Friday, July 31, 2009
Happy Weekend!
Our dinner club met first for Yoga in the Park last evening in Piedmont Park. It was a phenomenal experience- yoga-ing (yes I'm not a true yogi) in the great outdoors. In fact, the weather cooperated and the rain held off for the entire class- though the downpour began on the way to the car.
We had dinner at Dynamic Dish, a Vegetarian place on the edge of Inman Park. The menu is quite limited and despite all the positive reviews I'd read, I was a little... concerned. However, the food did not disappoint- it was really good- and inspired me to get out my Moosewood Cookbook and make a few vegetarian dishes this weekend just because.
Looks like more rain, which I'm actually excited about- a chance to hide out indoors, read, and get some organizing done (all weekend projects that fall to the wayside when given the opportunity to garden outdoors).
via Beach Pictures
Have a very relaxing and peaceful weekend- and while our surroundings may not be quite this fantastic, look for the beauty around you!
-Emmie
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Swank Lighting Artist Joe Cariati!
If you’ve been to swanklighting.com before, you’re no doubt familiar with the gorgeous glass lamp designs of Joe Cariati, one of our main modern glass lamp artists. Looking at the quality, color and style of his lamps on our site, it should come as no surprise that Cariati’s background is impressive and his other work amazing!
Joe Cariati started out in glassblowing quite by accident. While studying at the San Francisco State University in 1992, he saw someone blowing glass, and thought he should try it! According to Cariati, he picked up the art quickly and has been working with glass for over 17 years now. A good fit from the start, he says his personality and glassblowing go together well, describing the art as “a cross between calculated control, with an element of risk (in relation to making it or breaking it) topped off with a physical engagement (sweating).”
Along with glassblowing, Cariati also creates urban-inspired paintings. When asked when his love of urban art began (as it is evident in viewing his work that he’s a graffiti and street art fan), he admits it began with the 1982 NYC graffiti artist documentary “Style Wars”. Going to high school in Santa Monica, he also befriended other graffiti artists his age who helped show him the ropes. As he puts it, “mostly, as I found out later, I was interested in 'place', not necessarily the action of graffiti, but the surrounding detritus and activity of the urban landscape. Ultimately, this phenomenon is what my painting is about.”
So when did his hobbies of glass blowing and urban art translate into a career? Cariati confesses he didn’t quite start trying to make money until he was already a bit in debt (characterizing himself as a typical “idealistic young adult”), but after 9/11, he had his first solo painting exhibition (though he didn’t quite sell anything). After a review in ArtWeek, his work began to get noticed, but still no sales. He took a chance with glassblowing soon after, debuting a line of wine bottles in opaque colors. As he calls it: “This was about the time the new modern 'look' was running rampant, and I saw a void in the market and filled it. I snagged ten accounts in the Bay Area and LA and started making some money.” He says he now has over 50 accounts that carry his work, from major stores like Barney's to smaller boutique stores like OK in Los Angeles.
Like many artists who work in different media, Cariati doesn’t choose a favorite between glass blowing and painting: “Glassblowing is "high tech". It requires a ton of money per day, a crew of 3-4 people. It's noisy, dirty and very physical. It's extremely stressful at times if things aren't going your way. Painting for me is the polar opposite: it's "low-tech". Painting is an affordable, quiet, very forgiving medium that you can get lost in by yourself.”
His current line of glassware is stunning, both in its form and its style. Delicately transparent with sharp edges and shapes, yet also equally curving, his decanters and vases have exaggerated forms, and it’s their contrast with their backgrounds that really set them apart from other glass work being produced at this time. More than just pretty forms, his work has a great concept: some of it’s inspired by pure forms derived from the cylinder, sphere and cone, and connected to the important influence of Cubist paintings.
“This type of research into Cubism was born out of a residency I had in the Bay Area, I think it was the first time that I was looking at another medium entirely (paint) for influencing my glass work. It was exciting and carried over into a lot of work I made during that time. Lately, I've referenced the look and flavor of American Glass in the 1960's, the decanters are born out of an interest to uphold and improve upon a legacy of American Glass designs...back to basics.”
As for the future, Cariati is looking forward to meeting with Swank Lighting in April to talk about a new line of lamps that will be more similar to his new line of glass. He’s also working on another, more “low-tech” lighting project: he’s developing a line of candle holders that are reminiscent of wine and liquor bottles used as candle holders. He also continues to teach the art of glass making, stressing the hand skills, experimentation and material exploration, research, drawing, writing, and professional practices that have characterized his 17 years of successful glass work. You can learn more about Cariati on his website, joecariati.com.
