tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67221890227239707902011-10-05T18:54:30.102-07:00Art and Culture MuseARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comBlogger641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-75932676556545219422011-07-05T14:23:00.000-07:002011-07-05T14:23:46.009-07:00

Can you Blame us? We loved our journey in blogger, our very first blog on blogger.  Let's face it, you made us what we are today, the author and commentator on worldwide blogs and without you, where would we be? But, things being as they are, a girls gotta move on. We will still be ARTIFICE, just on a new platform and we're leaving our affiliates too. We want to express our thanks to GOOGLE

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-85243789681653638462011-06-30T15:57:00.000-07:002011-06-30T17:02:33.814-07:00

but To begin, the recent wedding between Kate and Wills yielded a bit of news that went largely ignored by most everyone in the general populace. Of course, not all of us can be crowned the future Queen of England, if all goes well for Wills. But, the creation of the Middleton Coat of Arms caught our interest as a unique requirement of this union.  ARTIFICE is always looking for unique things

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-42685976851342871842011-06-24T16:26:00.000-07:002011-06-24T16:30:03.315-07:00

We're sure if you are in New York, you'll want to see the extraordinary albeit dark genius, of the work of Alexander McQueen, enfant terrible of British fashion.  The exhibit continues through August 7th at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute. Young designers are in awe, some designers are confused.  The New Gen designers take heart that a unique voice might someday be their own. The way

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-8378686291193553452011-04-11T21:10:00.000-07:002011-04-11T21:17:22.105-07:00

While on a walk on the Rue de Rivoli,  I discovered the beautiful and proper Hat shop,  The Bates Gentleman's Hatter from London.    Located in the heart of the rue de Rivoli, where the bankers and businessmen abound and Hotel Maurice is just a step away.  You are in the "land of people who wear hats", so be prepared.   Now, to the average American person, this is like being on Mars.  

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11163036378574893392011-04-09T16:18:00.000-07:002011-04-09T16:22:52.037-07:00

Private Collections Revealed at the 25th Annual Biennale des Antiquaires Bi-Annual Syndicat National des Antiquaires  -  Grand Palais The Mary Cassatt paintings we know about, and, indeed, many works we may not know about in the 19th century Impressionist school were purchased by private collectors only to get passed down through family members.  Thus, as a student studying the work of one

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-17701873516297654552011-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:002011-07-22T15:28:55.437-07:00

When ARTIFICE first discovered the glass ceilings of Paris, it was with great surprise and delight on a mixed up sort of day, when the sun was in and out of the clouds. On a shopping mission, we traveled down our favorite Right bank street, the ETIENNE MARCEL, towards the Place de La Victoire, where fashionistas go to peer in the windows of KENZO and MULBERRY and other such hallowed places.  But

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-46141344193368079092011-03-18T20:25:00.000-07:002011-03-18T20:31:55.826-07:00

The Hotel Jussieu, also known as 19 Quai Bourbon, is a delightful building of private apartments that are graced by this lovely garden, and, my favorite, the bronze statue of Hermes, the Messenger. The Courtyard of the building still has its old pavers, and, the rare garden and shrubbery that creates a mysterious feeling and mood. So, there in the garden whenyou look out, there's a handsome,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-4587725012389673102011-01-29T15:35:00.000-08:002011-01-29T15:35:19.425-08:00

The charm of a French room, copied the world over for the last 400 years, is something that cannot truly be duplicated. Until now.  A true, moment of ARTIFICE. Looking for things that are unique, different, and, well, the ARTIFICE point of view is not easy, in this world of REALITY television where the lines between truth and fiction are already blurred beyond anyone's imagination. The room,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-4048202956938938372011-01-25T23:00:00.000-08:002011-07-22T15:21:38.821-07:00

Just in case you are wondering, yes, there are still handsome men who ride horses and arrive at the appointed time, to march to the sound of a drum.  These gentlemen are members of  the French Republican Guard,  or "Garde Republicaine" whose job it is to stand at attention at the presidential palace,  guard various dignitaries and assist the police in and around Paris.  Here they are in full

