GERHARDT RICHTER - LANDSCAPES AND PANORAMA

On the cover of the Monday, February 20th copy of the New York Times, Gerhardt Richter, one of the world's finest living painters gets a review of his new retrospective show in Berlin. Titled "Panorama," the show is a comprehensive look at the artist's work of the last 50 years and has lengthy lines of fans waiting in freezing temperatures for a glimpse at his famous canvases. But it's not just a case of a well-known artist getting his due, it's also a curious study of how fervent an artist's following can become in the face of a body of work that sees enormous sums paid for it (one painting fetched 20.8 million dollars last November at a Sotheby's auction).

When asked how he feel's about all the hubbub surrounding his work and the public reaction to it, he does admit that it's all a bit "absurd". But the staggering talent simply can't be denied. There is a startling degree of realistic perfection in his work (from a distance, some might resemble actual photographs) while still utilizing a heavy dose of abstraction and modernism. The total effect is one that is can only be described as "Gerhardt Richter."

In stock now at The Field House is Richter's famous 1970 collection, "Landscapes". This is the second re-issue of the book and the first to expand it to include work from subsequent decades. "Panorama" is up through May 13th at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin.

Blackbird Books - Gerhardt Richter: Landscapes
176 pages

DETAILS: Richter's approaches to landscape are various indeed, yet uniquely and recognizably his. The first edition of Gerhard Richter: Landscapes was published in 1998; it quickly sold out, was reprinted in 2002 and rapidly went out of print again. This new edition is the first to expand on the 1998, and brings us up to date with Richter's enduring fondness for this subject.

$60

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THE O.C.D. GUY AND ART COLLECTOR GIRL SITTING IN A TREE...

What to get your O.C.D. boyfriend and/or art collector girlfriend for Valentine's Day...

For him:

Roost - Horn Pencil Cup

DETAILS: Time to get organizized. Section of horn that has been sanded, polished and fitted with a base to create this unique pencil cup. Maybe the toughest looking way to organize a pen and pencil collection yet. Approximately: W 3" H 5"

$12

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Behance - Action Book

DETAILS: Like making to-do lists? Behance is the brand for you. The Action Book's cover is a unique suede-to-the-touch hard cover. The pages are made of 80lb Premium Blend paper with a subtle texture (30% post-consumer recycled), printed full bleed, double perforated, and three-hole punched between both perforations for maximum flexibility.

$18.50

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For her:

Bodum - Eileen 8-Cup Gold Coffee Press

DETAILS: For coffee lovers, the french press is widely known as the best and greenest way to prepare coffee. Knowing this, you've simply got to admit that Bodum's art-deco-esque 24 carat gold plated Eileen 8 cup coffee press is a coffee lover's dream come true.

$49.95

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Blackbird Books - Mark Morrisroe

DETAILS: Mark Morrisroe was an extremely prolific performance artist and photographer within his short lifetime. He founded Dirt Magazine, performed in drag as Sweet Raspberry (a character of his own creation) and pushed the early limits of x-ray, polaroid, and zerox as art. By the time of his death in 1989, he had turned a dark and tragic childhood and adolescence (he was born to a drug-addicted mother and began hustling at 15) into a prolific and stellar body of work.

$65

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BACK IN BLACK: RESTOCK RECAP AT THE FIELD HOUSE

Pretty soon, we'll be inundated with new spring 2012 products. In the meantime, we've restocked many of our most popular items at the The Field House. Here's a recap of some of the recent revisits. If you've been waiting patiently for any of these from the last time we ran out, now is the time to act. And if you have any questions or need further assistance, hurry on up and email us at info@blackbirdballard.com or give us a ring-a-ding-ding at 866-500-2524.

Comme Des Garcons - Monocle Scent Two: Laurel
1.7 oz.

DETAILS: Woods meld with the green, citrus, and spice to form a crisp edge, and the most beautiful note of all, violet, offsets that edge with a floral sweetness that's definitely in the background but does a phenomenal job tying everything together. Made in France.

FRAGRANCE NOTES: thyme, lemon, grey pepper, cinnamon leaves, galbanum, bay laurel, violet, patchouli, oak, cedar

$120

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Malin+Goetz - Dark Rum Candle
9 oz.

DETAILS: The Dark Rum Candle is synthesized for its natural, warm notes and general well being. Modern and dynamic, this rich rum candle burns on its own and is beautifully paired with our Mojito Candle, creating a unique blend and perfect sensory balance tailored to an individual or couple, complimentary to our skin care and fragrance systems.

FRAGRANCE NOTES: Notes: Top notes of bergamot and plum; middle notes of rum and leather; base notes of amber, patchouli, and milk.

$48

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Blackbird Books - Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen
240 pages

DETAILS: Welcome to Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen - not so much a place as a philosophy. Here food isn't formal or fussy, just focused, with recipes that honor Italian tradition while celebrating the best ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Every page of Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen captures the enthusiasm, humor, and imagination that make cooking one of life's best and most satisfying adventures. It's got to be good - but it's also got to be fun.

$35

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Ballard Bee Company - Honey Jar
12 oz.

DETAILS: BH honey's unique taste comes from the bees visiting in and around our Ballard neighborhood. Foraging pollen and nectar from the diverse plants that thrive in our local gardens and parks. Ballard Bee honey is unfiltered and raw so you can taste and appreciate all of the hard work these girls have done throughout the season.

$13

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NEW AT BLACKBIRD: THE WAY WE LIVE WITH THE THINGS WE LOVE

This latest addition to the The Way We Live series, The Way We Live with the Things We Love, looks at hundreds of creative and stylish interiors decorated with personalized objects and artifacts.

Divided into eight sections, the book showcases Gilles de Chabaneix's incredible eye for detail and knack for photographing telling personal objects displayed in a multitude of places and cultures - from the display of expensive and cherished antiques to the imaginative use of found objects.

Within each section are highly detailed photographs of inspiring interiors that make the book a truly evocative encyclopedia of the art of making the most of what we treasure the most.

Blackbird Books - The Way We Live With The Things We Love
DETAILS: Chapters include flea-market finds and objects found by serendipitous accident, tribal decorative elements of ethnic art from around the globe, art (prints, sketches, watercolors, and paintings), antiques, religious objects, rustic objects in wood and stone evoking a sense of the countryside, and "kitchenalia" or pre-plastic culinary paraphernalia.
$45

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