A distinctive and eclectic art collection: Taphouse 23 Bar and Restaurant

A rare glimpse into the past of the small harbor town of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. Historical photographs and bar imagery were installed in a traditional gallery style for the historic hometown bar and restaurant, 

Taphouse 23.

Physical digs through photos in Bridgeport's Municipal Archive Basement surfaced photos never seen by the public before. The old photos were small (some even found in old books) so we scanned, enlarged, and edited these rare treasures. The image above is a vintage image of how the restaurant looked decades ago under the name Friendship Grille.

We artistically installed art lamps above each work that are cleverly hidden with wood “blocking” around the back of the frame. This technique created an overall clean and high end look.

Mixing the historical photos, we included imagery of old fashioned brewery illustrations and modern distillery photography. Distinctive and eclectic art adorns the beautiful re-claimed wood walls and beams to create a vintage pub feeling. The interior design firm, Balongue, produced a perfect, intimate design aesthetic. From the custom created tiled floor to the bathroom stall doors lined with an antique brewery recipe.

We enjoyed the challenge of researching rare photographs of Bridgeport and curating them into a cohesive art collection for their guests, staff, and families to cherish and enjoy! 

For more information on the artwork please contact: nicole@madisonartconsulting.com
For more information on the restaurant: http://taphouse23.com/index.asp
For more information on the interior design transformation: http://www.balongue.com/

17 Textural Images To Ignite Your Summer Spirit

These amazing textural inspirations of summer in the city and by the sea are accompanied with captions that are also influenced by the sweet sensations of summer... sure brighten your day! Enjoy :)

1. "Woke up this morning, smiled with the rising sun."

Paper and acrylic on board.

2. "Under the boardwalk, we’ll be falling in love."

Hand dyed fiber art panel.

3. "Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer."

Hand carved ceramic tile.

4. "Hot town, summer in the city."Hand dyed fiber art panel.

5. "Sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away."

Reclaimed wood art wall.

6. "Summer breeze makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind."

Hand carved wood block ink print.

7. "That's where we wanna go, way down in Kokomo"
Glass mosaic commission.

8. "I’d like to be, under the sea, in an octopus’ garden, in the shade."

Hand blown glass wall sculpture.

9. "Take me... out to where the river meets the sea, to the city made of glass."

Layered glass panels.

10. "Getcha ice cream here!"
Glass mosaic commission.

11. "Tropic haze, pineapple sky, perfect wave, hurricane eye." 
Glass chip mosaic.

12. "In the summertime when the weather is hot, we can stretch right up and touch the sky."

Installation of tree to bird transformation.

13. "Sheltered under the Kamani tree, waiting for the passing rain."Layered wood cuttings.

14. "Two sweethearts and the summer wind."

Hand carved ceramic tile.

15. "The temperatures about 88. Hop in the water plug just for old times sake."

Three dimensional wall sculpture.

16. "I look up at the little bird that glides across the sky."

Suspended bird installation.

17. "Hot child in the city, running wild and looking pretty."

Three dimensional glass wall sculpture.

We hope these fantastic summer textures inspired YOU :)

For questions or inquires on the showcased art: nicole@madisonartconsulting.com

Top 6 Graphic Artistry Designs from Madison Studios

Learn simple ways to turn a first impression into an unforgettable statement.
Compliments of the Graphic Artistry Team at Madison Studios. Enjoy! 

1. Location soon to be announced, Philadelphia, PA: Original designs for the dining and bar area, inspired by the streets of Philadelphia.

2.Sparta Systems, Hamilton Twp, NJ: Award winning design, original typography on contour cut vinyl. Sophisticated and smart! 

To learn more about this exceptional project, click here!

3. Temple University, School of Media and Communications, Philadelphia, PA:  Conceptual Vinyl Wall Coverings to unify public spaces within their campus building

4. Olympics Custom Art, Valley Forge, PA: Layout and design digitally created to assist the client in visualizing exactly what our printing and framing team would create for his 2012 Olympics commemorative piece. An extraordinary piece of art for a once in a lifetime, front row, back stage experience!