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-20094104641213630512011-01-23T16:17:00.000-08:002011-04-09T14:34:23.251-07:00

Many nights he lay there dreaming awake of secret cafes in Montmartre, where ivory women delved in romantic mysteries with diplomats and soldiers of fortune, while orchestras played Hungarian waltzes and the air was thick and exotic with intrigue and moonlight and adventure.   F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Tender is the Night" ARTIFICE suggests a fountain pen, a journal, and, we'll  even

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-87465571558062468712011-01-12T23:17:00.000-08:002011-10-05T18:54:30.279-07:00

While the crowds were wandering throughout the collections at the Syndicat National des Antiquaires at the Grand Palais,  I was taken in  by the grandeur of its beautiful structure. As extraordinary, as the art itself, this Parisian landmark was built for the Paris World’s Fair, in late 19th Century and for the time was a marvel of engineering.  The Grand Palais has a “glass house” feel,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-4893241835534435452010-12-19T00:08:00.000-08:002010-12-19T00:09:49.122-08:00

Its Always Good to be Funny, and, the "MISER" by Moliere, proves, once again, that funny, is good. "The Miser" a little known play written by Moliere, and produced by the Comedie Francaise,  for the Fall 2010 Season has an offbeat and untraditional rendering by this distinguished company.  The settings were oddly askew, as, we are brought into the downstairs of a house built for a wealthy man in

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-86870392902358929002010-09-28T13:40:00.000-07:002010-09-28T13:40:03.755-07:00

While the stars are flocking to the Fashion Week shows in Paris, France's true first lady of fashion, Madame Recamier, sits quietly in her seat dressed in the latest ensemble.  La Belle Juliette, had legions of admirers, both women and men alike.  Her beauty and style was well known, her intelligence was a plus. With salons of intelligent,  extraordinary men (and women) of the Napoleonic period,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-49499038368643992752010-09-26T13:53:00.000-07:002010-09-28T13:26:22.647-07:00

It can be said that the first Order of Fashion in Paris, is, to be prepared to dress well for the rain. If you can't pull this off, you're, well, just a mere visitor.  The skies open up, the rain arrives unannounced but the Parisians are prepared.  They quickly take out their little umbrellas and with a twist of a trench coat belt, voila, they're chic. I am so taken by the changing skies..and

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-46591060782661337762010-09-18T16:06:00.000-07:002010-09-19T01:07:28.669-07:00

Kings and Queens have walked through the archways of the Place des Voges...the monumental size and shape of the them giving way to all who go there.  Even several hundred years later, the architecture has a depth, meaning, and, in the night with just a few lights to illuminate it, the theater of the 17th century comes to life. Here in a moment we can see the sheer grandeur of the lives of the

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-57881170007916006012010-09-18T15:36:00.000-07:002010-09-18T15:36:50.144-07:00

The concept of ARTIFICE is to capture something that is not quite real, perhaps crafted to engage our imagination, and, in its beautiful display, is above the ordinary. A sunset from a bridge in Paris, falls into this category.  What makes this ARTIFICE?  It is the unique combination of a man-made reality, the bridges, architecture, rooftops, trees, all crafted to come together in a seamless way.

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-37546089616261261612010-09-10T14:22:00.000-07:002010-09-13T15:15:58.071-07:00

To begin with, does anyone really need, Dessert?  ARTIFICE would simply say,  as an art form, the perfect dessert is in Paris. But,  they are not found at the fancy bakeries around the city but in the neighborhoods, where individual bakers with passion and commitment still turn out these desserts like they have for hundreds of years in Paris often in family bakeries. One must give in to desserts

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-90581716950339507082010-09-10T14:04:00.000-07:002010-09-10T14:04:48.579-07:00

