Author: Jim Gallagher

Jim Gallagher has been working in the Design Center for the last 10 years. He has worked for Ed Hardy, Shears & Window and Sloan Miyasato before coming to work with Sue to open GCA. His knowledge of antiques as well as of the Design Center offers our clients a valuable tool when navigating the world of antiques in design.
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COVID-19: Message from epoca and Garden Court Antiques

Epoca and Garden Court Antiques

It never rains forever. 

We understand that for the next few weeks, the way we live and do business has changed.

Today, March 17th, San Francisco has issued a ‘shelter in place’ order, to limit the spread of the Coronavirus and to protect its citizens. As small business owners, we realize the need for these drastic measures. We also realize that we need to be resilient to survive these challenges.

Our showroom may be temporarily dark but WE ARE HERE and available to help.

Reach us by phone , email, and through our online portals including our websites, Instagram, facebook, etc.

epoca
epocasf.com • 1stdibs.com • incollect.com • chairish.com • decaso.com • instagram • facebook • twitter • pinterest • youtube • eric@epocasf.com • phone: (415) 864-6895

Garden Court Antiques  gardencourtantiques.com • incollect.com • decaso.com • chairish.com • instagram.com • facebook.com • twitter • pinterest.com • youtube • jim@gardencourtantiques.com • phone: (415) 355-1690

We are reminded that during World War II, under the most adverse conditions, many French artisans and designers continued to create some of their best work. “We are nothing if not resilient!”

Stay calm. Be safe.

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Wheel Chasers: Historical Paris Street Furniture of the 19th Century.

historical chasse-roues, cast iron ball Paris street furniture and other designs.

Wandering through neighborhoods in Paris, you’ll notice that doorways are often flanked by low structures made either of stone or metal. These guard stones are called chasse-roues (French lit. “wheel chaser“) or bouteroue (“to push the wheel out of the way“). These projecting metal, concrete, or stone exterior architectural elements are usually located at the corner and/or foot of gates, portes-cochères, garage entries, and walls. They function to prevent damage from vehicle tires and wheels. During the period of horse-drawn vehicles, the wheels, including the hub, would protrude beyond the vehicle’s body, and were thus prone to collide with and damage a corner of a building or gate. Chasse-roues were developed as a warning signs: ‘keep back‘, ‘keep your distance’, ‘don’t brush up against me’, and as traffic bollards––or, in the common parlance, ‘traffic cones’ ⚠️😄.  They are a historical item of street furniture and some are still in use today. 1 2 3

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photos: Sylvaine Lang, Moments Parfait blog, Chasse-roues. February 26, 2019

Stone was the favored material for chasse-roues during medieval and Renaissance times but many different cast iron designs were installed during the Haussmannian transformation of Paris. 4 Of the surviving chasse-roues in Paris, many are from that age of economical iron and steel. Cast iron was often preferred because it’s affordablity and versatility. Initially, a pattern or mould of the design––the most expensive part of the process––would be made. Then the molten cast iron would be poured or ‘cast’ into the mould and could take many decorative forms with each subsequent casting being relatively inexpensive to produce. Many ornamental cast-iron pieces from the late 19th and early 20th centuries survive today. These decorative artifacts represent a perfect union of form and function projecting a sense of strength, durabilty and good design.

When automobiles replaced fiacres 5, chasse-roues no longer served their purpose being replaced by objects meant for automobile traffic, such as curbs and guard rails. They were, in fact, undesirable but because they were unusually difficult to remove, most of them were just left in place. Those that remain stand as silent sentinals to earlier traffic on those historic roads. 6

Today these architectural artifacts are treasured for historic reasons and are often protected as part of a city’s cultural heritage.

On one of our recent excursions into Paris, we found a lovely patinaed pair of iron ball, “boule”, chasse-roues which we had electrified and museum-mounted as an impressive pair of table lamps.7 ^jh

Pair Of Iron Ball, "boule", chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, circa 1870.
Pair Of Iron Ball, “boule”, chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, circa 1870.

