Saturday, February 27, 2010

Rebecca Ridsdel: Art vs. Craft






English ceramist Beccy Ridsdel quite literally dissects the layers of debate between craft verses art, with surgical instruments that delicately strip away altered bone china to reveal ... even more floral china. Ridsdel explains: "I chose to make a series of definitely craft objects — bone china plates, mugs, jugs — and 'dissect' them to see what was beneath. Turns out, they are craft through and through" ... " This work forms part of an exploration of the differences between art and craft, and ceramics’ relationship to them. After a lot of research I realized that despite the best efforts of many ceramicists, in most people’s minds working with mud is pretty much always seen as craft, and therefore somehow lower than art. This work is a wry look at this attitude."

Read the full article at FavCraftsBlog. More at BehanceNetwork.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

William Chambers Millinery: Spring/Summer 2010






Just 3 short years ago, Scottish textile designer William Chambers took a hat-making class at Metropolitan University, creating a collection that was shown to great acclaim at Glasgow Fashion Week in April 2007. Fast forward to his Spring/Summer 2010 collection, shown here, and it is easy to see that Chambers is taking this fashionably antiquated craft to new elevations, posthaste. It is a happy marriage of old meets new, where traditional materials such as felt and synamay join forces with contemporary materials like latex, plastic and metallic leather to create these modern, often sculptural, always feminine creations. [Thanks, Candice, for the link!]

Monday, February 22, 2010

Best Made Co. Axes








Best Made Co. was founded by designer and author Peter Buchanan-Smith, and outdoorsman and environmental entrepreneur Graeme Cameron. The two promote the merits of craftsmanship and self-reliance through their remarkable custom axes, a product of loaded symbolism — "indispensable and sublime, the epitome of fortitude and strength, a perfect design object, a timeless instrument." The heads are made of fine-grain steel, the handles of Tennessee Hickory, and each one is hand-painted, varnished, and polished in downtown Manhattan. All axes come securely packed in a hand-made wooden crate. [thanks, Rugg, for the link!]

Maum Tea Bags







In Korean maum means the mind, soul, or spirit. There's definitely some spirit in these amazingly playful tea bags from the designers of the Korean company wdaru. Each themed box set comes with an assortment of quirky characters from which to choose. How could you refuse? [via Toxel]

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Emily Miranda







Barnacles, snails, shells, rhinestones, freshwater pearls, gilded alligator feet ... It is as if Neptune proposed to a Sea Witch on a full moon. New York artist Emily Miranda has a neoclassical flair for the decadent and macabre. She also makes incredible sculptural cakes. [via Shiny Squirrel]

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Vintage Coke Cans





Serious retro eye candy from Andrew at Inspiredology.

Matt Brown: RFID Laser Cut Radios





Recently, I've been looking into laser cut creations to help brainstorm new projects for a friend. Thus I stumbled upon Matt Brown, an Interaction Designer/Idustrial Designer from Michigan currently living in Genova, Italy, and his RFID systemsHello lover!

The basic idea is this — "you would have a speaker with an RFID reader, and laser-cut paper radios with RFID chips inside. The radios themselves are designed by musicians, charities, brands, and designers. When the paper radio is placed over the speaker it changes the radio station to what the artist has chosen ... This system tries to add a little bit of fun to internet radio, and give people a connection with the artists they choose." [via Design Milk]

Friday, February 12, 2010

Frank Buchwald: Machine Lights







German designer and manufacturer Frank Buchwald creates sculptural, handcrafted lights which adhere neither to form nor function, though light and statements they do make. Using burnished steel, brushed brass, textile cables, and blown glass, Buchwald's forms anthropomorphise the inanimate, calling to life the evergreen romanticism of machines, à la steampunk (though I'm not sure that's an association he would make). The Machine Lights series comprises 12 different models produced in low volume production.

 Each object is manually produced from up to 200 individual parts and requires a manufacture time of 4 weeks and more. Custom work available.

Matt Stuart: Happy Accidents








London street photographer Matt Stuart kicks it old school with "a small Leica camera, patience and a lot of optimism," waiting for those opportune moments when things are not quite as they seem. Stuart has a show at KK Outlet in London 'till February 26, 2010. More at In-Public. [via Creative Review]

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Harvey Faircloth: Spring/Summer 2010






There's nothing like a little French nautical revival to make a girl get excited about spring! Harvey Faircloth has got the goods, and the model to show it. HF is comprised of long-time friends Katie Hatch (style editor at Martha Stewart), Abby Clawson Low (former Senior Art Director at Kate Spade), and Mara Papa. I love everything about them, except the complete lack of NorCal representation. [via {frolic!}]
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