A short walk over the bridges from either the left or right bank you can arrive on the little island that is heavenly, quiet, and filled with charm.  This little piece of Paris is a delightful walk from many points in Paris.  At the end of this island is the Quai de Bourbon, named for the royal family that was lost in the revolution.  Tall apartment buildings from the 1700s are mixed with

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-18532036508972114452010-08-08T12:17:00.000-07:002010-08-08T12:17:17.514-07:00

The markets of Paris, one must learn to discover, as cooking and the art of food are a requirement for Paris experience that cannot be created by eating in a restaurant. The delicious produce, meats and fish are generally wonderful no matter where you go, but some markets are better than others. One large market in the 16th is pictured here, and, like the shops around it, was superbe. The most

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-69226825731275180082010-07-27T23:12:00.000-07:002010-08-08T11:12:31.524-07:00

Top 10 Paris expat blogs

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11843241295484305452010-07-23T23:01:00.000-07:002010-07-23T23:01:50.513-07:00

Paris is a destination that some just dream about, sitting like a beautiful lady, atop the rivers of history, arts, culture, language and fashion she waits for everyone to arrive, and discover her for themselves. Whether you wish to eat, drink, walk, ride a bicycle, enter the cool corridors of the museums where great artists have captured her beauty, there are many sides to her. Straight laced

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-17453738360527558742010-07-06T22:51:00.000-07:002010-07-06T22:58:53.405-07:00

If a tea can change your life, than this is the life I want to live.  Carefully blended to please the most discriminating palate, this tea changed my view of drinking tea, forever.  With a Starbucks on every corner of the world,  you could say that drinking tea has become a mass market experience. But, we're not talking about a tea, that will transform your day. Mariage a Freres, is that sort of

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-32453309821380970272010-06-05T15:50:00.000-07:002010-08-18T09:17:02.409-07:00

Designer Series:  Francois Langin Design Studio I can only imagine what you must be thinking. I first put my hand to the surface of a Francois Langin design and I was thinking the very same.  It was a desk; smooth, sensuous to the touch and perfect in its form and function. The woods were deep but subtle in their combination and the construction was flawless. How is it possible that a

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-52485425598393084252010-05-27T15:01:00.000-07:002010-05-31T17:12:34.346-07:00

The interior garden of the mind, soul and spirit is what a good landscape architect will bring to a garden design. Throughout history, the grandest gardens have brought great vision,  beautiful vistas and objects together to make a garden come to life. The placement of pots, sculptural pieces, and elements that compliment a space are part of the decoration that makes even a simple space, grand.

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-91056955935000073132010-05-12T20:47:00.000-07:002010-05-28T06:45:39.409-07:00

I began to imagine an elegant lunch or evening with Josephine Bonaparte when I visited to this little shop located in Los Angeles, in a quiet alleyway. Opening the shop door into the vestibule the dining room is set for an elegant dinner with an  intimate collection of paintings that grace the walls. This marvelous fantasy dinner, in which I invited myself to dine with Josephine (while Napoleon

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11113185547369688422010-04-14T20:33:00.000-07:002010-04-28T17:04:54.872-07:00

Our journey in the search for ARTIFICE, is always a live experience. We go, directly to the places that we bring to you here. But sometimes we need to go on a journey where we don't have to leave the comfort of our Couch. We read. How clever. Reading is a journey, and we have now made book shopping so much easier for you, in our ARTIFICE bookshop.  We take a moment to read, and review our book

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-83346513035372899682010-04-04T00:20:00.000-07:002010-04-07T22:43:16.957-07:00

Art of the Sublime meets the art of the Subway: The Mona Lisa is always a lovely surprise when she gets to leave her native post at the Louvre and go out among the people. There she was, right there in the Paris subway looking marvelous, complete with an artistic splash of "grafitti" to mark her street cred. An image that is so much a part of our human experience she remains iconic, mysterious,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11033756147843154902010-03-29T01:02:00.000-07:002010-04-04T00:16:46.633-07:00

I can almost hear Frank Sinatra in my head when I walk down the street and see the beautiful flower shops in Paris. There is no comparison, to New York, or even California, where the flowers grow on the Central Coast in abundance. The shops, in Paris where you can indulge in a romantic moment or grab a bouquet for a dinner party are incomparable. Where does an incurable romantic like me begin?

