FRESH

Casting Cork/Casting Mania

2008-04-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

Episode 2 of Big Ideas for a Small Planet is tiled Decorate. There are a number of interesting things but one that I am most excited about for those o you in the casting class is casting cork. Check out the webisodes.

Alex Sweder

2008-04-13T05:16:00.001-07:00

Check out Alex Schweder's work + thinking.

Spit Skin

Saliva, Biodegradable Packing, 96" x 42" x 120" in December 06, 18" x 48" x 72" at present, 2006

This installation of licked together biodegradable packing peanuts contorts, deforms, and melts when it contacts water. Located in a subterranean bathroom at the American Academy in Rome, this saliva stuck skin served as a map of moisture exchange between leaky walls and the leaky bodies that occupied them. The shriveling and shrinking architectural performance for the camera questions the role of the recording and the object in our subjective perception of space.

Fold School- Green Design

2008-04-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

Check out Fold School's website. Downloadable free patterns to create cardboard toys/furniture from cardboard around the house. Read the philosophy and about the designer. The homepage of the website reminds me of Droog's Do line. Enjoy!

Big Ideas for a Small Planet

2008-04-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Big Ideas for a Small Planet is a series produced by Robert Redford's The Sundance Channel. The second season just started so check it out. On Comcast it is channel 165. We used the first season in Design Like You Give A Damn last semester. So inspiring. There are so many people in the world thinking about how to do things differently...smartly. Not just thinking- implementing their ideas and making it go. The Sundance Channel's The Green has so many great resources and information. Immerse Yourself.

I'm In Love! (again)

2008-03-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

I am IN LOVE with What is Product Design? by Laura Slack. I will bring my copy to class but it is worth the $$ and it isn't expensive. If you have a Barnes and Noble online account, the site will allow you to page through a fair number of the pages. There is so much great info hre for you all and in act anyon currently engaged in making. I started with the Portfolios section. The first page of each portfolio is a brief description of the entity (designer, branded design company, manufacturer) and their design philosophy. I know if Suzi bough this book on Monday she would be VERY sleep in class on Tuesday. I am on deadline so this brief posting will have to suffice. Enjoy! And check out my copy in class this week.

Marie Kerongen

2008-03-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Marie Kerongen
sponge rings
concrete chairs with doile pattern/imprint

Skate Rats

2008-03-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

Kris Lovett

Creatures of Comfort

2008-03-29T21:45:00.001-07:00

From Creatures of Comfort in LA.

Shoes

2008-03-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

From Polyscene. Interesting stuff.

High Tide Heels

2008-03-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

I love Core 77. This is off of their blog.

Cornelia Parker

2008-03-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

I first saw Cornelia Parker's work at the ICA in Boston. I enjoy her thinking quite a bit. Here are two pieces: Wedding Ring Drawing in which Parker has taken two 22 karat wedding rings and drawn them into a single wire the length of which suggests a living room. And Measuring Liberty does something similar with a silver dollar the length of this single wire measures the height of the Statue of Liberty. The first image here is Parker "prepping" formal silver pieces (candlabra, silver platters, silver flatware, etc.) for arrangements into a sculptural form. She also steam rolls metal instruments. I am not giving you much---so go check her out. I have a catalog of you are interested. Go.

Cork Cuff

2008-03-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

Since I am brain dead I decided to follow a few leads that came my way today. And Look! What I discovered. A cork cuff from Studio 1am.

Droog, innovative Dutch Design Collective

2008-03-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Last semester we did a project around Droog, the Dutch design colective. I haven't posted anything about them here for you so here you go. I own about 4 books on Droog and 2 videos, FYI. I am happy to share.

An Interesting Conversation

2008-03-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

So there has been a HUGE conversation going on ever since the SNAG conference about the new generation of makers and the state of the established craft field. Annie Chau, of Imogene, started the conversation and most of it has occurred on Annie's blog. The editor of American Craft magazine has posted a number of times and for a while Annie's blog was on the American Craft website. (Go Annie!) There was a great dialogue with many big hitters in the field posting. The same big hitters who are brand new to the blogosphere. The blog-thing is isnteresting...this is just another example.

Check it out the conversation--this affects you.

On a related note....This kind of conversation doesn't happen in Europe, at least not in the same way it does here. And the design thinking and objects coming out of Europe right now are very fresh and new (see a number of entries here).......What is the difference? Is American loosing its edge?

