Saturday Art Saves: The Art of Making the Old New Again

Fountain , Cotignac, Denise
Photo Source: Elan

Every Saturday I focus on a different artist that I admire. From potters to painters, chefs to collectors, seamstress to songwriters, lifestyle to lovers… anyone who set the paintbrush, pastry brush, hands and heart on fire to create.

Those who inspire art to flow where it may… 

 My friend Denise is Guest Posting today:

Photo Source: Elan

I' m Denise (aka WR aka Weenis Rubber).  I have been spending summers in a small
village not far from Corey's. You see, four years ago, Vlad, my husband, and I
made a dream come true and bought this charming apartment in a  refurbished 17th
century olive oil mill.  My grandfather was from France and Vlad lived on the
Côte d'Azur from the age of four to nine.

 

Fontaine4saisons

Photo Source: Elan

Picture this: Fall 2008, I am looking for Provençal fabric to decorate my dining
room and kitchen, so I Google pictures, click on the one I love and fell on
Corey's blog. I emailed Corey to introduce myself and to say that we would be
living nearby.  We met, and I'm happy to say that she and FH are our dear
friends.

Cotignac

Photo Source: Elan


Anyhow, this summer, Corey is working on a wedding project and I've gotten to
spend a fair amount of time at her place. It has made me think about all the
lessons Provence and Corey are teaching me.

Provence table

Photo Source: Elan


The art of blogging, the art of blooming where you're planted, the art of making the old new again and the art of living fully in Provence to name a few. Brocanting, rummaging through second hand stores, how to use a four inch piece of ribbon that looks fit for the garbage can, repurposing centuries old thingamajiggies for something altogether different than what they were originally meant to be used for... These make up the table of contents of my summer curriculum in Provence.
 

 

Antique silver

Photo Source: Elan


This summer, we found the perfect table de ferme and chairs to replace the IKEA
dining room table that came with the apartment. We added two lovely terra cotta
tiles to the vignette on the wall of the staircase where a magnificent aged
tapestry hangs.  This I found on my first outing with Corey where I was
infected, happily, with a burgeoning brocante virus. My husband has been asking
me to visit towns rather than antiques... (although towns around here ARE
antiques...)

Old town
Photo Source: Elan

  Anyway, Provence makes the artist in me come alive, makes my blood
churn and my head spin with fantasies that involve trumeau mirrors, flax
blankets and Andouze pottery.  I get all hot and bothered by the sight of a
piece of Toile de Jouy...
Heaven help me I have fallen... in love with old things that me feel young
again!

What old thing has given YOU a charge lately?
To follow and learn more about 
my friend Denise:
Denise's Blog
W.R.

 



Comments

11 responses to “Saturday Art Saves: The Art of Making the Old New Again”

  1. I have a sweatshirt that is about 30 yo there are holes in both armpits and one of the arms is starting to unravel. I love that thing, I haven’t worn it lately, it’s been hot, but it’s the only thing I could think of.

  2. I enjoyed reading your post Denise.

  3. Has Corey been matchmaking again? lol. Enjoyed your post Denise. Today I scooped up a wonderful little picture of sheep that looks french and old, but I don’t think it is. Still I am very happy. Good luck with your projects.

  4. I bought a couple of old decanter bottles which I am ‘altering’ with lace, ribbon and bling. Also turned some old china and silver plate sugar bowls into pin cushions. I love playing with these things.

  5. I would love to visit Denise blog! What is the blog address? Unfortunately, the links in Corey’s post are not working on my computer. Also the text is cut on the right, so cannot read it all the way. Does anyone have these problems too? I’m trying to figure out if it’s my computer set up. Thank you in advance for replying!

  6. Irina,
    I have the same problems. The post looks great, but I can’t see it all. Love the pictures though.

  7. I could so live there ….
    Enjoyed your post Denise.

  8. Irina, I often have the same problem when I reply to most posts, I can only see half of what I am typing. I figure it is me (non-techy person). Part of Denise post was cut off, but I could decipher what she had written fairly easy.

  9. I have gotten a large charge from a basket of knobs, hardware, gadgets, old chandelier crystals, furniture legs, you name it, to be used and reused…go figure!…But it has fueled me to use a new paint technique to achieve better patina on old furniture. It also has inspired me to create vintage ornaments from a few finials and metal finishing pieces….all is beautiful when it is old!

  10. denisesolsrud@hotmail.com

    my latest item that has charged my collecting is a civil war mourning tear colletor bottle. i really didn’t think i would find one so soon after i learned about them. it is a long slender perfume like bottle. it has gold leaves on two sides and usually a glass stopper,but that is seldom. they lost or broken. mine does not have one. these dainty bottles were used during the civil war. when a loved one was killed in battle, loved ones would use these bottles to collect their tears and after a year, they would go to the grave site and pour the tears on the grave site. look this up online and read more about this interesting bottle. i told an etsy dealer about them and she started looking and found herself a 3″ one similar to mine. mine is approx.6″ i love my little bottle. Bestest,Denise

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