Huffingtons Help Meg, Part II

Last week, my dear Huffingtons decided to put an end to my non-stop whining about a very visible and (sadly bare) empty spot over my mantel. They put their clever little heads together and came up with some jaw-dropping options for me that, quite truthfully, took my breath away. Paintings that I've known and loved here at the gallery took on a whole new personality in my own home - just as my very knowledgeable colleagues told me they would. Formats, medias, and styles that I thought were intriguing and beautiful at Huff Harrington (but maybe not exactly for me and my glaring mantel) turned out to be quite striking a la maison Harrington.

And guess what? We're not done yet: gallery manager Linda has weighed in with her opinions - and I'm definitely sitting up and taking notice! Read on - and don't forget to let us know what your favorite pick is so far. (I've got a whole house to fill with art so this may keep us busy for awhile!)

Continuing on, today we have the picks from the lovely Linda.

Linda

I guess it is only fitting that my choice for Meg’s mantel is a diptych titled Indecisive I and II. This lovely, contemporary duo is by a new artist to the gallery named Svetlana Shalygina. To me, her work is very elegant but with an edginess about it - qualities I aspire to embody in daily life, both as I decorate my home or get dressed in the morning. The texture on this piece is exquisite, and the soothing palette a good fit in Meg’s fabulous home. I also like the idea of a two pieces over the mantel instead of one. It shakes things up a little bit!

Is two better than one…?

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Meg’s Picks

Believe me, I’ve lain awake at night doing a mental inventory of paintings at the gallery and imagining what they’d look like over my lonely mantle. My problem (and not a bad one to have!) is that I fall instantly and hopelessly in love with paintings pretty much on a weekly basis, only to have my heart crushed when they walk out the door with a happy client (of course, don’t get me wrong: I’m thrilled they’ve sold.)

So, this is really hard, but here are a few choices that had my pulse racing:

Lorraine Christie’s Trinity: I’ve always loved Christie’s evocative and highly charged paintings that speak poignantly to love’s joy, pain, loss and missed opportunities. I adore the wet and glossy technique she achieves on the canvas but most of all, I love the story that is taking place in front of my eyes.

Alice McNeely's White Night: I love the subtle sophistication of this painting and the complexity its texture. It screams elegance and chicness to me.

Silke Henkel Wallace’s Interieur I: this moody and dramatic painting gets my heart racing. I'm piqued by the mysterious and haunted quality and after pondering those ideas, I happily get lost in Silke’s layers of oil paint. Gorgeous.

Jeffrey Terreson’s Storm Break: one of my all-time favorites. Heavily textured but still luminescent and wonderfully painted. I love everything this artist does (in fact, he has the artist who painted Quiet Blue – the painting that got away from me….)

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So, let us know what your favorite picks are – and stay tuned as we photograph the final top three choices over the mantle. Our wonderful Sam Jones will be on site, acting as the art director and working her magic in the family room and over the mantle.

Ta ta!

M.