Dec 042009
Popped open Huffington Post today and found out that Gwyneth Paltrow and I have some of the same decorating ideas. She recommends personalized prints by the artist Ida Pearle and it just so happens that I cut up this book to frame around Madison’s room in her big do-over.
I framed C, D, J and a couple of others not on this page. I cut this book up, too. And the M page from this one.
I’ve always used extra copies of kids’ books for decor. The pic below is framed in our living room. I went looking for the poster to publicize the book and finally found it but it wasn’t the cover, which is the picture I love. So I bought an extra copy of the book and framed it. Voila. Instant art.
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I noticed all those nice prints! Martha has nothing on you Dawney!!
Yes. We have framed some fire book pages as well as some cards.
Hipsters. That’s what we are.
(Not really in my case.)
Those are all really lovely. When I moved in with Lee, I brought my framed Ikea bag cutouts showing stick figures putting bags over their heads and my mirror to which I’d glued a sock monkey mask so that when you look in it you’re a sock monkey, but somehow she relegated both to the basement. You and Gwyneth must just be classier than I am.
I’d never been a huge Gwyneth fan until we watched the “On the Road Again” series where she and Mario Battali and the NYT’s Mark Bittman and a Spanish actress had a foodie road trip across Spain. She was charming and low-key ad spoke lovely Spanish, so now I think YAY! whenever I see her name.
Thorn, I have to say despite her excellent taste in decor, I despite Gwyneth. Can’t stand her. And that was before she became best friends with Madonna and earned my ire FOREVER.
What a lovely print! Myself, I’m partial to John Golden prints. And now I guess I’m stuck on the word “print.” Time to hit print–er, “submit.”
I love Ida Pearle’s work too!
Did you know she sells a set of alphabet cards, slightly different illustrations than the book, but they
are for decorating rooms with.
You can find them at idapearle.com along with the custom name prints mentioned in the gift guide.
You know, I’d never dreamed of cutting up a book to get the prints before. Weird. I think, it’s ’cause I worship books as gods, and just hadn’t thought about ripping them apart.
But, I’ve been fascinated looking at altered books, recently, and am going to try to get over this resistance. This might be a great way to “keep” a book my daughter’s not ready to get rid of completely, but that she doesn’t actually read any more.
Dawn:
The art in “Ellington is not a Street” is phenomenal!!
I have considered doing the same with more of Kadir’s art. The book I planned to use is “Thunder Rose”. You may want to check it out!
I gave “Ellington is not a Street” to my daughter’s brother this last year and plan to eventually purchase it for Sri too. This book was a double treasure and because the poem is about Duke Ellington – the jazz legend. Art and jazz in combo…who could ask for more! Over the years I attempted to find books that would pass on stories of african american stories/culture/history to my daughter and her brother.
Kadir Nelson’s art is worth checking out at his website http://www.kadirnelson.com/.
You may also enjoy a book by Debbie Allen called “Brothers of the Knight”. I enjoyed the art and the story.
We actually have several of his books including Thunder Rose but I love Ellington ‘cuz of the jazz, exactly what you’re saying!!! And the face of the little girl holding the record — I just love her expression.
I recently got We Are the Ship for review for CommonsenseMedia.org and I LOVE it. He wrote it as well as illustrated it and it’s just terrific.
http://www.wearetheship.com/
Sorry Dawn…I wrote “Ellington is (instead of was) not a street” twice! So much for editing! Feel free to change it to the correct title and delete this post.