hammer and metal

2009-06-08T11:44:00.001-04:00

food for thought: Jessica Helfand's Open Letter to Design Students via DesignObserver

question of the week

2009-03-19T13:40:00.000-04:00

Question of the week from graduate meeting: "How is what we are reading affecting your 'work'?"
Elaboration: 'work' being outlook, how we create, what we create, so a very loose definition of work. We've been reading several of Bruce Metcalf's essays, also a paper that the MFA students at SUNY New Paltz delivered at the 2002 SNAG conference. I've also started reading some art philosophy- Danto. So the readings are revolving around fairly large and abstract questions.
Apparently I think out loud well, now I'm going to try to remember what I said and elaborate on that. (edit: Thanks for the notes Jan!)

I feel like these readings are bringing up some points that resonate with me, and are reinforcing some of my changes in outlook and beliefs since the start of grad school. I am looking a much larger picture, both in terms of how my work fits in and also in what our field is. Regarding my work, I feel that I am developing an understanding of how and where in the timeline of craft/art I fit, what my references are, and also where I want to fit in, where I want to be going, and where I want people to place me. For our field, I feel that I am looking at several of the dimensions of what could be considered under the umbrella of "the field" and seeing how they converge and what a possible path forward might be. I feel that my perspective is pretty open and there's not a lot that I'm ruling out right now.

One of the concepts that came up in Bruce Metcalf's Towards and Aesthetics of Craft and A Moral Theory of Craft was the idea of social responsibility (part of what he refers to as the moral aspect) in our work. This strikes me as important and also something that is gaining popular support at the moment. More on this in another post.

In addition to thinking about where I want my work to fit in, I am also thinking about where and how I want to teach. The beginnings of a conversation have been traded back and forth several times between Jan and myself of what do we keep, and what do we leave. Faced with a more interdisciplinary job market and new technologies, how do we do justice to our students and the history of the field while preparing them for the world? I feel like the readings are helping me identify the nubs, the pearls, the heart of what makes jewelry special. Once I have those, I want to reinforce and amplify that through what and how I choose to teach. If we can't identify why we are a unique branch of the design and arts, then we can't be relevant, and we won't survive- both in the marketplace as well as in the academic arena. The readings are giving me the basis/history and the beginning development of a framework in which I can teach beyond the purely technical aspects.

I feel like one of the nubs for our field is the personal interactivity of the work. While we may not make things that are intended to be wearable or even practical sometimes, I feel that it all does have a level of personal interaction. Whether that is in the materials, or the scale, or the imagination of the viewers when presented with the idea of wearable; we create things that are intimate with people.

I am using the ideas raised by the readings to make better informed decisions. While they may not directly impact the form my work takes and the actual objects I create, they do affect how I think about them- both in relation to the body and to a wider audience, as well as figuring out what they say, and what I want them to say. Helping me to identify the why, not just the what.

My undergraduate background was formal and fairly dogmatic. This has certainly shaped how I create things, as well as what are some of my strong and weaker points creatively. I feel like by taking a wider view, I am better able to identify what it is that I am looking for, and what I hope to be able to do. I want to make work that I enjoy creating and that I have a bond with. I also want to make a living off of my work. That is important to me. I also feel that by looking wider and less reverently at the history and traditional paths, I am finding out what roads I am actually interested in, how to position myself and my work to line up with the areas I am looking to pursue. I also feel that I am gaining the perspective to create a pathway if there isn't one where I want it to lead rather than picking from the options presented and forcing myself into something that only sort of fits.

These readings are giving me morethings to consider, more options. This tends to have the result of feeling like I know even less than I did before, but when I arrive at a conclusion, I feel that it is one that I can defend and stand by.

pics

2009-03-19T10:34:00.002-04:00

did a photo shoot on Tuesday (thankyouthankyou), so I now have images of the most recent stuff that's done... here's a couple...

news

2009-03-18T17:50:00.003-04:00

It's almost midterms, and while I don't know that I'm where I want to be, I think I've been productive. We'll see how it all goes.
There is news on the exhibition front- the Trash Bling rings that Sherri and I did for our Social Design class will be in both the Towson Arts Collective's Green Show which runs April 24th-30th at TAC as well as in 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, which is an awesome book being put together by Garth Johnson of Extreme Craft (check out his blog!).

Also, my Spine piece has been accepted to the Neoteric Matter exhibition that will be at the Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia- that opens the 1st of May and runs through the 27th of June. The show is curated by Daniella Kerner of Tyler and focuses on new (late 20th-early 21st c.) processes and materials.

Artist Statement

2009-01-03T12:45:00.003-05:00

As an addendum onto the pics from final crit, I wanted to post up the text of the Artist Statement that we each wrote that helps to give the backstory and context to the work we're producing. Grad school(as I see it) is not just about the physical objects, but also about the underlying context, intent, and meaning. I heaven't read this since I wrote it, so I can almost guarantee that it needs much work, but it's a start.

The work that I did last semester, with its relationship to the body and the unconventional way in which it was designed to be worn, was the starting place for my work this semester. I wanted to tie the forms that I was using to the body in a less generalized way. I began to look at anatomical references, as I was curious as to how imagery of the body on a microscopic scale could be used to form the decorative language for my work. I'm interested in the idea of removing the concept of jewelry from it's traditional forms of ring, necklace, etc., and displaying the work where it seems most appropriate on the body.
The idea of body as site combined with body as visual language formed the basis for the work this semester. I also took a more medical and science-based approached to my imagery. Instead of creating forms that go with the body as I see it, I took imagery from scientific photography and then reworked aspects of those images in to three-dimensional forms. I then reworked and reinterpreted those forms to abstract them further from their original site. For example, I took the form of alveoli lung sacs and created a vac-u-form mold. I then cast plastic into that mold, cut the plastic casting into slices, then pierced them out so that they had a lighter and more cellular appearance bringing the sliced form closer to the original physiological form. I am interested in taking the visual language of interior anatomy and using that as exterior ornamentation of the body. Microscopic imagery of the body has a real beauty to it in the visceral quality as well as the patterning created by the body's structure. By combining this language with nontraditional material choices, I am attempting to augment and expose the interior of the body as ornamental.
I am also interested in the way the jewelry is worn. Any object placed on the body develops a relationship with the body and the wearer. Not just from a site perspective, but also from the interaction or restriction on movement that is created by choosing to wear that piece. This can be behavioral, direct or abstract, or purely physical; but the way that we change what we do simply due to what we are wearing is fascinating to me. Not only are we choosing to limit or augment ourselves by what we adorn our bodies with, but we are also deciding to portray a facade or a specific portion of who we are. Making those choices affects how those around us interact with us as well. By tying this back into that anatomical references we are making choices about ourselves and what is inside of us in a direct way.

Lessons

2009-01-03T12:42:00.006-05:00

The semester that was:
It was in retrospect a good semester. It was messy and difficult and occasionally tearful. There was lots of feeling adrift and wondering how/why I got there in the first place. I found one of my hard limits, and crystallized where priorities stand for me. I think I have managed to exit with a better sense of me, where I'm headed in my work, and looking at a better balanced picture of how what I do fits into who I am.