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-39757086801997282512010-03-25T17:12:00.001-07:002010-03-25T17:34:46.621-07:00

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-29521829143671327392010-03-08T09:33:00.000-08:002010-03-09T14:45:13.334-08:00

Each Year we celebrate the best of film, the performances, the technical work, the art and artifice of a medium that is over 100 years old. This year was particularly a unique one for women filmmakers, as this year the Academy honored a women director. There are many women working behind the scenes in Hollywood. But the myth that women have never been in positions of power, and only this week,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-57542946183905973182010-02-14T11:59:00.000-08:002010-02-14T11:59:47.188-08:00

To explain the extraordinary career of Alexander MQueen, can be done in words, but why? His constant exploration of our psyches in his fashion designs brought us on many journeys through a myriad of cultures.  He captured our imagination, and inspired us to think beyond the limits of a collection. His contribution to the fashion world cannot be measured.  Despondent over the death of his mother,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-21011286308633333572010-02-07T18:31:00.000-08:002010-02-07T18:48:50.204-08:00

The Val Verde Estate, now privately owned, has some of the most beautiful gardens on the West Coast.  We were very lucky to be the designer for a special event held at this Montecito estate, as it is now closed for extensive renovations.  The first significant home built in the Spanish Colonial style, its many owners added to its extensive gardens, and the photos showing its interiors and

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-89320277507378080392010-01-29T12:57:00.000-08:002010-01-29T13:19:32.452-08:00

The first time I saw the hall of mirrors, I was just a 14 year old.  It was a long hallway of dust, on the floors, the mirrors tarnished, many having fallen.  There wasn't a golden surface in sight. I can't remember if there were any chandeliers, at all, perhaps, but they were covered in cloths.  It was as if time had stopped.  But with a young girl's  imagination I could envision the parties,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-29303127058761671982010-01-12T20:46:00.000-08:002010-01-12T20:53:21.526-08:00

To begin, seeing these paintings in several stages of my life, as a young girl, as an art student, then, returning in 2007, I was astonished by the clarity, light, and beauty that these paintings revealed in the new space at l'Orangerie, which refreshes the concept originally designed by Monet himself in revealing the works to the sky, natural light, and the changing patterns of the clouds. 

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-37128714218235130702009-12-20T22:23:00.000-08:002009-12-20T22:23:01.057-08:00

ARTIFICE is always fascinated by the ordinary that becomes extraordinary, the simple object elevated to the heights of an art form. The history of Sevres Porcelain housed in its original factory just outside Paris, is dedicated to this art form and was the first major porcelain factory in France in Saint-Cloud. It began production of soft-paste porcelain in the early 1690s. Under the protection

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-62018126245640641912009-12-15T10:28:00.000-08:002009-12-15T10:55:42.601-08:00

An empire is only as good as its architectural flourishes, and after a thorough search of the grand empires, ARTIFICE haS settled on France, with Vienna running a close second. Just as a fashionable outfit needs its key accessories, so does a building, and in Paris, we are assured that we are seeing the best in the world. A contrast between the smokey black ironwork and its gilded highlights

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-84801815950529324572009-11-23T00:21:00.000-08:002009-11-23T00:21:30.359-08:00

As the holidays approach, you can take a cue from the elegant ladies of the 18th Century.  With their flushed cheeks, rosebud lips and of course, the fabrics and colors of their costumes, these ladies were the fashion superstars of their time, wearing the latest gowns, hairstyles, jewels and flowers in their well coiffed hair. You can see from the portraits not only the fashions of the day, but

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-84255645513927534912009-11-19T12:32:00.000-08:002010-05-31T12:21:32.796-07:00

