plate from the Nativity Vignette series. Just in front is a small porcelain plaque on a stand

What makes this grouping work is that the items have similar colors, similar elegant design details, and similar quality.

You will enjoy the wall display treasures at Barb’s blog. So do head over there to join in the fun, and thank you very much for stopping here at Oak rise Cottage.

What’s On Your Walls Wednesdays – Wall Shapes

I just learned about a new weekly meme for Wednesdays, called What’s On Your Walls. It is hosted by Barb at Grits and Glamour.

I thought I’d share my use of round and rectangular shapes on the wall in my study.
Just inside the door to the right is a grouping of two Spode plates and a framed floral print.

Plate with Portland vase, from Spode’s Blue Room collection, Transfer-printed in green

Floral still life print

Plate with urn, also from Spode’s Blue Room collection

While that grouping is simply symmetrical with repeated shapes above and below the middle print; the groupings on each side of the windows are sort of reverse images of each other. The groupings are both anchored by rectangular prints in the middle. However, the left side has a round object on top, while the right side has the round object on the bottom. I tend to like a bit of idiosyncrasy in my décor.

On the left side of the window

there is a round wood clock,

above a framed oil painting,

and a framed and matted watercolor painting.

On the right side,

there is a pochoir print [See post on this vintage stencil print]

above a framed oil painting,

and a round plate of the Parthenon, a gift from Greece brought for me by a co-worker.

Thank you for looking at my funny wall groupings. See more wall display treasures at Barb’s blog.

Vintage Thingies Thursday – Autumn Picture

This post is part of Vintage Thingies Thursday, sponsored by Lisa, the Apron Queen.

I was thinking for this week’s vintage item I should do something with an autumn theme. In the living room one of the pictures over the sofa is a framed piece I got at a junk store in town. I often went there looking for frames to use on other pictures, but sometimes got a piece that I liked and decided to hang it on the wall. I paid about $12-15. for this.

This piece is a print under glass [please excuse the flash on the glass in these photos]. I recently had to take it out of the frame because the print had slidden down; however, I did not see any artist name or other marking.

The mat is ruled two fine lines in gold surrounding two stronger lines in brown.

The frame is gilt and has a very nice molding.

The subject is a scene along a canal with a handsome stone bridge. The tiled-roofed buildings touch the water. It seems to be set in Europe, perhaps the Netherlands. The color of the trees give the impression of autumn.


Well, thanks so much for viewing my vintage item for today. Do return for another visit soon. For more vintage items, please see Lisa at An Apron a Day.

Wildflowers in Art: Mayflower

Wildflower Morning has a weekly event called Wildflowers in Winter to post about wildflowers. The theme for week 6 from February 20-26 is Wildflowers in Art – "Share art made by you or someone else that features wildflowers."

My item this week is an oil painting by C. Leon Strickland entitled "Mayflower." It hangs in a wall grouping in the dining room.

I tried to buy it at an Apple Festival where a silent auction allowed buyers to leave a written bid on a list for the item desired. You had to keep going back to see if someone else had written a bid below yours. If so you wrote a higher bid under that. When the bidding time was up the last bidder on the item’s list won the item.
Well, someone else did outbid me for this wildflower painting. However, the following day he decided he did not want the painting after all and returned it to the artist. So I was able to buy it directly from the artist. The local frame shop framed it for me with a linen liner in a molded gilt frame.

Here is some information about the mayflower:
The mayflower is "a low-growing evergreen shrub of eastern North America with leathery leaves and clusters of fragrant pink or white flowers"
The official flower of Massachusetts is the mayflower, also known as the trailing arbutus.
On May 1, 1918, the state's legislature designated the mayflower as the official "flower or floral emblem" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Just below the Mayflower painting is a signed piece called "Acoma Pot with Sunflowers" by James Yarnell. I had it framed at the same local frame shop using two shades of green mats and a narrow gilt frame.

For more about art and wildflowers, do visit Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning for a comprehensive list of posts.

Nativity Scenes Collection Wall Art

I trust that all my blogger friends have had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. I went to my youngest sister’s house for a few days, where her husband, son, daughter and our mother had a great Christmas day. The food was delectable and the gifts were fun to open. We enjoyed a lot of talk and laughter, and the joy of family.

In my last post before Christmas, I introduced the nativity gallery in my den. One comment referred to one of the art works depicting the three Wise Men. I promised to post about the wall art in my nativity scenes collection. As only some of the wall art can be displayed in the gallery, some are hung in the small front hall on the walls along the stairs, and in the tiny hall outside the gallery. One is in the dining room and the balance are in the hall to the bedrooms.
First I’d like to review those in the nativity gallery room by world area, starting with the MIDDLE EAST.
" Escape to Egypt" is an original watercolor painting on papyrus painted in Egypt. The scene shows Mary with Baby Jesus on Donkey and Joseph

Next is a print on paper, "The Nativity" original made in Iran. Text at bottom: "The Nativity, Armenian Miniature 1300 AC, Manuscript of All Saviour’s Armenian Cathedral, Julfa, Isfahan, Iran.