So what happened/ what I learned:
I need balance. I need my life outside of school. When I was in undergrad, I lived in the studio. My friends (with the exception of my husband-then boyfriend) were artists. While I don't regret that time, it will not and doesn't work for me now. Being solely focused on art and the field makes me less productive and happy. I fall down the rabbit hole and lose perspective on life and what is important to me. Making work and being in the field I am in, and being involved in the what's going on in the world in relation to craft academics and current craft work is important to me. But it's not all that is important to me. I need the time for relationships and friends and living life outside of the bubble of school. This time not only grounds me, but it gives me the perspective on the daily frustrations and problems so that I don't get lost in and dragged down by them. It helps me be a better person, a happier person, and a more productive and better artist.

I also need a constant outlet or part of my brain to be devoted to my school work while I'm here. I lost that over the summer and I feel like it took a while to get back. Not that I wasn't thinking about my work, but it was in the really wide view of why do I make things, and why do I create rather than the specific, or even object-related aspect of it. I think I wind up tackling those huge questions when I feel lost as then I avoid the immediate issues at hand while still feeling like I'm "making progress". By sidestepping what I want to be making for me and tackling the intangibles, I'm not forced to come up with an actionable answer or decisions. By having deadlines and a schedule for working I avoid that to a large extent. Not all the way, but it helps me remember to not get lost in the clouds and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

It's okay that I don't know. And it's okay to make mistakes. This is hard, and harder than it seems like it should be. Somehow I feel that since I've been out of school and chosen to come back, it translates into "Must always know what I'm doing." I came in with a set of goals, and some of those have been discarded, some have changed, others I'm working towards. But I feel the yoke of having "been out" around my neck, and perhaps because of having lived with the restriction of creating saleable creative work, I have a "can't fail" mode. Even in my experiments, I fight the feeling that all attempts need to result in something that I can turn into a product. One of the reasons I let me work take such a turn when I came in was to break that mode, and it has mostly worked. It came back somewhat this semester when I had forms and didn't know where I was headed with them. The luxury that I have now to let pieces sit until they resolve or solve themselves in my head is just that- a luxury. I worried that I was getting too used to that.
There was a lot of not knowing this semester, being uncertain of what my work is about, developing the fledgling ideas around that, the uncertainty of the future and what it maight hold once I leave here. That tends to get me spun around and unable to tell up from down and worrying that I need to know where I'm going before I can begin the journey. Especially when it is a journey I feel like is a gift to me rather than something I earned and consequently mine to steer. But that isn't the case, or more accurately, it can't be the case. If I wait until I know it will be too late. If I don't take the chance it will pass and I won't ever know if it would've been good for me or not. I'm trying to remember that.

I am human. I can't do it all. And that is okay. This semester was the first time that I really bit off more than I could handle. I know I tend to complicate things and make them hard on myself. If it's too easy I don't think that it's worth doing. I know that isn't actually true, but I have to remind myself of that constantly. It feels like if it is easy, then I should be able to figure it out without needing to pay for the education. I feel like I get stretched thin a lot, and I feel that some of it is for good reasons, and most of it I recognize when I commit to things. I have a limited time here at school. Since I've been out and working for so long in many ways this is like a surprise gift of time and freedom that I feel like I need to make the most out of. I have a pretty decent hang-up about money and self-reliance. I don't like needing people to support me. I know that this is completely unrealistic. However, going from earning a living (not a big one, but one nonetheless) to being a full time student has done a good job of feeling like I have an expectation to live up to. I know that the actual expectation is for me to get the degree. Period. That's it. The expectation in my head is a lot higher. That expectation is more along the lines of getting a reprieve. That this sacrifice is being made for me, and if I don't have a clear road map and am taking all the opportunities and creating things that are clearly in line with furthering my career then I have failed. Which does a neat job of excising a lot of the experimentation and leaving me feeling like I am looking at a path littered with landmines. As if I spend time on experimenting and it goes nowhere I have wasted time.

I am learning to explain myself better. Not just in crits, which is certainly true; but in life. I am learning to explain my outlook on my education to people not predisposed to understand it intuitively. I am learning to justify myself. As I explained during the semester, I have thrown many of the limitations placed on me when I am working aside while I am enrolled. I haven't managed to throw them all off, and I think that there are still a few to go, but by and large they have been cast off. This isn't permanent however. Once I graduate and begin working for a living again with me art, many of those will come back into play. But this is the time when I don't need to have them. When I can develop the vocabulary and do the exploring that will result in tweaking those limitations to create sell able interesting work. That will help me not be just another jeweler out there, that give me the chance to be great not just good. Now is the time for me to get it wrong, to lean too far one way or another. (Which is much easier when said than to accept when I'm doing it) I don't know what post-MFA life will look like. I do still want to teach. I'm rethinking my ideas of teaching and the future of craft education. I am also 99% certain that I do not want to do shows again. I don't believe that what is out there fits in for me. I would rather spend my time coming up with a solution that is better than the existing ones than shoehorn myself somewhere that I don't think can last. I'm interested in selling my designs to be produced, but I don't know how feasible this is. I want to figure out how technology can help us move forward and not get left behind in the sales area.

I learned that people think what I do is important. And that makes a huge difference to me. I know that what I do makes me happy, and that there is a large part of me that needs to make in order to be me and feel fulfilled. Making equalizes me and gives me an outlet when words fail and I don't know how else to get something across. However, I always thought that is was tolerated and looked upon as that thing I do. Not something that makes a difference in the world and to people on a real daily level. But it does. And that knowledge gives me a much stronger belief in myself and my work. Which helps to get through semesters like this one intact.

semester finale

2009-01-03T11:12:00.004-05:00

This semester went by in a time warp- it seemed both too fast and neverending at the same time. The blogging got pushed aside in favor of getting other stuff done, but I'll attempt to post the thoughts and musings from this semester to give it all more context. I got the pics of my final crit setup uploaded so here they are....

social design 3.0

2008-11-13T10:52:00.002-05:00

mold links:
http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=21480
http://www.amazon.com/FRED-Cool-Jewels-Cube-Tray/dp/B00112E5NE

cradle to cradle

2008-10-31T10:29:00.002-04:00

fast company has this story on william mcdonough and the cradle to cradle concept. designboom had this blog post a few days ago as well linking to the fast company story.

bits

2008-10-27T21:58:00.001-04:00

just found out that shapeways is now available state-side! yes, i'll totally be making use of this...
shapeways 3d printing

happiness...

2008-10-14T22:40:00.002-04:00

... is a dog to keep me company in the studio. He came with an adoption of a mexican grey wolf, therefore his name is Tequila. This was a most awesome surprise for my Tuesday and totally made me grin like a fool.
Now every time I look at him I will remember to breathe, and that I can do this, and I can make it through mid-term, and I will make good work.... and I will smile and remember all the things that matter.

weekly photos

2008-10-11T10:06:00.003-04:00

This is my space this week... I think I need to remember to get a picture when it's really a disaster as opposed to minor disturbance....

Refined the bust for my wearables project this week, and got all of the wax bones that will act as the (there is no way to avoid puns here) ribs for the corset made, along with creating the vellum pattern that I'll be using to sew from.

And the bust is also doubling as a knife stand. At least I took them out of the chest...

social design project 2 in progress

2008-10-11T09:11:00.002-04:00

Been working on refining my idea and prototyping. I was trying to figure out a way to tie in the idea of trash into the overall form of the bracelet (starting there, will expand out), and I hit on the idea of using a plastic bag as the form. I did a quick prototype out of a bag from a roll of vellum.

