Week In An Instant

Images Clockwise, Left to Right:
1. These little owl cuties came to us from England, and they're already going to be getting cozy in a new home. They're the sweetest, don't you think?
2. Can any of you locals guess where this awesome building is? I love it, especially those awesome windows. It would be fun to live there.
3. We had a potluck dinner at my friend Anna's house, which was a truly awesome way to begin the week. Lots of food, laughter, and friendship.
4. Found this sweet little Viking dish, and I love the beards. Reminds me of a certain husband of mine...
5. And last, some woodblock letters and numbers that came from the last container. I've been a longtime collector of woodblock letters, and a number of these will have to be added to my collection for sure.

New Dealer Sneak Peek

We are happy to announce a new dealer joining the Oddfellows family fold. Dumont has an amazing eye, and because she's been a long-time collector, that really rings true with her booth. Expect to find a mixture of beautiful textiles, industrial elements, folk art, and just the right amount of quirky throughout. Take a look at the photo below for a preview, and be sure to check out her goodies soon!

Tiny Container Arrival

That's right! We had a little container visit this week, and it's a good one. We've got lots of functional credenzas and sideboards galore, as well as dining tables and chairs. Keep in mind, this is not the usual 40' size container, as we shared this load with another shop. So what we've got is 15' of import goodness. Think of it as a sneak preview to what will come in July on the big boy. Here are some pictures below to give you an idea of what came in, and be sure to stop by this weekend to see us in person.

 

 

Oddfellows At Home With Kyle

We haven't had an "Oddfellows At Home" post in quite a while, and this one is particularly exciting! Kyle, one of our regular customers, stopped by the shop a few weeks ago to browse and while he was visiting, shared some photos of a project he had finished working on. A few months back, he had purchased several pieces from the shop, including a set of locker doors. With a little paint and a lot of creativity, Kyle turned some standard, creamy colored locker doors into a chic, vibrant wardrobe.

For this particular project, Kyle combined two separate locker sets into one by drilling holes into each set and connecting them with nuts and bolts. He then drilled additional holes into the lockers and added hanging bars to easily store his clothing. And in Kyle's words, the ornate mirror and architectural brackets that flank the top of the locker wardrobe are a "mod twist on the traditional Louis XIV furniture." What I appreciate most about his project is his vision- sometimes I don't always have a vision to repurpose or restyle an existing item, but Kyle's project clearly shows he knows a thing or two about redesigning an item to meet specific needs, all while maintaining an aesthetic edge.

Take a look at the photos below! This locker wardrobe is a new favorite, and a simple weekend project that I think any of us could take on without feeling overwhelmed. A huge thank you to Kyle for sharing his project!!

 *The little mid-century secretary in the corner is also an Oddfellows purchase. It sure is sitting pretty in Kyle's home!

Did you recently purchase an item from our shop that you'd be willing to share with us? We would love to see it! Email Tarleton at oddfellowsavl@gmail.com.

Two Weeks In An Instant

Images Clockwise, Left to Right:
1. Our littlest cat Etta has been really bad lately. Knocking over my treasures, trying to escape...you name it, she's been trying to do it. Luckily, Ethan caught her before she knocked over a glass cloche. I was there to capture his moment of victory, and yet another cloche is safe from the paws of our kitten.
2. How about this weather!? Aside from the down pour over the weekend, I have really been enjoying early spring in Asheville. I am really loving the light in the late afternoons, just before the sun goes down. We've been trying to take advantage of the pockets of time we have together til Ethan has finished the semester, and that includes small journeys through the mountains. This is a random country road between here and Marshall.
3. We were by the park recently, and look what came waddling by! Seriously one of the cutest things.
4. A few weeks ago we attended the gallery opening for our friend Erin Brethauer's photography show at The Artery. Erin's work is truly magical. She's super talented and we are lucky to call her a good friend. And although it was just a quick run, Erin's work received a lot of well deserved attention. You can read an article from the Mountain Xpress here and be sure to see more of her work by clicking here to navigate her website.
5. And finally, a little love for Pizza Pura in the River Arts District. We stopped by for lunch one afternoon and fell in love with their tastily crafted pizzas, as well as the gelato made in-house. Definitely check it out if you haven't yet!

Images Clockwise, Left to Right:
1. Two images I found while sifting through books at the Battery Park Book Exchange. They come from a book called "Down Home," by Bob Adelman which details rural life in Camden, Alabama. An absolutely beautiful book with tons of wonderful images. The billboard warning against moonshine is amazing, don't you think?
2. Etta's morning routine, she stretches like this every morning when I make breakfast.
3. The most amazing candlestick in the whole world. Found at Oddfellows, of course!
4. Lots of fun coral!
5. We had a delivery to Athens, Georgia this past week. We couldn't have asked for better weather, and Athens is beautiful in the springtime. This shot was taken from our table at a restaurant called Pulaski Heights BBQ, and I didn't want to leave this spot. The restaurant is tucked away in the neighborhood of Pulaski Heights, and this trackside spot is so idyllic. Not to mention the awesome barbeque.

T's Ten, Artwork Edition! 4/21

Here's a little tidbit for you. Before my days at Oddfellows, even before my days in Asheville, I lived, worked, and went to school in Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta in 2002 to attend Oglethorpe University and four years later, came away with a Bachelor's Degree in Art History. And while I have long since abandoned academia and writing about art, I still harbor an intense love for art in general. Which got me thinking, and looking around the warehouse. We've got some pretty great artwork on our walls. Perhaps not to be found in Gardner's Art Through The Ages, but relevant and beautiful all the same. Plus, having recently updated our own gallery wall in the house, I am still constantly on the hunt for interesting pieces to include in our collection. I definitely had fun compiling these 9 choices (yes...only 9, as my 10th entry has left the building!), and in the process realized how much my taste has changed over the years. Bear with me as I delve into a subject that I haven't written about in a loooong time, and enjoy!