Further readings and sources:

  1. Moments Parfait, https://www.momentsparfaits.com/blog ↩
  2. The Parisian Fields, Noman Ball, June 2011, https://parisianfields.com/2011/06/26/the-art-of-the-chasse-roue/ ↩
  3. Un jour de plus à Paris, https://www.unjourdeplusaparis.com/en/paris-balades/balade-belleville-menilmontant ↩
  4. Haussmann’s renovation of Paris, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann%27s_renovation_of_Paris ↩
  5. A fiacre is a form of hackney coach, a horse-drawn four-wheeled carriage for hire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiacre_(carriage) ↩
  6. Revolvy : https://www.revolvy.com/page/Guard-stone ↩
  7. Pair of cast iron ball chasse-roues mounted as table lamps, French, Circa 1870 at Garden Court Antiques, https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/shop/pair-of-iron-ball-finials-now-mounted-as-table-lamps-french-circa-1870/ ↩
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An Archeaological Mystery: Discovering The Riace Warriors August, 1972.

Diver, Stefano Mariottini with bronze Riace Warrior statue, Aug 1972, Italy

On August 16, 1972 Roman diver, Stefano Mariottini, made a “macabre” discovery. He was diving at a depth of 8 meters in the waters of Marina di Riace (Reggio Calabria), when he noticed a hand sticking out of the sandy bottom. He began digging in the murky sea floor until it revealed at first a face and then a full body. Indeed, there were two bodies; one lying on his back another lying on it’s side. These are what are now known as the Riace Bronzes. Both statues are almost two meters in height.

In the following days municipal divers tied ropes to balloons that were then filled with air lifting the bronze statues to the surface. Statue B was recovered on August 21st, while Statue A was retrieved the next day (It had previously fallen back to the bottom once before being brought safely to the beach).  1 2 3

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The Riace Warriors (also referred to as the Riace bronzes or Bronzi di Riace) are two life-size Greek bronze statues of naked, bearded warriors. The statues are currently housed in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the Italian city of Reggio Calabria. The statues are commonly referred to as “Statue A” and “Statue B” and were originally cast using the lost-wax technique 4.

These two warriors are an example of the severe style. The Severe or Early Classical style describes the trends in Greek sculpture between c. 490 and 450 B.C.E. Artistically this stylistic phase represents a transition from the rather austere and static Archaic style of the sixth century B.C.E. to the more idealized Classical style. The Severe style is marked by an increased interest in the use of bronze as a medium as well as an increase in the characterization of the sculpture, among other features. 5

The two statues are thought to represent Tydeus (Statue A) and Amphiaraus (Statue B), two warriors from Aeschylus‘ tragic play, Seven Against Thebes  (about Polynices after the fall of his father, King Oedipus) 6 and may have been part of a monumental sculptural composition. The statues have lead dowels installed in their feet, indicating that they were originally mounted on a base and installed as part of some sculptural group. 7

Large cast bronze of head and torso, modeled after the Riace Warrior B; 20th century;
Large cast bronze of head and torso, modeled after the Riace Warrior B; 20th century;

Currently, we have an imposing and detailed cast bronze torso and head modeled after the Riace Warriors, Warrior B. on display in our gallery at 1700 16th Street in San Francisco 8 ^jh

Further readings and sources:

