Thursday, May 14, 2009

The History of Candle Making by Maria Marcotte

The art of making candles has been around since primitive times. Of course, as time went by they become much different in design than what they were back then. In the early days, candles were a necessity for heat and light. Today they serve as decorations, wonderfully smelling mechanisms in our homes, and offer light for romantic dinners and baths.
The first known use of candles is not completely known. The remains of clay candle holders that date back to 4 BC have given us the knowledge that they have been in use for a very long time. Those clay candle holders were found in Egypt.
Candles were also used in ancient times in both China and Japan. These candles were made of wax extracted from insects and seeds. The taper candles of India were made from the wax extracted from boiled cinnamon. Candles are not known to exist in American until 1 AD. It is believed Native American’s burned oily fish and the back of the Cerio tree. When settlers came to New England, they used similar techniques to extract wax from bayberries. Many modern candle makers still use that process to make bayberry candles. However, it is quite expensive to do so.
Tallow was the product used to make candles in the 1600’s and 1700’s. This is a byproduct from animal fat. The product worked well but had a foul odor, especially when it was burning. Bees wax and paraffin wax both were introduced in the early 1800’s, and tallow stopped being used.
The dipping process for taper candles as we know it today began in 13 AD. Traveler merchants went door to door from town to town. While there, they made taper candles for individuals in their homes. Around 15 AD the idea to use molds for various types of candles was introduced in Paris. While this greatly improved the candle making process, there were still issues with getting the candles to burn properly.
In the 1800’s, candle makers felt the wick was the weakest area of the candle as well as the cause for defective burning patterns. A braided wick was developed in 1825 that seemed to greatly improve the burning of several types of candles. By 1830, a process was in place to make candles using paraffin wax and molds. These candles were of good quality and burned well.
As gas and electricity were introduced, the candle making process continued to evolve. It became much easier and faster to melt the paraffin wax. It is believed that the reason so many of the elements of candle making stayed the same, including the hand dipping process is because the popularity of candles diminished with the introduction of electricity.
Today, candle making is a well known art form. There are many companies who manufacture wonderful candles with some very unique fragrances. There are also small businesses that still make their candles by home in their kitchen. Candle making is a great hobby and fun activity for the whole family to be involved in.
Candles are now used more for luxury and pleasure than for light or heat. The candle industry continues to grow with new types of candles being introduced all the time. The amount of colors, fragrances, and types of candles to choose from in the marketplace is absolutely amazing.
Candles are a very common home decorating item. They are used to accent any room in your house. They are a common centerpiece for dinner parties and formal occasions. The unity candles that are presided over at many weddings hold a deep sense of tradition in the American culture. Maria Marcotte

Candle making by Maria Marcotte

The Process of Candle Making
Making candles is fun and relaxing. While it does give you the opportunity to be creative, there are some basic candle making steps you need to follow to make the process flow well. Nothing is more disappointing than discovering your candles didn’t form correctly. Safety is very important in candle making. Most people make candles in their own kitchen. You will want to have a fire extinguisher handy as well as a non slip mat placed in from of your stove. Always wear old clothing and long sleeves. However, make sure your sleeves don’t dangle where they can fall into the hot wax.
Since you will have to get the candle wax very hot to melt completely, there is the risk of severe burns. You also have the risk of starting a fire. It is important to clean up all spilled wax immediately. It won’t take long for it to harden, thus becoming very slippery. The dyes and scents used in candle making can leave stains.
The best way to set up your work area for candle making is to divide it into three specific work stations for preparation, the melting process, and the cooling process. The preparation area doesn’t need to be large, just a flat surface that is well organized. To make the process flow best, use a counter in close proximity to the stove. You will want to keep your utensils, thermometer, additives, and other candle making supplies in this area. It is a good idea to know what types of candles you will be making ahead of time so that you have all the necessary items ready to go.
Your melting work station will likely be the stove. You will need to use a double boiler to melt the wax to a temperature that is hot enough without scorching it. The molecular structure of the wax can be damaged if the direct heat to it is too much. This means your candles won’t form well or hold up well when they are used. Wax comes in sheets or blocks. You will need to chip off chunks to melt. A hammer and flat head screwdriver work well for this.
Chipping wax should be done in the preparation stage so that you can simply add more pieces throughout the melting process. You will want to weigh each piece of wax before you add it to the pot for melting. This will help you determine how much scent and dye to add, which is based on weight.
The cooling station needs to be a flat area such as a countertop or table. The wax needs to cool for several hours so this area needs to be able to withstand high temperatures as well as remain undisturbed for long periods of time. The area should not be directly in the path of sunlight or heating/cooling systems. If it is, the candles will not set properly. If you plan to use molds for your candles, have them set up in the cooling area while the wax is melting. Once it is done melting, you will need to pour it immediately into the molds. To prevent a mess from spills, use an old cookie sheet for the molds to rest on.
The candle making process will run smooth and efficient if you follow these tips for establishing three work stations. While the process should be fun, it is important that you understand the dangers of candle making including burns and fires. Taking the proper safety precautions will help ensure the creation of candles in your home is a great way to spend your time. Maria Marcotte