Joe Cariati started out in glassblowing quite by accident. While studying at the San Francisco State University in 1992, he saw someone blowing glass, and thought he should try it! According to Cariati, he picked up the art quickly and has been working with glass for over 17 years now. A good fit from the start, he says his personality and glassblowing go together well, describing the art as “a cross between calculated control, with an element of risk (in relation to making it or breaking it) topped off with a physical engagement (sweating).”
Along with glassblowing, Cariati also creates urban-inspired paintings. When asked when his love of urban art began (as it is evident in viewing his work that he’s a graffiti and street art fan), he admits it began with the 1982 NYC graffiti artist documentary “Style Wars”. Going to high school in Santa Monica, he also befriended other graffiti artists his age who helped show him the ropes. As he puts it, “mostly, as I found out later, I was interested in 'place', not necessarily the action of graffiti, but the surrounding detritus and activity of the urban landscape. Ultimately, this phenomenon is what my painting is about.”
So when did his hobbies of glass blowing and urban art translate into a career? Cariati confesses he didn’t quite start trying to make money until he was already a bit in debt (characterizing himself as a typical “idealistic young adult”), but after 9/11, he had his first solo painting exhibition (though he didn’t quite sell anything). After a review in ArtWeek, his work began to get noticed, but still no sales. He took a chance with glassblowing soon after, debuting a line of wine bottles in opaque colors. As he calls it: “This was about the time the new modern 'look' was running rampant, and I saw a void in the market and filled it. I snagged ten accounts in the Bay Area and LA and started making some money.” He says he now has over 50 accounts that carry his work, from major stores like Barney's to smaller boutique stores like OK in Los Angeles.
Like many artists who work in different media, Cariati doesn’t choose a favorite between glass blowing and painting: “Glassblowing is "high tech". It requires a ton of money per day, a crew of 3-4 people. It's noisy, dirty and very physical. It's extremely stressful at times if things aren't going your way. Painting for me is the polar opposite: it's "low-tech". Painting is an affordable, quiet, very forgiving medium that you can get lost in by yourself.”
His current line of glassware is stunning, both in its form and its style. Delicately transparent with sharp edges and shapes, yet also equally curving, his decanters and vases have exaggerated forms, and it’s their contrast with their backgrounds that really set them apart from other glass work being produced at this time. More than just pretty forms, his work has a great concept: some of it’s inspired by pure forms derived from the cylinder, sphere and cone, and connected to the important influence of Cubist paintings.
“This type of research into Cubism was born out of a residency I had in the Bay Area, I think it was the first time that I was looking at another medium entirely (paint) for influencing my glass work. It was exciting and carried over into a lot of work I made during that time. Lately, I've referenced the look and flavor of American Glass in the 1960's, the decanters are born out of an interest to uphold and improve upon a legacy of American Glass designs...back to basics.”
As for the future, Cariati is looking forward to meeting with Swank Lighting in April to talk about a new line of lamps that will be more similar to his new line of glass. He’s also working on another, more “low-tech” lighting project: he’s developing a line of candle holders that are reminiscent of wine and liquor bottles used as candle holders. He also continues to teach the art of glass making, stressing the hand skills, experimentation and material exploration, research, drawing, writing, and professional practices that have characterized his 17 years of successful glass work. You can learn more about Cariati on his website, joecariati.com.
Pretty Little Vessels- more glass upcycling
If you can't do the wine bottle thing (previous post), how about old glass bottles? I have a collection that my aunt dug up in an old foundation on my grandparent's farm. In addition to the bottles being great vessels for flowers, I love having the connection.
Ideally, I would have put flowers in these, but all are drenched from our rainstorms.
By no means is this a novel concept, but I hope these images bring a bit of loveliness and inspiration to your day! And perhaps they're pictures you've not seen before?
Love the pop of color on these (and note the orange and pink!)...
A softer, more subdued arrangement... very romantic.
Phoebe Howard
A beachy twist...
CALMING...
LOVE the orange in these.
via Shelterrific A little fussier, but nice nonetheless.
And we'll end with more bright fun!
Ideally, I would have put flowers in these, but all are drenched from our rainstorms.
