Artist Harrison Howard

Harrison Howard.

STATEMENT

"The Flower Ladies", as I call them, are a series of whimsical watercolor and gouache paintings, which have grown from a long standing interest in fashion illustration, children's book illustration, and of course flowers. I do not regard them as paintings of fairies, fairy art or fantasy art, but would prefer to think of them as fantasies based on fashion design. They are the product of numerous other influences as well, including many of the things surrounding me in everyday life, and extending to a passion for many areas of the decorative arts, such as the fanciful Chinoiserie designs of the 18th century Frenchman, Jean Pillement. In particular, I would acknowledge the countless other artists through the ages, too numerous too mention here, whose work has electrified my imagination. My pictures are aimed at the fundamental pleasure that almost all of us take in imaginative and quirky ideas. My paintings are for all people, however diverse their backgrounds may be, who share a common delight in art on this level. Harrison Howard

Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Pic from Harrison Howard site. 1 of these would be great. An entire wall? Ooooooooh, yes, better !

Sex, Insult & Designers

Tim Richardson wrote in the Telegraph recently about Landscape Design doyenne Rosemary Verey. Full, stuffed, rich with pugnacious tidbits. He managed a pugilistic slap at the United States, "...enjoy a career "selling" her Englishness to the United States..." Gotta love it!
No less than Sir Roy Strong enters the drama, Rosemary, "...enjoyed japes." and was, "...highly sexed."

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As proof, Richardson mentions, "Details of the affair are recorded in a shoebox of love letters that document their trysts..." Even David Hicks receives a mention.

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Christopher Lloyd is named favorably, & other newer, apparently much better than Rosemary, landscape designers. Looking forward to Googling them this weekend & seeing pics of their work.

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Rosemary Verey, in my (not) humble opinion, wrote the best Landscape Design book, The Garden In Winter. Sir Roy Strong is my favorite (living) Landscape Designer; yes, you want his garden books too.

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Pic of my dreadful-but-fabulous Table Chandelier. A tacky-drama lamp but I adore it. FYI, Sir Roy Strong's garden is called, The Laskett. Can you guess what I named my cat? Yes, Laskett ! Well, Poppets, this post is strongest proof yet of my total Landscape Design NERDINESS.

A Filmmaker's Garden

Italian director & screenwriter Mario Monicelli, 1915-2010, made comedic films. He created a genre, 'Italian-style comedy'. The endings had little comedy. Asked, in 1999, is "any subject off-limits for comedy?"

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"No, if the eye is sensitive enough, all is possible." he replied.

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Taken from NYTimes obit yesterday. SHIPMAN sent me the pic when he was in Italy this summer. Monicelli is now in my Netflix que. It's bittersweet adoring bleak beauty, a film genre my mother-in-law opened my eyes to. This is a type of art that feeds my creative muse. Do you actively feed your creative muse?

Do You Mentor?

On my tiny property, below, in a small working-class neighborhood I create myriad garden scenes in denial of time, budget, location. Along with a passion for Garden Design, Providence gave me mentors from the last of an era, the Stoics. Their mentoring comes with a hunger to pass it along. Barbara Allen mentored me. She died yesterday.

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Pic taken with our last snow (Feb.?) from my bathroom window. See the street of houses? Ha, this is what good Garden Design does. Barbara is in every Garden Design I've done, and will do.

Are You Interesting?

From the garden, below, it's obvious I want to know this woman.Her details seduced me before she opened her frontdoor.
Indeed, CHANTEUSE exceeds expectation. Trim, tiny, well-dressed, deep sexy voice, wicked funny, athletic & in her earliest 60's, matriarch, with a true southern accent spewing intellectual bon mots, hardworking lawyer, she knows how to have fun, handle good scotch, & tell her husband, "This is my garden designer, I hired her, you can leave the room." (He did.)
After I said her fence looked stupid, painted white, CHANTEUSE fell in love with me.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Poppets, are you interesting from your garden views?

Still Life: Creating Effortless Beauty With Your Ephemera

Arriving at Pecan Orchard's home/garden a couple of weeks ago, below.Carrying landscape design paraphernalia my goal was to simply unload it from my arms. You know, the chaos of arrival.

