Sunday, October 10, 2010

Into the Light & A Surprise Giveaway Coming Up This Week

Into the Light


Look for a superb surprise Giveaway this week, I am so excited and I know you will all love it.
Become a follower and you will be ready to comment!


I am featuring a painting that is in mid stage. There is still some glazing and depth to add. It is created on a Signature Canvas which is Linen & 3 inches deep, 48 H x 24 W. It will hang on a Peacock Blue wall until sold, or shown in an upcoming exhibit. The cropping is skewed a bit, I am not an expert photographer yet!!

The Inspiration for my next painting comes from this fabulous portrait , recently discovered, done by Boldini, a student of John Singer Sargent. Breathtaking!! Auctioned for nearly 3 million.
The woman in the masterpiece proved to be Marthe de Florian, an actress whom the genre painter had a relationship with. The owner was the granddaughter of de Florian.

The authenticity of the canvas was confirmed by Marc Ottavi, an art expert although he also adds that the portrait was never exhibited or listed in any reference books.

For 70 years, the apartment of the granddaughter of Marthe de Florian, a beautiful actress of the early screen, lay untouched. The rent was paid, the doors were locked, but no one went inside. Until the 91-year-old passed away, and the rooms of treasure were discovered by experts sent to inventory her belongings.

The apartment held various items from before WWII; de Florian had left Paris before the war, and never went back. There were toys and a vanity, furniture and art. But the most shocking and cherished of items was this before-unknown painting by legendary painter Giovanni Boldini.

43 comments:

Bruce Barone said...

Two beautiful works of art!

BALLET NEWS said...

oh they are both truly wonderful ! I love coming here. Have a wonderful week

Jill said...

Yay!! Giveaways!!

Purple Flowers said...

Looking forward to your giveaway; I love your artwork!

anita said...

your new painting is gorgeous!! i love it.
i too read that little article -- i told my husband i want to do more research and find out all about Ms. de Florian. Who paid the rent? Why did she never return?! I'd love to know the whole story -- wouldn't you?!

Blondie's Journal said...

Both works are beautiful, Karena. I always love to see what you are up to!

XO,
Jane

Unknown said...

Your piece is beautiful...please show the finished product when you get it done. Love the color!

Anna White said...

Very uplifting..yet calming at the same time Karena...love it...please post a pic again when your finished..wishing you a wonderful week x

Mona Thompson said...

Have heard a little about the abandoned Paris apartment, am dying to know more. Am glad to hear you are painting again. Mona

La Petite Gallery said...

Your work is beautiful. I love
the Lady in pink, who wouldn't
right?

yvonne

French Basketeer.com said...

it's fascinating, isn't it...I love the painting and adore the story behind it....I will send a note off tomorrow morning! A

Karena said...

Thank you all. Anita , Mona and Andrea ,I agree, I really can see a book in the works here, it sounds so intriguing!!

Fellow Rover said...

Hi Ms. Karena, thanks for visiting my blog. Your paintings are beautiful! I wish I could capture beauty by painting, but I'm not blessed with hands that paint. (They are more for typing!)

Bethany Dirksen said...

Hello Karen, I just stumbled across your blog for the first time and thought I would say hello. I am really interested in the fact that you are an art consultant. I am an artist as well, but studied interior design, so what you do sounds like a great mix of the two! The green and blue painting you shared is really stunning. Both hues of the green and blue are excellent choices.

Glad to have found your blog. I hope we see each other around the art and blogging communities in the future!

Bethany
www.dirksendabbles.com

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I've been reading about this and think it is so exciting. I would LOVE to have been the first one to walk into that apartment. How fun. Looking forward to the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Great post! Loving the new painting so far... the colors are gorgeous!

E+J

FROM THE RIGHT BANK said...

How stunning! Can you imagine just stumbling on something like that?! Wow. Your painting is looking lovely too. :)

Heidi @ Decor & More said...