By no means is this a novel concept, but I hope these images bring a bit of loveliness and inspiration to your day! And perhaps they're pictures you've not seen before?
Country Living via Love My Earth
OK, these are new (not repurposed), but still pretty!
Phoebe Howarda great DIY project from The Blessed Nest
via Shelterrific A little fussier, but nice nonetheless.And we'll end with more bright fun!
Enjoy!
- Emmie
Bond and Bowery, An Online Marketplace for Antiques, Art and Accessories!
As few as 50 years ago, when you wanted to find that perfect piece of furniture, you could either travel far and wide yourself or trust that your local antiques dealer knew what they were talking about. Nowadays, the world is at our fingertips, and one online website is working at making finding the perfect antique, piece of art or gorgeous design easier than ever.
Launched in July 2007, Bondandbowery.com was established to “provide a web-based global marketplace for the highest quality antiques, fine art and design”. By pairing up dealers, designers, artists and buyers, Bond and Bowery is taking out the guesswork on whether or not you are purchasing the right piece for your home. The name Bond and Bowery refers to the intersection of two important roads in an antiques district of New York, and owners Ben Spaisman and George Evans thought to themselves: why not offer online showrooms at one of the best addresses in New York City, letting every qualified dealer have an exclusive New York online address at a very nominal cost? Not satisfied with the sites that were out there, Evans and Spaisman felt the industry needed a clean, all business antiques website.
Bond and Bowery gives visitors to the site multiple ways to search for the perfect addition to their home. The main tabs along the side of the website feature obvious choices, like furnishings or objets d’art, but other categories, like creators/period help you search for objects when the only thing you know you want is something from the 18th century. You can also go straight to your favorite designer or artist directly by clicking on a tab. You can even narrow down results by price, year, category, even country of origin. Again, all these options are presented in a graphically clear and understandable way.
Another great feature to Bond and Bowery is their “My Portfolio” feature, which is a “powerful personal management system stored in a personal folder accessible only by the user.” In other words, don’t worry about cluttering your “bookmarks” section, you can store your favorite items in a private folder on the site accessible only by you. And if you’re worried about the quality of items found on Bond and Bowery, rest assured that “all merchandise on the site is fully reviewed by experts for authenticity, and validated according to artist, creator or period”. Because new merchandise is posted weekly, you’ll never get sick of seeing the same items again and again.
Unlike other antiques websites available today you really see a difference in the type of website the owners of Bond and Bowery are trying to run, expressed best by what Evans had to say about their site and their business:
“Were committed to being an exclusive website dedicated to representing the finest antique and fine arts dealers in the world. My main goals are to introduce the buyer and seller with an easy no hassle transaction so that one doesn’t have to spend countless hours searching for what they want! Bond & Bowery is a clean and non-cluttered site, one that is merchandise focused and not loaded with annoying ads and overwhelming content that distracts a client from making a purchase. We encourage our dealers to offer their best merchandise at the lowest price—so we don’t need to have sales; our items are already priced very reasonably. Bond and Bowery’s focus is customer and dealer centric, always continuing to build strong relationships. We know that our visitors come to buy goods as opposed to reading articles on the site.”
According to Evans, Bond and Bowery is growing fast, and doesn’t show signs of stopping. They plan to maintain both their cutting edge technology and their high level of customer service all while keeping merchandise pricing in line with the economic times. A recently launched feature of the site is DealerDirect, which enables buyers to submit requests for specific items they are looking for and have been unable to find on the site or elsewhere, allowing busy designers to tap into the larger inventories that many dealers possess but can’t always show at once. Other great features are in the plans to continue making the shopping process easy, less time-consuming and enjoyable!
Launched in July 2007, Bondandbowery.com was established to “provide a web-based global marketplace for the highest quality antiques, fine art and design”. By pairing up dealers, designers, artists and buyers, Bond and Bowery is taking out the guesswork on whether or not you are purchasing the right piece for your home. The name Bond and Bowery refers to the intersection of two important roads in an antiques district of New York, and owners Ben Spaisman and George Evans thought to themselves: why not offer online showrooms at one of the best addresses in New York City, letting every qualified dealer have an exclusive New York online address at a very nominal cost? Not satisfied with the sites that were out there, Evans and Spaisman felt the industry needed a clean, all business antiques website.
