Some of my work

Week before last we had Concourse d Elegance, which is organized by the Mercedes Benz Club and the Jaguar Association. I had one of my cars in the show; all the prep for the show and then the show itself was pretty hectic. I am glad my car won the Best in its class, though I participated just for the sake of fun. This weekend I planned to be lazy, and did not do any work for a new post.

I got this idea today to post some of my work. I paint, though I have not painted anything since last summer. But thought to share some of the previous work.  Enjoy!

Mercedes CLK DTM Acrylic on canvas (Private collection)

Mercedes Gulwing Acrylic on canvas (personal collection)

Jaguar XJ220 Acrylic on canvas (private collection)

190SL Acrylic on canvas (Private collection)

Mozart Acrylic on canvas (personal collection)

Contemplation I Acrylic on canvas (personal collection)

Contemplation III Acrylic on canvas

Mystic Spin Acrylic on canvas

Credits: Paisley curtain

Dreaming Carmel by the sea...

It has been very hot here for last few days, it is 89 already at 10:30 in the morning. Temperatures are inching towards 100 F. I am dreaming of Big Sur, especially  Carmel by the sea. Just looking at these pictures cool me down by a few degrees, hope will help you cool down too.

Credits: carmel by the sea rentals, google, concept cars, super cars, usa pictures, etc

Corner Chairs

Do these chairs really have to be in a corner? The historic use suggests corner chairs were used in dining rooms, as desk chairs, as writing chairs, as smoking chairs and barber chairs.  Another fact that comes to light is, corner chairs were mostly used by men. It is said corner chair was designed to accommodate men wearing a sword. But in real life it is pretty difficult to sit on a corner chair with a sword.

Corner chairs are also called the roundabout chairs, these chairs became popular in England in the early 1700s and were out of fashion by early 1800s. During this period these chairs came to the American colonies. Since these chairs went out of style by the early 1800s, some experts say that is why none of the corner chairs are in Federal style.

My corner chairs are not in a corner

We have a pair of corner chairs, I discovered in a very sorry state at a local antique store. Even after couple of price reductions, no one dared touch them. My wife and I loved the chairs but knew it was a lot of work. Finally we bought these and I spent a week on them. They had to be reassembled, and reupholstered, it took me a week to do that, but the outcome is great. These chairs are very comfortable and support the back very nicely. 

18th C. Queen Ann corner chair

18th C. English corner chair

A Chippendale corner chair c. 1765

Art nouveau corner chair

1860s English, oak corner chair

19th C. Angle-Indian corner chair

20th C. Louis XV corner chair

Hand painted Norwegian corner chair

Dutch colonial corner chair

19th C. Baroque corner chair

2009 White corner chair made of knit rubber tubing 

Credits: dictionary.com, 1stdibs, google etc.

Tent Pegging

Tent Pegging is a sport of cavaliers with roots going back to centuries BC. The exact origins of the sport are not determined but some sources say it dates back to 326 BC in the North Western province of India and Afghanistan. It is for sure the sport is originated in Asia.

There are two widely accepted theories about the term "tent pegging". One that it was a training tool for the cavaliers in India. They trained to stab the sensitive part of war elephant's foot behind the toenail. This stabbing caused the enemy elephants to run back into their own ranks and trample infantry.

Second theory is that cavaliers practiced tent pegging to use it in a surprise pr-dawn attack on enemy camps. Pulling the tent pegs of enemy tents caused the tents to collapse.

In tent pegging, a rider galloping on a horse back with a lance or a sword pierces and picks a wooden peg from the ground.

These days tent pegging is practiced around the world but is more popular in Australia, India, Israel, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa and UK. In 1982 the Olympic Council of Asia included tent pegging as an official game. In 2004 the International Federation for Equestrian sports, recognized it as an official equestrian discipline as well. Since 2008  tent pegging games remain centered in Asia and Middle East.

A sketch depicting tent pegging during "British Raj" in India

Tent pegging in Asian games

Asian games

Rider dressed in traditional dress of Punjab 

Great shot of horse and rider in action

Getting ready for the competition 

Tent pegging with a sword

Horses are decorated with colorful scarfs

Credits: Google etc.

Colorful June AD

Iris Apfel's apartment

June 2011 issue of my Architectural Digest has been sitting on my table for almost a month, buried under a pile of papers. It was only yesterday I discovered the magazine and went through it, what a pleasure. Since the arrival of Margaret Russell the magazine has freshened up, no doubt at all.

The medley of color in the June issue starts at the Osbourne's LA home, continuing through Manhattan apartment by David Kleinberg , Connecticut house by Alexa Hampton, peaks at Iris Apfel's Manhattan apartment.

Apfel is an icon, her apartment is iconic too, who else can get away with so much color?  


Osbourne's home by designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard

Living room

Sitting area 

Central atrium

Manhattan apartment by David Kleinberg

Family room

Family room from a different angle

Bedroom

Connecticut home by Alexa Hampton

Living room 

Family room

Iris Apfel's Manhattan apartment

Apfel in her living room

Library

Entry

Picture credits: Architectural Digest