Takashi Murakami

2008-03-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

See Danielle Carmen's blog for info on the Takashi Murakami exhibiton. Murakami is a renowned contemporary Japanese artist.

Be
In
The
Know
.

Quote of the Day

2008-03-25T20:50:00.001-07:00

Alice thought to herself,

"I don't see how he can ever finish if he doesn't begin."

Golden Gates- MICA Student Creates a "dialogue"

2008-03-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you all are following this story about an undergrad sculpture major from MICA and the park and monument in Mt Vernon.....this is also from Annie: http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bal-te.to.freeman23mar23,0,2097430.story

Nervous System

2008-03-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

I first discovered Nervous System at a CAD conference I attended in January. Very interesting. And Annie Chau of Imogene and TU Metals + Jewelry alumni, just sent me the link so here it is.

I find their blog interesting reading as well. One post the mention Chris Anderson. Chis is the editor of Wired magazine and wrote a book I recommend to all of you, The Long Tail. The Long Tail is about various modes of producing things and how this mechanism is changing in relation to the ways is which the world is changing. I am planning to integrate some of this in the Design + Production course in the fall semester.

Related Note. One of my measures of a good magazine is the breadth of its appeal. FastCompany ("Where ideas and people meet") and Wired are among my favorites because they are smart and relevant. I don't just fine one or two things of value in the issues but a lot of value. FastCompany always has articles about design, they have an annual design issue, and they cover innovation quite a bit as well. Wired is very similar. Example, Alyce Santoro (see previous post) who I mentioned in class was covered in Wired magazine. I also recommend checking out FastCompany's Greatest Hits book from your local library to get a feel for the mission behind FastCompany. It is true inspiring. The essay on Bill Strickland, I recommend without reservation. You won't be able to put it down.

An attitude that I am encountering more in more in the mags is why are craftspeople staying material centric when many people, almost any one can work with any material thanks to technology? Designer design the thing and then select the material and technology to have it produced. As a result many people are using materials and processes that have been considered the domain of the Metals + Jewelry field for example. Nervous System is a good example. What do practitioners in the field proper have/know that Nervous System doesn't?

Take a Look. Start a Discussion.

ICFF- The International Contemporary Furniture Fair

2008-03-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to attend this year's ICFF show in NYC. It is happening May 17-20, 2008. When I talk about the ICFF people look at me kinda funny because they think it is about furniture. That is when I realize they have no idea about ICFF. ICFF is huge and getting more huge. If you want to know what is going on in the world of Design, this is your place. This year they have special events one of which is Sustainable Design for Mass Production. Another is a new event Material Matters in conjunction with Material Connexion. ICFF Studio show cases emerging talents in an effort to hook prototypyes up with manufacturers. I have been emailing with Alyce Santoro (see previous post on Sonic Fabric): Designtex featured her work last year at ICFF she said she had a great time talking with people about her sonic fabric.

Check it out.

Studio Libertiny

2008-03-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

Tomás Gabzdil Libertiny, the mind behind Studio Libertiny, has an amazing mind. I first learned about his Honeycomb Vase that was made by bees, as example of slow prototyping. I posted earlier about various facets of the slow movement. Libertiny made a construction of wax sheets and put 40,000 bees to work building the vase. It took a week.

Paper Vases are also interesting. Libertiny laminates many, many pages of paper with an identical image and the chucks them up in a lathe and turns these vessels. each vase and an image on the side of it or actually it runs through the form.

When I was in grad school this was this totally rad chick, Kim Cridler, (images of her work are from the Artist Registry.com) who was a grad student at SUNY New Paltz's metals program. She made innovative 6' high amphora shaped forms from very interesting materials. I loved the work then so naturally I loved Libertiny's Beeswax Amphora. Each piece in his collection on his web site has a downloadable press release which is really a statement about the piece. Download them. Read them. They are wonderfully written and very clear and direct.

Enjoy! This is refreshingly wonderful work.

Yevgeniya Kaganovich

2008-03-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Here's an article on art jeweler Yevgeniya Kaganovich. Search the net for more of her work. I couldn't find any readily. The piece pictured here is not my favorite of Yev's work b/c it is a little tidy. The whote material is latex and she has made other pieces where it is handled a bit more loosely.

Kilmt 02- A Must Know

2008-03-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

If you don't know Klimt02, you should. (That's right I used the s word)

Evolution/Revolution Art/Craft/Design Exhibition at RISD

2008-03-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Evolution/Revolution: The Arts and Crafts in Contemporary Fashion and Textiles is reviewed in the current issue of American Craft magazine in an article titled, "The Hand Meets High Tech". Interesting article, check it out. Here is a better image of one of the pieces in the exhibition.