  1. Excerpt from Radici, Chi Sono? Da Dove Vengono? Chi Fu L’Autore E Perché Sono Finiti In Fondo Al Mare? Il Mistero Dei Bronzi Di Riace È Aperto., Jul 2016. https://www.radici-press.net/chi-sono-questi-due/  ↩
  2. Vanity Fair Italia Bronze Statues: who stole the third man? As promised by Vanity Fair, here are the documents and photos, discovered by Professor Giuseppe Braghò, which demonstrate the theft of the “kits” – shield, spears and helmets – of the two most famous Greek statues in the world. And also the existence of their “brother” https://www.vanityfair.it/news/italia/2012/08/16/bronzi-riace-40-anni-dopo-terzo-bronzo-rubato-furti ↩
  3. Strettoweb, Reggio Calabria, today the 45th anniversary of the discovery of the Riace Bronzes: an exciting story, “16 agosto 1972: 45 anni fa Stefano Mariottini ritrovava i Bronzi di Riace nei fondali del reggino Reggio Calabria, oggi il 45esimo anniversario del ritrovamento dei Bronzi di Riace: una storia emozionante”, August 2017, http://www.strettoweb.com/foto/2017/08/16-agosto-1972-45-anni-fa-stefano-mariottini-ritrovava-i-bronzi-di-riace-nei-fondali-del-reggino-foto/448020/   ↩
  4. Lost-wax casting, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost-wax_casting ↩
  5. Riace Warriors, Catherine E. Olson, Furman University, Scholar Exchange, https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/art231/40/  ↩
  6. Seven Against Thebes, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Against_Thebes ↩
  7. Excerpt from an Essay by Dr. Jeffrey A. Becker,  Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/early-classical/a/riace-warriors ↩
  8. Large Scale Cast Bronze Grecian Torso; modeled after the Riace Warriors (b), 20th century at Garden Court Antiques, https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/shop/large-scale-cast-bronze-grecian-torso/  ↩
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Demystifying Antiques: an ASID Evening Event

It’s our first event in tandem with epoca in our new location: 1700 16th Street in San Francisco. We set out to demystify the sometimes esoteric world of buying and decorating with antiques.

This is an ASID Members Event for those who intend to buy, design, decorate and collect antiques & mid century modern furniture for clients and their own enjoyment.

Furniture is best experienced ‘Hands-On’. In order to do design, you must look, touch and feel pieces. As of late, the trends, when shopping for antiques & midcentury, presupposes one may rely solely on the internet and furniture web portals to make critical decorating decisions & choices. “Jpegs” are fine for previewing a lovely cabinet or chair but it’s likely you’ll be disappointed once the piece arrives. It is counterproductive to think that one doesn’t need to feel, see, experience a piece of furniture in-person.

Design & Decoration is a Hands-On Affair and So Is Shopping for Antiques & Vintage Pieces!

Experts learn by traveling locally and to various far-flung places. It is edifying to experience in-person, a lovely gilt wood mirror or sterling silver chandelier. You grow by looking, holding, touching these articles and by traveling places and meeting various dealers and resources––whether it’s that vintage store in the Mission or with your own car & driver visiting the fabulous Flea Markets of Paris & throughout the bucolic English Countryside.

So, don’t be shy. Visit the dealers’ shops & galleries available to you. See what catches your eye. Be persistent and ask questions. Dealers love to talk about their pieces, and the more questions you ask the more you will learn, and understand developing your own eye. You can learn a lot by expressing genuine interest and engaging with the different dealers and galleries. San Francisco has a full panoply of artisans, crafts persons, designers and design resources at your behest. Our Design & Decorative Arts Community is rich with history and bonhomie.

The good dealers know their stuff. When you the find ones you like and trust, establish a rapport with them. These professionals will teach you a lot.

Read books! ..consult internet guides, take-in lectures ( i.e. ASID, Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA), Art Deco Society of San Francisco, San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show ). Compare the information you read to the knowledge you gather through your conversations with the various dealers. And by all means, share your own growing expertise to “pay it forward”.

Instant gratification! Visiting antiques galleries in person means when that when you find that perfect armchair, side table, low table or precious box, you can take it with you which is so much better than the anxiety & added cost of having the piece shipped from–well, who knows where.. Have it now. Place it now!

Recycle, Reuse. The materials and workmanship found in antique furniture just cannot found in the furniture that is mass-produced today. These pieces were crafted with care. They have endured the test of time and they still look fabulous. (How many of us can say that for ourselves?!) These are prized possessions that have been handed down through generations and cared for lovingly. It is our heritage and they are now in our care. We curate these pieces so that they will exist for future generations to enjoy & ponder.

We do hope you’ll join us Thursday, February 28th to enjoy a cocktail, appetizer and some engaging conversation. Come and mingle with fellow ASID members, introduce yourself and circulate through beautiful furniture and accessories.