Overall, I think it conveys the idea, but I want a more crinkly look- like you get from the cheap grocery bags. Those were too wide, but I found a couple bags that I thought would work. I decided to fill them with alginate so that they would hold the right volume and form for when I mold them.
Here are the 2 bags I used all alginated up.

Not sure which one will work better yet, but I'm planning to do the silicone mold Monday and go from there. Potential Casting materials so far are: slipcasting plastic (translucent), a flexible rubber, I'd also like something that is totally green. The plastic references the actual bags, the rubber would be sanitary and easy to clean, so I'd like something that is completely biodegradable as well- I'm thinking maybe corn starch?

2008-10-06T21:34:00.002-04:00

apropos to this morning's grad discussion- frogdesign's blog post on experiental design- and how designing experiences is important. (from designmind)

I thought these were beautiful- I like the line quality- it reminds me of charcoal or photgraphs somehow.... Debbie Smyth (via designboom)
Helping you be "Less Bad" (via Deisgnboom)

On Social Design (via Core77)

pictures....

2008-10-06T21:22:00.003-04:00

So this is my space as of last week:

The bust I've carved for my wearables project- pink foam!:

Playing with photsensitive paper and last semester's work- I'm hopingto get more of an X-ray look- or maybe draw on top of these...:

From today- finished piercing out the first brooch for the Anatomy IS, and I like it. I also really like the masking tape that I used to sandblast on. Maybe I can use contact paper to get a similar effect? or the latex sheeting?:

The pendants for Social Design Project 1.2 in flat form:

social design project 2

2008-10-06T20:50:00.002-04:00

For my second social design project, I'm going to pursue the bracelet idea I had talked about earlier. I'm thinking to expand the scope out from just a bracelet to a series of pieces. (original post)
I want to make these pieces something that can be mass-produced and marketed. So that to me means smart design- is there a recycled plastic I can use? I'm currently planning to RP these- what are my material options. Would it be better to fabricate them? Possibly Smile Plastics?
Considerations: ease of use, appearance, material choices.
Possibilities: bracelet, belt buckle, clip-on attachment for purse, pendant, keychain fob?
It doesn't seem that there has been much of anything done to tackle this from a wearbles persective.
Potential issues: Will people use them? What to do with the trash after it has been picked up- display/portability?

project 1.1 post-report

2008-10-06T20:37:00.002-04:00

Project purpose: Raise awareness of consumption of food and the choices we make regarding nutrition.

What worked: I think that the packaging of the rice in the vellum was sucessful. The placement in the food cases also worked well to get the point across.

Improvements: More packets. Better seal on the packets as they leaked a bit. Getting the packets distributed to a wider audience and being able to leave them in situ. Also, I think that in addition to the cartons and the packets, mimicking other styles of food packaging would be useful- the plastic clamshell containers, foil chip packets.

Social Design Project 1

2008-09-30T12:29:00.005-04:00

For the first project in Social Design, we were supposed to work with a DIY/ Guerrilla art tactic. I decided to do my project on consumption. We consume a lot in our daily lives, lots of it is unnecessary and quickly thrown away. I narrowed the focus down to consumption of food and specifically raising awareness of how much choice we have regarding nutrition in America, and the choices that people make regarding food. In most of the world, rice is a staple if not the staple of diets. You can live on rice, it certainly isn't the healthiest choice, but it is an abundant grain and many people depend on it. I found a great site- FreeRice that donates rice, and has some great information on what you need. According to them, 400 grams of rice will give you 2 meals a day. They of course recommend adding other ingredients to get more balanced nutrition. I took that number and measured it out- about 2.25 C of uncooked rice.

My project had 2 parts. One is takeout containers that are filled with the rice and have a slip of paper that says "This is enough food to feed you for one day. How much do you consume?". I sealed these containers with "free food" stickers and both put them in the food cases at the cafe (then photographed) and then left them just before lunch stacked underneath the microwave in the art building. Hopefully people will take them and think about their choices. As of an hour later, 2 of the containers are gone, the other 2 have been opened.

The second part was packaging the rice in vellum envelopes such as those you see food packaged in at cafes, and printing on the envelopes- This is all the food you need for a day. I put these into the food displays at the Art Cafe (Thanks to the wonderful ladies there and Liz (my partner in crime for this)!) and photographed them among all the muffins, donuts, and chips.

London Design Festival- 100% Design

2008-09-21T15:26:00.002-04:00

Some of the awesome things from 100% Design...

Susan Bradley Design's Oscar (outdoor carpets)

noodle's digitally printed roller blinds and wallpaper (these remind me of x-rays somehow...)

Vitamin's Urban Creatures, Urban Gnomes, and Hoodies

Thorunn Arnadottir's Blush radiator (there seems to be several reimagined radiators... are they making a comeback somewhere?

Smarin's LivingStones (I can so see Liz having these....)

Ulrika Jarl's Stardish and pendant lamp

Freedom of Creation's Trabecula tray
Ok, so I thought that this tray was pretty sweet. So I chcked out their website, and this group also did several other things I thought were great when I saw them- the RP chainmail pieces, and they have a trabecula table which Doug showed us in CAD last semester....

U+'s Wobble Chess Set and Shatter Cup and Saucer- didn't realize Umbra had gone awesome.

what I could do without: the crazy amount of Tord Boontje clones... and the deer fetish (wtf?)

Thomas Friedman!

2008-09-21T14:59:00.002-04:00

Thomas Friedman is coming to DC to give a talk about his new book. The talk is Tuesday at 7pm at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue (600 I St. NW, Washington, DC). His new book is "Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution- and How It Can Renew America". The talk is $12.....

wonder if I can make it in time after class..... talk about timely!

stuff to go see

2008-09-21T14:41:00.004-04:00

From Village to Vogue: the Jewelry of Art Smith
Brooklyn Museum of Art- through May 2009
Oceans, Rivers, and Skies: Ansel Adams, Robert Adams, Alfred Steiglitz
Nat'l Gallery- Oct 12- March 2009
Gothic Fashion
FIT- through Feb 2009
Seduction in Fashion
FIT- begins December 2008
Elegant Armor: The Art of Jewelry
Museum of Art+Design
Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power
Corcoran- through January 2009
Jim Henson's Fantastic World
Smithsonian's Internat'l Gallery- through Oct 5
O'Keefe and Adams
Renwick- starting Sept 26
Frank Gohlke photos
Renwick- starting Dec 5
Reality Check: Truth and Illusion in Contemp. Photog.
Met
pretty much everything at MOMA
MOMA- always...
Tim Burton exhibit!!
MOMA- starting in December 2009

Project 1

2008-09-19T10:23:00.003-04:00

So for our first project in Social Design, we are focusing on DIY/Guerilla Art tactics. This is not my strong suit by any stretch, so I'm going to throw out what I am thinking and go from there. In addition to the Guerilla part, I'm also going to be making both the locket and the bracelet that I was talking about earlier. In 2 weeks.... we'll see how that goes- and there goes my not making things overly complicated for this semester....

Onto the ideas.I'm of 2 minds on what to do, and since I'm already doing other pieces this is not a "do both!" scenario.