Bond and Bowery gives visitors to the site multiple ways to search for the perfect addition to their home. The main tabs along the side of the website feature obvious choices, like furnishings or objets d’art, but other categories, like creators/period help you search for objects when the only thing you know you want is something from the 18th century. You can also go straight to your favorite designer or artist directly by clicking on a tab. You can even narrow down results by price, year, category, even country of origin. Again, all these options are presented in a graphically clear and understandable way.
Another great feature to Bond and Bowery is their “My Portfolio” feature, which is a “powerful personal management system stored in a personal folder accessible only by the user.” In other words, don’t worry about cluttering your “bookmarks” section, you can store your favorite items in a private folder on the site accessible only by you. And if you’re worried about the quality of items found on Bond and Bowery, rest assured that “all merchandise on the site is fully reviewed by experts for authenticity, and validated according to artist, creator or period”. Because new merchandise is posted weekly, you’ll never get sick of seeing the same items again and again.
Unlike other antiques websites available today you really see a difference in the type of website the owners of Bond and Bowery are trying to run, expressed best by what Evans had to say about their site and their business:“Were committed to being an exclusive website dedicated to representing the finest antique and fine arts dealers in the world. My main goals are to introduce the buyer and seller with an easy no hassle transaction so that one doesn’t have to spend countless hours searching for what they want! Bond & Bowery is a clean and non-cluttered site, one that is merchandise focused and not loaded with annoying ads and overwhelming content that distracts a client from making a purchase. We encourage our dealers to offer their best merchandise at the lowest price—so we don’t need to have sales; our items are already priced very reasonably. Bond and Bowery’s focus is customer and dealer centric, always continuing to build strong relationships. We know that our visitors come to buy goods as opposed to reading articles on the site.”
According to Evans, Bond and Bowery is growing fast, and doesn’t show signs of stopping. They plan to maintain both their cutting edge technology and their high level of customer service all while keeping merchandise pricing in line with the economic times. A recently launched feature of the site is DealerDirect, which enables buyers to submit requests for specific items they are looking for and have been unable to find on the site or elsewhere, allowing busy designers to tap into the larger inventories that many dealers possess but can’t always show at once. Other great features are in the plans to continue making the shopping process easy, less time-consuming and enjoyable! 
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Mixed and Inspiring Glass of Caleb Siemon
We talk a lot about the past here on the Swank Lighting blog, and with good reason! Past designers like James Mont, Gio Ponti, Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames as well as others have influenced current design immensely and still remain a source of inspiration to design lovers and homeowners alike. We also talk a lot about current designers making waves in the field too, like Jonathan Adler and Nate Berkus. Well, we came across a contemporary glass artist whose art has clear influences from the past, but also a definite eye towards the future.
Caleb Siemon’s work doesn’t look futuristic or alien, but there is something so simple and postmodern about his hand blown glass pieces, that it’s clear Siemon is working on a new mix of old and new in his designs. Officially established as a glass blowing studio in 1999, Siemon’s talent has quickly propelled him to an international stage, gaining him attention from artists of all media.
As many talented artists usually begin, Siemon showed signs of excelling in art and creative endeavors at an early age, first dabbling in ceramics and jewelry. At a summer camp one year he was introduced to glass blowing, and it was obvious he had found his passion. He studied glass blowing at the Rhode Island School of Design starting in 1993, and soon was traveling the world studying the art in countries like New Zealand, Japan and Scotland as well as around the U.S. and Hawaii. He graduated with a BFA in glass blowing and a strong knowledge of contemporary glass blowing from many cultures.
After graduating he got the opportunity to apprentice with world famous master glass sculptor Pino Signoretto in Italy, and there began not only learning about the old ways of glass blowing, but genuinely appreciating and being inspired by them. With that love of the old art techniques he opened up his studio United Glass Blowing in 1999, to be an Italian inspired glass blowing studio that revered and learned from the old methods while continually working on discovering new ones. Famed artisans like Loris Zanon and others continually visit his studio, sharing their techniques of the old art and inspiring Siemon to translate them into new ideas.
Looking at Siemon’s 2009 line, it’s obvious he’s taken a note or two from the past. You can see in his work the influences of past glass artisans like perhaps even Anzolo Fuga, who he shares a love of color and patten with. There’s a familiarity to characteristics like the curves of his vases and bowls. But looking at the colors he imbeds into his pieces, there’s a deep layering that could remind you of perhaps geological strata in rocks. And just like geologists look at the layers of the earth to view our past and consider our future, so too can one view Siemon’s work to see both the past and the future of glass blowing and glass art.