AFRICA
This batik painting on fabric is from Tanzania. It shows Mary, Baby Jesus Joseph and Wise Men.

ASIA
Another batik nativity wall hanging was made in India. It is a rendering of the nativity scene in warm colors.


LATIN AMERICA
"Magos en la Capilla" by Michelle Yegros is a digital serigraph on acid free linen paper. Made in U.S. by Puerto Rican Artist. 2003

"Sueno con los Reyes"("I Dream of the Magi") is another digital serigraph on acid free linen paper made in U.S. by Puerto Rican Artist Michelle Yegros. The serigraph is a surrealist rendition of the Three Wise Men.

Here is a hand quilted fabric panel, a mola, using a reverse applique technique of the Indians of the San Blas Islands of Panama, using three layers of cloth and fine stitching.12" T x 16 ½" W depicts an Angel/ Joseph/ Mary/ Baby Jesus/Lambs/ Star above

One of two paper posters from an original published in Cuba as a Carteles magazine cover, "Nativity" Reproduced by CubanGraphics in USA. The 10"H x 8"W poster shows Mary and Baby Jesus surrounded by Three Wise Men; Angels on roof; everyday citizens are depicted forming a line of pilgrimage.

The second poster is "Baby Jesus Mary Three Kings" In center is Baby Jesus on Mary’s lap; on upper left, Joseph with the Ox and Donkey, on lower left woman kneeling, on upper right Three Wisemen; lower right, kneeling Shepherd and staff.

EUROPE [not pictured]
On the wall is a color engraving, "Repos En Egypte – Reposo En Egipto – The Repose in Egypt." Made in France, it is framed in dark wood with beaded inner border. Lower left of image area reads "Paris, L. Turgis Jne Impr. Editi. R. des Ecoles, 60."

A steel engraving, "The Nativity" by Antonio Correggio. Artist signed vintage calendar print. Stable scene with Mary and Baby Jesus, shepherd, female figure, Joseph, animals, and angels hovering above.

UNITED STATES
This wood hand carved nativity scene is an unfinished wood panel with notch for hanging. 11 ¾" T x 23 ½" W. The carving is signed PS VIII 2000 and depicts Mary, Baby Jesus, and Joseph in Stable



Moving to the STAIR HALL we see
"Reyes a Belen" (Kings to Bethlehem) a limited edition, hand signed & numbered nativity print features the Three Kings - Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar - as they ride toward Bethlehem. Custom matted behind glass in a gilded, wooden 20.5" x 24.5" frame. The lower left is hand numbered 57/175 and the lower right corner is pencil signed and dated Nadal 1993.

Counted cross-stitch embroidery, "Medieval Nativity" Framed and matted, (21 1/2"Hx17 1/2"W) Stitched on Cream Lugana.

Next is a piece of crewel embroidery depicting the Donkey/ Joseph/ Mary and Baby Jesus/ Sheep and Lamb/ Window with Star/ 2 Doves on ledge above


Needlepoint embroidery with, l.-r., Shepherds and Sheep, Family, Three Wise Men.

Handmade quilted fabric 14.5" diameter, done with small prints, each piece cut and sewn to the background. A wood hoop used as a frame has walnut color stain

On the wall in the DINING RM is an original WPA folio print by American artist, Lauren Ford. Made in the USA. 1930’s. Description on verso – "The nativity scene is "shown as if it had taken place on her own farm near Bethlehem, Connecticut."



Many pieces are kept in the HALL:
A wood block print on paper by Michael Black. "The Nativity." Print signed and titled in pencil. ca.1960’s?

An antique photogravure print, "Nativity Night, Shepherds, Sheep Goats," published by Gebbie & Husson, 1889. After the original painting by Henry Rankin Poore (1859-1940)

A German style paper cutting (Scherenschnitte) of Nativity Christmas Tree design. Made in U.S.A. Signed K.McMillan in pencil on lower right. Hand-made on parchment-type paper by Kimberly McMillan in Dallas, Georgia, July 2005. Nativity scene under and surrounding Christmas tree with Star above. Family in stable with animals/ Three Wise Men/ Angels and shepherds scene.

Brass rubbing nativity scene. Made in England. Bluish/ silverish rubbing mounted on 8 x 10 mat board, shows Angel, Jesus, Mary, Joseph

An 1880’s print on paper. Nativity Scene by illustrator Gustave Dore. Shepherds visit Mary, Baby Jesus, and Joseph in stable.

A print on paper by John Mansbridge, "Angel Announces Jesus Under Star", from book The First Christmas Morning, by Minnie Lake. Made in England. Under star Angel announces Jesus birth to Shepherds in field with flock.

I hope you enjoyed this further look at my Nativity Scenes Collection. Thank your for your visit. Come again very soon.