Since moving Garden Court Antiques at the beginning of 2019 we’ve been hard at work combining our 18th century European country aesthetic with the sophisticated midcentury stylings of epoca. We are more than pleased with the results–its just fabulous: the layering styles, periods, textures, colors is a somewhat maximalist approach that encourages your eye to wander and your imagination to soar.

We look forward to your visit, to get to know one another and..to ‘get educated’!

Jim Gallagher, Curator, Garden Court Antiques.
Eric Petsinger, Curator, epoca

Thursday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m. cocktails & appetizers,
6-ish p.m. brief presentation,
afterwards: mingle-mingle-mingle.

Where: Epoca
1700 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
ph: 415 355-1690

Sign up at Eventbrite:

“…One should always have at least one piece with some age in a room. It does not have to be over-the-top expensive, but antiques resonate with history’s silent voices. The appeal resides in a patina only achievable with time: their very imperfections speak to me of soul and character and life lived.” ~ Suzanne Tucker, Tucker & Marks and The Annual San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show Chairperson [ 1. The Incollect Q+A With Suzanne Tucker, The Collector’s Interior Designer ]

“The intrinsic beauty, the ‘soul’ of an object captivates me. A rich past life is revealed through antiques, but historical context is secondary to their essential visual power. I use antiques in my interiors to elicit emotions from the individuals who inhabit the space.” ~ Timothy Whealon, Interior Designer, Author “In Pursuit Of Beauty” [ 2.  Interior Design Master Class, edited by Carl Dellatore, Rizzoli. p232 ]

“It makes me sad when there are no antiques in a room.” ~ Bunny Williams, Interior Designer, Author

In this image:

  1. A Painted Swedish Chest of Drawers, circa 1880. height: 31 in. width: 42 in. depth: 22 in.
  2. A Boulle Light Blue Enamel Highly Decorative Box With Precious Materials And Brass Inlay; French, Circa 1860; Light blue enamel inlay to all sides; brass moulding around the top and bottom edges. All resting on a rosewood mouleded base; precious materials inlay with rosewood interior; drop down front; working lock & key; Light French polish; height: 4.5 in. width: 10.75 in. depth: 4.5 in.
  3. A French Giltwood Fluted Mirror, circa 1840. An elegantly large rectangular gilded mirror frame with with concave channels.
    height: 48.5 in. 123 cm., width: 29.5 in. 75 cm.
  4. A Pair of 18th Century Italian Carved Limewood patterns used for the decoration in leather wall panels or ceiling panels, now a decorative curiosity. height: 13″ width: 13″
  5. A Pair Of Round Decorative Painted Terra Cotta Victorian Heat Registers
    A Late 19th Century Primitive, Worn, Painted English Milking Stool.
  6. In this photo from epoca: An Ethereal Pair Of American 1960’s Frosted Ice-blue Glass Baluster-form Lamps With Raised Floral Decoration 1960’s. Each tall and striking lamp in a soft frosted blue glass adorned with raised floral decoration; excellent condition with no chips or cracks height: 20″ (top of glass) 32″ (top of shade) diameter: 8″

^jh

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It’s 2018 and Back to Work! Welcoming, Wonderful and Inspiring!

Happy New Year 2018 from Garden Court Antiques San Francisco!

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

I hope that you all had holidays filled with laughter and love!

Now it’s time to get back to work! There are walls that need color, rooms that need furniture and houses that need to be turned into homes. It is our job to make the places that our clients live and work to be welcoming, wonderful and inspiring. How lucky are we to do this work and how lucky are they to have us!

I am looking forward to working with you in this next year. Please come by and see us at the showroom or take a look at what we have to offer at GardenCourtAntiques.com.

Sincerely,

Garden Court Antiques

Items Featured:


^jg ^jh

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How Jeremy Irons Rescued and Restored a 15th-Century Irish Castle – Vanity Fair, October 2017

Kilcoe’s main living area, known as the “solar,” showcases art and collectibles acquired by Irons in his travels. Photograph by Simon Upton.

