Private Collection

When George and I moved in to our first home we had a painting commissioned by a friend of mine who studied at the same school as I did in London- brilliant artist he is! It's about 2 meters long by 1 meter tall with a plethora of colors, arrows, patterns, directional strokes, abstracting the London under ground. To me it is absolutely gorgeous, however when George saw it the first time he thought as complex as it was it was lacking a story. I mean anyone could have painted it, George seemed somewhat let down. I was quite upset with him that he couldn’t seem to see the same extraordinary piece of art work that I was. He asked me to tell him what I saw …

This painting was made for us, the artist chose every color, every stroke and pattern. Strategically he thought through each and every color that hangs on our wall, it is perfectly his, his thoughts, his aptitude, his brilliance and emotions. Each night while working did he hum a tune, drink a glass of wine, cry, laugh or anxiously await tomorrow’s exam? What was his reasoning, what story does it depict?

We could easily have this painting re-done however it would lack a certain brilliance, lustre and aura.This piece tells my story while travelling and studying in London and Europe; my memories both fond and frustrating. This work by Aaron is incredibly special, it is the first piece of artwork George and I purchased for our first home together in 2008.  Just as we chose our sofa, lamp and rug, it’s the artist’s perception that makes an artwork so special. Whether art is created by Michelangelo, Donatello, your father or 3 yr old nephew; it deserves respect, deserves to be admired, studied and attempted to be understood. Even if your interpretation is incorrect the fact that you attempted to understand makes art worthwhile. With that being said I wish to show you our private art collection. Each piece chosen for no reason other than it makes sense; we love these pieces and want them to go through life with us; grow old with us. They have become apart of our home, will be part of our children’s home; each piece has a story and is now part of our story. Everyone should have their own private collection; purchase works that speak to you. Art shouldn’t be acquired solely for the purpose of investment, if you love it and enjoy looking at it every day then I suppose it was the best investment you ever made. These are a few items from our collection...x0

                                          London Under Ground- A. Norton (London)

                                                        Boats in a Harbor - (Japan)

                                            Aphroditi and Eros - Carrie Allen (Canada)

                                                  Coin Relief - Carrie Allen (Canada)

                                                        Oil on Canvas - (Europe)

                                                Oil on Board - John Dickerson (London)

                                                 Mixed Media - Noor Al Sabah (Kuwait)

                                                Portrait of a Lady - Oil on Canvas (Japan)

Understanding Art?

People always ask why I love art so much…why did you move across the world to study it. Why are you so moved by it? Answering this question is rather difficult but I will try my best.

Art for me is priceless. Art makes me feel full, alive, sad, helps me better understand the human condition but most of all encourages me to feel. That may sound completely outrageous and somewhat over exaggerated. The truth is, Art should and can be that experiential for everyone, it should make you feel, make you want and help you gain perspective. Art speaks many languages, it welcomes interpretation and best of all has no distinct definition.

Take a moment and look around your home, each and everything you have chosen to decorate your personal space has been created by an artist. Someone in this world designed that stool, that pencil, that toothbrush, that sculpture, that painting and so on. You have in your home a piece of intelligence that isn’t yours, it’s someone else’s creation that you received as a gift, inherited from a family member or purchased. We are all artists of our own lives; we design, create and surround ourselves with things which help to put our thoughts and personalities in to 3 dimensional objects.

Art is priceless because it is the purest form of creation, like literature it tells a story that is uninterrupted and ever changing. If art is priceless how can it be sold worldwide for millions of dollars a year? How can a self portrait of Andy Warhol sell at Sotheby’s for $20 million USD? I suppose it’s the story behind the work, the history, the evolution of the artist and their struggle to be heard. Maybe it has to do with the fact they were working on pieces which were inspired by a different time. An artist’s instinctual spirit to create and ability to be heard brings the viewing audience back to their roots; it’s humbling. Art is an avenue for discussion, conflict and can even silence the loudest viewer. I think the artists works that sell for millions of dollars all have one thing in common; they created something worth having, displaying and studying; they will continue to tell a story far longer than we are here. Below are some of the most expensive artworks ever sold and then there are the artworks that remain priceless. Ask yourself which artist is more desirable and could you put a price on your favourite painting?

                                        Jackson Pollock No. 5- Sold 2006 $140 million

                                    Andy Warhol 8 Elvises - Sold  2008 $ 100 million

                                       Titian Diana and Actaeon - Sold 2009 $91 million

                                    Mona Lisa 1503-1507  Leonardo Da Vinci (Priceless)

                          Creation of Adam 1510- Michelangelo Sistine Chapel (Priceless)

                               Pieta Michelangelo 1498-1499 San Pietro Vatican (Priceless)

                            Pieta Florence The Deposition Michelangelo 1547-1533 (Priceless)