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Viewing art and appreciating it to the fullest

It is truly a wonderful thing when you consider how much we gain from our appreciation of art, what volumes it speaks about our own culture, and among cultures that make up the world besides our own. It is highly fashionable to understand something of what art is, how it tries to reinterpret our own scope of the world on an artistic level, and yet reveals so much of the human nature behind its creation. Today’s artistic minds are no different in the outgrowth of ideas onto a canvas’ surface, and some are possessed with similar qualities that those artworks considered classics have had in the past.
There is particularly unique insight coming from a lot of contemporary art, or so the label seems to include today’s works of art, with certain vagueness stemming from the lack of a dominant school of thought or ideology. Most date contemporary art beginning towards the late 1960s, most artwork could be defined easily by particular details prior to this, and there were trends of these preferences even through to the 1980s. After the Modernistic period of art was confirmed, much of the direction came to be rather disparate during periods of socio-political change, and many of the distinctions within art have been loosened dramatically.
With some critical opinions decrying the current of contemporary art to be devoid of "true beauty", critic Donald Kuspit was known to say that art had left the studio and found its’ way into the street, and that may not be that much for the worse with the blurring of many lines presently. Today, contemporary art seems to reflect those issues being faced by the world, and the emphasis on politics seems to have intensified of late. The shift drawing away from an ideal of beauty and purity to a complete opposing force of inspiration from socially oriented art, and often crosses the bounds of proper medium.
Though that is where the argument stops and conjecture begins as critics and artists alike clash in opinion over where the line is particularly between the various categories of thought, and it has been pieces of every different art movement being reevaluated in a similar way, in order to find that place that crosses over between art, artist, and audience, and creates a means for all of them to share space in the comprehensive concept to the artwork. Making the gaps in the points between art and life smaller and smaller, and creating new ways in which to comprehend the ways of the things we view around us.
Engaging mass culture with affecting the boundaries of perception through the means of the relevant issues shaping the world as we know it, and today there are many schools and studios of contemporary art that try to help shape the practice of contemporary art that will translate to the future, allowing us introspective glimpses into the artist’s thoughts. Creating interconnectedness that defies and defines what laws and life may continue to restrict, to analyze, and further define itself as multiple entities within one completely distinct from the sum of its’ parts.
When considering all of this information, at may seem overwhelming at first, but art is not impossible to understand if you concentrate on understanding what your tastes happen to be. When not thinking about these things, it is easy to overlook the value of what you are purchasing, and you may not be able to get the most for what you wish to spend. There are few lessons to learn that do not involve somewhat self-explanatory terms, but one must approach what appeals them with a frugal yet open state of mind, it can be much easier to find a good bargain with this mental state at hand.
Timing can sometimes be necessary to make the deal more lucrative for the buyer, and with some art auctions, it may be difficult to find some grounds on which to begin bidding. However, with studious attention to what you wish your end goal to be, and you will have found a way to acquire at least some kind of facsimile to show for your efforts. Depending upon how deeply you would wish to involve yourself in activities such as local viewings of artwork from contemporary artists, and perhaps you would even find a way to see the stirrings of the creativity from within, by becoming friends with local artists and networking.



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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Buying Religious Paintings by Maria V. Marcotte

