Balloon art in the streets of New York City

Bighead Balloons installation in downtown New York City

I was walking north on Hudson Street approaching Leroy Street in downtown NYC when I noticed this balloon art attached to the stoplight and crosswalk sign pole. A closer look revealed a Santa-like face with blue eyes and a big white beard and a red heart balloon above it labeled “hug zone,” with a peace … Read more

A slightly surrealist seascape painting at an antiques store

thrift store seascape painting

I could go into any number of antiques stores and find weird, strange, and bad paintings, but every once in a while I’ll see something really good, which then begs the question: what’s the story behind this painting and the artist? I happened upon this painting in an antiques store just north of Poughkeepsie (which … Read more

Use of the phrase jolie laide

example of jolie laide seen at the Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown

I was reading a profile of the designer Kelly Wearstler in the NY Times, and there was an interesting quote from Amy Astley, the editor of Architectural Digest (which I love, and subscribe to), where she said: “…’I do think she’s a master of jolie-laide,’ or finding beauty in the unconventional or strange.” I was … Read more

A double rainbow in New Jersey

double rainbow as seen in New Jersey

My son contacted me yesterday to ask if I was seeing the double rainbow outside after a long afternoon of heavy rains. As I looked outside, I was struck first by the intensity of color and light, much more visually intense than any rainbow I’ve seen of recent memory, but secondly the aspect of a … Read more

A Mondrian Desk for kids

Mondrian desk for kids seen in an antiques store in Hastings-on-Hudson

As I was exploring Hastings-on-Hudson over the weekend, I saw this colorful desk in the store window at “Suburban Renewal,” an antiques store on Main Street. It’s clearly sized for little kids, and the Mondrian design and color scheme seems perfect to inspire young artists, don’t you think? My kids are grown now, so I … Read more

Curbside sofa cushion to fine art in a gallery

abstract art on a sofa cushion discarded on the curb

I have a habit of seeing things out in the world and imagining them as art in a different context. Today I was walking through a neighborhood in Belleville NJ, and saw these dirty, old and torn sofa cushions placed on the curbside for garbage pick-up. I can’t say I’m out looking at living room … Read more