There is nothing like a bed that invites, and presents a girl as a true princess.  This bed, found in Paris at the Musee Cognacq-Jay, may be the best bed in Paris ARTIFICE has discovered so far. Even Versailles, with its famous Marie Antoinette Bed, quite large and 'grande', cannot compare. This bed, smaller in scale, is a more intimate piece. First of all, the color,  a sensual pale French Blue,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-31478193072886596152009-11-03T05:40:00.000-08:002009-11-03T06:03:42.078-08:00

Just like Holly Go Lightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffanys', the windows at Bergdorf Goodman are an inspiring mix of Outsider Art, (Provided by the Visionary Museum in Baltimore, MD) and worth a walk-by as you eat your buttery croissant and sip your lattte. The mix of other-worldly creatures (the dress forms bearing the latest BG Fall looks) and the intense personal, unconventional artworks are an

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-92209455054732232112009-11-01T21:59:00.000-08:002009-11-02T09:13:40.757-08:00

It goes without saying that true theatre, rarely escapes ARTIFICE, and so with the triumvirate of designers at SKINGRAFT Designs, an emerging Los Angeles Design team, this combination of fashion and theater is an original in LA.The multitude of ideas that come from three former circus performers takes the viewer beyond clothes. These are extraordinary statements of style that are not for the

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-30551999558250991402009-10-23T21:29:00.000-07:002009-10-24T12:12:04.823-07:00

Landscape painting that connects with both the past and the future in reminding us about the power of nature is more than ARTIFICE. The work by Michael Abrams now on view in Los Angeles at the GIANINNI HOME design studio is an experience in quiet atmosphere and connection with the power of infinity. Michael's pieces are a thoughtful exploration reminiscent of the Hudson River School in the

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11053792013614915632009-10-17T20:55:00.001-07:002009-11-02T09:20:29.748-08:00

There is Los Angeles, and there is the rest of the world. The city, dressed in her finery during FASHION WEEK celebrate Hollywood Style. Here, a pair of jeans and stilettos is the height of Fashion. Yes, there are other things to wear but why? This is the city that gave the world the T-shirt, the Bikini and the Surfboard just to begin and of course, the Red Carpet. LA STYLE is a mix of unique

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-45771969816448475282009-10-17T18:17:00.000-07:002009-10-23T22:19:49.759-07:00

The ARTIFICE of the American Movie Palace, remains one of the great iconic spaces in America today that has survived modern times. In Los Angeles, in the historic district a number of these forgotten structures, each with its own unique character, have been restored. At the Los Angeles Theater on Broadway, the magical world of the movies came to life not only on the screen, but in the lobbies

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-81512719811998892962009-10-03T22:39:00.000-07:002009-10-17T18:16:31.135-07:00

The beauty of the Palace of Versailles, is not just the grandeur of the spaces, the gardens and vistas or rooms with the views; the vision of the kings was to build something that no other world could imagine. The most extraordinary gardens, architecture, and interiors were beyond compare. ARTIFICE is in every detail of architecture, furnishings, arts and the glorious gates which mark the

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11009715742999802122009-09-16T21:10:00.001-07:002009-09-19T20:12:33.876-07:00

ARTIFICE remarks on the simultaneous beauty of Paris: Order, structure of form, classical flourishes; all part of the beauty of Paris we experience in one moment. We can't help but look at the beautiful Venus. She is the heart and soul, of ARTIFICE. She is Classical, simple, complex, mysterious, sensual and like Paris, has many promises around each and every curve. The beauty of the city is

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-11426816740004577452009-09-14T21:25:00.000-07:002009-10-17T20:51:39.590-07:00

When we see the shape of LADY GAGA, her skirt a master of architectural delight we are reminded of the simple TUTU, which brings joy not only to ballet lovers but to the little girl in all of us. The masters of music, the story, scenery and lights are just the backdrop for why we love Ballet, at ARTIFICE. Layers of tulle, ruffled and gathered around the waist is just the beginning. The bodice,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-32906906623346980012009-09-07T19:22:00.000-07:002010-06-05T22:45:34.589-07:00

When an artist goes on a journey, that is, his or her life, it takes them to many places. In the case of Eugene Delacroix, painter of the French Romantic period, it took him from the Monmartre to the Left Bank. At his final stop, his studio and flat is in a charming section that is easy to miss. Here, he lived out his final days and built a custom designed studio, now a gallery.

