clarabellanyc.com

Hi folks;)

Hope that you’ve all been having a lovely holiday so far! I’m sure you’re all in the midst of New Year’s plans - either for a big night out or a big night in. I hope that you all have a fantastic time either way!

I know I said that I would be open for a few hours tomorrow, but this week has been rather slow, so I’m opting to stay closed tomorrow. If you’re looking for some last minute bling for your New Year’s party, give me a call (646-221-3479) and I’ll see if I can come in to meet you. Otherwise, I’ll be back at the shop for full on normal hours on Jan. 2.

so… Shop is closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Happy New Year to you all!!

Best Wishes,

Erin

Hi All -

Sorry for any inconvenience, but I have to adjust my hours for tomorrow. Rather than opening at noon, I’ll be opening at 2pm. If the evening allows, I’ll stay open a little later to make up for the delay;).

Hope you all had a lovely holiday and are looking forward to the New Year. I’m working on my resolutions… Maybe I’ll even post a few of them here… we’ll see!

Take Care,

Erin

Just a friendly reminder of my Holiday Hours… I’ve made a few adjustments, including staying up an extra hour on Sunday, Dec. 30 and opening up from 1pm - 5pm on Dec. 31 for all of those fabulous last minute New Year’s Eve adornments!

See you soon!!

HOLIDAY HOURS
December 23 thru December 26
CLOSED

December 27 thru December 30
12pm to 8pm (even on Sunday!!)

December 31
1pm to 5pm (for those last minute NYE accessories!)

January 1
CLOSED

Starting January 2nd, normal hours will apply.

Good Evening Ladies and Gents -

Please allow me to introduce the latest addition to the Small Packages art display at Clarabella, Graham Slick. Graham is a friend of mine - someone I’ve known for about a year now. When I first saw these pieces from far away, I thought maybe they were wood burned pieces. When I asked Graham he told me that they’re actually all made out of Wiggle Eyes. In my mind, that made the pieces about 100 times better! I’m sure we all remember those from our kindergarten days - making googly eyed monsters and other saavy creations. Graham’s use of a childhood wonder to create these highly artistic pieces is nothing short of fabulous. Small pieces are going for $80 and the long large piece is $280. You’ll have to see these ones up close. Maybe I’ll even take one down and shake it around so you can see the eyes move;). Available for the full length of the show, until January 24.

Thanks!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!!!

I hope you’re all enjoying the week. At least we made it through the sleet and the rain and the snow! From what I hear from home, there was a big ol’ blizzard that blasted through Maine, essentially guaranteeing a white Christmas! We haven’t had one of those in a while, so needless to say I’m fairly excited. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll already know that the shop will be closed from the 23rd to the 26th. Lucky for you, I’ll be staying open extra late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week for you last minute shoppers! To help things along, I’ve created a handy little gift guide for you with a range of prices and some pretty fantastic items. If you’re in NY, come on down. If you’re outside of New York and see something you just MUST have, give me a call. I can ship to arrive by Monday the 24th up until Friday at 3PM.

So… to recap:

Special EXTENDED Hours
12/20, 12/21 and 12/22
12pm - 10pm

WILL ship to anywhere in the US for Monday delivery up until Friday at 3PM. 

Shop closed from 12/23 - 12/26

Holiday Gift Guide Below

Hope to see you soon!! xxoo

I don’t normally do this, but right now, I just can’t resist!! I just found out that my old college roommate Melissa and former post-college roommate John just had their very first child, Molly Doyle. I saw a picture and she is absolutely stunning and I’m just so happy for them I actually just teared up a little. Jeez… is this what happens when a gal passes 30;)? So, tonight’s last thought before heading home is a full hearted Congratulations to John, Melissa and little Molly Doyle. You guys are amazing and I miss you. I’ll be thinking of you and can’t wait to see you soon!!

xoxo

A few shots of the artwork currently on display for your viewing pleasure:)