Idea 1 is focused around the idea of calling attention to the lack of involvement in yourimmediate society- i.e people not caring. It also for me wraps back into the idea of increasing tolerance of other people. This is one of the key issues that I see affecting and creating more social problems. I'm thinking of doing a pay it forward style thing. Maybe buying X cups of coffee at the cafe. I'm thinking of putting stickers on some of the cups, and if you get one of those cups, your coffee is paid for. This way it's random and not all at once. I'd like to make the stickers removable from the cups so that they can be reused and reposted. Not sure what they'll look like yet. Also considering having a (something) that you get if you get free coffee that nudges people to do something nice for someone esle during the day. Maybe a 3"ish size that has suggestions of things to do, also either a page that detaches or another sticker togive to the person you do something nice for.... That way people keep being reminded to keep the chain going. I believe that if I can get this idea started, it will at least enter into the collective mind... and hopefully by being aware that this is going on, people will start acting on it. I'm sure that a decent percentage of people won't do anything on their own, but if I can get people at least thinking and aware of it, maybe it will change something. slowly. maybe.

Idea 2 is to draw attention to how much people consume and discard everyday. I'm thinking of measuring out enough rice to feed a person for a day and contrasting that with how much we have to choose from. I'm not sure if this would be a free standing display or if I could package the rice into packets and put them out in the cafes like the rest of the food they offer....
Another thought is to display all the trash that the arts building accumulates- sorted out into what is actually trash, compostable, recyclable, etc. Still thinking on how to work in the guerrilla aspect in on that though....

DesignThinking and Faberge Eggs

2008-09-19T08:34:00.002-04:00

There's a new blog by Tim Brown on Design Thinking, somehow I think this will be a must read.... (via Core77)

also the Instructables website has a Make a Faberge Egg contest! I can't wait to see what people come up with, and maybe I can squeeze in making an egg.... (via Make)

2008-09-15T09:48:00.002-04:00

So while running yesterday, I got onto a train of thought about wondering whether good design needs to be the same or overlap with green design. My instinct is that they don't. But I'm having trouble finding examples of that, and I'm not sure if that's because the good design boom hit at pretty much the same time as the eco-design craze or if at this point in time, good design means green design.
I tend to think of good design as anything that communicates or interacts well with its audience. By "well" I mean products that seamlessly fit into their place and purpose. Objects that make tasks easier or simpler, things that really do make a difference in the way people live/use/work. These can be objects that you didn't have a need for beforehand, but now you can't think to do without. So they aren't necessary design, just good design. Or smart design. That may be a better phrase.
I tend to think that while smart design doesn't need to have overlap with green design, eco-awareness is so big right now that it tends to. Should it?
I've been reading Cradle to Cradle and so far it has left me frustrated and annoyed at it, and also just depressed. I've gotten through the first 3 chapters and I hope it gets better because right now it just makes me want to throw up my hands and say forget it. The message that came through to me is that adressing these issues in the framework that the world exists in right now is pretty much worthless. It's the equivalent of sticking a bandaid on a serious injury. The authors are advocating redoing the enitre framework. Maybe I'm too pessimistic, but I don't see that happening. So I'm left thinking that we're either tilting at windmills or screwed. Cheery.
The reason I tie this in is that they do seem to equate good/smart design with both social design and green design. This may be because of their architecture emphasis, but it leaves me questioning the future of our field (the larger object design field) as we make stuff. Most of which isn't needed, or necessary, or for a larger purpose than personal statement. So where do we fit in?

2008-09-12T17:32:00.002-04:00

(De)Light: Liquid Light project from the Royal College of Art
This looks like it could have some great applications for portable lighting and lighting in tough spaces as well as looking really sweet. According to the post, the possibility exists for rechargability- even better! (from Core77)

I love Benjamin Hubert's Yumbrella bowls! (from Designboom)

Also Seizure by Richard Hiorns- chemistry+ art, turning a delapidated flat into a magic cavern....
(from Make) more photos here

wearables

2008-09-10T14:49:00.006-04:00

So one of my Independent Studies this semester is on wearables. By this I mean the integration of fashion and costume into my work. I'm excited to actually things like pattern-making and better sewing skills than my current DIY version- which while it can get the simple jobs done, not pretty. For the first project I'm looking at making a corset using the bone/vein structures from last semester.

Met with David on Monday, and he gave me a tremendous list of people/sites to check out. Also now have ~a dozen books either in hand or requested from the library to read....
So here's some of the people I've been looking at:
Alexander McQueen- Love,love,love. Have for a long time (like a decade+). His aesthetic is spot-on for me.

Lucy Orta- I love the multi-purpose and urban survival aspect.

Thierry Mugler- again Love. Before McQueen and clearly an influence, and in addition to the aesthetic, I also love the theatrical quality of it all...

Francesca Lanzavecchia- amazing mashup of function+ style and repositioning (total Jan word) medical braces as fashion.
also: Hussein Chayalan, Shinmi Park, Gareth Pugh, Junya Watanabe, Troy Hortubise, Rebecca Horn, and Nancy Grossman

social design project

2008-09-09T10:26:00.002-04:00

Looking around at social problems, one that I react to pretty strongly is the issue of trash. Especially after having just returned to the "real world" from Burning Man, the differences in the level of the population in the preservation and care of their surroundings is vast. I see the genesis of many of the social issues that bother me split into 2 groups: lack of empathy with those different than yourself, and a lack of personal responsibility for your actions. The first set is harder to solve, so for the moment, I'm focusing on the second set.

For me trash falls into this catagory. At Burning Man you have a created city where nothing stands naturally, and is inhabited by upwards of 50,000 people. The event is a Leave No Trace event, everything that comes in, goes out with you. Trash is referred to as MOOP (Matter Out Of Place), and if you see MOOP on the ground, you pick it up. People are expected to be responsible, and it works. A city of 50,000 people cleans up after themselves. Then I come back, and I see trash everywhere. It seems tht you can't get 50 people to clean up after themselves, much less 50,000. So what's the difference? People care. People feel like a real part of the culture and their surroundings. There is no "they", there is only "us". Your actions determine the future.

On to the project. So I have 2 thoughts on possible projects. One is directed at the larger problem of litter. (on left side of sketch) I see trash, and I would pick it up, but I don't have anything to put it into, and carrying around germy trash bare-handed seems like a bad idea. So a solution is to create a carrying device that would contain bags to use to put the trash into. The inspiration for this came from a friends dog leash. He has a clip-on holder that has a roll of doggie bags, so that when you take the dog for a walk, it's convenient and easy to pick up after them. Initial concept is a bracelet that has several bags. Further thoughts have led to the following considerations: using biodegradable and compostable bags- biobags. Jan has a box of them in the office and these are the perfect solution- I don;t want to create more waste in solving waste.... They have a pet size which should work well. The design should be attractive and lightweight enough to wear. Opening for the bags: should they be elegant? Cheeky? Refilling the bags should be easy and simple. Also, what do you do with the filled bags if there is no trash can nearby? Solution: Have a stylish reusable washable bag as the inside liner of the bracelet that can be removed and the bags can go in there. Possible use of antibacterial liner?

