All Photo By Gail
Have you ever see a bar of soap as cute as this Frida Kahlo Cannabis Rose Artisan Soap Bar by Aura Artisan Soap? I can’t say that I have. I met owner and soap creator Aura de Leon recently at the White Label Expo, and she was so happy that I recognized Frida’s unique unibrow, which she has captured in her handcrafted soap that is a tribute to the legendary Mexican artist.
Vitra Booth Display (All Photos By Gail)
Do you like shopping? I sure do. Imagine that you own a store, maybe one that sells neat things like those you find on this blog, and you had to shop for cool inventory to sell in your store. Where would you go to find those neat things? Well, one place you can go for your one-stop shop shopping is the Retail Renaissance NY Now wholesale gift trade show, which features thousands of handmade, home, and lifestyle gift items all under one roof. NY Now takes place at the Javits Center twice annually, in the winter and summer, and it gets exponentially better with each passing seasonal edition. I always have a fun time at NY Now, but the Summer show that just happened in August was mind-blowingly great. Really. Wow.
I tend not to recap my visits to NY Now because it’s massive, and I just end up blogging about a handful of the coolest items spotted on the show floor. But because I had so many great photos this time, I feel compelled to share them with you. Don’t expect much commentary, because this post is mainly about taking you on a little visual journey, but if you have questions about anything in this piece please speak up in the comments and I’ll be sure to address your inquiries!
Glazed ceramic Pink Venus Demilo Statue. Yes, Please!
Post Continues, with More Fabulous Photos, After The Jump!
All Photos By Gail
It’s hard to believe that Eduardo Kobra’s Mount Rushmore of Art mural has been up for five months already, and it took me that long to photograph it in its finished state; but that what I finally had the chance to do on Easter Sunday, when I went for walk on the High Line.
Located at 10th Avenue and 22nd Street, directly above the often-shuttered-and-reopened Empire Diner, I happened to be in that neighborhood on November 3rd, 2018, while Kobra and his team worked on monumental piece, detailing the likenesses of four contemporary art legends: Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. I was able to take a few photos of the mural as a work-in-progress on the afternoon, so I thought it would be fun to share them alongside photos of the completed mural, which takes its name from the monument located in South Dakota, swapping out US Presidents for North American Artists.
Finishing touches are added to the face of Keith Haring (1958 – 1990). Frida Kahlo’s beautiful face seems to be completed at this point. She lived from 1907 to 1954.
Kobra works on the face of Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987). The Dollar Sign visible under Warhol’s likeness, which is a motif from his artworks, has been replaced in the finished mural by a dinosaur wearing crown: an image popularized by Basquiat, who was a disciple of Warhol.
This mural was completed in collaboration with HG Contemporary Gallery in NYC.
Photos By Gail
This fantastic, ceramic mosaic portrait of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, entitled Frida The Fortune Teller, was created by Hastings, UK-based artist Susan Elliott. Intricately composed from found ceramics mounted on board, the work combines still life and classic portraiture with the timeless art of mosaic-making to create a stunning modern sculpture. Elliott’s practice includes other works made from found and recycled ceramic kitchen crockery, tourist mementos, novelty mugs, and badges, which are then are woven into more traditional mosaic tesserae (one of the small pieces used in mosaic work), creating multi faceted, jewel-like and iconic images. Priced at just $3900, Frida The Fortune Teller is one of my favorite pieces seen at this fall’s installment of the Affordable Art Fair NY, where this photo was taken this past weekend.
I even felt a bit nostalgic looking at Frida’s gorgeous flower crown of delicate pink, white and yellow ceramic roses and recognizing them as being quite similar to a small ceramic floral bouquet found in the home where I grew up. If you missed Susan’s beautiful and unique art at the AAFNY, you can see more of her cool mosaic portraits, including those of pop culture icons like David Bowie and Amy Winehouse, and get contact information for galleries in the UK that represent her, at This Link!
Frida Kahlo, The Queen of Selfies (Photo By Gail)
Frida Kahlo Mural spotted at the corner of Morgan and Harrison in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Happy Friday, Everyone!
Painting of artist Frida Kahlo photographed by me in the lobby of the Dream Hotel, on West 16th Street in NYC.