Sunday, 4 June 2017

Lemons aren't the only fruit


I am not going to talk about the latest London murders.

Cro sent me this picture of a bit of stonework on a New York building which looks so strikingly like the pear-tree surround decoration that I've shown you a few dozens times, that it genuinely shocked me to see it.

I originally wanted H.I. to design my pear trees, but when I left her to it with a correctly proportioned sheet of paper, I returned home at the end of the day to find she had drawn a single pear, so I did it myself. I drew it out in about 15 minutes and I am very pleased that I have not knowingly seen the above, although I did visit N.Y. a couple of times, so it could be unconscious plagiarism. Put it this way, if I had been writing a medical paper and it bore such a resemblance to an already published one, I would be struck-off.


See what I mean?
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30 comments:

  1. The Weaver of Grass4 June 2017 at 03:20

    I will not srike you off - I think your is the more beautiful.

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  2. Britta4 June 2017 at 03:51

    Beautiful!

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  3. Rachel Phillips4 June 2017 at 04:05

    I like them both. Yours has a breath-taking presence in the room. The NY one is decorative and has its place in architecture. I cannot explain it any more than that but I hope you know what I mean.

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  4. Cro Magnon4 June 2017 at 04:55

    By the way, this came from Frances's NY blog. I believe the frieze had just been restored.

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  5. Jacqueline @ HOME4 June 2017 at 05:16

    There are similarities but there is a difference .... yours has a contemporary look to the pears I think. Both beautiful ..... you're a clever old thing aren't you ? XXXX

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson4 June 2017 at 05:18

      They're supposed to be 17th century!!!

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    2. Jacqueline @ HOME4 June 2017 at 06:58

      Oh sorry !!!!! Bad Jackie comment !!! Maybe pears were smoother in the 17th Century !!!!!! I will go and stand in the corner !!!!! XXXX

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    3. Tom Stephenson4 June 2017 at 10:44

      Look closer. The NYC fruit are lemons - hence the title...

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    4. Jacqueline @ HOME4 June 2017 at 12:15

      I think I'll write today off as far as comments are concerned .... I'm obviously not with it today ..... please don't hold it against me ... or maybe hold it against me , it might help !!!! XXXX

      Delete
  6. Anonymous4 June 2017 at 08:12

    It's lovely, Tom, a really beautiful feature in the room. If I had the money I'd commission you to do something for us!

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson4 June 2017 at 10:43

      If I had the money I would make one for myself.

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  7. Frances4 June 2017 at 08:18

    Tom, I admit I did a double take when scrolling through this post when i saw a picture from my blog. I wish that when I walked past that brownstone a few Sundays ago, and took the picture I had remembered seeing your own beautiful carving.

    I am not sure, but think that the panels on the brownstone might have come from some sort of mold...that's why the seams between the panels are awkward. Maybe the mold was cast from an original carving...from somewhere. Don't know. The panels have been installed recently.

    I have seen teams working on similar decorative projects around the neighborhood, some even on my street. That's why I think molds might be the method used on 108. Once the cement (or whatever substance is poured in to the mold is hardened, the elder craftsman of the team does the finishing touches. I think these teams might be Indian, but am not sure.

    Small world again. xo

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson4 June 2017 at 10:41

      Oh, they are cast are they? Interesting.

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    2. Frances4 June 2017 at 16:55

      Think so, Tom. If you like, I could go back and take a few close up views for you. Let me know.

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    3. Tom Stephenson5 June 2017 at 01:41

      Normally with architectural carving like that, most of it is done in the workshop then trimmed-in when it is fixed on site. I think this is what happened when you saw them being worked on. They look like carved stone to me, not modelled and cast.

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  8. Iris4 June 2017 at 08:36

    If I see something in a magazine or online that I 'had' first, I always say: "Bitches be stealing stuff!"
    I still think that your mantel is a thing of beauty. Part of the genius of it is that it's pears!

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson4 June 2017 at 10:41

      The pears were the only specific part of the brief.

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  9. Joanne Noragon4 June 2017 at 08:42

    An artist told me once, there is nothing new under the sun. It's simply a matter of great brains at work.

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    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson4 June 2017 at 10:43

      A famous composer whose name I cannot remember once said, "Composing is remembering a melody which nobody else has thought of." I think that is just brilliant.

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  10. Bea4 June 2017 at 14:26

    Your work is beautiful. (As is the nyc work.) The pieces do look related. Amazing!

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  11. AK Coldweather5 June 2017 at 20:05

    Your piece has more of a balanced simplicity that appeals to me. The other, while lovely also, is a touch busy.

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