Second concept was inspired by Amy- a place to put cigarette butts when there isn't a trashcan/ashtray nearby (on right in sketch). The idea on this is to do a locket where the butt goes in the top either through a hinged opening or a rubber membrane. The locket has an air filter worked in so that the smell is neutralized. The locket would also open on the bottom to allow for easy emptying of the butts. Considerations: easy to insert cigarette butts, spill proof, no smell, easy to clean

social design

2008-09-09T08:18:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking on Social Design (since I'm in the class and all) and for my own personal definition, Social Design is designing for the greater good. Considering not only the aesthetics of the piece, but the method and materials if construction, the place and use in society, and what the message of the piece is. For example, a necklace made of recycled materials that is purely for decoration I wouldn't consider to be social design. Pieces that make a statement about society or offer social commentary, and don't propose or promote change I also wouldn't consider social design. A necklace that is partially made of recycled materials that doubles as an air filter or a trash bag would be social design. Social Design form is design that is aiming to change something about the outer world through existing. The change can be small, and the change might not even be noticable, but the intent is there.

random

2008-09-08T09:05:00.002-04:00

links that are interesting that I don't want to lose. commentary to come in some organized fashion later....
pradsax- a social design innitiave/group
cool technology from eastman labs
a cool trash solution- social design
hack2school from core77
solidworks partnering for furniture design
on design and green design
x-rays!
manufractured exhibit- some great things
on what is design

pics

2008-05-03T08:35:00.003-04:00

Here's the latest of what's going on....
The wax pieces from last week are plating away in the electroformer (crosses that off the list of things to learn), and this is one of the new bone pieces!

3form ecoresins

2008-04-25T16:44:00.002-04:00

Clicking through links, I found this company- 3form, that sells ecoresin sheets/panels in a variety of sizes.colors, and lots of awesome patterns. And you can order samples! So i did.... lots of them! Toys!

2008-04-24T12:30:00.005-04:00

New pics of my work.... I've been doing more with the bone/aorta structures.
These red and blue piece are wax that will be electtroformed, but right now they look like science illustrations which is pretty cool.

A cuff bracelet

& the bracelet half constructed

what it looks like on....

and brooch

Pile o bones

what do you want?

2008-04-23T09:06:00.003-04:00

Found through Core77's blog, this essay by David Barringer on Desire and consumption. Great!!!

what does being a jeweler mean?

2008-04-22T19:17:00.002-04:00

So, relating back to things that have been bouncing around in my head, as well as the grad meeting Monday where we talked about how to define the field and where we think we fall in it, I'm feeling a bit at sea about where I stand and what I want to be...
I used to believe very firmly in the stance of I must make my designs. When I first started doing the production work and sent things out to be cast, that was hard for me. I felt like I was betraying some standard or failing some unspoken test. That attitude came from my undergrad education. Hand work was god. The flexshaft (or anything powered) was viewed as lesser- exception being the kilns. The flexshaft was only to be used when you could not do something by hand. And by could not, I mean the tool doesn't exist to get the task done. We never learned to sandblast, polish, or tumble, as those involved machines. So knowing this, it's not a stretch to see how the idea of you personally not being the one to make a piece is abhorrent to that mindset.
From doing production, I still feel/felt like I needed to be the one doing the bulk of the work- otherwise it seemed unfair? to be selling it as my work. However, I did realize that unless I could clone myself, something had to change. So I began to buy some stone setting and findings, as well as send everything out for casting. If I had continued with the shows, I probably would've looked into an intern to help with casting cleanup. But I still clung to certain things- making/injecting my own waxes for one... although I did relax that somewhat in the last couple of years.
Now, where am I? I thought that coming back to school would drive me further towards working on hand-laboured one-of-a-kind work. Reinstate a lot if that old dogma. It hasn't. I'm swinging further in the other direction. I now think I would like to design for some firms- or sell some of my designs to be produced. I'm looking at the new technologies and thinking that I'm perfectly fine with outsourcing that part. I'm thinking that so much of my production work is too labor-intensive for what it is. I need to streamline that. I'm also thinking that returning to the shows is something that I'm not particularly interested in. I don't think it is a viable financial decision. I want to continue to make, but I'm thinking more broadly about that term. I'm much more interested in following the European designer path, than anything I've seen here. In a perfect world, I'd like to work with companies to produce some of my designs, and continue to make others myself. I think what I would keep making would be jewelry....
This is not to say that I don't want to make things. I do. Very much. It is a part of who I am, but I'm not sure that I will be able to call myself a jeweler in a couple years. And I'm unsure how I feel about that. Is there a word I'd prefer? Am I turning my back on a large part of me if I don't use the word jeweler? I don't know. I do know that this is a big change in my outlook of where I'm heading. And I don't feel like I have a road map for this trip.....

V & A

2008-04-20T09:41:00.000-04:00

The V & A museum has an exhibit going on- China Design Now that showcases art and design coming from China currently. The online exhibition is light on objects, and has more photography, architecture, and graphic design.

Smithsonian, Renwick.... then Philly

2008-04-20T06:46:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, I played hooky and went to go see the Smithsonian show as well as the exhibition at the Renwick. The show had me shrug- I think I'm pretty jaded at this point. The work was nice, it was pretty much the work you would expect to see- a sub-set of ACC Baltimore. There were some new artists, but not really anything *new* happening with the work. Which was disappointing to me. This show is so hard to get into, and yet it seems the same as all of the rest of the shows. Nothing innovative about it. So even with Lauren and I talking to people we knew, it took us an hour to go through the whole thing. I think that the most interesting thing I saw was a ceramics artist who had manipulated the media such that his works looked like wood. Not just kind of, but I needed to touch them to find out that they were clay. Very convincing. Which is more of a technical virtuosity impressed, but it was still the most unusual (in a good way) thing I saw.
The show at the Renwick was great! Since I've been reading so much contemporary jewelry history (while accurate, that phrase doesn't make that much sense...) that it was wonderful to see the pieces in person. I never really get a full sense of the work from the photo. I want to walk around it, see the back and the sides, and take in the piece as an entire object not as a 2d photo. As I expected, I found some work that I was really struck by, others I admired for this or that, and a lot of things that just didn't do anything for me. It was reassuring quite a bit to be able to inspect the craftsmanship and construction of the pieces and realize that these artists were human after all... From the tone of many of the books, it's easy to lose sight of that.
One of the things that I am and have been constantly fascinated by is mechanisms. This is also one of the things that I found most frustrating in production, as I never really found an elegant, easy to use (for customers), and time-efficient solution to neck cables. While I never wear brooches, one of the most alluring elements of them is how they connect to the body. There was some stretching and craning of the neck to peek at the back sides, but we managed to see most of the connections and mechanisms. I was surprised at the amount to commercial or less-than-thought out clasps. A lot of the photographs don't show you the clasps, and I assumed that many of them would follow the (my) ideal of being incorporated into the piece and complimentary of it. Nope. Several of the necklaces simply had bayonet or spring ring clasps thrown on. On the flip side there were several really nice mechanisms as well, and I do need to remember that some of these mechanisms that are commonplace now, were fresher when the pieces were made.
I confirmed that I don't really get or prefer narrative jewelry. I can appreciate the technical excellence and detail (Mawdsley) but it doesn't draw me at all. I think that much of it is too busy for me. I also re-confirmed that I am drawn to Gerd Rothmann's work. Even a piece that I hadn't seem before and is unlike his better-known body print pieces caught my eye.
Seeing Stanley Lechtzin's electroformed early work gave me a much greater appreciation for those pieces, as they are like mini subterranean landscapes. In the photos that dimensionality doesn't come across.
A couple of other thoughts- It was really great to see some of the sketches (and not just Hermann Junger!) alongside of the work. I like seeing how other artists conceive of their work and translate it onto paper. Also the display of several of the neckpieces (Caroline Broadhead's veil and sleeve, Gijs Bakker's Dew Drop, LAM de Wolf's work, etc.) was perfect. By putting the work on simplified white head (or arm) forms, the pieces really stood out. You could see the full intent and impact of the work.
Yesterday we drove up to Philadelphia to check out the Gijs Bakker show at the Phildelphia Art Alliance- totally worth the trip. And I really should remember that Philly isn't far away... and go more often. The exhibit had a very comprehensive selection of his work from the mid-60s onwards. He has explored so many different avenues in his work that seeing collections from each time period helped the work seems much more cohesive. The best example I can cite is a series of mobius strip bracelets and rings from the late 60's-early 70's. Seeing one of them, *shrug*. It's a form that has been used a lot. Seeing the exploration of that shape and the evolution of a series of bracelets from that time (20? or so) gives me a much deeper appreciation for how he works through an idea in iteration. The same with the Shot series of brooches. Seeing one displayed doesn't really show you the exploration of the idea (In this case shooting bullets into a sphere-on the computer-at different angles and then cutting away or slicing the sphere to create the bracelet forms. The holes left by the bullets become the opening for your hand.)
The exhibit has drawing up of some of the pieces, but unfortunately they are all in one room rather than with the pieces they are illustrating. I was also curious as to who did some of the more formal sketches from the 60's work- the stovepipe and neck collar pieces- and I think that the actual drawing may have been by Emmy VanLeersum.
The exhibit has several of his pvc neckpieces, but they are displayed flat rather than on forms which makes me want to pick them up in order to see how they sit (as most of the ones they had were cut in spiral form so that they would drape) on the body, otherwise the exhibit did a very nice job of displaying the work.
So, if you get the chance, both the Renwick show and the Philly show are worth it!

