Saturday, July 30, 2011 , posted by Laura Roberts | (48) Comments
Lotus Gallery celebrates their 10 year anniversary in Austin, TX. Lotus Gallery was started by Francisca Tung in 2001 after a career in hi-tech in California. She made a career switch and decided to share what she was really passionate about: one of a kind creations and antiques from Asia. Francisca already had a large collection so se didn’t have to buy much. Francisca loves to travel and learn about cultures and she now also has items from Africa and European Continental pieces.
Francisca is one of my favorite people and Lotus Gallery one of my favorite places. I recently stopped in and she shared with me six of her favorite pieces. She loves sculpture and especially this 6 c. Buddha bust from China. It’s the simplicity of this one that she really loves. It is made of limestone and was found on the ground so you can see markings from the roots of a tree.
#2. The loves and shares contemporary pieces as well. This pottery “stone” box was made by a Japanese sculptor, Kenji Gomi, in 1956. The box actually opens. The loves the texture and simplicity.
#3. Tribal pieces like this shield made from buffalo leather in the form of a leaf. Konso Tribe of Ethiopia, early 20th c.
#4 Scholar Stone. Abstract sculptures that would sit on a scholar’s desk. A scholar would gaze at it to ignite their imagination. This one is from China, late Taihu period.
#5. Children’s jacket (boy). Made by the Hani tribe in SW Chinese mountains. Composed of many layers (the number would show their status in society). Indigo dyed and handstitched, then dipped into layers of oxblood and egg which made it water proof and dirt resistant. These are no longer made because they are no longer worn.
#6. Dongson Bronzes from Cambodia and Vietnam that are 3000 years old. These were difficult to make because the walls of the bronze is so thin and it is still a mystery how they were created. Francisca loves the simple shape and oxidation from time.
Thank you for sharing your treasures Franscisca. She has an incredible eye, authentic choices, and really fair prices for these one of a kind treats. She is located in Austin TX, and does shows in San Francisco, Santa Monica, New York, Brussels, London, Santa Fe and even one in Dubai.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (15) Comments
How fitting that Roi James is the steward (his word) of a 16th c. Italian Renaissance painting from the circle of Barocci. It was the Renaissance paintings that originally attracted Roi to painting in the first place. He started painting seriously at the age of 28 with oils. He had dabbled in watercolors with his mother, also a painter, at a young age and did quite a bit of drawing. He has become one of my favorite painters of any time period or any location on the planet. I wouldn’t mind at all if my home was a Roi James gallery. Roi was kind enough to share his favorite pieces in his collection in his home with me today.
On his gallery wall in his living room, which he 
considers one large installation piece of his favorite things, the top piece on the left was his very first painting purchase in the early 1990s. A friend of his was an exchange student in Russia and came home with some pieces that he later sold and Roi was a lucky purchaser. It is by Alexander Macholov and though he felt a little traumatized spending $400 on the purchase at the time it is still one of his favorite pieces today.
The painting on the bottom left is by Christopher Fitzgerald. Roi liked it so much that he commissioned him to do a larger one. This led Fitzgerald to do a series of about 30. Roi ended up with one of the later in the series Old Masters Palette (far right). There is actually an artist’s palette underneath all those thick layers of paint!
Next from top to bottom is a plaster cast of Roi’s face when he was 36, then a Russian icon, then a small construct Roi made. He has collected Russion icons for a while and has several more in the hallway. This one is Christ Descending.
The center piece is Roi’s New Language which is appropriately named. He hasn’t done anything quite like it since but it did lead to an incredible body of abstract work which was a big departure from his landcapes and figurative work and makes him a great modern painter.
The next piece of map, silver leaf and iron wax (top) is by Sodalitas, a collaborative of three that work in a wide range of media. The four 5 x 7” pieces that comprise this were in totally parts of the room when Roi went to the 5 x 7 show one year. He grabbed two then went to another part of the room and grabbed two more. Sondalitas framed them together for him. Under the Sodalitas piece is a piece by Garcia Gasco . Roi thinks it is from the 1950s because of the frame.
The cubist piece, Man in Cathedral is by Roi when he was experimenting with this period. The next piece he found at The City Wide Garage Sale. The sellers thought it was a decal but Roi took it outside and looked at it under a loop and found it was a painting. $100 well spent!
