Monday, August 24, 2009




I have posted images from Nashville, Indiana previously on my blog. The "Muddy Boots Cafe" post was also from Nashville.

Often it is hard for me to judge whether or not these type of posts are of interest or not to the readers of the blog...if you haven't been there, if you have no memories connected with an area...is it interesting...or is it only because of a period in past that I find it interesting and is of no consequence to others? That is hard for me to gauge.

In the 80's, my wife and I went through this artistic surge for some reason. It is hard to say why it surfaced...became all consuming...and faded after about 10 years but it was a great ride. We designed and created pictures made out of old woodlaths ...the old wood strips behind plaster walls. We ended up with about 70 designs and also had prints made of them.

The shop in the picture is "The Olde Bartley House" in downtown Nashville. We sold our work through here. The first time we entered the old house...we were caught up in not only the merchandise and artwork they sold but the atmosphere within. The most unique part of the experience was the music...music that drew you in and transported you to another time...another place while you were there. Each room had it's own music that faded from one room to the next. It was truly a unique place to visit. Our pictures were displayed along the wall beside a beautiful staircase going up to the 2nd floor. It was a great period of time for us...both sharing a part of the success of the pieces...I cut the pictures...she painted them...we both designed the scenes. So much has changed since then...but this is something that each of us shared with each other...like the quote from the old movie..."We'll always have Paris".

28 comments:

Sunny said...

Be still my heart! That is absolutely gorgeous!
I enjoy reading and learning about other areas.
Sunny :)

Heather said...

I like the house. My home, growing up, was a yellow house (you know how much I like yellow). The first photo is quite a special piece, isn't it? Special to have, to share and have shared.

Nice post, Dan :)

septembermom said...

Really beautiful how you shared your creativity together. Love the shop picture. I know that I would find it an interesting place to visit. By the way, your posts always interest me :)

Anonymous said...

These are wonderful! I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I love learning about other places so what you post is always interesting to me.

DawnTreader said...

Thanks for sharing! With your words and pictures combined, you do make your memories come alive even to people who were not there at the time. That house looks and sounds like the kind of place I'd love to visit. In the 80's and still! And we do go through phases, don't we... Interests, favourite artforms, fading in and out of our lives... Still the past will always be a part of now. I'd love to see more of the "wood" part from the name of your blog! :)

Dan Felstead said...

Sunny...Nashville is only about 3 street wide but it seems to draw some very creative artists from around the area and surrounding states. Nice place to visit in the Fall.

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Heather...yes it was a fun time for the both of us during those "Woodlath" days!

I once lived in a yellow house as well...I will put up a post of it at some point.

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Septembermom for the nice comment. I appreciate the feedback...sometimes when we post...there is always that nagging question...Will others find this post interesting?

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Tricia..I enjoy seeing your part of California as well...quite different than the Midwest!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...My blog went a different direction than I imagined. In the beginning I was going to post some of my woodwork (thus "Wood" and pixels) but the photography took off and I have never looked back! I appreciate the comments.

Dan

Cynthia L. H. said...

I've always admired that kind of art. It's amazing that you did that! SO intricate---it is wonderful that you shared that together.
;^)
LOVE the colorful house!
;^)

Lynda Lehmann said...

Sounds to me like it was a wonderful time of excitement and sharing!

Dan Felstead said...

Cynthia...we sold the wood pictures and shipped them worldwide...we were also approached by Country Living magazine to do a layout of our work but had to commit to the possibility of hundreds of orders from the article...that scared us since they were all handmade, we couldn't commit to that...they were very time consuming. We later moved and we stopped making the pieces but it was an interesting adventure while it lasted.

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Lynda...as I told Cynthia...it was a very interesting time for the both of us! How is your remodeling coming along?

Dan

jennifer black said...

Very cool---and certainly of interest. How neat of a memory--and thing to have done.

Lesley said...

This certainly is of interest.The building is beautiful and quite unlike anything we have here.I would love to live in a vanilla yellow house like this!

Dan Felstead said...

Jennifer, thanks for stopping by...hope things are going well with the "butterflies"!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Hazydaisies...
It is interesting how different countries other than one's own often hold a special allure...I know it does for me and Scotland is one of those countries for me.

Dan

DawnTreader said...

Dan, besides being a good artist, photographer and narrator, you're also more faithful than most when it comes to answering comments. Much appreciated! However, it struck me when looking back in my own blog just now, that I wrote a post there last week that was inspired by a comment from you on the photo blog; but it's probably to expect too much *even from you* that you'd find your way to it without a 'pointer'... Here it is, in case you didn't see it already: http://islandofvoices.blogspot.com/2009/08/coffee-traditions.html

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...thanks for the heads up...I just came from your blog and commented! I like the Swedish traditions better than espresso any old day!

Dan

DawnTreader said...

Dan, thanks for visiting and commenting. As for the question you left in the comment on my blog post - yes, I'm Swedish. (I wrote this answer at my blog post but I still had yours up in a separate window so I thought might just as well come back here and paste it in here too...) I studied English at University level (am formally qualified to teach it although for various reasons I did not work many years as a teacher). I started reading books in English when I was around 13 and have kept on doing so for 40 years. I've also always listened to it a lot. In my teens I spent some summer holidays in the UK. We also always get the original soundtracks to movies and TV-series in Sweden, with subtexts - no dubbing.

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...I have long wondered about you and the language. Often one can pick up slight clues now and then when reading English posts by someone who's native language is different from English but never so with you. Your English is perfect, use of slang, and spoken (written) in conversational speech. I was a French major and I know that when I speak or write French...it sounds institutional...not conversational. Thanks for answering the question...didn't mean to pry!

Dan

Sunny said...

Hi Dan,
My comment was actually directed toward your amazing wood art work.
The house is lovely too.
Sunny :)

Dan Felstead said...

Sunny...I am blushing! Thank you so much for the kind words. I will post more of the wood pictures we designed in the future. Thank you again.

Dan

DawnTreader said...

Dan, because the internet is such a very public place, I chose not to put too many personal details into the easy-access-profile. As you yourself point out, it is also not always self-evident what may be of interest to one's readers. Comments from followers is one way to learn! With people I get to know, I don't mind sharing a bit more. By the way, I recently added an email address to the profile.

As for the language, I know what you mean. I am also formally qualified to teach German, but I have not kept that language up half as well as English. (Not to mention French which I gave up in my late teens.)

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...I agree...the internet is a wonderful place but in the wrong hands...it can devour you. Your grasp of languages amazes me. I noticed that as well when I traveled to Europe years ago. I was struggling to major in French...while in Europe...it seemed everyone spoke at least a second language and it was no big deal. Disheartening for me...it was a major effort just to learn the basics!

Dan

paperwhite said...

I love how colorful it is!

Dan Felstead said...

Paperwhite...thanks for the comment. It is truly a unique house and every room inside has a different theme.

Dan