We are absolutely taken by this article by David Kamp for Vanity Fair Magazine and this ambitious restoration project undertaken by Actor Jeremy Irons. The fact that he’s a sailor is—well, just bonus!

Its a wonderful read. We encourage you to pick up the October 2017 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine and read it for yourself or view it online.

Below a few excerpts:

In the midst of a creative crisis, the British actor impulsively purchased Kilcoe Castle, a long-abandoned fortress near the water. VF Writer, David Kamp learns how a magical retreat came to be.  Inlaid in the wall of the courtyard, was a pale stone slab. Etched into the slab were the following words

MANY HEARTS LIE IN THESE WALLS.
FOUR YEARS WE WORKED, AND WE
JUST DID THE BEST WITH WHAT WE KNEW.
AND WHAT WE DID YOU SEE.
A.D. 2002

The hard work of making Kilcoe habitable again began in 1998 and took six years, wrapping up in 2004

Kilcoe, while not remotely a faithful re-creation of what it was 600 years ago—it offers such modern features as hot and cold running water, electricity, and Wi-Fi—is a magnificent place: at once stately-home beautiful and slightly mad, a 360-degree immersion in its owner’s eccentric psyche.

As Irons took on the massive project, his wife, the actress Sinéad Cusack notes: it was no coincidence that Irons, who was born in 1948, was soon to turn 50. “I did see it very much as Jeremy’s midlife crisis, and that he should get on with it,” she said. “Also, I understood where the need came from. Jeremy can’t bear waste. He can’t throw things out. I think he saw that castle as a beautiful ruin that needed to be saved, that needed not to die.”

But generally his instincts proved sharp. Early on, Irons noticed twig-like striations in the mortar on the barrel-vaulted ceiling of the main tower’s second floor, which is now a game room occupied by a large snooker table. Doing some research, Irons learned that, in medieval times, builders formed arched ceilings by bending into place a series of large wicker panels made of pliant, weaving-friendly woods such as hazel and willow, and holding these panels aloft from below with strong timber posts. The builders would then lay stones and mortar above the panels. Once the mortar squeezed through the woven panels and dried, the arches would hold themselves, and the underlying timber posts were removed. This backstory warmed Irons to the idea of using wicker panels as a decorative element throughout Kilcoe. He found a German-born weaver based in Cork, Katrin Schwart, to make such panels for the game room’s ceiling, and the results proved so spectacular that Schwart’s ornate wickerwork is now a motif throughout the castle, appearing on guest-bedroom ceilings, in the headboard of Irons’s own bed, and even on the outer frame of his bathtub.

“There’s something about the castle that generates the most extraordinary energy,” Irons said to me. “Everybody stays up ‘til three, four in the morning—talking, listening to music, drinking. You just want to go on, go on. It takes a bit of getting used to, this place. Because it does somehow produce an energy. Have you felt it?”

Kilcoe.
Article by David Kamp.
Photographs by Simon Upton.

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Read the article in it’s entirety in the October 2017 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine and online at https://www.vanityfair.com (yes, we are all subscribers :) ^jh

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Reminiscences of Summer.

Jim Gallagher, age 5, Summer, Milford, CT.
Jim Gallagher, age 5, Summer, Milford, CT.

Sitting at my desk on this mid-August weekday morning; my mind wanders and my eyes drift, landing on one of our handsome pond yachts here in the gallery and I allow myself a moment of repose and reflection.

Growing up in Connecticut, my family used to take a vacation every summer to the beach in Milford. We would rent a big old seasonal house on Silver Sands Beach.
It was there that I fell in love with sailing. My oldest brother loved to sail and had a number of different boats over the years.He taught me to sail on a Sunfish just one sail, a rudder and a centerboard. It fascinated me that with just those basic things along with the wind and the water, I could ride along the Long Island Sound for hours.

Jim Gallagher, 1993, Lake Champlain Sunfish Sailing
Jim Gallagher, 1993, Lake Champlain Sunfish Sailing

It was magical!