I have a family that has commissioned me to find all of the regligious paintings I can find. He has given me no budget constraints. I’m not sure why he doesn’t have guidelines set up for me to follow; he just wants to amass a collection quickly.
I found an oil on canvas that was a Jewish painting called Jewish meeting. The artist was Amparo Cruz Herrera. The artist is Spanish and this work exuded grace. I liked it a lot. I purchased it for eight thousand dollars. My benefactor was happy with the purchase.
My client made no distinction between Jewish paintings that were of a religious nature and those that were only painted by a Jewish person. I bought a rare Leon Bakst that was dated 1910. His subject was a person in an exotic costume. I’m not sure where my client plans to display it.
The next Jewish painting I found for him was a cityscape in oil of a deserted house in Veroia. This painting only cost six thousand dollars. Veroia is a Jewish neighborhood in northern Greece. I thought that this painting was a little bit unsettling.
I found another good Jewish painting for my client. The title of the painting was Juedisches Oesterreich Jewish Austria and was created by Frank Ettenberg in 2004. The person that sold me the painting said that the painting evoked a feeling of the artist's state of being face to face with nationalism, his ethnic identity and an existential situation.
I found another Jewish painting I liked for four thousand dollars. The oil painting called Birds of Paradise was painted by Maurice Sterne. Sterne was a Jewish immigrant from Russia. He was the first person to have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He exhibited 174 paintings, drawings and sculptures.
I found a Jewish painting of a cat that sold for thirty five hundred dollars. The artist of this work was Wettingfeld Zarojewski. I could not find any other work from this artist at all. My client really liked it. He is also a cat lover in addition to being a collector of Jewish art.
There was a wonderful Jewish painting of a woman seated. I fell in love with it on sight. The woman depicted looks so reflective and comfortable. I feel at ease just gazing at her.
I finally found a religiously significant Jewish painting for my client. The artist was Joan Landis and the title of the painting was Simhat Torah. This is the painting that was used by Pomegranate Publishing for their 2003 calendar and their greeting cards. I thought it was lovely.
I liked the Jewish painting by Joan Landis so much that I sought out more of her work. I purchased two paintings. One of the paintings was named Shabbat and the other one was Mikveh. I took the three that I purchased to my client and he fell in love with them. He asked me to find more of her work.
I found more work by Joan Landis and I purchased every one I came across. I found three more of the Jewish paintings on eBay at reasonable prices. I purchased Shavuot, Purim and Birth for three thousand dollars each. I felt like I got a bargain.
I liked the colors in the Jewish painting I bought called The Tailor Shop. This painting was created by Jacob Glushakow. He was an active member of the Jewish community in Baltimore. His parents were immigrants from Russia at the start of WW1. He has a painting that is still kept in the permanent collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art.
I was fortunate to find two Jacob Glushakow Jewish paintings on the same buying trip. The other painting I found was entitled Barn in Maryland. I liked it a lot and my client was very pleased with what I brought for him. Maria Marcotte

Buying Impressionist Cityscapes by Maria Marcotte

I have been looking for impressionist cityscapes in various mediums to decorate my home. I prefer to hang art that was created in the last fifteen years. There are so many great artists to choose from.
I have decided that I want to have three impressionist cityscapes painted in acrylic. I will be buying one called Stormy Desert that was painted by an artist named JoanAnn. The piece is painted on a 40” X 30” canvas and has flowering cactus plants in the foreground.
The next impressionist cityscape painting I plan to buy is called Tuscan Waterfall. The piece is a triptych and is on three gallery wrapped canvases. The artist lives in Tennessee and supports herself with her art.
The last acrylic impressionist cityscape that I plan to buy is called Autumn Dream. Autumn is my favorite time of year and the painting captures every color of autumn. The artist painted the sides, so there is no need to have it framed. I can’t wait to see this hanging in my home.
I have found only two impressionist cityscapes that I liked in the Gouache medium. The first was from an artist named Joe Wojdakowski and the subject is an area located in Wells, Maine. I’m not sure why I am so drawn to this particular impressionist cityscape, but I am and plan to buy it.
The other Gouache impressionist cityscape that I plan to buy features Big Ben in London. The artist is an Englishman named Alasdair Rennie. The scene is rainy and I like it a lot. It reminds me of my time in London when I was a child.
The first oil impressionist cityscape painting I bought was called Koi Pond Reflections. I’ve seen this artist’s work before and I always really like it. The painting was completed using brush and knife. The painting has not arrived, yet, because the paint is very thick and needs to complete the drying process undisturbed. I cannot wait to get it!
I really like having various styles of impressionist cityscape paintings. I don’t just like variety in the mediums; I like variety in styles and influences. I really fell in love with an oil impressionist cityscape painting called En Sendero that was originally purchased in Oaxaca, Mexico. I purchased the painting for just over three thousand dollars.
The oil impressionist cityscape painting of Paris that I want was painted by a well recognized painter Radik Atoyan. He is Armenian and signed the painting in his Armenian language. He has a unique way of using color that just makes his painting look special.
I have also been interested in watercolor impressionist cityscape paintings. There is an original painting that depicts an urban rainy night that I think would be perfect for me. The painting just makes me feel good to look into.
I made a purchase not long ago that was painted by an Israeli artist named Yosef Kosssonogi. The use of color in this watercolor impressionist cityscape is so vivid. I could not wait to hang it on my wall. After the shipment arrived with the painting, my brother came right over with a level to hang it.
I found a painting that reminded me of a vacation I took to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The impressionist cityscape painting was created by Adam Maeroff and I think that it is the perfect painting to complete my collection. Maria Marcotte

Buying Folk Art Paintings by Maria Marcotte

Buying folk art paintings has become a passion of mine. I’ve been looking for them everywhere it seems. I found a bunch of folk art paintings recently and I am having trouble deciding which one to buy.
There was a folk art painting by Rev. Howard Finster that is titled Howard in 1944. This is an all enamel folk art painting that was painted in 1988. The smile on this portrait is very engaging and makes me smile just as big.

