New/Old Work

Some works that I didn't post when completed, though all are from 2008.

Three drawings done in pencil and colored pencil for the 2nd art exchange. My gift to Jeremy.

Landscape painted for my brother Jim. And close-up detail.

Mantle art for Jim; an abstract duo.

The Spectors in Concert

The Spectors will play Wealthy Theatre at 8pm. Info to the right . . . their first album will be available today! The magical show will contain the songwriting of Nicholas Kelsay and percussion of Mr. Tito.

Here is a picture of Nicholas in Wealthy Theatre (during sound check).

Hope to see you tonight or later this week!

Album Art

My most recent undertaking . . . band art for The Spectors. Check them out: www.myspace.com/thezeroage "The Danger of Your Love" is off of their soon to be released self-titled album, featuring the cover art of yours truly! Will post when the CD hits the stores. Ask for it at Vertigo, and say hi to Herm!

The art was done in colored pencil and pen, then adjusted digitally for more contrast. Rock-n-roll!

Painting for a Friend

Thanks for the painting commission! Here is the final portrait (photo based) for a recently engaged couple. Sketched on the canvas with graphite and painted with acrylic. 16" x 20"

WAR-MEN-HO-VEN (art)

David Warmenhoven, artist, cow lover. I just added a link to his site on the right. Check out his ramblings and work. His collages and paintings can be found in Sanctuary Folk Art on Division. You'll want to see the bold and energetic cow paintings in person. (and for those non-cow lovers, he has a ton of work that doesn't contain cows)

My Hero!

Coat of Many Colors saves the day! Two days before moving out of Tanglefoot, I met Matt. His shop contains sweet clothing, records, antiques, and now: Teal Tree furniture and art. So if you missed the events, or had your eye on something special, check out Coat of Many Colors. Here is Matt and his pooch in front of the store. Stop by and say hi!

Lease Termination - not my favorite words

Tanglefoot is no longer the home of Teal Tree. My activities have been taken back into the basement and onto the kitchen table. The studio space on Straight St. was brilliant for our first two events and thanks to everyone who found the building and braved the elevator or stairs!

Ahhhh . . . memories . . . .

Music is Art

Ground Zero, April 28th. A music centered event, with paintings and furniture lending to the "art warehouse" vibe. Four bands and 3 Djs kept the energy high and people dancing. Thanks to the promotion of Josh A, it would be an understatement to say there were a "few" people who enjoyed Teal Tree's second official event. These picutres are from Nicholas' sound check and Wyatt Hood's performance. Thanks to all involved.

Poplicious, individual pieces

The first event Teal Tree in March contained the pieces shown here, and much more. They were fixed (thanks Dad and Lauren!) and refurbished with paint and new hardware. I'm going to compile some more images of the furniture and the event itself; until then take a look at these shots and imagine the shine of spotlights, chill music, flowers, and people ooohh-in and ahhhh-ing!

Poplicious

This is one photo from the Poplicious event. The entire space contained fine art photography, furniture, accessories, and paintings.

Yellow Clutch

Lauren has been zipping out unique purses using fabric and goodwill finds. Even if materials have allowed for duplicate designs, she has been changing dimensions and details. This clutch purse utilizes a place setting . . . even including the napkin and chopsticks! Others were made with solid, strawberry, and lime green geometric prints.

Painting up a Storm

Various objects around the studio look a whole lot better thanks to a coat or two of paint. This lamp base used to be chipped biege and copper, but is now a lucious red with a hint of orange.

On a related note, has anyone had luck with no/low VOC paints? I'd like to know that my artistic endeavors aren't going to give me tumors some day, and the paints I've found seem to be available outside of Michigan. Please post a comment on this post or send me an e-mail: tealtree@gmail.com Thanks!

Sofa in Progress

Here Lauren is removing staples from her "free" sofa. A clean-lined roadside find has been the object of her refinishing energies. Everything has been stripped and sanded, soon to be refinished and upholstered. The finished piece will be on display for the March 24 event. Can you picture it in blue vinyl?

The sky was so pretty . . .

I just had to take a picture. If anyone else was up this early, you might remember the peach and purple sky . . . despite this photo!

Completed Projects

Lauren kept her table natural with copper, paper, grass, stone, and minimal finishing on the wood. The MDF shines from a clear coat of gloss poly. Her showstopper gets your attention and gives off a warm glow.


I turned the table on its side, added and subtracted material, painted two shades of blue, and topped it off with glass. The far end was constructed for magazine storage, open on the sides and top for quick retrieval.


Jake modified a plain wooden stool into a spot of sunshine. Colored tissue paper was torn and applied to all surfaces with glue binding and blending. A clear top coat protects and brightens the already vibrant pattern.


I'm excited to see what other people have done! If you'd like to attend the Arts Jam event, see a previous post for more info and a link. See you there!

Art Exchange

An art exchange between friends brought out everyone's talents, surprising and delighting those involved. I painted the above table/wall clock for Tim. (He'd appreciate a plug for his photography business: www.ladukestudios.com) I referenced a photo I took in an old factory earlier this winter. It's about 8" in diameter.

Aaron created the sculpture above, complete with teal leaves, stone wall, grass, roots, and a "teal tree" sign (facing away). It is about 8-9" tall and is beautifully detailed. It'll be at the studio for inspiration and to keep it safe from my kitten. (Check back here for Aaron's how-to.)

Arts Jam

Lauren, Jake, and I are participating in the Arts Jam. This event raises money for Grand Rapids Public Schools through a silent auction of items created by local artists. This year everyone was given a table or stool. Here are some in progress shots. We'll be turning them in this week, so stay tuned for the finished product!

If you'd like to attend an evening of musical performances, good food, and bid on any of the GR creations, find more info on their site: http://grpsartsadvocates.org/

Nice Red Chair

This is a picture from a Design*Sponge post . . . the chair caught my eye . . .

A quote from i-D Magazine:

"Making political decisions are part of everyday life. We live in a world where there is room for improvement, and folks in the creative world, because we can communicate through our art, must participate to make life as healthy as it can be." -Glen E Friedman

Blank Canvas.

The industrial space needed a wash and a scrub. It got that, and a new coat of paint around the first of the year. Here it is looking empty, awaiting our creative energy and collection of stored objects and furniture.

Teal Tree's creative playground.

The Tanglefoot building is Teal Tree's home as of the new year! It is right off of Wealthy at Straight street, making it easy to locate. The large "Tanglefoot" sign painted on the side can't hurt either!