Tag Archives: The Natural Eclectic

a day on my patio

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The other week I had a rare quiet day off. I woke to sunlight glinting into my living room, bouncing off a tray of old bottles I had just arranged the night before. It compelled me to go to the cupboard and get out my camera. Not my iphone, my camera! With my beloved macro 60 lens on, I began to rediscover all the delightful textures, colors and forms on my patio. Within this 800 square foot radius I found so much material for inspiration!

The soft downy pile on a white moth that I never realized was actually rather blue till I saw the image later zoomed in. The fabulous patina on old industrial tables I am currently ‘storing’ on the deck. A honey bee found immersed in rosy sedum at my windowsill.

The aura glowing from old glass fish floats cradled in a decaying concrete bird bath.Undulating forms and lines of sea shells and stones that I have collected over my years of beach combing and grouped in containers on my patio.

A tattoo formed by the shadows of lacy foliage dancing across an antique chinese terra cotta vessel.

The cratered textures on a large old conch juxtaposed against the swirl of a vase.

These are the things that inspired me for the day, that immersed me in the beauty of nature and took me away from all my cares. The simplicity of organic forms, the allure of chalky, velvety, pebbled textures ~ the tones of oceans of meadows ~ the buzz of life in dreamy floaty creatures. The beautiful decay of objects left to integrate into an environment, taking on the weathered appearance of a shoreline. The macro majesty of life and materials in all forms. Amazing what one can find in a day on their patio, when they are really seeking to get lost, and found.

Foraging

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One of my favorite things about summer is foraging. I always say it’s not summer unless I’ve swum in the ocean at least once and picked blackberries! It’s just so grounding to go down some trail or out into your own backyard & cull some fresh picked delights! I am fortunate enough to have community gardens one block from where I live. The gardens run along old abandoned railroad tracks and blackberry bushes thrive there.

Today was officially a ‘day off’ but started with meetings and that slightly tense feeling of just too much to get done. I was going to settle into some afternoon work on my patio but recognized a certain restlessness, a  pull to get outside and unwind, take in the last days of warm sun. So I grabbed a container and meandered up the street { in sandals and a skirt, not exactly picking gear! } It was warm and sheltered, the grass was dry and golden, the air was sort of musty sweet and immediately I felt peaceful. I was grateful that I had known exactly what I needed, and took the time out for this simple satisfying pastime.

Picking requires, patience, persistence, perseverance. Not so different than antique picking actually! Looking for that firm yet ripe berry among the brambles  is not unlike the hunt for a great find amongst rubble. Just yesterday I was out and about and got some great treasures. Most of them are still in my car though I can’t wait to go through them in detail as I bought them in such a flurry.

Here’s a peek at a few of the smaller items { including a great old Kodak darkroom clock and a sugar shaker from Montreal } tucked into a fabulous old weathered suitcase I found. I got a few old decorative doors that will be sanded down to show some of the glorious painted color underneath. Some of the finds will stay as is, but others will be converted for ‘added value’ so to speak. Same with the blackberries. I will stew them tonight into a warm sweet compote, sprinkle raw oats, brown sugar and some fresh grated nutmeg atop and eat them just like this.The raw oats soak up the hot juice and soften quickly, creating a simple lighter version of a blackberry crumble. Ah…these are the moments of summer to cherish.

process

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I’m  busy these days with so many projects, of a few of which I can’t share quite just yet but wish I could! Meanwhile I feel such an urgency to get going on the actual book The Natural Eclectic, in fact I wish it was published already! When I opened up my shop over 11 years ago, it seemed a novelty to customers to discover birds nests, seashells, old bottles and papery boxes filled with tarnished vintage ornaments & the like in a ‘store’. I would explain my aesthetic, my love of nature, my attraction to old objects with patina and lustre, my roots in an artisan process where things were made lovingly by hand.

