The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

Laundry Art: Who Knew?

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(Pic #1) “Zelda” (Zebra) by Helga Stentzel Yes, it’s basic laundry, with a twist.

Creative Drought? Look around the house.

Her canvas — is a clothes line. Her materials? Shirts, pants, towels and socks —  and a keen eye for shapes and story. Helga Stentzel’s “Clothes Line Animal Series” cleverly breathes life into everyday objects. With her magical touch — clothespins and cotton weaves — landscapes transform into a whimsical menagerie of animal characters, each with their own personality.

Stentzel is a Siberian-born multidisciplinary artist based in London.  She says her art is about “finding magic in the mundane.” She says she hopes her work will help us connect with our inner child, and “savor the little visual delights.”

(Pic #2) “Laundrosaurus” by Helga Stentzel

(Pic #3) “Camella” (Camel) by Helga Stentzel

(Pic #4) Polar Bear by Helga Stentzel

(Pic #5) “Pegasus” by Helga Stentzel

(Pic #6) “Smooothie” by Helga Stentzel

Old Cars — Stunning Scars

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(Pic #1) Inspiring color palette found on the side panel of a 1960s station wagon. I spotted this one at the Side Street Café in Newbury Park, Cal.

New life emerges from the weather-beaten shells of American classics.

It’s one of my favorite things: discovering patterns, textures and color shifts on cars and trucks who’ve seen better days.  I love what Mother Nature has predetermined for these ever-changing works of art. I find that the more worn and scratched, the more personality they show. Sometimes they even help me conjure up a composition and color scheme for a painting. There’s something so rich and exciting about oxidizing auto paint. (Yes, I’m painfully aware of how seriously pathetic that sounds.) I hope you give these sweet rides a fresh look — and you too can develop a super keen, very satisfying,  lust for rust.

(Pic #2) Side panel of a 1954 Chevrolet. Spotted in Los Feliz, Cal. Photo by Josh Kaplan.

(Pic #4) Photo by Josh Kaplan

(Pic #4) Detail, wheel well, 1949 Dodge pickup. Photo by Josh Kaplan

(Pic #5) Dodge 1949 pickup, Ojai, Cal.

The Unexpected Art in Urban Decay

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(Pic #1) Brooklyn surprise. Weathered wall and signage —  instant abstraction.

It’s a legal high I can’t fully explain. While I’ve had the opportunity to visit some of the most extraordinary museums all over the world, there’s nothing like discovering an exciting image on weathered urban walls, sidewalks, or curbs. There’s something I love about “unintended” art — the kind that appears with age or years of neglect.

(Pic #2) One of  Jackson Pollock’s early  1950s “Black paintings.”

The above “painting” I suspect started out as a parking sign glued to the building in historic Red Hook, Brooklyn. The white curvy lines would be where the glue was placed. What makes this work for me is the contrasting background colors of dark blue and black. Also, that the unpainted top beige strip appears inside the painting as well. It’s almost as if the whole thing was planned.

The next place my brain visits is my mental catalogue of key images in art history. Truth is, I don’t need to liken one decrepit old wall with a legit artist — but it just happens in my head. It just might be a way to “justify” my find.

In this case, I took a deep dive back into the work of abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock, who made a series of black-and-white paintings before he became known for his multi-colored “action” or “drip” works.

The lesson, each time I explore the streets of any urban landscape, is that art is in fact, everywhere.