Dubai

2008-04-17T16:44:00.000-04:00

Dubai is rapidly rising as an international hub. The pace of development there is insanely fast, and seems poised to keep expanding as quickly as the raw materials and labor can arrive. Metropolis magazine had a feature on Dubai in November of last year. In the article, they laid out some interesting points regarding Dubai's growth and expansion- especially as it relates to design.
One of the things I found most interesting and laudable about Dubai is the commitment to sustainable and green technologies. This is evidenced in the architecture of the city- David Fisher has designed a tower where each floor will rotate. This seems like ostentatious excess to the extreme, however the rotations will all be powered by wind turbines. Dubai is in a great geographical position to make the most of wind and solar power. The Burj al-Taqa will be the first skyscraper to produce 100% of it's energy. Most will produced by roof mounted wind-turbines, and augmented by solar panels. Much of the development in Dubai is centered around energy efficiency. Architects are working with heat reducing materials, solar screens and shields, glass shades, and vacuum glazing to reduce the need for cooling the building in the hot weather.
In addition the tremendous wealth in Dubai is giving designers a chance to realize their ideas in entirety. Designers are basically being given free rein for a lot of the interiors to incorporate new materials and technologies. When money is no object, you can produce some amazing works. The one stumbling point seems to be the insistence on the latest newest thing rather than on objects/designs that have a relation to the setting and the culture. The article in Metropolis sums it up as "the conflict between a global design language and the local vernacular..... people want the newest and become quite taken by.... whatever is on the other side."
So where is Dubai headed and how did they get here? According to Metropolis, Dubai wants to be a major economic hub for the world. To that end, Dubai is focused on sustainability and diversification. As a minor player in oil, Dubai had to grow in other ways. This has led to agressive economic policies which have resulted in one of the fastest grwoing economies on the planet. One aspect that I find very interesting about Dubai, is the reliance on foreign deisgners and managment for its companies and developents. There isn't a lot of home-grown talent in Dubai, so most mid-upper level work is done by foreign workers. And the scal of the money being spent in Dubai means that we are talking outsourcing on a scale that Americans can live quite well on. With all of the uproar over jobs here going to countries that have lower cost of living, why aren't we then marketing ourselves for positions in places like Dubai?
It seems that much of the press previously on Dubai has been focused on the excess and showy qualities that make you think of Vegas on strong steroids. However Dubai seems much more serious underneath that facade.

2008-04-17T11:32:00.000-04:00

So I think I have some deeper/better answers to why I'm making what I am this semester, as well as possibly some insight into my work in general.
A couple nights ago I had an aha! moment where I realized that the pieces so far are really about protection. The talon forms sticking outwards from the body, repelling anyone from getting close; the bone/aorta structures forming an exoskelton of sorts.... see where this is going?
Also in reading Mind and Mentality there was a section talking about jewelry that is purposefully uncomfortable to wear. Which got me thinking about these pieces and with some of them latching into the skin, or even having the appearance of doing so also brings up self-destructive (mutilation) issues as well.
So this realization isn't making me particularly thrilled, but I'm looking back on a lot of the forms I work with in general and seeing that protective idea reoccur. Even the pod shapes that deal with enclosure I tend to position so that they aren't totally open to the outside world- the gem or secret is for the wearer.
Not sure what this means or is leading to, but there it is.

work pics

2008-04-17T10:16:00.000-04:00

So after my midterm, i started working with some new forms that have a more direct correlation to the body. Here are the bone/aorta pieces on my desk, also tested out the medical adhesive last night and it works well. So also pics of a swirly talon and a bone on the body....

Realized that it is going to take quite a while to get everything glued on properly. Must remember to budget the time for that...

Studio Libertiny

2008-04-16T11:13:00.000-04:00

ID magazine has an article on Studio Libertiny- very cool ideas....
http://www.id-mag.com/article/Studio-Libertiny/
the bees vase (for Droog!)

and the paper vases (note the tree print that faintly appears on the surface)

I liked both of these as the emphasized process. And non-traditional processes that created traditional forms.... The bees vases were made by creating a mold that the bees then made their honeycomb inside of, thereby creating the form. There are more photos in the press release downloads that show all the different final products that came from that one mold. The paper vases are lathed from blocks of paper which are created by gluing individual sheets with the tree print on each sheet together.
The labour involved in creating each of these is tremendous and yet, forward thinking and embracing an open outlook to design.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

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

Ronan and Erwin Bouroullec are French brothers in Industrial Design. Their approach to design is clean lines, an eye toward flexibility in the use of the object, and an emphasis on customizable pieces. Says Ronan, "'Erwan and I both like the idea of giving someone an object and letting them decide how they’ll use it."
Ronan is the elder, graduated from the Ecole Superieure des Arts Decoratifs in 1997. His designs began to be produced by Capellini shorty afterwards. Erwan graduated from the Ecole Nationale d'Arts de Cergy in 1999 and joined his brother in business. The brothers have designed for Capellini, Habitat, Issey Miyake's APOC store, Vitra, and the Kreo Gallery.
Their designs are simple in form, intended to be made personal by the owners. An excellent example of this is their shelving for Vitra,

also some of their textiles like the Zip rug, where you can zipper together sections of carpet in different colors to make your own combination. The modularity of the work also makes it attractive to a wide range of customers, as it give them more control over the final look.
I respond much more to some of their wall decorations, shelving, and objects than I do to the furniture in general. There seems to be a more playful feel to these pieces and a richer attention to pattern and surfaces.

China, part 1 of ?? : why china matters

2008-04-12T11:53:00.000-04:00

So as part of the "what is going on in the world" research, I've been looking at China.
Good magazine has a feature this month called 'Ten Reasons Why China Matters to You'. Some thoughts and synopsis...