I am also really taken by a folk art painting that was painted by painter Bill Dodge in Oct 1962. The title of the painting is First Trolley To Van Nuys. The painting is on board and depicts the center of town with all the people in town. They are in the windows and on the street. The town market, bakery, Hotel Van Nuys, an ice cream parlor and the Wing Lee Laundry are all depicted in vibrant color. The women in the foreground are against the Trolley and their signs say "Ban the Monster" and "Keep Van Nuys rural".

Thomas Chambers is one of America’s foremost folk artists. I found a piece by him that I just don’t like very much. It is a bit austere for my tastes. The subject is a fishing scene with villagers and boats. I don’t think that I will purchase this folk art painting because I just don’t like it.

There was a folk art painting I found called Alligator Fisher that was painted in 1940 that I really like. The blue of the bayou is very calming and the trees give it a very Southern feel. There is a swamp house in the painting and I like this one very much. It reminds me very strongly of Louisiana.

My mother started this passion of mine for folk art paintings. She had a folk art painting by John Roeder in our parlor growing up. I used to spend hours just staring into it. The trees were so relaxing to lose myself in. I have asked her to give me this wonderful folk art painting many times, but she says that I will have to wait until after her funeral!
I found one folk art painting during my journey that I felt sad every time I looked at. The name of the painting is A Letter from My Mother. The look in the girl’s face is so serious and sad. I have no idea where this folk art painting should hang. The painting itself is magnificent; it just makes me feel sad.

There is a whole subset of folk art paintings that represent black Americana. I don’t usually buy any of these pieces as they don’t speak to my experience. I did find one piece that I purchased for a collector friend of mine that loves this type of art. The folk art painting had a whimsical feel to it and a woman relaxing in a hammock. He hung this in his hallway and has loved it for a long time.

My brother likes folk art paintings as much as I do. He prefers animals to be the subjects of paintings he purchases. I found a lovely clouded leopard folk art painting for him last Christmas and he has asked that I keep my eyes open for more like it. He said that he will buy any art I find for him because he trusts that I know and understand his tastes.
I have kept my eyes open for animal themed folk art paintings for my brother, but I just can’t seem to find any as nice as the leopard that I got for him. The grand extent of animal themed folk art paintings I’ve found recently was a painting of two owls on a limb and I know that he would not like it. Ever since we were kids, owls totally freak him out. Maria V. Marcotte

Buying Abstract Paintings by Maria V. Marcotte

Buying and collecting abstract painting can be a labor of love. I love abstract paintings. I think that my favorite medium is gouache. I recently purchased a work from Oscar Bluemner. The person I bought the abstract painting from had it in storage for over twenty years. I am going to hang this piece in my office.

I found an oil abstract painting that was dated 1947 that was painted by Louis Bassi Siegriest. I liked the composition, it felt oddly soothing. The artist signed the back of the painting. It was a little out of my price range, but I bought it anyway.

Trade Winds is the name of an abstract painting I bought from the artist Joanne Riddle while I was in Connecticut. The piece was huge and I had to have it sent by freight to my home. The blue in the painting was so vivid. The whole composition was absolutely inspired.
I bought an abstract painting for my sister-in-law last year. The artist of the piece was Leonardo Nierman and the medium he used was oil. I bought the piece unframed and took my sister-in-law to framer to choose the frame.

I tried to buy an abstract painting from the mayor of our town. I offered him two thousand dollars for the modernist abstract colorful figure. The artist used red, white and blue and I wanted to acquire this for my stepmother. She would have loved it, but the mayor was unwilling to part with it.

My mother has decorated her home in a style that she liked in Santa Fe. I bought a large abstract painting for her from her favorite artist, Lou Monti. She has seen his work in a number of homes and always raves about them. She was so happy when she saw the painting I bought for her hanging on the wall of her living room.

I dated a guy once that had a signed abstract painting by Robert Gilberg on his wall. I saw something different every time I saw it. That painting had an attraction that I just can’t quite explain. He was always buying art and changing out abstract paintings on his walls, but this particular piece always stayed. I guess he was attracted to it as well.

The abstract painting that I bought for my older brother did not work in his apartment. I ended up buying a painting that was a little too large for the room it was intended for. The colors did not work in the only room that worked for its size.

I ended up selling that abstract painting the same place that I had bought it, on eBay! I ended up making a profit on the abstract painting. There was more information in my auction about the artist, Richard Diebenkorn, than there had been in the auction that I won. I think the extra hour of research I spent made the abstract painting’s value increase.

I learned a long time ago that an abstract painting is worth exactly as much as someone is willing to pay for it. I have friends that just cannot be convinced of this basic truth. I think that if no one wants a particular abstract painting, then it is worth nothing.

My brother used the money from the sale of the unwanted abstract painting to find himself another abstract painting. He ended up with an abstract collage that was made in the late 1930s. I liked it when I saw it and it worked beautifully in his office. Maria V. Marcotte