When I moved to San Francisco, I could not wait to get out on the Bay. It took a couple of years before I met some sailing folks and began my love affair with sailing on the Bay. The boats were a lot bigger and more complex than that first Sunfish back in the 1970’s but the feeling of freedom, of connection to the elements and the exhilaration of chasing the wind across the water was still the same.

When you are sailing, there are so many things to watch out for. How are the sails set? Where is the wind? What is the current doing? All of the stresses of life and work seem to fade so that you can focus on this one task. It is both energizing and calming and at the end you are physically drained and mentally calm. It is my happy place.

I always have a couple of pond yachts in the gallery. Part of the reason is that they are handsome and make great accent pieces in a room. The other part is because at different times throughout the day, I look up from my computer at them and think about being at the helm coming up into the wind with the Golden Gate in front of me the boat is heeling bit with some spray from the waves hitting my face and I smile.

Garden Court Antiques, San Francisco -Handsome English Pond Yacht Circa 1920 On Later Stand
Handsome English pond yacht circa 1920 on later stand
height: 51 in. 129.5 cm., width: 52 in. 132 cm., depth: 8 in. 20 cm.

 

Garden Court Antiques, San Francisco -Very Large Scale English Pond Yacht, circa 1920, on Later Stand
Very large scale English pond yacht, circa 1920 on later stand.
height: 96 in. 244 cm., width: 89 in. 226 cm., depth: 15 in. 38 cm.

^jg/jh

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“Keep Calm and Carry On”

Keep Calm and Carry On series

Keep Calm and Carry On is a catchphrase that originally appeared on a World War II-era British public safety poster. After one of the original posters was recovered and placed in a British bookshop in 2000, the inspirational message was shared online, sparking a series of image macros centered around the phrase template “Keep Calm and X.”1

The Keep Calm and Carry On poster was commissioned in 1939 by the temporary Ministry of Information in England, following the printing of two other inspirational posters stating “Freedom Is In Peril. Defend It With All Your Might” and “Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory.” It was intended to be used to strengthen morale in the event of a large-scale attack or occupation, which many considered inevitable at the time.

Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) was charged with printing the posters, costing approximately £20,600 for printing and storage of 5,000,000 copies, with an additional fee of £225 for the artists who designed them; the designer of the poster remains unknown. These were kept in storage in case of a dire attack on the country, while the other two designs were circulated that September. Since there was not a large-scale attack or occupation, the design was never used. Most of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters were destroyed or lost in time, with the exception of 7: 6 found in 2009 that are in storage at the Imperial War Museum, and 1 that resides in a British book shop.” 2 3

4

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Eleanor of Aquitaine Died On This Day in History, April 1st, 1204

On This Day in 1204, Eleanor of Aquitaine died ( 1122 or 1124 – 1 April 1204)

On This Day in 1204, Eleanor of Aquitaine died ( 1122 or 1124 – 1 April 1204)
Eleanor (Aliénor) of Aquitaine (1122 – 1204 (82)), Queen of France then England and one of the most remarkable women of the high middle ages, lived her last years in and died at Fontervraud

Circa 1150, Eleanor of Aquitaine
Circa 1150, Eleanor of Aquitaine (c.1122 – 1204), the wife of King Louis VII of France and later of Henry II of England. One of her sons by Henry was Richard the Lionheart. Original Artwork: Taken from the carving on her tomb at Fontevrault. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in western Europe during the High Middle Ages inheriting the Duchy of Aquitaine from her father, William X, in 1137, and later became queen consort of France (1137–1152) and of England (1154–1189)
eleanor_or_aquitaine_chivalry
She was married first to the King of France (King Louis VII) — and divorced from him in part because she had no sons — she went on to have sons and daughters with her second husband, King of England (Henry II). One of her sons by Henry was Richard the Lionheart.

Eleanor of Aquitaine is said to be responsible for the introduction of built-in fireplaces, first used when she renovated the palace of her first husband Louis in Paris. Shocked by the frigid north after her upbringing in southern France, Eleanor’s innovation spread quickly, transforming the domestic arrangements of the time.

hepburn-elanor-of-aquitaineKatharine Hepburn plays Eleanor of Aquitaine in the acclaimed 1968 film, The Lion in Winter

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Lisa Espenmiller: The Way, Where You Come From.