ABBY MANOCK

LISA META GRIFF

BAILEY SALIWANCHIK

NATALIE COX MEAD

KELIY ANDERSON STALEY

MICHAEL PAIGE GLOVER

LISEL ASHLOCK
Price List:

CLICK image to view large scale…

I will not be put off by mother nature’s sneaky ways…

It may be rain/sleet/snow time today, but tonight’s event will still go on! That hot cider (maybe spiked, maybe not) is going to taste extra good if you make your way through the chilly air to get here. The trek is worth it!!
Come join us tonight for good times;)

E

My entire day brightened when Mr. Dana Chin stepped through the door earlier today! I first met Dana when he was DJ-ing with my friend Angeline (AKA A-List) a few years ago. They used to work together at Goldman Sachs and then one day Dana took the leap and left to start BYLU - a line of fine jewelry - with friend and business partner, Ken Leung. Their creations are absolutely stunning and can be found a few select spots around the city, including Steven Alan. BYLU is now the latest line to hit Clarabella. Check out their fine jewelry here and run (don’t walk) to see me at the shop to see the slightly lower priced (but no less stunning) line. See below for a more extensive bio on Dana and Ken. Welcome guys!! I’ll get pictures of the currently featured items up tomorrow if I can;).
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BYLU (pronounced: Blue) is the story of two friends Ken Leung and Dana Chin who, through a series of fortuitous events, found jewelry making as an outlet for their creative expression. Ken: born in Hong Kong, grew up listening to his dad talk about gemstones and jewelry with the same fervor that his friends’ dads talk about cars and sports. Dana: born in Farmington, Maine, grew up under the influence of is parents creative process (Father a printmaker, and mother a painter and social worker). In 2003, inspired by the fashion scene and the urban attitude of New York, Ken and Dana started BYLU together with the hope of bringing a new perspective to fine jewelry. Their first collection was a mini spring collection based on the aesthetic of dry flowers, and prepared them somewhat for what’s to come. In 2004, through a chance introduction by a mutual friend, they met fashion designer Doori Chung, whose energy and enthusiasm about her work galvanized Ken and Dana and encouraged them to continue exploring their ideas. Doori too was excited about the prospect of turning her aesthetics into jewelry, and several dinner conversations later, the three decided to collaborate together to make a collection for Doori’s runway show (Spring ’05 - the same year that she was first nominated for the CFDA award). The collaboration with Doori actually turned into a two year long experience in fashion jewelry, and provided the platform and experience that gave way to Ken and Dana’s first fine jewelry collection in 2006, the Isis collection. BYLU designs and hand-produces all their work in New York City. Since its inception, BYLU has been featured in the editorials of Vogue, Jewelry W, Marie Claire, WWD, DailyCandy and others. In 2005 and 2007, Ken and Dana were named GenArt accessories finalist.

[text courtesy of BYLU-nyc.com]

Good things come in small packages. Isn’t that how it goes? Maybe the person who made that up was referring to jewelry, but in this case I’ve decided that it refers to art. Sure, you could buy a huge piece, but they tend to be more pricey. For the small NY apartments, what could be better than a small original piece for a fraction of what you’d pay for a large one in a Chelsea gallery. So…

SMALL PACKAGES
Artist Reception/Opening
Thursday, December 13, 2007 from 6 to 9pm

Please join me in welcoming a group of incredibly talented and diverse artists to little ol’ Clarabella. Seven artists have contributed works to the latest show and to celebrate, we’re hosting a party. There will be wine, cider, snacks and hoards of fun people to talk to. All pieces are roughly 12” x 12” and under and are available for purchase for $300 and under. Purchased pieces can be taken home starting at 9pm on Thursday evening… Just in time for the holidays. What could be better than an original piece of art for a gift for your best friend/mom/dad/sister/boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife this holiday season. And if the art isn’t enough, all other gifts at Clarabella will be available at 10% off. It’s time to get the shopping started:). See you Thursday!!