Siemon’s new and old glass translations have garnered him attention and accolades from around the world, like in 2001, when he was recognized by the Italian studio Salviati by returning him to Italy to design a limited edition series. He also gets attention from television, newspapers and magazines, like Interior Design, Esquire, Luxe, and House Beautiful---to name a few. You can see the full list of his press, as well as information on the galleries, stores and museums you can view his work in person on his website calebsiemon.com
Caleb Siemon’s work doesn’t look futuristic or alien, but there is something so simple and postmodern about his hand blown glass pieces, that it’s clear Siemon is working on a new mix of old and new in his designs. Officially established as a glass blowing studio in 1999, Siemon’s talent has quickly propelled him to an international stage, gaining him attention from artists of all media.
As many talented artists usually begin, Siemon showed signs of excelling in art and creative endeavors at an early age, first dabbling in ceramics and jewelry. At a summer camp one year he was introduced to glass blowing, and it was obvious he had found his passion. He studied glass blowing at the Rhode Island School of Design starting in 1993, and soon was traveling the world studying the art in countries like New Zealand, Japan and Scotland as well as around the U.S. and Hawaii. He graduated with a BFA in glass blowing and a strong knowledge of contemporary glass blowing from many cultures.
After graduating he got the opportunity to apprentice with world famous master glass sculptor Pino Signoretto in Italy, and there began not only learning about the old ways of glass blowing, but genuinely appreciating and being inspired by them. With that love of the old art techniques he opened up his studio United Glass Blowing in 1999, to be an Italian inspired glass blowing studio that revered and learned from the old methods while continually working on discovering new ones. Famed artisans like Loris Zanon and others continually visit his studio, sharing their techniques of the old art and inspiring Siemon to translate them into new ideas.
Looking at Siemon’s 2009 line, it’s obvious he’s taken a note or two from the past. You can see in his work the influences of past glass artisans like perhaps even Anzolo Fuga, who he shares a love of color and patten with. There’s a familiarity to characteristics like the curves of his vases and bowls. But looking at the colors he imbeds into his pieces, there’s a deep layering that could remind you of perhaps geological strata in rocks. And just like geologists look at the layers of the earth to view our past and consider our future, so too can one view Siemon’s work to see both the past and the future of glass blowing and glass art.
Siemon’s new and old glass translations have garnered him attention and accolades from around the world, like in 2001, when he was recognized by the Italian studio Salviati by returning him to Italy to design a limited edition series. He also gets attention from television, newspapers and magazines, like Interior Design, Esquire, Luxe, and House Beautiful---to name a few. You can see the full list of his press, as well as information on the galleries, stores and museums you can view his work in person on his website calebsiemon.com This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Dynamic Shelves!
Perhaps one of the most underestimated pieces of furniture in a space is the shelf. Ridiculously useful, the shelf can hold books, accessories, art or a delightful arrangement of all three. While a simple piece of wood bolted to a wall can do the trick, finding a shelf that speaks for itself will add volumes to a space. We've found five shelves that would add a lot more than just storage to a room.
1) Pair of Rare Paul Evans Cityscape Shelving Units An interesting shape, coupled with two really unique materials and combined with the fact that there are two of them, these shelves from the 1970s would make an awesome statement to a space, and probably hold some neat things, too. Huge and self-standing, these two shelves are not to be underestimated!
Price: $18,000
Dealer: Full House
2) Pair of Orange Metal Industrial Shelves From the Mid-Century era, these gorgeous industrial shelves would make an amazing addition to a space. Adjustable, they are flexible enough to handle any of your storage needs. And their awesome orange color means they'd be a statement themselves!
Price: $5,600
Dealer: Andrew Spindler Antiques
3) 19th C. White-washed French Pine Vaisselier You don't have to have an ultra modern space to be able to have an awesome shelf for your room. A rustic room or a room with many wood antiques would benefit from this gorgeous piece. In fact, a shelf doesn't even have to be called a shelf to add storage to your space, as evidenced by this vaisselier.
Price: $4,250
Dealer: Wirthmore Antiques
4) Paul Evans Chrome & Brass Cityscape Console With Mirror Not to pick two items from the same artist, but Paul Evans knew how to make a shelf! This one is a wall-mounted console paired with a mirror and combined with an unstoppable pattern. You wouldn't even have to put anything on this shelf to make an impact in a room.
