artbeyondborders.com Blog

After a set-up on Wednesday with lots of rain and puddles, today was a sunny, balmy first show day, as nice as you could wish for! Not that we could really tell inside Pier 94, but the smiles on people’s faces and the rising temperature in the hall were proof of that! (Here’s a note to the organizer MMPI: how about replacing those 3000 spot lights in the MADE section with energy (and heat!) savers?!?)

Anyway, folks, this is a very strong show this year. Very worth visiting! I have not seen all that much yet, but the MADE section definitely grew, and there is so much incredible talent present, it’s very impressive. Wood artists are presenting furniture that makes you want to throw out everything you have in your house, but I also saw some incredible metal works, and a textile artist who creates exquisite quilts from Japanese kimono fabrics. I’ll get you the info and links over the next couple of days. Did not get around to it today, and I’m too tired to look all these artists up online right now!

And there are also some favorites present from last year: Clark and Diane Renfort are back, with simply the most beautiful lamps around, and Joanne Williams and her incredible gold paintings moved to the Artist Project in Pier 92 this year – don’t miss her when you go there!

Alibay and Saule had a great time walking around and getting inspired, and taking turns with the weaving. They added a good 5 inches today to the tapestry on the demo loom. Photos will come tomorrow, if I’m not too tired! Thanks to all who came visiting us today!

Visit us at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, March 17 – 20, at Pier 94, New York City, booth M107.

Click here to get your free tickets to the show, compliments of Art beyond borders.

See you at the show!

Here’s a preview of one of the felts that Alibay and Saule have created for the March show.  Also, ‘Fateful Weavings’ will be available!

Another recent work that might make the show in March: ‘Ancient Hunter’.

'Ancient Hunter'

Here is a new tapestry that Alibay is working on: ‘Winged Unicorn’. He will hopefully bring it to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in March! The first photo shows the cartoon, the second the work in progress.

No, he did not finish it. He’s about half way. So I guess he has to come back in March for the Architectural Digest Show!

Here are some photos of the process. Day 1, he strung the loom and started weaving. We had forgotten a fork for him to tighten the weave, so he used a plastic fork from the cafeteria. That did not work very well! The next day, we upgraded to the next level of technology and brought a metal fork along! That really changed the game completely! (He would have probably been done with the whole piece in a day using the plastic contraption! Would have been pretty loosey-gosey, though! Not up to his standards!)

Also, on the last picture you can see how he does not weave in ‘rows’, like you would knit a sweater, or how a loom with a shuttle would work. You can see how he comes up for an inch and a half with the colors on the left hand side, and later will bring the rest of pattern in line with that. Witchcraft!

Here are some pictures of some of the felts we sold at the show. The spiral is called ‘The Way’, the other one ‘Lots of Dots’. Alibay claims there is a face in that one… I think he just made that up!

Well, it was a good show for us, but more on that on the next post. First, let me deliver on my promise of picking some highlights for you!

The OOAK show in NYC is still in the process of defining its image – there were some excellent artists, and also quite a selection of equally excellent gift item-type vendors. Quality and uniqueness was on a high level for everyone, but it was confusing to the visitors to see $25 items next to $3000 items. So the show needs to find out where it wants to go – in the foot-steps of its big brother OOAK Chicago, or toward a Holiday Boutique kind of character. We’ll see. Good for us that we have three price points: the shawls, the felts, and the tapestries.

Anyway, on to the artist picks. Of course, this selection is highly personal – hey, it’s my blog, after all, right?

First pick: Carlos Page. He works in metal, concrete and wood, and while his art is a bit tough at times, his furniture is amazing. Tables, side tables, consoles, benches – seriously cool design and incredible workmanship.

Second pick: Jim Dee paintings. His work is abstract, and has a wonderful, warm and meditative quality to it. Big time OM!

Check out their websites!

Alibay is about 3 inches into his demo-tapestry, and our booth neighbors are starting to place bets whether he might be able to finish it by Sunday! Since we replaced the plastic fork he used for tightening yesterday with a real metal fork today (going high-tech!), the weaving has been denser and cleaner today – and slower, or course! We’ll see how far he gets!

Over and out, need some sleep!

All set! Alibay is here, the booth is set, and Alibay is preparing his demo-loom for his weaving! Happy to report that the two big felts are already sold, and that it’s been quite busy. So far I have not had the time to look around and find some more artists to add to my link-list and share with you. Will do so over the next couple of days, I promise, and keep you informed! And yes, sore feet are certainly starting to develop, as they should on a show-weekend!