My style was not a reaction ‘against’ anything such as mass production, it was my authentic love of what I’d always been drawn to since I was young. Back then I recall how curious people were with the items used in my vignettes, which often at the time were just for my displays and not for sale. They seemed enchanted, yet tentative about what sort of role or place these sorts of objects could have in their home. Thus the idea for my book, and the name ‘The Natural Eclectic’ came along, a long  time ago. Now this style seems to have been embraced by so many, in fact it feels like a movement.  I am thrilled by this yet also feel that tug in my belly to get my book finished and share what I have to share before it seems commonplace! Ikeas new catalogue has styled it’s furnishings with old bottles & birds nests & tattered books hmmm. I suppose this is typical insecurities of any artist…will I have anything new to share, will people care, will it be meaningful, and matter and touch other’s lives? Friends reassure me I have something unique to share with my photos, my words, my styling, my ‘eye’ for things. Their encouragement  is appreciated, so I must just get going! Meanwhile, so many other creative jobs are calling and interjecting distractions. A great problem to have indeed!

I have been taking advantage of some dry warm weather here and working outside on a few messy projects which has been wonderful. I can’t share the end results just yet, so I will just show the beads of sun and pools of paint. Magic in their own right.

Cloth

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Last week I wrote about the theme of authenticity, and the thrill of finding a Hans Wegner chair with the original upholstery underneath a newer faux python vinyl. I mentioned I’d been meaning to write about some pillows I had made up out of old Italian hand woven linen towels. They were given to me while visiting my sister Janet who currently lives there…they came from an old stone country house, probably stored in an old armoire and never ever used, their hand woven nubby loveliness just waiting one day to be discovered. Rustic, simple, raw, a little uneven in their weave, slightly yellowed..they were perfect!

In the markets of Jesi, Italy I found a cotton trim  that complimented them perfectly, and upon returning home decided to get sewing! It felt so good to put my hands to cloth again. I washed them all, air dried them in the sun, press them and the prewashed trim back into shape { they had rumpled and crumpled into another existence } and then got going on my mum’s old sewing machine in her basement!

I kept one as a tea towel, just adding as simple band of trim to the bottom, The work was so satisfying…seeing the project from beginning to end from when my sister and I first envisioned transforming them into pillows down to the final moment when I stuffed them full and tied the closures.

Feeling the fabric under my fingers, choosing the thread, the approach, crafting away. This is another example of authentic process ~ the mindful creative act of making unique things by hand with love and care. I suppose the true test of the success of this endeavour is when I set them up on my patio settee to photograph. Within moments my adorable cat Griffin was on top of them, gently kneading his paws into their weave and making himself cozy { he’s drawn to  texture just as much as I am! }

As fond as I was of the small collection, I brought them to my shop . It’s hard to part with beloved treasures but it is what I do for a living! within just a few days a stylist purchased the tea towel for a Campbell’s Soup commercial. Their campaign is all about homespun nostalgia, which everyone seems to want again these days. I appreciated that they chose the ‘real thing’ and never questioned the cost. They could tell the difference and it was exactly the note they wanted to strike.

Thanks to my sister for the wonderful cloth and to my mum for the use of the sewing machine.

All Photographs copyright Heather Ross 2012.

Authenticity

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‘Cultivating a life of elegance & authenticity’ is the tagline for The Natural Eclectic. We hear the word authentic used a lot these days..but what does it really mean? A person that is authentic is one who is honest, genuine, trustworthy. Someone who presents themselves as who they really are. In design and craftsmanship, the same applies. There’s certainly a  demand and desire for mass produced items that have been made to resemble natural materials or aged treasures – nothing wrong with that -but there’s just something so charming and satisfying about the real thing! Knowing it was carved by human hands, seeing the patina burnished from years of love, noticing the irregularities caused by the unique man made processes involved.