From Reason #10-"its achievement scares nations around the world—and excites others—because it suggests that you can rapidly embrace globalization, achieve great income growth, and remain a single-party state by following the so-called China model."
in the Lexus and the Olive Tree. Mainly, that in order to reap the rewards of globalization a country needs to have the infrastructure, ,skill set, and processes; i.e. "software" to deal with the demands of the global market. I'm not sure that China has that. I wonder however, if the sheer volume and population of China is enough to carry the country over the hump as it currently appears to be doing. It is certainly odd to see the I find this interesting as it seems to go against some of the theories posited by Thomas Friedmanprinciples of a globalized economy humming along in a communist country. It seems jarring to me that what I might consider a fairly pure capitalist notion (globalization) is working. I wonder if that regardless of the political hold that the communist party retains, the social forces of the marketplace will erode those principles.

Reason #8 does a great job of laying out some of the challenges that China will face the longer it remains a global player. This brings up the issues of transparency in process- both governmental and business oriented, as well as corruption. There are several separate booms/seas of change going on in China right now- from sexual revolution to the results of the one child act. These will each change and affect to landscape in China- the question is how? And how will/can the government control these changes and mold them (as they have done before) without running up against the forces of the global markets?

From Reason #7- "Frankly, the best crises are the ones you actually hear about, because that means the international press got ahold of them, and those already affected or at risk will get the information they need to protect themselves. Once tracked back to China, Beijing is put on public notice that whatever laxness exists simply cannot be tolerated anymore, with threats of quarantine, bans on exports, cessation of investment flows, and so on. A generation ago, such threats would elicit yawns from China’s ruling elite, but now, with the Communist Party’s legitimacy riding on economic expansion, they’re taken with the utmost seriousness."
I think that now that China has committed itself to being a player in the global markets, it is that marketplace that will have the power and incentives to push forward social reform in China. I believe that many of the issues that people are bringing up and have brought up over the past decades (treatment of workers, human rights, corruption in the legal system, etc.) will not be solved nation to nation. I think that the force that can put the pressure on the government to change these issues is globalization. The global markets have the incentive (more investment, continued growth) as well as the clout to demand these changes. If the above quote is true (and I think that it is) the government has placed itself in a position were it has to listen. I don't think that there is any way that they can shut the doors on the global market now without completely destroying the country.

Reason #6 talks more about the political aspect of China's rise. I think this is where a lot of the uncertainty for me comes in. In order to get what it needs to keep growing and sustaining the growth, China is getting resources from all over- including some pretty unstable places. What happens to the global markets if China's supply is disrupted? If you don't think that will have some adverse reactions here, you are mistaken.... we should be paying much more attention to this than we currently are. This is the type of issue that we simply do not have any control over happening. If we aren't keeping an eye out and see the warning signs, we will be caught off guard.
I know there is a lot of people worrying about design and jobs shifting more to China than they are, and they might be right. I also think that if we keep trudging along as we have been head fixed in one direction, not looking around, and truthfully, not thinking very hard about what we're doing and where we're going, that there is nothing we can do to stop it. That said, I think that if we can wake up, take a deep breath and knock down our self-imposed restrictions on ways of thinking and creating, that we can offer "new". We cannot skate by on our reputation without doing anything to deserve that reputation. It isn't fair that manufacturing jobs are going or gone, it isn't fair that we aren't, as a country, what we used to be in terms of innovation and drive. But whose fault is that? Ours. And the world isn't fair. The longer we spend complaining about it and being nostalgic for when we were the hot market and everyone wanted us, is more ground we will have to cover to catch up.

Reason #5- Apparently I may be an economic determinist as I agree with the following quotes: "I believe economics shapes politics more than the other way around.....That doesn’t mean I want Washington to forgo pushing Beijing’s leaders in the direction of increasing political freedom and transparency, it just means that I have more faith in the transformative power of markets than others do, so I don’t argue for picking fights with China on that score...." I should look more into that economic concept (and this is where a part of my brain goes, "Economic Theory?!? You're in Art School! What are you thinking???"). This reason also brings up my earlier point about a potential crisis affecting us seriously. This is what I get for typing as I read....
The characterization of a "financial 'balance of terror'" reminds me greatly of the Cold War mentality: Us v. Them, both sides understanding the destruction of actually acting on their threats, but needing to perpetuate that image.

Reason #4 addresses some of the environmental concerns about rapid expansion of infrastructure. While I agree that international pressures and concerns may tip the balance to a smarter style of growth, I worry that the cheapness and ease of the "old" way may win out regardless. Also, once you start down that way, the damage gets done very very quickly. So it really won't take a big push to start that avalanche. Especially when you are tyring to catch up to the rest of the world, and are aggressively pursuing growth, there is the danger (proven through history) of looking at the now and short-term future, and ignoring the long-term effects until it is too late. I don't have a lot of faith in humanity here.

From Reason #1- "How America engages China’s emerging elite in coming years could well determine—for good or ill—the lasting contours of the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century.....Bind America and China together, and globalization cannot be derailed. But set them persistently at odds, and that’s a recipe for unacceptable danger." China is not going away, and we cannot ignore that. To position ourselves into that global chain would be the smart thing to do. After all, you pay more attention to those you work closely with and have constant dialog with than distant acquaintances- regardless of whether you agree or disagree most of the time. It simply affects you more.

links!

2008-04-11T09:57:00.000-04:00

So here's some cool links.....
I so want a job at Philips right now- as it seems that the concepts I have kicking around in my head right now, they have the science and resources to pull off..... wonder if they have openings....
tattoo project
skintile project
sensor project

plus-
laser cutting link and waterjet cutting link
I still need to call these places to check on prices, but both have a more extensive range of materials than ponoko....

bathsheba grossman

2008-04-07T14:39:00.000-04:00

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/93d5/

i am amused since we were talking about her work in the grad meeting this morning to find these on thinkgeek.... according to the write-up she uses Mathematica and Surface Evolver to create them.... something to look into for algorithym based generation of forms?

Marcel Wanders

2008-04-04T11:24:00.000-04:00

Marcel Wanders is a Dutch designer who initially broke onto the stage working with Droog Design where he created his Knotted Chair- which is one of the most easily recognized pieces of his. Since then he has gone to design for several well known European companies, including B&B Italia, and Cappellini, in addition to continuing to work with Droog. He also founded Moooi and designs for that company in addition to being the art director. Many if his designs are instantly recognizable, some of my favorites below...

Marcel Wanders graduated from the School of Arts Arnhem in 1988. He began working independently right away and became a member of Droog in 1992. In the past decade, his career has skyrocketed and he has won numerous awards, most recently the Visionary! Award from the Museum of Arts and Design in 2007. He has received press in just about every design magazine out there including ID, The mission statement for Marcel Wanders Studio taken from their website is: Here to create an environment of Love, Live with Passion and make our most exciting dreams come true. This statement coupled with a quote from Marcel in an interview with designboom: "I want to make work come alive by participation. there is a sense of love in a product - a kind of energy... (I think I'm responsible for creating an energy).I try with my designs to make a connection to real life and to contribute to the lives of people. ‘real’ products should not be done by half measures." and "I design from a mentality" crystallizes his outlook on designing. Especially in his interiors, you can see that zest for living and enjoying life come out in the overwhelming nature of his rooms. The rooms tend to be aggressive personalities in themselves, not simply content to be there, they want to interact with you and have you interact with them.