Alyce Santoro

2008-03-22T04:42:00.001-07:00

I first learned of Alyce Santoro when showing my Design Like You Give a Damn Class the wonderful series Big Idea for a Small Planet. Alyce is an amazing creative person. She has become known for her sonic fabric which eventually got picked up by Designtex who premeried it at the ICFF show in NYC. Some of us are planning to attend this year's ICFF show in May- come! Alyce's blog for sonic fabric has all kinds of fantastic leads.....
Check it out. Be inspired.

"bespoke"

2008-03-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

"bespoke" 1a: custom-made, 1b: dealing in or producing custom made articles

Demakersvan- Creative Team Work

2008-03-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Demakersvan is a group of three designers working as a team check out the backstory at Behind the Scene.

Metalcyberspace

2008-03-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't thought of the website Metalcyberspace for awhile but I found myself there today and there is nice piece from the Golden Clogs, Dutch Mountains exhibition.

Darlys Ewoldt

2008-03-21T11:32:00.001-07:00

Many of you are probably not aware of the amazing work of Darlys Ewoldt. Her work has been crossing my mind lately so here are some images. Those of you taking the hollowware course next semester- check her out.

Brooke Marks-Swanson

2008-03-21T11:21:00.001-07:00

I have noticed Brooke Marks-Swanson's work over the last few years. I like her mark making. Check it out.

Design Museum London

2008-03-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Can't.....stop....blogging...... The Design Museum in London

Revolution in the Air

2008-03-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

"revolution" keeps popping up.....in connection with craft and making. The theme of the 2009 SNAG conference is Revolution.
In the current issue of Crafts magazine is an ad that reads: Craft is a Slow Revolution which is an advertisement for Helen Carnac and Craftspace's blog: http://makingaslowrevolution.wordpress.com/
And I have a Droog video of a performance piece that Droog designers created at an annual trade show that had everything to do with stopping and having an aesthetic moment.

Addict Lab

2008-03-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Amy found a great site/group: Addict Lab. Check out her blog entry and then Addict Lab

Design Museums Around the World

2008-03-21T08:19:00.003-07:00

Please know about the various Design Museums around the world. Here is one with an exhibition that ought to be of interest to all of you:
Design Museum Gent in the Netherlands has the Challenging the Châtelaine exhibition.
There is a catalog!

Jil Weinstock

2008-03-21T08:11:00.001-07:00

I am "reading" today, can you tell? I am launching a new initiative in the curriculum on Materials. Thus the work of Jil Weinstock is interesting to me. As an artist I am interested in the investigation; I am interested in looking and thinking; and then working. I like looking at things from different vantage points. Check out Jil Weinstock's perspective.

The Victoria + Albert Museum, London and China Design Now

2008-03-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

I am fascinated with the ways in which our world is changing. Globalization is an interesting phenomenon. I appreciate Thomas Friedman's writing on the subject both through his New York Times column (on hiatus now as he finishes a new book) and his already published books, The Lexus and The Olive Tree and The World is Flat. And there much to-do around the Beijing Olympics which is interesting to me on a number of levels having traveled to Beijing in August of 2007. Peter Schjeldahl, art critic for The New Yorker, wrote an interesting piece, Gunpowder Plots, on Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang who was born in China, lived in Tokyo, Santa Fe and now New York since 1995. The world is opening up in ways it never has before. Art, culture, politics, economics- every field/discipline makes up The World.

Pay Attention. What Is Going On?

The V+ A museum has a new exhibition China Design Now. Check it out.

FACT- Foundation for Art and Creative Technology

2008-03-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

www.fact.co.uk/

Purpose: Fresh Ideas Blog

2007-11-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

I go through my life trying to take in as much as I can, trying to do as much as I can. I wish sometimes that I did not have to sleep although I enjoy a good sleep. There is so much great stuff going on in the world around us. Great ideas. People thinking for themselves. People making things happen. People believing that things can be good.

This blog is a forum for ideas, events, objects, etc., that I come across that I think are worth thinking about, responding to, adapting.....

Ever the incurable teacher, my instinct is to capture these kinds of things as I come across them and re-package them for other people which of course begins with my lucky and lovely students, and former students, and friends of all ilks, perhaps my professional colleagues, and ultimately the world.

Our world is an amazing place. Be inspired!