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CLARABELLA is pleased to present SMALL PACKAGES, the very first group show to arrive since the shop’s opening earlier this year. Curated by owner Erin Whelan with the help of seven emerging New York artists, the show features an eclectic collection of small works. The artists were restricted only by size and price and were then left to their own creativity. The result is a stunning and unique display, one not to be missed.

Illustrator and painter Natalie Cox Mead creates depth and space with layers of charcoal on wood. Painter/Photographer Michael Paige Glover gives life to the cherry blossoms of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Screen printer Lisa Meta Griff uses words and urban images to enhance the texture of silk and canvas. Illustrator and painter Lisel Ashlock shares stunningly realistic images with a dream-like quality. Multi-media artist Abby Manock creates intricate and brightly color pen drawings that suggest chaos as order. Painter Bailey Saliwanchik pulls a subtle and alluring beauty from the female form. Photographer Keliy Anderson-Staley captures country landscapes with a historical eye that speaks of times past.

Against the norm, all pieces are available for immediate purchase and will not be held through the show’s end. Price list available upon request.
For more information on each artist, please scroll down…

Individual Bios:
Lisel Ashlock was born in Northern California. She studied Illustration at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. In 2004 she exchanged West for East and moved to New York City where she currently resides as a freelance illustrator, vigorously devoted to creating new images from the world around her.

An accomplished illustrator, Natalie Cox Mead has produced numerous pieces for national and regional magazines, book publishers, record labels and various other clients. She moved from Nashville to Brooklyn earlier this year. Many hours are spent digging, weeding and pruning in her city garden oasis, often at night.

Like a true artist, Michael Paige Glover’s interests stretch far beyond his training. Though his focus is on painting, you might also find him taking photographs, researching storyboard techniques, admiring modern illustration or praising the many visual delights this glorious city has to offer. The photos now on display at Clarabella represent that magical time in Spring when the cherry blossoms bloom and everything seems right in the world. Glover captured the flowering buds at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens against a perfect blue sky.

Lisa Meta Griff, creator of ThreadCount Art, is a new artist to the scene. Her passion for words, fabric, colors, urban graphic and design all come together in her mixed media fabric wall hangings. Lisa had her debut show in February 2007 showcasing her fabric and paper work with her signature silhouette girl with an earring on vinyl, a sell out piece. Since then, Lisa’s art has evolved as it now incorporates more computer graphics and fabric layers, still using motivational sayings and words along with found objects and jewelry. She believes in the power of words and aims to inspire and motivate through her art. Lisa believes art is all around us - it’s a matter of how you see it and use it.

Born in 1977, Keliy Anderson-Staley received a BA from Hampshire College, MA and an MFA from Hunter College, NYC. Keliy teaches the tintype photography process at The Center for Alternative and Historic Processes in NYC, at Hampshire College, MA. Keliy is currently developing a series of tintype portraits through the AIM program at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, and is completing “Off the Grid,” a book of color photography that documents Maine families living in owner-built homes with alternative forms of energy.

Abby Manock’s work is not specific to any one genre. In addition to her drawings, she designs and creates multi-media performance events which take place in both traditional and non-traditional exhibition spaces. Currently her work is on display at Gallery Diet in Miami, Florida where she will be performing during Art Basel. She received her BA from Colby College in 1999, a Post Baccalaureate Certificate from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in 2003, and her MFA from Columbia University in 2007. She lives and works in Brooklyn.

Bailey Saliwanchik was raised in the deep woods and swampy fields and blue skies of Maine, emerging with a belief in plant magic and the enchanted female. She loves books by Tom Robbins, the history of symbolism, gin, curls, and pumpkin muffins. She dreams in large buildings with small rooms. Her work is borne of intuitive visual construction and a desire to pull beauty from the mess of subconscious stew. She exposes the insides and underneaths and secrets of her subjects, considering the history and process to be the most defining facets of her portraits. She is based in Brooklyn, NY and is currently working with priestesses and the significance of sets of three.