THese are sooo lovely! Art just inspires me...thanks for sharing!

annechovie said...

Your painting is gorgeous, Karen!

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

To have your talent lady...wow!

Viera said...

fantastic art ,Karena. Love the colours.
X
V

###### said...

im already a follower. love the colors.

JMW said...

Your work is so beautiful and serene, Karena! Can't wait to see the piece inspired by the Sargent painting. I remember seeing a Sargent painting when touring Biltmore - just lovely. Have a wonderful week!

Dovecote Decor said...

Can you imagine, its only a few tiers down from the opening of King Tut's tomb. How exciting, and I hadn't heard about the Sargent. The family must have been thrilled and happy that the rent was paid.
Best,
Liz

ProjectHope7 said...

your work is very inspired. Looking forward to seeing finished product. what a sad story... imagine, an apt filled with treasure and no one even entered to enjoy... how sad...yet, a very interesting story.... thank you for your giveaway and sharing your artistic gift.
cathy b
pbprojecthope at yahoo dot com
@projecthope7
http://palmbreezeliving.blogspot.com

lisaroy said...

my gosh! can you imagine walking into that apartment filled with such treasures!! incredible!
Love your new painting - so restful. :)

SabinePsynopsis said...

Love your new painting, it's quiet and beautiful.

Francine Gardner said...

I find this story so fascinating but had not seen an image of the painting. I just can envision the color composition you would create with such a painting as inspiration

Kerry Steele- Design du Monde said...

Fascinting discovery!

Silver Strands said...

Very, VERY interesting Karena! I love your posts.
Your question about colors in my house got me thinking about you and all my blogging friends ... wouldn't it be wonderful to take a little stroll through houses? I LOVE seeing how people decorate. When we lived in Alaska my home was all warm colors. Wood floors, golds and browns and oranges. Then we moved to Vegas a couple of years ago and it's so BLASTED hot here that I needed to cool things off. I've kept my walls all white with very light carpet. My living room furniture is cream color with some accents on the walls of red and orange - but mostly cream. My family room ... we brought our stuff with us from Alaska, so we've got reds and browns in there. But I've gotten so much into cooler colors that our bedroom area is all sea-colors: light blue, seafoam green, etc. I love my house. And I want to stroll through yours!
Hope you're having a great day Karena!
oxoxox
Denalee

Fifi Flowers said...

Whatever are YOU giving away mon amie???

Diana Mieczan said...

So very stunning:)...That is such an incredible story
Kisses and have a great day

Ps: I am hosting a beautiful GIVEAWAY today...I hope you will join in:)

Anne Lorys said...

Absolutely beautiful, as always!

Hugs,
Anne

Lissa Pierce said...

Karena, Thanks for stopping by. I love your art and your blog! Thanks for finding me so I could hop over here.
I say go for it on painting the desk (unless of course it is a real pricesless antique and then maybe I would get that checked out). I love the pop of unexpected color a painted piece of furniture can bring to a room. I am in the process (slow process) of painting a buffet in my dining room turquoise! I love how it's turning out! Good luck and post pictures if you happen to take the plunge.

Decor To Adore said...

Oh I adore this piece of art! Can't wait for your big reveal. ;)

Naomi@DesignManifest said...

I love the colors of the top painting. especially used together!!

Danielle said...

I love this piece. Simply beautiful!

la la Lovely said...

You're art work is so pretty! Gorgeous! Love you're pink piece too. Have a great weekend!
xo Trina

CINCHED AT THE WAIST said...

Love love fresh lavender! There is no better aroma :)

Leah Moss said...

I was blown away when I read the article! I couldn't think of a more beautiful time capsule. I would love to know more about the story behind it all.

hip hip gin gin said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!

Jenny said...

Beautiful. I love the simplicity of the top piece.

Anonymous said...

Leawood, KS?! I'm from KS!! Love the apartment in this post. So many wonderful posts, so many wonderful things. xox ~ Alexandra

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