5. Madison Studios, Print On Demand: Customize colors, sizes and substrates to fit your space to customize your personal look!

6. Madison Studios, Original Graphic Artistry, Print on Demand: Customize colors, sizes and substrates to fit your space to customize your personal look!

• For more information or how to order, contact: Madison Studios
• To learn more about how Graphic Design can positively enhance your business, click here !

For the Love of Art

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”  Sometimes, all is not fair in love and war. Our journey in life is not always smooth but perhaps it is the bumps along the way that make for a more interesting ride. It takes strength and confidence to open yourself up and share your passions with others. The following five artists are a true inspiration to team Madison, for their love of art:

Vincent van Gogh is notably one of the world greatest painters. Van Gogh painted over 900 paintings before his life was cut short at the age of 37. During his time he was only able to sell one of his paintings, “The Red Vineyard at Arles” (The Vigne Rouge), which is now in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Even though van Gogh never truly saw his success in numbers, he proves you can be proud of your work without a bounty of money or external worldly validation.

      Artist, Robert Toth was scrutinized by critics who felt he should focus his art on one medium, rather than exploring both clay and paint. At an early age, Toth was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia, which made it challenging for him to focus. He discovered that when he centered his attention on what he liked most, his enthusiasm to hyper focus grew and ignited his creativity. With the support of his mother, he followed his heart and became a very successful painter and bronze sculptor.  

He didn’t allow critics to control his passion and he persevered to become the very best in both art forms. Artist, Robert Toth was scrutinized by critics who felt he should focus his art on one medium, rather than exploring both clay and paint. 

Anna Mary Robertson Moses decided at the age of 70 that she wanted to learn to paint! Some felt at this age, that it would be an impossible feat. She ignored her critics and taught herself to paint. Commonly referred to as “Grandma Moses,” her American Folk Art exhibitions were so popular, she broke attendance records around the world.  

At age 88,  the popular magazine, Mademoiselle, named her “Young Woman of the Year.”  Grandma Moses didn’t allow critics to determine her destiny, and she showed the world that it’s never too late to keep learning and developing a new skill.

Did you know that Walt Disney was first told by editors that his illustrations lacked imagination? Lucky for us, Disney did not lack perseverance, and in 1923, he brought his artistic creations to life in the short film, “Alice’s Wonderland.”

Disney helped transform the entertainment industry into what we know today. He was a pioneer in the field of animation and found new forms to entertain families. Many might think that Disney rolled right into success as a young aspiring artist however, he had to deal with rejection and negative criticism before achieving success. Can you imagine a world without Disney? He helped shape the imagination of children all over the world, instilling a sense of fantastical optimism, and even after death, is still a prominent figure to this day.

Lastly, Jesse Cuellar was a 28 year old construction worker in Missouri when on the job, he slipped and fell off of the roof of a building he was working on. Before his accident, Jesse’s passion was art, specifically painting and drawing, and he was devastated that he would never again be able to do what he loved.  Or so he thought. While he was at the Rehab Institute of St Louis, he was encouraged by his physical therapist to begin mouth painting.

Through practice and perseverance, Jesse has found a new passion for art, and produces paintings that he feels are just as good, if not better than those he painted before the accident, with his hands. Jesse’s paintings are bright vivid abstracts that reflect his generation. He is determined to inspire people that they can overcome any obstacle no matter the limitations. Jesse was accepted into the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists in 2013!

What is it that you are passionate about? What makes you happy? What may be just a hobby, could be your true calling in life.  “It’s impossible,” said pride. “It’s risky,” said experience. “It’s pointless,” said reason.  “Give it a try,” whispered the heart.” Passion is the fuel that sets our soul afire and if we pursue it, we have a more clear vision of our purpose.  

With love, Happy Valentine’s Day from Madison Art Consulting