Contmporary Bay Area Artist, Lisa Espenmiller

California Bay Area Contemporary Artist, Lisa Espenmiller “The Way”, uses line, movement, and space to focus intent on material and repetition of pattern, in a meditative process. Hers is a controlled technique akin to writing on a scroll. Espenmiller draws horizontal ink lines, one after the other, until the entire surface of canvas or paper becomes a field of meditative resonance. The lines and washes of color in her paintings are visual descriptions of the chi or breath-energy that flows through all things.1

“I have this notion that art occurs in the process of life itself, and you don’t have to go outside of the context of your own life. It’s all there, and you just tap into it. You open up to it. You have to make yourself available to possibilities.”
— David Ireland, he Art of David IrelandThe Way Things Are 2

Lisa Espenmiller "Begin in the small," 2013 acrylic and ink on canvas over panel 20 x 20 inches
Lisa Espenmiller
“Begin in the small,” 2013
acrylic and ink on canvas over panel
20 x 20 inches
Lisa Espenmiller "Born in the void" 2013 acrylic and ink on canvas over panel 20 x 20 inches
Lisa Espenmiller
“Born in the void” 2013
acrylic and ink on canvas over panel
20 x 20 inches
Know when to stop, 2012 acrylic & ink on canvas over panel 24" x 24"
Lisa Espenmiller
“Know when to stop”, 2012
acrylic & ink on canvas over panel
24″ x 24″
Nothing slips through, 2014 acrylic & ink on canvas over panel 30" x 30"
Lisa Espenmiller
“Nothing slips through”, 2014
acrylic & ink on canvas over panel
30″ x 30″
Espenmiller.Ofitsownaccord.acrylinkoncanvas.24x24.1200
Lisa Espenmiller
“Of its own accord “
acrylic & ink on canvas over panel
24″ x 24″
Lisa Espenmiller, "Some breathe gently", 2013 | acrylic & ink on canvas over panel | 36" x 36"
Lisa Espenmiller
“Some breathe gently”, 2013
acrylic & ink on canvas over panel
36″ x 36″

Artist’s Statement

The lines and washes of color in my paintings and works on paper, visual descriptions of the chi or breath-energy that flows through all things, seek to sober and quiet the mind. When the mind quiets it becomes susceptible to inspiration, to movement from the microcosmic to the macrocosmic. Whether the body of work attempts to depict the inner scenery of breath-energy (The Way, Where you come from), the ever-shifting inner and outer landscape (the groundless ground), or talismanic power (chant), the goal is to engender a stilling of the hyperactive mind so the viewer can recognize the existence of a source that transcends human or divine authority – what Lao Tzu refers to as “dark-enigma” – the chi-tissue of empirical reality and the empty opening of consciousness itself.

The paintings and works on paper function both as mirror and window. Viewers are encouraged to stand before each one allowing the piece to offer a reflection of what’s inside or a view into another layer of reality. Think of them as modern mandalas or yantras.

As in meditation, my process requires that I remain rooted and immersed in the realization of the piece for a focused, uninterrupted period of time. There is little time or space for the logical mind to intervene in an attempt to control the outcome. The pace of each line, the movement of the brush or pen are guided by intuition and “no-mind,” accepting and trusting what presents itself in each fluid, changing moment.

These Featured works by Lisa Espenmiller are presented by Art Consultant, Laurie Ghielmetti Interiors + Art 3 and can be viewed at Garden Court Antiques at our 151 Vermont Street Showroom in San Francisco’s South of Market Design Neighborhood.

Artist’s Social Portals

^jh

Further readings and sources:

  1. Facebook Page: On the Line: Artist Talk with Sabine Reckewell, Lisa Espenmiller & Cathy Kimball ↩
  2. The Art of David IrelandThe Way Things Are. Karen Tsujimoto (Author), Jennifer Gross, Author, University of California Press ↩
  3. Fine Arts Consultant, Laurie Ghielmetti Interior + Art ↩