Friends from afar

This blog has really made me realize just how many friends I have all over the world. At times the world can feel like such a huge place. It can be overwhelming, isolating and frightening. Yet recently I feel like the world isn’t so large after all.
Tonight I spoke to friends in Amman, Paris, Beirut, Texas, Edmonton and of course Calgary. I think when we are feeling homesick, alone or miss friends and family we should stop to think just how connected each of us is. We are fortunate enough to live in a generation which is very advanced, enabling us to communicate with one another literally 24 hours a day. Between facebook, twitter, Black berry messenger and so on... we can keep in touch with people no matter where they are.
I do miss the days of receiving letters though; it was so exciting to receive a letter from a friend, pen pal or  Birthday card from Grandma. Now, email and social networking sites have taken over the joy of opening a handwritten letter. A few months ago I came across paperless post. It’s an e card company with a little more personal touch! You can truly personalize your card or invitation with beautiful envelopes, fonts, messages and even add stamps. This way when the recipient opens your card it's personalized, interactive and super cute. Please check out their site www.paperlesspost.com or better yet find some delicious stationary and write a friend or loved one. The following are some of my favorite stationary collections, thoughts ladies...

                                                    Kate Spade - katespade.com

                         Christian Lacroix - Chapters, Indigo, selfridges, specialty stationary stores 




                                                     Vera Wang -  williamarthur.com

With that my lovely friends sleep well! x0x0
 

                                                                           

                             

Exquisite Elie

I know that fashion shouldn't be all a woman cares about but surely we can dream a little...
One of my favorite designers is the fantastic Elie Saab. The Lebanese designer has truly found his place amongst the couturiers of the world. Elie has gained a name for himself amongst other renowned fashion designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Marchesa and Monique Lhuillier.
I can’t quite decide why I adore him so much; I suspect it has to do with all the delicate details of each and every gown he produces. They appear almost angelic, organic and transcend their time. Each ruffle, adorned sequin, plunging neckline and effortless beauty seems to create a sort of dream on the runway. I could quite literally sit with a glass of wine and watch his runway videos all day long. The marriage between off the shoulder necklines, soft flowing trains and open back gowns is truly exquisite, it’s ethereal. The way his gowns flutter and glide down the runway leaves you wanting more. Even though this video is from the Spring Summer 2010 collection it has become my favorite. I think when a designer of this calibre produces such unique pieces we too can find inspiration to be more feminine, more relaxed and more confident.
Please take a moment to enjoy the enchanting Elie Saab and let me know if he inspires you as well...

Flash Mob's

As many of you know I am an art historian by trade. I completed my degree in Art, Design and Media from an American University in London, England. I miss going  to galleries, museums and in particular hearing about flash mobs. Flash mobs were one of my favourite components of the art scene in London. I remember the first one I read about in Time out magazine where a group of people went to the famous Trafalgar square in London and on the same day, at the same time each participant opened a yellow umbrella while staying silent and still; frozen for a few minutes together.

 It may seem like such a strange occurrence to be interested in but it is one of the most uniting, cerebral experiences that can happen to a group of strangers. For the most part the art followers who get involved usually begin by following a particular cause and make a very public display amongst the masses. For those who find themselves caught in a flash mob and not part of the crowd participating how humbling it must be. Questions would fill your head such as: It seems I forgot my yellow Umbrella today, or why are these people all frozen in time, or why are they dancing around and why don’t I seem to know the choreography? All these feelings and emotions are present in a flash mob. Flash mobs usually take place in unassuming locations like train stations, shopping malls, famous squares and so on. Please take a look at these flash mobs so you can see what I mean. I would love to organize one at some point with a crowd of 1000 people who come from all over the world, total strangers united for just a few minutes. How truly fabulous it would be!

Introductions

I was recently inspired to create this blog after thinking about how much I love writing and reading other blogs about fashion, cooking, travelling and relationships. I have always loved writing and have put off a blog for quite some time. The idea of writing about everything and anything is very exciting to me!
You may find the title of this blog slightly entertaining so let's start there...
I am now Greek and married to a fantastic, incredibly handsome, hardworking lawyer named George. I still remember the first night I met him almost 5 years ago. It was St. George's day ironically and that same night I met about 20 other Greek guys named George. Turns out it’s the most popular name in Greece for men.
By origin I am not Greek but have European roots with my parents being German and Swedish. Who knew that 25 years ago when my parents named me Talia (Greek Origin meaning Goddess) I would end up marrying the man of my dreams, a Greek; named George.
So why create a blog which pays tribute to your husband?
George is very wise, caring and knows me better than I know myself. He loves my friends, supports my passions, provides a beautiful life for both of us and even helps me purge my closet when it gets to full. In turn I do all I can to make his married life as fun and relaxed as possible. I love cooking, recently learnt to clean with more vigor and do my best to take care of him 24/7.  The real reason for naming this blog as such comes from the realization that without George I wouldn’t be able to have the life I do now. I wouldn’t have been able to study art in Florence, Sienna and London, I wouldn’t be able to volunteer instead of work and I definitely wouldn't be writing this blog right now! I think each of us has someone in ourlives who inspires us, whether its a husband, family member, sibling or friend. I hope this blog will inspire you to travel, learn about art, cooking, fashion and relationships.

I have attached a couple photo's so you can put a name to a face, these are from our Big Fat Greek Wedding which was in September 2010.

Much Love, Talia