Yesterday I found an old Hans Wegner chair. While mid century design is not really my thing, I did grow up though with the iconic ‘wishbone’ chair which is an amazing example of great design. My parents bought eight chairs from Denmark 50 years ago and my mother just found the old receipt of $180 for all! I do hope to adopt them one day as I find them  elegant and timeless.

While the chair I found yesterday was a different style and was covered in a new fake python vinyl, I knew instantly with it’s great curved shape and joinery detail it was the real thing.

Underneath we found the original upholstery, which we think is vinyl as well. Somehow though, knowing it was the original seat covering, made it such an exciting find! It was the ‘authentic’ choice of the designer, even if the material choice itself was ‘fake’ so to speak.

The vinyl was probably the first choice due to it’s practicality. So when I think of or use the word authentic, I use it in the sense of ‘how it was intended or meant to be’ and not fooling, pretending or passing something off as one thing when it it really another. Not being false or deceitful about origins.

The vinyl has lots of marks on it, which purists may not like, but I love all the fading, scrafitto and speckling. It resembles a delicate  etching or gentle water color painting.

In my boutique I like to mix new with old. Old that really is old, new that is new, clean fresh and contemporary. I embrace both. I also love to craft things with my own hands even though I know I could be more profitable going another route. It’s just so satisfying to have a concept and see it through to the end, making it myself, feeling the materials. People respond to this. They know the difference. I was going to write this post about a series of pillows I just made from ‘authentic’ old woven towels that were from my sisters old farmhouse in Italy. Then I found the chair and it seemed like the right metaphor for the theme of aunthencity. So I will share the pillows that I made by hand on my mum’s 50 year sewing machine for my next post : )

All Photographs Heather Ross 2012

tactile

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I never really knew how much texture influenced me and my work until it was pointed out by others just how texturally strong my photos were. There is so much I could say about texture, and will say about texture in my book. For now I will let a picture speak a thousand words and share some recent images of my trip to the beautiful tactile country of Italy.

Here in the landscapes, the food, the artisanal goods, the architecture, the rural towns and the cloth of life one cannot escape an abundance of texture.  When editing this post and all the images I chose I questioned some of them and their pertinence to the theme of ‘texture’. We tend to think of texture as nubby, bristly, grooved etc but when taken texture into consideration it is the qualities of all textures and surfaces, and the play of different surfaces that make things interesting. The fava beans are waxy against the dry chalky terra cotta. The glass smooth against branches and linen. The poppies velvety against the prickly wheat. I hope these images will not just speak as travel photos, but more as an inspiration board that could inform ideas for a design palette, a painting, a wardrobe, a table setting, a textile, a way of life.





Watery dreams of Venice

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Those who read my last post or follow me on Facebook know that I am Italy, entrenched in the elemental pleasures of Italy. Our first stop was Venice. Terri of Windlost once wrote of my boutique ‘entering the shop was like waking up inside in a lovely, watery dream…’ and this is exactly how I felt about Venice! With over a thousand images of this magical floating city to choose from…I will start with water as a theme, and work my way with other posts into earthen walls and wooden doors etc. The Natural Eclectic is about themes elegant, evocative & elemental, so this seems like a natural form of image selection for me. Growing up near the ocean I have aways loved a watery palette of sea tones, greys and greens. The ocean is mysterious, moving, ever changing, water sustains life, water represents emotion. It can be deep dark and haunting or sheer fluid and inviting. In Venice it was ever luminous while also murky, seeping it’s way into the thread of life as it meandered under doorways, up stairs, under bridges and out into the rosy horizon…..





all photos copyright  Heather Ross 2012

anticipation and imagination

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In a few days time I will be flying into Venice Italy. Everyone says you must see Venice at least once in your lifetime. The anticipation is delectable. I imagine atmospheric misty skies, deep dark earthy/watery/smoky smells, warm rosy hues, crumbling facades, amazing polychrome doors, fantastic keyholes and door handles, ornate bridges, fanciful gilding and old mossy grey green stonework. There is so much grandeur to see, and many recommendations for Museums, Plazas, Theatres and such ~ yet all I want to do is wander with my camera and the one I love. I dream of what I will capture, both thru the lens and in my mind. I am sure these images will make their way into my book, and my memories of ethereal Venetian dreamscapes  will transform into paintings upon my return home.