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-5070971337951956572009-08-25T12:26:00.000-07:002010-05-31T09:46:28.305-07:00

Pierre Berge/Yves Saint Laurent Foundation Exhibit: RUSSIAN POPULAR DRESS: The Artifice of Culture and Design The FONDATION PIERRE BERGE/YVES SAINT LAURENT, EXHIBIT on RUSSIAN DRESS is filled with wonderful details, in a carefully designed space complete with lighting, and scenic elements which evoke the idealized world of the Russian Peasant. One is taken in by the sheer splendor of this

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-57312528290999308802009-08-21T14:16:00.000-07:002009-09-08T23:25:12.956-07:00

ARTIFICE is always curious about lifestyles and culture. This Paris exhibit is an interesting look at the Roman Bath and the beauty culture of Roman and Medieval life at the Cluny Museum. The tools of beauty, the bath, and the Mirror of life in ancient Rome. Everything from ancient glass perfume and oil bottles are on display, as well as techniques, products and application tools. Several

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-77492364446381839302009-08-20T13:51:00.000-07:002009-08-20T14:10:37.574-07:00

The tapestry is an art form, that is very old, in fact, the tapestry itself goes back at least a millenium in man's history. Telling stories, depicting lifestyles, full of allegory and meaning, the tapestry in France is one art form that remains a mystery. Perhaps the best mystery, "The lady and the Unicorn" that hangs at the Cluny museum remains the most fascinating. ARTIFICE loves a mystery,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-58116743295762924652009-08-18T13:40:00.000-07:002009-08-18T13:41:02.079-07:00

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-42446436019461908212009-08-18T12:58:00.000-07:002009-09-08T23:17:25.785-07:00

What is modern? This question is always being asked by artists, writers, historians, scientists who discuss what it means, to be modern. Eduard Vuillard, a late impressionist whose work is considered old fashioned, decorative, somewhat of a hybrid between impressionism, and that technique known as "Pointilism" could be considered modern. This is a technique of grouping brushstrokes of color

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-3285052170467418692009-08-16T13:52:00.000-07:002009-08-16T14:21:49.796-07:00

The magical experience of fragrances is an age old pleasure. A history of perfume includes the city of Paris, its long tradition of creating perfumes and fragrances is at the heart and soul of France, its countryside, and towns that grow the essences.It happens that my adopted French family were from Grasse, active in the creation of the world of essences which ultimately landed in the great

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-14078601562808497792009-08-16T02:11:00.001-07:002009-08-16T13:39:21.053-07:00

One area of Paris that is present, and part of its landscape are the signs, and advertisements. They are like quiet symbols of another epoch, in which a simple placard or a mark would mean that you had entered a world of quality. ARTIFICE is always looking for an interesting sign and what it means. Some are left behind on the sides of buildings, advertising their former use. Some remain in

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-54999536681767491022009-08-15T17:07:00.000-07:002009-08-16T13:42:09.612-07:00

Paris is Fashion. Being dressed well is an art form and a way of life, that goes without saying. This is also true for the architecture of Paris. Each neighborhood, and their buildings have their own personality and sport their own unique accessories. This has become a passion of ARTIFICE. While others take out their cameras to photograph the famous sights, we prefer to look at the unseen

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-84426515090141442782009-08-11T14:13:00.000-07:002010-05-31T10:39:39.537-07:00

