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Henry Road
A Journey In Color
A Journey In Color
Issue 2 / Winter 2012
Henry Road 3949 Laurelgrove Ave. Studio City CA 91604 818.762.8966 info@henryroad.com www.henryroad.com
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XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Welcome to our eclectic castle! And thank you for visiting this second issue of A Journey in Color, my meandering doodle about life at Henry Road. The colorful journey in this issue meanders through a few fabulous chairs, past a pile of fantastical lampshades and a herd of camel in India, to the canyon in my backyard. Flowers and the awe they inspire in me make an appearance. I revel in their scent and color and spend way too much time examining their shapes and curves. The holidays are on our doorstep so this issue includes a behind the scenes look at the making of some colorful wreaths; our Top 20 gift ideas for friends and family, and a quick breakfast recipe that will impress your guests as you share laughter and tales around the kitchen table with a steaming mug of coffee. May 2012 be a year full of opportunity and laughter.
PAULA SMAIL Shopkeeper. Designer. Daydreamer.
One of my all time favorite things to do is find an old worn piece of furniture and revive it with a fun upholstery job. Every home deserves a touch of whimsy, color and history and these pieces deliver all of that and more. Reviving furniture does mean seeing beyond spider webs and dirt. Every now and then a piece needs a can of spray paint or two applied but I seldom do much to the frame beyond cleaning because I like the age of the chair to show. The tidy new upholstery contrasts beautifully with the storied shape and patina of the chair frame. These furniture pieces are covered in Henry Road cotton, African wax cloth or vintage Suzani.
Z Z COLORFUL WREATHS Z Z Voila! Myriad colors and lots of butterflies adorn the wreaths we made in our studio for the season! Z Z To Do List Z + One stack of straw wreath forms + One pile of 1.5� wide fabric strips Z + One stack of fabric butterflies (we cut these out, sew Z two together, trim to tidy, and sew to strips as needed) + One pile of hanging hooks made from two strips sewn Z together Z + Two days of wrapping, sewing and wrapping Z + Two days of sealing with decoupage glue Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z IN THE STUDIO:
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Our first camel sighting was from the roof of one of the cabins at our hotel. Crossing the dunes was a line of camel accompanied by two men on foot. Apparently a number of attendees at the Fair walk with their camel for days to get there. I loved their turbans, their worn leather shoes, and the fabric draped across their bodies. A ride on a cart drawn by a camel took us across the dunes to the Fairground which grew daily as people arrived until there were camels, tents and people as far as the eye could see. The first ride was knuckle-gripping affair with lots of nervous giggles but we did get the hang of the gait of the camel and became camel cart-riding pros.
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For five days every year the sleepy lake town of Pushkar that is known for its bathing ghats and temples (500 of them), swells to over 200,000 people for the Camel Fair. While thousands of camel as well as cattle and horses (lots of polo ponies) are traded, the Fair is as much about meeting up with friends and family and enjoying races and games and festivities.
The camels themselves are an incredible sight. They are dyed pinks, oranges and blues. They are shorn and tattoo-ed with fabulous patterns and designs. Their noses have multiple piercings and necks and ankles are covered in bells, mirrors and colorful jewelry. Beautiful woven fabric and beads hang over them meshing colors and texture much like the fabric that I wrap and sew around wire frames to create fantasy, fun lampshades covered in fabric strips and butterflies. It’s all about a celebration of color and whimsy.
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SELF PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST:
CYNTHIA VARDHAN Working out of her studio in downtown Columbus, Ohio, Cynthia Vardhan creates intricately patterned, beautiful, translucent porcelain objects. The colorful functional art she handcrafts on her potters wheel and then decorates with pigment clay features a unique raised texture. As a result, the stunning detailed pattern on her vases, plates and bowls can be both seen and felt. Inspiration for her work comes from sources as varied as Moroccan tiles, Indian henna, and French pastries. I love having her colorful bud vases gracing our store shelves. Cynthia’s ceramics have been featured in blogs like Design*Sponge, Decor8 and Craftzine, as well as print outlets like Midwest Living, Southern Living, and Cottages and Bungalows. Her work is included in a book by Olivier Dupon entitled: The New Artisans: Handmade Designs for Contemporary Living. This is her self-portrait. . .