In the music room (yes – he plays!) is a Will Klemm and another important artist, Ralph White. White was a professor at UT Austin and his Siftings in Oblivion from the 1970s was purchased posthumously – Roi did meet him before he died.
The piece at the end of the hall is Journey of My Prayers so he can see his dreams and visions manifesting when gets up every morning. The butterfly, I Am Almost, greets him at the front door.
Faith, Hope and Love (below) is across from his 16th Century Renaissance painting as a mirror of sorts. It is listed on his website and not marked with the red dot for "sold" but he is not sure he could ever part with it.
Roi has pieces by Lance Letscher, David Fullton and Vincent Mariani and many more. Thank you for sharing Roi!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 , posted by Laura Roberts | (19) Comments
David and Ransom’s home was one of the favorites on the 2009 AIA Homes Tour. The harmony of the architecture, materials, furnishings, and art is perfection. I came away wanting to have my own private art tour. So when I ran into David and Ransom on the 2010 AIA Homes Tour at the Webber + Studio remodel at Chimney Corners I asked for a private tour and was greeted with an enthusiastic and immediate “yes”.
David Webber is on the board of AMOA and they are Webber + Studio architecture. They started their home in 2006 and moved in 2008. Definitely check out the professional architectural photos of their home on their website Webber + Studio.
One of the most memorable vignettes in the home is the grouping of four Four Feet of Texas by Katie Maratta above the Herman Miller Nelson Bench. Each are their own unique pieces. The couple loved the photo transfer strips so much they picked their four favorite then hung them to make one landscape.
Ransom and David were the very first collectors of Phil Durst. Phil is a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin and also an artist. Ransom saw the paint chip piece that is now above their white credenza at Magnolia Café and eventually brokered the purchase with the manager. The obsessive, relentless use of the same type of material from paint chips to candy wrappers create rhythmic quilts/fields.
Ransom really likes pieces like Durst that have a process to them. He would also throw Gail Dawson and the Alesi’s into that category. They purchased the Gail Dawson’s Urban Birds - Brewer’s Blackbird at a 5 x 7 UT Graduate show years ago. She paints the image to look like a television still. The couple has three Stella and Leon Alesi photographs.
Many of the pieces in the collection are from people they have met along the way. The entry piece is by Sara, someone David knew from Deep Eddy. The sculptural piece next to the credenza with the Durst piece is by their friend JP Grumble’s father. Mr. Grumble had many random pecan turnings stacked in their barn that were decades old. David thought they were very beautiful and JP drove out to find one of the largest to bring to the couple for a house warming gift.
The Lucille Ball image above the upstairs sofa is by John O’Connor whom Ransom was friends with in Chicago. It is the exact 40 x 40 dimension and process Warhol used as O’Connor used to work with Warhol at The Factory in the 1980’s .
The drawing above the bed is by a client of Webber’s. The artist hired the architect when she was 84 years old and ended up with the Impluvian House. Good move! The clients home became her gallery. The couple seems to be early adopters. The Roi James painting in the bedroom was purchased at a silent auction and was an abstract departure from his more realistic style which is now so popular.
Two of their favorite pieces are by Boberg and Lennie. The Museum of Contemporary Photography calls Oliver Boberg’s work “meticulously crafted illusions”. Webber and Baldasari have Boberg’s parking garage which is a photograph of a model made from a photograph. The Janaki Lennie piece greets them at the front door. Most of her graphite on paper pieces are larger but they purchased this pencil piece at a 5 x 7 red dot sale at Women & Their Work.
Other artists in their collection include Dan Sutherland, Joyce Rosner, and Paul Beck. From Wally Workman Gallery – Angie Renfro and several Will Klemm pieces. They started purchasing Will Klemm paintings when they were even more affordable.
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David and Ransom have many more notable pieces and more artists that they would like to collect. It is no surprise that the couple would like their next house to have a long art hallway with built-ins for storage so they can rotate pieces. Webber and Baldasari’s recommendation on art purchasing is that if you like it then it doesn’t matter if an artist is well known. Thank you David and Ransom!