Madame Vionnet, perhaps one of France's most celebrated couture houses of the early 20th century put her stamp on the look of classic, pure line that was representative the ART DECO period, in the 1920s and 1930s in Paris. The art of line, shape, form and Jazz music were all playing together in a harmony with the body that was now free of corsets, stays, and other constricting foundations. Her

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-16318118269659762522009-08-11T01:16:00.000-07:002009-08-16T02:10:49.448-07:00

The hallowed halls of YSL, DIOR, PRADA, and other worldwide fashion names live in harmony on the Avenue. The hushed tones, secret addresses, tall glossy windows and silently chic mannequins stare out at you, so it is nothing short of a religious experience for the fashionable and want to be's. Imagine, my surprise as I passed by the doors of the powerhouse LVMH, aka the guys who own everything,

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-44690809869519002972009-08-11T00:52:00.001-07:002009-08-11T13:41:34.231-07:00

The wonderment, of how the garden effects our sensibilities, was discovered by the Kings and Queens long ago, as a sign of wealth, power, art, and yes, ARTIFICE of their daily lives. The garden was not only a place of display, or a royal business location, it was the Disneyland of another time. The sheer joy of a planted row of hedges and shrubs, was cause for celebration. The Gardens in the

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-8801767422391085702009-08-09T13:29:00.000-07:002009-08-11T13:33:04.917-07:00

ARTIFICE in its full expression was discovered today in my visit to this intimate museum, in Le Marais, which houses a large 18th century collection of paintings, furnishings, objects and the space itself, once a private Hotel Particulaire. ARTIFICE reigned supreme in the 18th century, and the creation of private space versus the public space, is raised to an art form in this period. It was

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-28692188532711851422009-08-07T16:38:00.000-07:002009-08-11T13:47:39.702-07:00

Entering the historic Place des Voges, I heard music, a low contralto voice singing a sad classical tune in Italian. Looking up, I saw the heavily brocaded curtains of what could have been an elegant apartment, window open, and yes, two doves perched on the balustrade. A very ARTIFICE sort of moment. I stood, transfixed, as the music also affected several other people, each stopping to look

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-82483900967124042432009-08-06T16:27:00.000-07:002010-08-18T09:09:22.590-07:00

I gaze up at the large, golden snail signature that rests above this elegant sign at a restaurant on rue Montergueil in Paris. Yes, the snail, or Le Escargot, as it is called in French, is in fact, one of my favorite foods. I rarely eat it, because I am so disappointed if it is not cooked correctly, or smothered in too much garlic and butter, because, you see, the snail does have a particular

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-51730783825918118352009-08-05T13:23:00.001-07:002009-08-11T13:30:39.761-07:00

ARTIFICE-ARTIFICIUM: How an entire century of women artists are forgotten, until now.You won't see too many feminist-leaning issues posted here, as I am what might be called, a Post-Feminist. If you ask a girl who is about 14 years old what she wants to be when she grows up, the answers may surprise you. She probably won't say "ARTIST" because she is not really being shown what that means, even

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-1290455021980648922009-07-26T22:00:00.000-07:002009-07-26T22:06:11.227-07:00

The idea that art, is in fact a deception, is not a new idea. Many artists feel, that what they do is essentially artifice that leads to a form of truth, which, in the end, is how we see through the deception. No culture is more aware, more studied in this idea, than the culture of France, which remains, after several hundred years, the headquarters for the world of artifice. Just a short

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722189022723970790.post-64393250695293931422009-07-26T09:12:00.000-07:002009-07-26T09:21:34.714-07:00

The definition, of the above word, is one that has been on my mind, as I prepare for a trip to France, and so I had to look it up, so that its appearance, on this post would not go unannounced: ARTIFICE 1. a clever trick or stratagem; a cunning, crafty device or expedient; wile. 2. trickery; guile; craftiness. 3. cunning; ingenuity; inventiveness: a drawing-room comedy crafted with

ARTIFICEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16522852295439251604noreply@blogger.com