The next time you're looking for something interesting and inspiring to do, consider attending an art show. It's a great way to appreciate and support the creativity and hard work of the artists involved.
Last week, my operations manager, Matt Krack, attended the second annual Nameless Art + Design Show in New York City. This show focuses on the works of unknown American makers between the years 1600 and 1970. Two dozen dealers from around the country participated in this year's event. Many of the pieces exhibited were utilitarian such as furniture and business supplies. There were also paintings, sculptures, textiles, and children's toys - all made by unknown, little-known, and possibly forgotten crafts people.
Enjoy these photos.
The show was held in Chelsea, a downtown neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan. While it is largely residential, it is also a center for art and includes more than 200 different galleries.
This booth was presented by Warren Battle based in Hudson, New York.
Among Warren’s pieces was a carved and painted owl decoy with shotgun shell eyes. It was made in the early 20th century.
This is a 19th century folk art wooden horse toy made with a real horse hair tail.
Another toy on display was this wooden elephant with movable legs surrounded by other wooden animal friends.
Matt picked up this piece – a charming berry box. Also made by hand by someone unknown.
Other works were by little known craftsmen. This antique miniature cut-paper silhouette is signed by TB Gray, circa 1866. This fine work was presented by Portmanteau Antiques. Paper cutting art was referred to as a “scherenschbitte,” which is German for ‘scissor snips.’ The practice began in the United States with German immigrants in Pennsylvania.
This piece caught Matt’s eye. It was shown by dealer Cathy McLaurin and John Osorio Buck of Labor and Glean who noted that it was purchased in Alabama, but nothing was known about the artist who made it. The entire piece is painted and decorated – even the undersides.
This piece was shown by Adam Irish, Antiques & Americana. The designer is unknown and shows a half man – half lighthouse wooden sculpture.
Scott Filar and Joy O’Shell had this fun object – a business promotional sign for Family Protein Centers. It was built using scraps – dowels, a toy, individual glass letters, and wood. It focuses on the nutrition pyramid of the 1950s which included eggs, meat and milk.
This was from the Evan Grant booth – a steamship etching on coal, circa 1920. Perhaps the artist was a sailor who carved it during his service on the ship.
On the wall, Evan displayed handmade, and well-used game boards.
Aarne Anton displayed this handmade cabinet on the left clearly marked with “keep out” and “medicine” with drawings of a horse and skeleton, possibly used for veterinary and other large animal remedies. On the right, handmade invention drawings and sketches from 1936 through 1956 done by Stephen Gecik Gessig.
This piece is a handmade clam basket from Maine, offered by South Road.
On this handmade wooden table – a blue ceramic sculpture of a woman on cardboard.
This piece is from South Road Antiques. It is a concrete woman decorated with glitter from the late 19th century. It was found in Connecticut – maker unknown.
Also from South Road Antiques – a group of whimsies in the style of Wilhelm Schimmel. The carver is noted to be from Pennsylvania.
Other objects included these small figurines – wooden and articulated, possibly toys, but very detailed.
This toy truck was created with very detailed axels and wooden sides. Notice the seats – they’re even “upholstered” with scraps of carpet.
And this was salvaged from an Odd Fellows Lodge, an international fraternity. Visitors to this establishment would write on small tags and hang them from this handmade stand.
And this bird was made by Joseph Bernier, a French-Canadian lumberjack who was crippled by a fallen tree accident and started carving to support himself and his family. He wasn’t a well-known artist, but some of his pieces have been shown in museums and other antiques shops.
The weather has been very erratic this winter. Today we're expecting a mix of sun and clouds with gusty winds developing in the afternoon. Yesterday, we had almost no wind, temperatures in the high 40s, and a fresh three-inch coating of light, fluffy snow.
After this latest snowfall, I was out early, before 6am, to plow the four miles of carriage road that meander through my property. The snow stuck to everything - the tree branches, the fences, and all the burlap-covered urns and boxwood shrubs. By afternoon, some of it had melted as temperatures climbed into the high 40s. We're expecting more precipitation in a couple of days and cold, freezing temperatures next week - winter is not going anywhere just yet.
Here are some of the latest snow shots, enjoy.
It was cloudy most of the day, but the sun was there peeking through the clouds.
This snow was quite light and fluffy. This type of snow is caused by colder temperatures leading to less moisture in the air.
Here’s the front of my stable before equine hooves walked through the courtyard.
The snow outlined the drainage grates perfectly.
Here is one of three Blue Atlas Cedars sent by a devotee this summer. It is planted in the north end of my living maze.
And look at this mature azalea. In spring, it is filled with bright pink blooms – now, its branch tips are white with snow.
Azaleas go dormant during winter, allowing them to tolerate the colder temperatures more easily.
Here is the sunken garden behind my Summer House – it looks so different in winter. This snow system covered the burlap almost completely. I’m thankful the snow was light and did not weigh anything down on my precious boxwood underneath.
These apple trees are original to the farm. I call them my “ancient” apples. They still produce an abundance of fruit in the fall.
And here is my half-acre vegetable garden now in slumber.
The privets are holding strong this winter. They do not need any added protection. In fact, they serve as a strong windbreak for other more sensitive evergreens in my maze.
All the evergreens in this maze are doing well. I am looking forward to planting more rows come spring.
Watching all the activity – my handsome peacock. This is one of my “blue boys” perched on the fence top – he has quite a view.
