Cavern at the Armory!

Tom Slaughter’s ‘Library‘ pattern was installed yesterday for a temporary exhibition at the Park Avenue Armory.  The legendary Sandy Smith is hosting his annual antiquarian book fair this weekend.  Slaughter’s pattern makes for a perfect entrance.  I’ll get more photos from when the space is fully installed, but here’s a sneak preview of the installation.  Thank you Sandy, Tom, Kimberly, Marianna, and Tom Nulty for coming together to make this happen!

‘Identica’ Installation

Our first installation shot for Miky Fabrega’s ‘Identica’ pattern, part of Cavern’s first artist edition series.  Looks great!

Patterns at the New York Armory

Intern-at-Large Karli Hendrickson visited the New York Armory show last week and took these pictures of some fantastic patterns there.  Thanks Karli and congrats on your new job!

Kusama, ‘Fires, Acryic,’ 1987. ( Love her! )

Steven and Billy Blaise Dufala, ‘Fog, Watercolor on Paper,’ 2010.

Rachel Hounanian, ‘Memory of the Narcissus # 12,’ 2008

Frost Work, March 15, 2004 by Emily Feather (Bruce Conner) Ink on Paper

Frost Work, February 8, 2004 by Emily Feather (Bruce Conner) Ink on Paper

Keith Haring

If I had to pick a favorite artist of all time, I’d have to choose Keith Haring.  I remember growing up in New York in the 80’s and seeing his murals, iconic people and animals all over the place.  I didn’t know where they came from, but I knew they were somehow connected; they were all so engaging, so recognizable and so different from everything else in my visual field.  With my adult perspective and interest in patterns, it’s Haring’s surface work I admire most: his ability to take any surface, any wall, ceiling or canvas, and completely cover it with his art.  A lot of the challenge in wallpaper design lies in balance and composition- making the pattern interesting and busy, but not to crowded or dense, giving it room to ‘breathe.’  Haring was a master at striking this balance.  His surfaces radiate energy with active lines, but somehow it all works together with a calm, balanced restraint.  I know I’m not the first to say it, but let’s give credit where credit is due: the man was a genius.

Cavern’s New Artist Edition Wallpapers

Some close-up shots from Cavern’s Artist Edition Wallpaper series:

‘New York City Watertowers’ by Tom Slaughter

‘Houndstooth‘ by Julia Ziegler-Haynes

‘Golgi’ by Dr. David Stark

‘Chain Quilt’ by Julia Ziegler-Haynes.

William Morris

More eye candy from William Morris, wallpaper innovator for the ages.

Eric Nyquist for NASA

Eric Nyquist is an illustrator/designer who was commissioned to work on the walls of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory- the Pasadena branch of NASA.  I’m surprised and impressed that NASA would take a leap with his colorful, graphic, humorous visions.  How cool!

Check out more of Eric’s work here.  Thanks for the tip, Kathryn!

Fabulous Fabrega

An amazing image of Miky Fabrega, one of the artists in Cavern’s Artist Edition Series, with a window display he designed for Life furniture store in Panama. Stunning!

Installation Inspiration

Some of my favorite installation shots from the Cavern gallery…

Damien Hirst Wallpaper

Last month I posted about Damien Hirst’s work, and I just realized (via one of my favorite blogs, The Year in Pictures) that he has done wallpaper!  I don’t know how I missed it when I was at the Gagosian gallery shop; maybe it’s relatively recent.  In any case, talk about graphic wallpaper- wowzer.  The pattern seems perfect for a retail or public space; I can’t really imagine it in most home environments.  But it’s nice to see digitally printed wallpaper in a high-end context.  Well done Mr. Hirst!  (And thanks for taking the on-the-sly pictures, James!)