I have been to Italy before as my sister lives there in a beautiful old country farm house. I love connecting with the European way of life, and I love the countryside! From Venice we will venture down to the Marche region, to the quaint old towns of Jesi and Gubbio. In May the poppies will be abloom  on the rolling green hills,  the sun will be warm and rich and we will dine al fresco with family and friends. I will seek out treasures too ~ old glass, linens and relics from another time. In this image from another trip, Janet’s cat Angel found a perfect spot to sit  on an old tapestry I was airing out before bundling it off to Vancouver.

Ah, Italy offers the texture of life! Travel immerses our senses into new, at times overwhelming, encounters for our senses. This stimulation is so wonderful for the creative process. Just a change in the quality of light can transform the way we see something.        I look forward to sharing more tales and textures from our trip along the way…..

All photos Heather Ross

a whiter shade of pale

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With spring finally here and easter upon us I just posted some new images of delicate objects in soft creamy tones of mauve, aqua & pale green onto my Pinterest board.

While there I got tempted of course and meandered onto someone else’s fabulous color board, looking at all the subtle ethereal shades derived from the sea, the grass, the delicate blossoms, and the floaty sky.

These sorts of tones are often referred to as ‘pastel’ which often unfortunately has us thinking of sickly sweet baby pinks, mint green & so on, colors without depth or sophistication, often associated with young girls or old grannies. But these subtly nuanced shades can be so lovely, and should not be overlooked. Look how gorgeous they are when combined in the varying shades of these pool series bowls  I carry in my boutique.

The original literal meaning of the pastel has Medieval Latin & French roots, it refers to actual earth derived pigments, that when ground & mixed into a paste, then blended with chalk to varying degrees, produced the signature ‘pale colors’ now referred to as pastel.

Imagine that the white of an eggshell would be the chalk, and the dye you dip it into make it festive for easter would be the stronger pigment ~ the result of the two combined is this pale, soft, chalky tone.

And I love chalky tones as well as clear watery tones. They abound in nature, and are soothing and gentle to the eyes.

Artists well know the difference between opaque chalky tones and clear transparent mediums. With inks and water colors, the clear paints are washed over the white of the paper to produce a similar effect to the easter egg example above. Egg tempura paints, gauche, and pastels all have the flat opaque chalky quality blended into their formulation. Acrylic or oils can be either transparent or opaque depending on wether you add varnishes or white to them.

Offsetting a palette of soft ethereal tones in flat finishes against glossy watery can creates a very subtle, soothing serene atmosphere for an interior.

In this image above that I shot in the beautiful home of my talented artist friend Michela Sorrentino, you can surely see there is nothing unsophisticated or cloying about the gentle eastery tones of the setting. The larger painting of mine seen central in the image, is a mix of all the cooler watery aqua tones, inspired by the oceans edge. The touches of metallics, and neutral woods help to balance the mood of the room, which has a wonderful quality of light due to the ocean facing exposure.

Somehow, I find when soft tones are on very rough, dry matt surfaces, they seem to be more earthy, emulating tinted clay or paper, and the moment they are glossy or transparent they seem to be derived from the sea.

In any event, I still tend to cringe a little when I hear the word pastel used to describe my work or palette. I prefer the way Terri of the blog windlost put it  ’Entering the shop was like waking up inside in a lovely, watery dream’ I myself sometimes describe the more warm fruity easter tones as ice cream colors, which just seems far more delicious { think boysenberry ice cream, banana, mango, mmmm } Happy Easter Everyone!

 All photographs copyright Heather Ross  Please feel free to pin but photo credit