After it snows, my crew sweeps the snow off the burlap that covers most of the boxwood here at the farm. This time of year, I am very relieved the hedges and shrubs are protected. Heavy snow could splay the branches.
Tracks in the snow – I wonder what kind of feathered friend made these.
This corn crib has been here since I purchased the farm. Located near my Winter House and long pergola, it’s become a favorite photo for guests. The allée of lindens runs perpendicular to the Boxwood Allée that leads to my stable. The snow also piled on the 100-year old white spruce fencing I purchased in Canada.
My donkeys, Truman “TJ” Junior and Jude “JJ” Junior don’t seem to mind the winter weather at all. Here they are snacking on hay at the manger.
And here are my big gorgeous Friesians, Hylke and Geert. They would always choose time in the great outdoors regardless of the season.
This is my snow-covered stone yard, a place where extra inventory of the many types of stones used at the farm are kept – slate shingles, marble flooring, granite posts, etc.
The snow clearly marks the rooftops of all my chicken coops.
Nearby are the young boxwood shrubs in what I call the “nursery.” These small shrubs were planted as bare root cuttings. Now they are about a foot tall and just as wide. I will nurture them for several years before transplanting them to their more permanent locations.
Hard to miss the stand of eastern white pine trees, Pinus strobus. They can be seen from many vantage points at the farm. A lot of snow had melted by afternoon. Let’s see what the next storm brings.
Here in the Northeast, citrus season is just about over, but I still have an abundance of delicious fruits growing here at my farm.
Citrus fruits come in a variety of flavors - sour, tangy, and refreshingly sweet. Among the most recognizable are oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. Less known are the smaller members of the citrus family, the calamondin and the kumquat. I love them all and find it so satisfying to walk into my citrus hoop house and see them thriving.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Less that two weeks ago, I harvested a bucket full of delicious citrus fruits. Citrus season in this region typically peaks from November to January, but I still have lots of fruits growing so nicely in my hoop house.
My citrus hoop house is located along the carriage road not far from my chickens. The citrus will stay in this structure for about seven months until the temperatures outside reach about 60-degrees Fahrenheit.
Citrus plants dislike abrupt temperature shifts and need to be protected from chilly drafts and blazing heaters. Dwarf citrus trees require at least eight to 12 hours of full sunshine and good air circulation to thrive.
I have many lemon trees. The Meyer lemon was first introduced to the United States in 1908 by the agricultural explorer, Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a sample of the plant on a trip to China. Citrus limon ‘Meyer’ is my favorite lemon because this thin-skinned fruit is much more flavorful than the ordinary store-bought. I love to use them for baking and cooking.
And this dark green familiar citrus fruit is the lime, often used to accent flavors in various Mexican, Vietnamese, and Thai dishes. Limes are also rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
The navel orange is a variety of orange with a characteristic second fruit at the apex. This variety developed by a mutation in an orange tree, and first appeared in the early 19th century.
These are Minneola tangelos. These fruits are a cross between a grapefruit and tangerine. The skin of the tangelo is typically bright orange and juicy, with a sweet-tart taste.
And these are ruby grapefruits, known for their vibrant color and high lycopene content.
Citrus flowers are either solitary or clustered – and one can practically smell their beautiful aroma.
But watch out for any thorns. Some of the most common citrus trees to sport thorns are Meyer lemons, most grapefruits and key limes. Thorns provide protection from predators, specifically hungry animals that want to nibble away at the tender leaves and fruit.
It’s important to store the plants so none of them touch. This prevents a lot of diseases from being transferred from specimen to specimen.
In my hoop house, I am able to take advantage of vertical space, propping up some specimens on tree stumps to maximize storage while also keep trees from touching.
Citrus trees also prefer to be kept in humid environments.
Blood oranges are known for the deep blood-red color of their segments. The fruit gets its pigment from the antioxidant anthocyanin, which is also found in raspberries and cherries. Depending on the variety, the blood orange can be sweet or tart.
The Valencia orange is a sweet orange variety named after the well-known oranges in Valencia, Spain. They are juicy and have a sweet and tangy flavor.
Calamondin, Citrus mitis, is an acid citrus fruit originating in China. Calamondin is called by many names, including calamondin orange, calamansi, calamandarin, golden lime, and musk orange. The fruits of the calamondin are small and thin skinned. Its juice can be used like lemon or lime to make refreshing beverages, or to flavor fish and various soups.
Also small is the Nagami kumquat, Fortunella margarita – the most commonly grown type of kumquat. The tree is small to medium in size with a dense and somewhat fine texture. These trees are quite cold-hardy because of their tendency to go semi-dormant from late fall to early spring. Unlike other citrus fruits, which have thick, pithy rinds, kumquat peel is thin and soft, and perfectly edible.
And this is a beautiful Citrus limon ‘Ponderosa’ or ‘American Wonder Lemon.’ The plant produces a thick mass of highly fragrant flowers, which become tiny lemons. The lemons get bigger and bigger, often up to five pounds and bigger than the palm of one’s hand.
My gardeners check the citrus house every day to look at the condition of the plants, water or feed them if needed, and pick any fruits when they’re ready.
It is actually quite easy to grow citrus indoors as long as it can be kept in a sunny windowsill or in a bright corner of a room. Hope this inspires you to try it and enjoy your own juicy, nutritious citrus fruits.
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