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The pic isn't styled but it could be a catalog shot for: the chair, the boots, umbrella, baskets or perhaps a brick manufacturer.

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It would be fun to see a series of pics, taken throughout the year, at Pecan Orchard's iron chair. Without words the story of a family's life.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Poppets, did you notice my fabulous umbrella? My dear girlfriend brought it back from Spain for me. Alas, beloved girlfriend is moving to London at New Years. Proud of her professional successes but it stinks having her move so far.

Landscape Views

"The aim of an artist is not to solve a problem irrefutably, but to make people love life in all its countless, inexhaustible manifestations." Leo Tolstoy The subdivision is tiny, my frontyard minuscule, above & below.

Ideas, field gathered in gardens across Europe, books, & friends gardens.My office ensorceled with a crenellated hedge, above.
View from my garage, above. Every window & door, the same choice; beauty. I didn't realize making a choice for beauty, from all views, would become a moat of grace around life. Affect how I design landscapes, interact with people, gain perspective.

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Choosing beauty is choosing grace.

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Helen Mirren is Tolstoy's wife here, loved this movie. Poor PUPPET BARBUDA driving about town, exhausted at the views of homes & gardens with the worst possible choice, keeping the landscape the builder put in. It's not about getting rid of everything and starting over in a landscape. Plants can be moved & bedlines changed. Yes, PUPPET BARBUDA knows this would be a fabulous TV garden show. Using What You Have, & Rescue, Landscape Design !!!

1st Rules of Design

Yesterday I was accused, "If Susanne Hudson does it, you do it."WHAT AN HONOR !
#1 Rule of Garden Design: COPY
2nd First Rule of Garden Design: Keep It Simple Sweetie.

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If it's beautiful in someone elses garden it will be beautiful, and original, in yours.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Top pic, Susanne Hudson's garden. Middle pic, my office. Bottom pic, a current client's garden.

Landscape Synesthesia

I see, exactly, the type of garden this bookshelf should have. Without trying.It's why I have to see interiors, Vanishing Threshold, to get a landscape design right.

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SYNESTHESIA is a blessing, gift, grace, muse in my life, in return I actively feed/respect the muse.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Pic found & saved because of my synesthesia, I adore the sensation of looking at this pic & seeing its garden. Alas, lost the credits for the photo in my selfishness.

Landscape Components

Susanne Hudson recently styled this porch. Recognize the magical component?The lamp. Poppets, that jewel stays ON.

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Susanne Hudson sent me this pic 2-3 weeks ago.

Hepcat

Finally, met a HEPCAT, below.
My right hand on his dropleaf table at Scott Antique Market this month, he anticipated my intent, before I finished my sentence, he had grabbed my right hand & lowered to his knees. Firmly guiding my hand (me clueless) to a screw. They were loose on purpose.
Bought the Hungarian chest & too cute watering can, above, before I met my HEPCAT.
HEPCAT knew loose screws would make it quicker to get the legs off the table.
HEPCAT wanted $175 for the table, (me- intense eye contact), then he said $145? I said, "You think about that price while I wander the booths & come back." "$100?" "Sold, will you keep the table while I wander?" He grabbed my hand, "Let's shake."

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There was something intensely USA-of-my-childhood, real, true, honest, earnest, delightful, a light behind his eyes, spiritual, joyful, peaceful, warm, intelligent, been thru the fire & came out a phoenix within HEPCAT.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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HEPCAT, George, was at the location inside the perimeter & selling his wares outside on the sidewalk at the end of the building. Poppets, you do realize what these acquisitions are for? My new conservatory!!!

Change Of Color: Last Month & This Month

7 am last Tuesday, below, crape myrtles coloring; spreading to the walls of my office & casting their russet glow on my skin. Same view from my office last month, below.

Last Tuesday again, below.

And the same chair from above, 2 months ago, below.

Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Poppets wish I had more time to shoot my garden, but there is this little thing called a Day Job. Thankfully it is creating more of these views. Ha, many of my clients say I Tara'ize them. They're right.