1. Asheville is certainly an artist's town. With the River Arts District, as well as the awesome galleries downtown (Blue Spiral 1 and Black Mountain College Museum are favorites for me), there are plenty of opportunities to view and appreciate art. Even luckier, then, that Penland School of Crafts is just a day trip away. This woodblock print by Penland artist Judith Grenell is a new favorite of mine. Completed in 1965, what I love most about this work are the contrasting cubist shapes of the artist's work table. If you look closely, you can see different ceramic objects interspersed throughout. Definitely a sophisticated piece to add to your collection. Dealer #133, Woodblock Print by Judith Grenell, $395.

2. This oil painting is simple, yet idyllic all at once. I love the setting; summertime by the river certainly strikes a chord living in Asheville. Look closely, and you'll see a row boat with two passengers aboard. Everything feels still and unmoving, and has a calming effect. And as much as I love large scale work, I equally love smaller paintings that can pull me in too. Dealer #150, Oil Painting, $85

 

3. In contrast, this British seascape is full of movement and excitement. Those birds moving about, the flurry of greyish white clouds, even the movement of the water provoke memories of being on the coast, sound-side. It's almost as if you can hear the waves close by. The colors are bright and vibrant, but there's something about that darker grey cloud that keeps me wondering what's to come. Dealer #44 Seascape, $145.

 4. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be writing about a still life with appreciation. This girl was a major lover of modern art, particularly entranced with performance art and feminist art from the 1970s. I struggled through the Renaissances-both Italian and Northern (I've since learned to adore the Dutch Golden Age...verdict is still out on Italy). But I've come a long way, and this still life is here to prove it. But it's not quite the ordinary still life, is it? I think what I love about it is that super weird, misshaped jawbone sticking out like a sore thumb on the left. It's all pretty vases with flowers, and then boom. Where did that weirdo come from? Also I love the texture of this painting, in its slight deterioration it gives a lot of contrast that I like. Dealer #140 Still Life Oil Painting, $95.

5. Now for something entirely different than the British oils, this mid-century modern print edition is a new favorite. It has an industrial quality about it that I can appreciate, but what I love most are the vibrant greens and blues that explode throughout the right side. Dealer #83, Mid-century Print, $149.

 6. Another segment of painting that went unappreciated in my early 20s, I am now enthralled with portraiture. More than any other form of art, I am intrigued with the kind of stories that can be concocted just by looking at a portrait. You immediately begin to wonder about the person, their history, and your own ideas of who they were/are begin to form. I might have featured this painting before, and am quite honestly surprised I haven't brought it home yet. I love everything about this piece, from the giant turban, to the colorful beadwork/textile on the shoulders, right down to the tiny spectacles. Even the teal background does it for me. Such a bold statement, and the scale is perfect too since it's a little on the larger side. #NYA, Signed Portrait, $399.

 7. While we're on the subject of amazing portraits, I may as well include this crazy awesome hand-painted portrait from India. It's painted on glass and framed with simple, yet elegant carved wood. This portrait is all about color, from the bright yellow background, to the tomato red turban, and even the facial hair is somehow vibrant. As a portrait it's certainly a little flat, but I think that's what I love about it. It immediately draws the eye in and begs for attention. #44 Portrait from India, $95.

 8. Descriptions like "meticulous" and "attention to detail" immediately come to mind when I look at this 19th century steel engraving. This is simply impeccable work, and I can't explain my attraction to it without mentioning said attention to detail. Featuring a general atop his horse, this engraving painstakingly details the uniform, sword, even every horsehair with a sophisticated touch. You'll have to come see this in person to truly appreciate how great this print truly is. #Dealer #133, 19th c. Steel Engraving, $95.

9. Admittedly talking about photography is not easy for me, mostly because my undergrad program breezed past it. And because of that, I've always been a little stumped when it comes to expressing what I like about it. But I can say without doubt that I adore this black and white photo print. It really evokes an old world nostalgia with me, probably in large part because of the antique bicycles. And like the portraits, I immediately want to know about these men. What were their names? How the heck did they ride those bikes without falling? Dealer #150, Bicycle Photo Print, $38.

 Because my 10th selection went missing, here's a sneak peek at our gallery wall. I still contend that it needs a little something more, but for now this will do. Please note in the bottom right corner, a cat with a cone around its head..haha. Anyway, in case you're curious, a bit about the art here, left to right: 1. This is a folk art textile I found in my hometown, featuring a farmer with a herd of cattle and titled "Francisco H" at the bottom, 2. While at an internship at the High Museum, I was given the task of cleaning out an office, and told I could keep whatever I found. I hit the jackpot with this poster, featuring Russian advertisements, 3. Our little deer, 4. Metal ampersand from Mary's Antiques in Greensboro, NC, 4. handmade "T&E" sign that hung on the tree above our heads while Ethan and I got married!, 5. a 1960s print that I bought from a dealer at my favorite antique store in the world (Oddfellows), 6. A framed Indian portrait like the one featured above, 7. Mixed media textile/print from the 1970s, and 8. A framed 1960s party mask, which happens to be the second thing I ever bought from Oddfellows over 3 years ago!

Kudu Lovin'

Happy Weekend! We're having a busy one at Oddfellows, but I had to share these great photos with you. The kudu that has graced our front room wall has finally found a new home in Burlington, VT thanks to customers and new friends Jason and Heather. Thanks for letting me share guys!