The Flight Path

We speak of being grounded as a good thing, a stability, a force that keeps us centered. Yet don't we all long for flight? The lift -- off and out. The ascent, the fight, the climb. The hope to attain a leveling out, but with a view. Perspective anew. And with moments of grace, too?

Fluidity and force.

It's a fight to defy our fundamental law of physics.

If even for temporary moments, it promises transformation. It lifts us, flight. Releases us from the weight of grounded gravity. If not, then why do we look to the skies for hope? The bird's wing. So fine and feathered, hollowed, patterned and layered, yet so structured, strong with one sole purpose... To fill with breath and lightness to soar.

This bird's wing is made of polished aluminum (Al), a fundamental element (metal), noted for its light weight and non-toxic, non-magnetic and non-sparking properties. It's abundant in the earth's crust but interestingly not found in its free form in nature.

"Bird in Flight" 1960's abstract sculpture in polished aluminum, www.flairhomecollection.com

Oxymorons for Summer Lazing

What is summer without lazing about? I can't resist this simple, distressed yet elegant French metal daybed, restored with a tufted linen cushion. It would seem the perfect spot to nap away the toils of summer play. It's the perfect oxymoron for summer... a day... bed.

Serene beiges, whites, and blues reflect the coastal colors of sand and sea. You can find this lounger at a nifty little shop in Newport, Calif., called Juxtaposition Antiques. They have other wonderful found objects and creative linen textiles. http://juxtaposition.1stdibs.com/store/furniture_search.php?FRID=Y2rJZW1lwpbJ

The Wheel of Light

Obsessed...with...this chandelier! Ingenuity. Curiosity. Invention. Reinvention. The force behind these concepts drives (literally) our industries, technology and even our thirst for a new self. Take this beautiful, austere and exquisitely restrained wooden wheel, err, gear part, light, chandelier!?! The crafty and creative folks at Battersea Antiques in San Francisco have reclaimed and restored the function and posterity of this beautiful new marriage of the old--an antique wooden machine cog/gear part/wheel and electricity. Genius! Someone call Mensa. A clear glass lightbulb offers clarity on its simplicity. See the French Cast Zinc Horse Head below for my love affair with wood. And expect to see more amazing found objects and decorative arts from Battersea Antiques. I'm becoming a fanatic for their wares. http://battersea.1stdibs.com/

Zinc. Equine. Wood.

French cast zinc horse head mounted on old board.

Elemental style. What is it? How do you see it? Where is it found?

Zinc is a metallic chemical element, often used by alchemists. It is an essential mineral for plant, animal and human life and reproduction. The equine was thought to have been domesticated about 4,000 years BC. It has been an essential tool in the creation of cities, farming and warfare. Cast horse heads were often used as architectural ornaments. Wood...well, wood is perhaps one of our most natural best friends. It is the oldest building material in the world, aside from earth itself. It is beautiful, rustic or refined, veined and varied, weathers, maleable, and when living, feeds us and respires with us. It warms us, houses us, supports us, floats us, carries us to our next spiritual destination. I love wood. It is like a wonderful old grandfather.

This beautiful ditty of a pony is courtesy of Wilson Antiques, wilsonantiques.1stdibs.com