Art Deco, Memories of Silver Grille, and a Pin

Sometimes it is just amazing to sit down with a box of beads and some wire, and my crochet hook…. magic happens. Other times it is like a famine of inspiration. Thankfully everything fell together in a way that felt electric when I worked on my brooch that pays homage to the art deco era.

In my world of exposure to art and styles of art one of the first things I remember is the delicate organic style of Art Noveau, popular at the turn of the last century and made famous by the french posters of that day. Art Deco followed, and became a more geometric stylized response to the industrial age. The Empire State Building is perhaps the poster child for Art Deco. Or anyone who spent time at Higbee’s Department Store in Cleveland, Ohio will remember the multitude of deco elements found throughout the building, culminating in the restaurant known as the Silver Grille, which oddly now still exists as a venue to be rented out for special events.
Those geometric forms are breathtaking, and perhaps evoke the past, with a sense of style and elegance lost to our generation. I think the Silver Grille reminds me of days as a child where I was dressed in my sunday best, including white gloves and a hat. Shopping was an occassion to dress up. And shopping was an all day adventure of looking, and dreaming, trying things on, and celebrating time spent with special people. In our day shopping is much more like an abbreviated task of checking off items on the list… grab it, pay for it and go. I long for the extravagance of time spent, of celebrating life, of allowing time to look, to wander, even if you bought nothing. Perhaps that is why Art Deco speaks to me in a unique way. Now you know the story behind this piece.

Images in Bloom will be setting up our tent and shop this saturday, July 9th at the Mantua Art on the Hill festival from 10a to 5p. The event promises 50 artists, multiple musicians, and eateries, and lots of fun. And there is even a raffle for valuable prizes. Hope you can stop out. See the facebook page “Mantua Art on the Hill” for full details.