Price: $4,800
Dealer: Assemblage
5) Vintage White Secretary Cabinet If you've got a Hollywood Regency styled space and have been on the lookout for a gorgeous and imposing storage piece, this is the one for you. White, glossy and with sumptuous details, this would be a great way to display all sorts of treasured home decor items.
Price: $5,850
Dealer: Pieces
Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great pieces!
1) Pair of Rare Paul Evans Cityscape Shelving Units An interesting shape, coupled with two really unique materials and combined with the fact that there are two of them, these shelves from the 1970s would make an awesome statement to a space, and probably hold some neat things, too. Huge and self-standing, these two shelves are not to be underestimated!Price: $18,000
Dealer: Full House
2) Pair of Orange Metal Industrial Shelves From the Mid-Century era, these gorgeous industrial shelves would make an amazing addition to a space. Adjustable, they are flexible enough to handle any of your storage needs. And their awesome orange color means they'd be a statement themselves!Price: $5,600
Dealer: Andrew Spindler Antiques
3) 19th C. White-washed French Pine Vaisselier You don't have to have an ultra modern space to be able to have an awesome shelf for your room. A rustic room or a room with many wood antiques would benefit from this gorgeous piece. In fact, a shelf doesn't even have to be called a shelf to add storage to your space, as evidenced by this vaisselier.Price: $4,250
Dealer: Wirthmore Antiques
4) Paul Evans Chrome & Brass Cityscape Console With Mirror Not to pick two items from the same artist, but Paul Evans knew how to make a shelf! This one is a wall-mounted console paired with a mirror and combined with an unstoppable pattern. You wouldn't even have to put anything on this shelf to make an impact in a room.Price: $4,800
Dealer: Assemblage
5) Vintage White Secretary Cabinet If you've got a Hollywood Regency styled space and have been on the lookout for a gorgeous and imposing storage piece, this is the one for you. White, glossy and with sumptuous details, this would be a great way to display all sorts of treasured home decor items.Price: $5,850
Dealer: Pieces
Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great pieces!
"Wino" Home Decor
Those who know me well (or maybe even slightly), know I like a good glass of wine. In fact, I may have been known to manage my WW points during the day to ensure I could have a glass of wine in the evening. Not every day, just some days.
Here's the "French" version of it from FCL Style, $995.
$20 at Napa Style
I'm still not sure I'm entirely convinced. What do you think?
-Emmie
Anyway, wine is near and dear to my heart and I've been struck lately with wine bottle accessories- not the accessories one might put on a wine bottle or glass, but rather the home decor items that use wine bottles.
Perfect example- Pottery Barn's Wine Bottle Chandelier for $400. Now if someone were to read the description to me, I honestly think I might shudder in horror. However, having seen it in their recent catalog, I'm actually quite taken with it.
Here's the "French" version of it from FCL Style, $995.
The FCL one is probably a little bit out there for me, but I think I could do the PB option.
Speaking of changing one's mind, I used to think Bottle Trees were completely Redneck. I mean who in the world would collect used bottles and stick them out in their yard? It wasn't until very recently, when I learned the history, that I began to appreciate bottle trees more. In case you don't know the history-
Eudora Welty collection (another Welty reference!), Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Felder Rushing offers the most complete history I've seen. Most references suggest bottle trees began in the African Congo around the 9th Century AD as a means of capturing bad spirits and protecting the home. Felding's research suggests that bottle trees actually originated much earlier and farther North. African Slaves, "imported" to this country, brought this idea with them and the superstitious Southerners (I think mostly Southerners) adopted it. And he features a fabulous passage from Euroa Welty's Livvie short story on bottle trees.
Here is a nice example from At West End, a lovely catalog/website I recently discovered, for $29.
Napa Style has a few options that make use of one's own bottles. First, the plant nanny.
$20 at Napa StyleNot sure how I feel about those.
If you *must* do the whole wine bottle candle thing, this is a better option-
Vino Luminoso from Napa Style, $28.
or this one from Sundance:
A totally differnet style- recycled wine bottle coat rack, Uncommon Goods $75.
If perhaps you have just that one special bottle, enlist the help of the Flat Bottle Co.
I'm still not sure I'm entirely convinced. What do you think?
-Emmie
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