To date my proudest moment as an artist . . . was when a ceramic design student in London found me somehow and interviewed me for a school assignment. It managed to make me feel knowledgeable, established and old at the same time. My first creative masterpiece . . . I was a very frustrated artist growing up- always drawing and painting... poorly. So I never got any satisfaction out of my creative endeavors until I moved into 3D. And as far as masterpieces go, decorating my bedroom when I was 13 was pretty epic. Satin pink striped wallpaper, magnolia wallpaper border, antique writing desk, dresser and brass lamp, etc.etc. My parents were too kind. My favorite time of day . . . I should probably say: "when I start making things," but times of day involving food are pretty popular with me. So, desert time? Going out to eat time? My favorite possession . . . My kiln, definitely. It's what enables me to have an independent studio and it always seemed out of reach (How would I wire it? Would it burn the house down?). But it turned out easier than I thought and I cried/laughed with joy when the truck came to the house to drop it off. Probably the happiest day of my life. I'm sure the truck driver thought I was bats. A quote to live by . . . I actually cross-stitched it myself and have it hung in the studio, and a post-it of it on my closet door: "How you spend your days is how you spend your life." It's one of the things that got me to quit my day job (do I want to spend my life sitting in a white office staring at a computer screen?) and it reminds me to do stuff. Having a couple lazy days is one thing, but a lazy life is pretty silly.
"How you spend your days is how you spend your life."
INSPIRATION:
BLOOMS
Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun.
Kahlil Gibran
Literature and butterflies are the two sweetest passions known to man.
~ Vladimir Nabokov
IN THE SHOP:
20 GIFT IDEAS We have filled the store with tons of new goodies to make your home fabulous for the holidays and delight your loved ones with creative gift giving. The top 20 gift ideas here are available in our Studio City shop as well as online.
Henry Road Pouch Gift Set
Henry Road Pouch & Journal Gift Set
Deerhead jewelry holder
Cardinal candle
Vintage cutlery napkin ring
Tic Tac Toe stamp set
Balloon dog bookend
Octopus candle
Glass bud vase
Vintage ‘spread the love’ butter knife
Queen of Everything mug
Telephone wire bowl
Wool bangle
Handmade birch cup
2012 Animal Calendar
Rubber passport holder
Animal money bank
Union Jack pillow
Horse legs dish
Vintage label glass dish
THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
LAUREL CANYON
Laurel Canyon Boulevard winds its’ way over the hills from West Hollywood to Studio City which is in the San Fernando Valley. It’s a major thoroughfare with lots of traffic but still manages to retain a rustic charm and laid back feel. Back in the 60s and 70s, Laurel Canyon was home to a community of musicians including Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Jim Morrison of The Doors, and The Byrds, among others. In many ways not much has changed since then. If you stop by the Country Canyon Store for a cup of excellent coffee made by the lovely Lily, you will find the same bohemian, relaxed haven that reportedly existed 40 years ago. The locals hanging out every morning are musicians, artists, directors and writers. The signage is all painted by Spike who first painted a sign for the store as a teenager in 1968, and is a morning regular with an endless supply of dog treats on hand.
At the top of the hill just off Mulholland Drive and heading down Laurel Canyon into Studio City where our store is, you will find some of my favorite hiking trails. I walk every morning with Leo (the dog) and more often than not, we are on a trail somewhere where rattlesnake, coyote and deer rule. I love feeling like I am in the country in the middle of the crazy urban metropolis that is home.
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CHEESE SCONES I love the smell of baked goods, but rarely get round to baking. When I do, this family recipe is a favorite because it’s ridiculously easy with delicious results. These are best eaten hot out of the oven with a wad of butter stuffed in the middle but I recently headed to the beach for a delicious breakfast picnic. Recipe 1 cup flour 1 cup mature cheddar cheese grated 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons baking powder salt, cayenne pepper to taste Mix all ingredients together. Heap six piles into a greased cupcake pan sheet. Bake for 10 min at 450 F. Slice open while hot and add butter. Other yummy additions: a slice of bacon or ham; or strawberry or apricot jam.
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Thank you for visiting. The next issue of A Journey In Color will appear in Spring 2012 May the New Year be filled with love and peace for you and your family. Dream big, laugh loud and taste life.
A Journey In Color
Road
A Journey In Color