One of my favorite spaces in the “Enchanted Estate” house (that I mentioned last time) is this amazing circular library. It is a two story space ringed with beautiful mahogany bookcases with a domed ceiling. There is an intricate iron balcony at the second level that is supported by beautiful cast iron columns and a cast iron balustrade. The patterned steel floor panels of the balcony give the space an old-world industrial feel which contrasts with the rich natural woodwork. The floor panels were made from large steel plates using a CNC (computer controlled) laser which cut the decorative patterns.

The picture is of John Kiernan’s painting for the ceiling. John said that the owners were interested in creating a scene that would portray something of American history and the great American spirit of discovery. Something that reminded her of the books she had read as a child.

John says of the piece: “My vision was to give it the feel of the face of a grandfather clock with a gilded compass rose.”
It is adorned with detailed images that include Native Americans, Galileo, Christopher Columbus, and the Wright Brothers. The painting even incorporates a night sky with constellation patterns illuminated by fiber-optic lighting, identical to the same night the homeowners were married. “It was amazing to see their faces as the mural progressed,” he recalls. “The most exciting time was when the scaffold was removed and the ceiling was able to be viewed in its entirety.”
For more on John’s work and the decoration of ceilings in general, take a look at the Washington Spaces article: http://www.washingtonspaces.com/2008/3/articles/above-and-beyond

Another friend, artist Jan Kirsh, is showing some of her amazing “fruit and vegetable” sculptures in the garden of the Inn at 202 Dover in Easton, Maryland during the Waterfowl Festival week (beginning November 12th).

Jan’s work is pretty amazing, not at all what I would imagine when thinking of sculptures of fruit and vegetables. When I was an art student, I made paintings and sculptures of bowls of fruit, but Jan’s are completely different. Some are realistic renditions at larger than life-scale, others creative interpretations- all with a subtle sensual quality – completely unexpected for a leek! If you can get over to see her display, you will not be disappointed.

You can see more of Jan’s work at: www.jankirshstudio.com