It truly is in the flaws that beauty can be seen.
Taking your discarded furniture and giving it new purpose is more than a hobby...it is a passion!
Pearle Northrop
Artist Statement
It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I started taking what I do seriously and it took even longer to consider myself an artist. I love to paint whatever I can get my hands on from things as small as a Scrabble® piece to as big as a dresser and hopefully even bigger someday. Whatever it is I will paint it. I love transforming trash into treasure literally. Imagine that a chair that came from a dumpster (2006) made it into a museum (2009). It blows me away to think that something I did creates a sense of awe in a viewer’s eye.
I was talking to a friend a few years back about my love for furniture, my relationship with chairs in particular. There was a chair that I found discarded and ultimately forgotten. I came upon this chair accidentally. I wasn't looking for a relationship. Anyway, the chair was a very handsome chair with so many things to look at. His back was decorative; his arms were long and lean. His legs...I have never seen such beautiful legs. But he was beaten down. His self-esteem had long been worn out. His seat, which was repeatedly upholstered over years, was torn and faded. His stuffing was busting out revealing his age and loss of pride. Me, being a care taker and rescuer of sorts....picked up the chair and brought it home. He sat at the top of the stairs for a few weeks in a corner. My friends however saw this chair and commented on how ugly he was. They wondered why I had him in my home commenting on how dirty he was and how unattractive he was due to the years of neglect. I ignored them and kept him around. Finally one day I decided to put him on my coffee table and take the layers of cloth and wool stuffing off of his seat. Then I cleaned him, primed him and painted him black. Three months later I sat back and looked at him and this is what I saw.....A chair, a man restored...but not only restored but given a whole new purpose. He was beautiful again. He was unique and wonderful....The same chair that my friends were grossed out by....is now a chair that they ask permission to touch. Amazing.....One thing is for certain...NOTHING STAYS THE SAME! Change is inevitable and what is ugly or dirty or discarded as trash can be saved, can be rescued and can be made shinier than new!
Taking discarded forgotten pieces and giving them their self-esteem back is a passion for me. Living in a world where we discard things so easily I’d like to think I am making an itty bitty difference.
I started painting this pepper mill while watching TV the other night. I just started painting the dots and after a while it just started to fill up. I really dig this pepper mill. I love the light yellow, spring green and melon Orange combination. I think it gives it a fresh look. I don't know....most of the time the pieces I dig the most aren't as impressive to Others. I so dig this though....and if I could afford my own art I would so keep it!
It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I started taking what I do seriously and it took even longer to consider myself an artist. I love to paint whatever I can get my hands on from things as small as a Scrabble® piece to as big as a dresser and hopefully even bigger someday. Whatever it is I will paint it. I love transforming trash into treasure literally. Imagine that a chair that came from a dumpster (2006) made it into a museum (2009). This blows me away to think that something I did creates a sense of awe in a viewer’s eye.
I was talking to a friend a few years back about my love for furniture, my relationship with chairs in particular. There was a chair that I found discarded and ultimately forgotten. I came upon this chair accidentally. I wasn't looking for a relationship. Anyway, the chair was a very handsome chair with so many things to look at. His back was decorative; his arms were long and lean. His legs...I have never seen such beautiful legs. But he was beaten down. His self-esteem had long been worn out. His seat, which was repeatedly upholstered over years, was torn and faded. His stuffing was busting out revealing his age and loss of pride. Me, being a care taker and rescuer of sorts....picked up the chair and brought it home. He sat at the top of the stairs for a few weeks in a corner. My friends however saw this chair and commented on how ugly he was. They wondered why I had him in my home commenting on how dirty he was and how unattractive he was due to the years of neglect. I ignored them and kept him around. Finally one day I decided to put him on my coffee table and take the layers of cloth and wool stuffing off of his seat. Then I cleaned him, primed him and painted him black. Three months later I sat back and looked at him and this is what I saw.....A chair, a man restored...but not only restored but given a whole new purpose. He was beautiful again. He was unique and wonderful....The same chair that my friends were grossed out by....is now a chair that they ask permission to touch. Amazing.....One thing is for certain...NOTHING STAYS THE SAME! Change is inevitable and what is ugly or dirty or discarded as trash can be saved, can be rescued and can be made shinier than new!
Taking discarded forgotten pieces and giving them their self-esteem back is a passion for me. Living in a world where we discard things so easily I’d like to think I am making an itty bitty difference.
Looking Forward to Saturday: Spring/Summer Open House at Melissa's. Going to be a great day! Check out Melissa's ETSY store: Click here for Melissa's Etsy Store She has fun and fantastic things!
Nearly everything I have created lately will be available Saturday...
The Butterfly Table will be on display at the Danforth Museum: June 12- August 8th
Dear Pearle,
Congratulations! Your work, Butterfly, was selected for A Community of Artists 2010 Annual Juried Exhibition, which will be on view at the Museum from June 12 through August 8, 2010. Danforth staff selected your work as one of 144 pieces from 800 works submitted by 452 artists. The quality of work was very high and the judging very competitive. You are to be congratulated! Please send your resume, artist’s statement, and a high resolution image
I totally dig these moons...I can't seem to find these anymore. I am always looking but for now....these are my last two. I really love painting w/ rich vibrant colors....the sort of colors that ignite something inside...like a sense of wonder. xoxox
I painted these wood pieces yesterday. I actually had fun painting these...Little and sweet. I may be influenced by the wonderful sights of green out my window....Spring. Spring is such a lovely time of the year and makes me a bit whirly twirly and somersault happy! xoxox
Charms: $32 each
I worked hours on this ornament. It was lovely. I had it out in my living room because looking at things painted blue w/ white glittered paint makes my heart happy. I like when my heart has flutters of visual happiness....the strange part of this is that when it fell yesterday and shattered on the floor, I wasn't angry or even sad. The strange part about it falling and busting into hundreds of pieces made me feel a burst of joy. What a bizarre emotion to feel when something I worked so hard on falls to its end. So I grabbed a camera and took a photo because I wanted to savor the moment longer than it actually lasted...I watched it all happen as if it were slow motion....it fell from my hand, hit the dresser top, rolled and fell....and POP it burst. It was a mundane itty bitty experience that I dug.
I am nearly finished w/ this but wanted to share it before its absolute completion.....not much is left to do on it other than dots and then a few coats of polyurethane.
It will be lovely when it is finished and although simple...I am really digging it.
I recently rediscovered pictures of my grandparents....from the 1940's. My Grandfather was the love of my life and every time I think of him....my heart thumps! He was by far one of the most loving human beings in my life...
I have started painting new barrettes and I am thinking they will be pretty cute. I am also working on some other little things. These will be available soon at the Five Crows Natick at $20.00
This wonderful moon is such a groovy thing to hang in a child's room or anywhere actually.
And then....there was a purple Pepper/salt mill. I really dig this one!
Clip boards..I decided to make the clip boards bright and lovely. Something to add a bit of unique grooviness to an otherwise pretty boring useful thing.
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot won the 114th Boston race Monday, finishing in 2:05:52 to shatter by 82 seconds the course record set by four-time winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, who’s not related. I dig this picture of him passing me because both of his feet are off the ground. I think it makes him look light as air!
I asked Reagan to turn and smile...and this is what I got...Reagan's cute face w/ runners behind...perfect...what I didn't plan for was the Mini-mouse dressed male runner to come along! Excellent.
I didn't paint today. I was distracted by the constant flow of runners who passed through my town. We had wonderful seats.