In another quote from the designboom interview, Marcel gives this advice to young designers: " I think so many young designers who see their work as ‘artistic’, and see their studio as ‘free spirit places’ won’t grow, they won’t reach a lot of people because it’s an ‘academic thing’ where it’s more done for the designers than the people." This is a very important concept in design- regardless of how "cool" or cutting-edge a product is, it is still a product. If the consumer isn't considered in the designing, it will be a failed product.

Bruce Mau

2008-04-03T14:25:00.000-04:00

Bruce Mau Designs creates brand identities for places and design organizations. They have worked with countries to museums to bookstores. What I recognized as soon as I searched, was the publications- especially the Life Style book.
Bruce Mau attended Ontario College of Art+ Design, but left prior to graduating. He founded Bruce Mau Designs, and was the Creative Director for ID Magazine in the early 90s.
One of the things that really strikes me about Bruce Mau is his articulation in communicating his theories- especially his approach to design, and the way he views this as an approach to a variety of concepts and problems.
In his Massive Change project, which is in collaboration with the Institute Without Boundaries, the concept is to use new ideas, technologies, and collaborative design to address social problems in the world. This inclusive and broad-minded approach to working and creating is something that I am seeing more of now than ever before. I think that combining disciplines or collaborating cross-discipline is the direction of future design- or at least the cutting edge where the breakthroughs will occur. A quote from AIGA describing the Massive Change project: "What if we could do anything? What if the questions surrounding design turned out to be the big questions? What if life itself became a design project? What if - as Arnold Toynbee once suggested - we were committed to an audacious, altruistic global project that imagined "the welfare of the entire human race as a practical objective"? What if design turned out to be that project? What if we succeeded?"
Bruce Mau Designs seems to act as a think tank for branding and creating identities for their clients. On their website brucemaudesign.com, there is a link to The Incomplete Manifesto which lays out the philosophy behind the Bruce Mau's designs. Bruce Mau was an AIGA Medalist in 2007 recognized "or his mastery of the craft of graphic design and for his expansive, strategic sense of design’s role in shaping civilizations."

The New Jewelry: Trends and Traditions

2008-04-02T22:03:00.000-04:00

My thoughts on The New Jewelry: Trends and Traditions by Peter Dormer and Ralph Turner....

David LaPlantz quote re: his outlook on making taken from his artist statement: "... satisfaction, a peace, a reason to smile and arise each dawn."
I completely agree with his outlook- if you lose the joy you get from creating, why continue? This is why it is important to raise your head up out if the day-to-day and look around, and take the time to recharge your creative batteries. Especially when you are working for yourself, it is easy to lose sight of the overall joy and why you're working so hard in the first place. It is precisely in that situation that it is most important to remember!
Another quote from the same statement: "Who needs and angst-ridden jeweler?".
I know that some artists create at their best when they are angsty and in turmoil. I don't. I lose perspective on the pieces underway and get frustrated easily as my feelings bleed across the boundaries of what I'm doing. Therefore, I completely see his viewpoint....

Regarding the ambition towards jewelry as sculpture- there are 2 ways to approach this according to the book:
The first way- The piece as autonomous object or the person who wears it being a part of the body sculpture.
The second way- Design-based jewelry "which tends not to 'express' anything other than how it is to be worn.... It simply 'is'."
I'm not sure that I find the above statements to be accurate.
Also, where do I fit in to that? Is it one or the other or is it a sliding scale between the two?
In answer, I'm not sure. I feel that my work and focus is changing as a necessary side effect of shifting from the marketplace back into academia, where I feel that the second way is brushed off as trite. Although there is not as huge emphasis on the first way, rather that is viewed as a valid road to follow. The notion that there needs to be an overriding statement or higher concept to the work is odd to me when presented as "the" way. I think that for some work, that school of thought is spot-on and accurate, but I think that there is certainly a place (I might argue a larger place) in the world for the second way.

Ornament v. Object
Two charged words in our field. My reaction? What are the differences between those? I think that's a separate post.....

Addressing figurative work: It seems to me that figurative work occupies a lesser status in the field, and especially in academic settings where I find that it is often flatly discouraged. It is true that figurative work, especially work done while learning falls into the common traps, but this is a valid design area, and we should be working to educate to avoid and rise above those pitfalls rather than shutting the door on figurative work because it is easier that addressing the issues.

Things I found interesting:
Rita Grosse-Ruyken
The different and clever ways that brooches attach and how the mechanisms are part of the piece- either hidden or worked into the overall design
Stanley Lechtzin's torque neckpieces
Caroline Broadhead's nylon bracelets and veil neckpiece
Otto Kunzli- addressing the societal acceptance of adornment with his work; the narrow range of what is acceptable, okay, and expected to wear and be worn during any given time period

Messengers of Modernism

2008-04-02T21:33:00.000-04:00

My thoughts and ruminations on Messengers of Modernism (American Studio Jewelry 1940-1960)by Toni Greenbaum

"A Craftsman's Creed:
All the fine traditions and the skill...
Are mine to use to raise my craft's renown,
And mine to teach again with reverent will...
Thus do I love to serve,
With fingers that are master of the tool."
This quote taken from the book was originally published in a 1942 artists manual.

How relevant is this today? What would be the changes and/or additions to make this resonate with artists/designers today?

I feel that the pure reverential treatment of the past in terms of technical skills does a disservice to the students today. I think that the traditions of our craft are important and should be passed along and acknowledged, I feel that all too often they are placed on a pedestal and not questioned. This worship of the old tends to leave no room for the new, and in many places breeds a fear and a reaction of inferiority and skepticism when dealing with new techniques and technologies. The rose colored lens that we view the past of our craft with is doing us a great disservice today by closing our eyes to possibilities for ensuring the future of our discipline and marginalizes our discussions and concerns about where we are headed.
However, I do feel that a broad and competent set of technical skills is necessary for a designer to be able to innovate and create. So how to reconcile these thoughts in the classroom and in practice? That needs more puzzling out, and is a question that all educators of craft fields should be examining closely.

It seems like the post WWII views in the crafts movement strongly echo the Arts & Crafts movement's ideologies at the turn of the 20th century- The emphasis on creating a more fulfilling life and society through the introduction of handmade crafts into everyday life. The idea that if people are surrounded by beautiful and meaningful objects that will raise their collective consciousness and give spiritual fulfillment to their lives. Industry and mass-produced products are the soulless opposition to be overcome.
The first part of that theorem, I don't mind- I do think that raising the status of designed objects is beneficial. I don't believe that it will somehow cure the world's ills or even really uplift anyone however. I think that it simply makes the world a more aesthetically pleasing place to exist in, and that to me has a soothing effect. Plus it benefits all of us financially as well, which is also a worthy aim.
The second part of that- where industry is viewed as the enemy of the handcraft, seems to still linger in studio practices today, and I think this is exceedingly detrimental to our field. We cannot continue to exist in our hermit's cave of pure compartmentalized studio arts, neatly arranged by discipline if we are to adapt and survive in an increasingly global networked society. It only serves to marginalize us further from relevence in today's society. I feel that instead we should look toward the post-war designers who seized the opportunity to work with industry to bring design to market. Right now this is the domain of "designers", but isn't that what we are as well? Why should we not be actively seeking these opportunities out? It is true that much of the work being produced in art jewelry and in academia is not suitable for the marketplace, however the kernel of the piece- that idea that drives it, can be. Designs can be adapted and reworked with the marketplace in mind while keeping the essence or purpose that initially spawned their creation.

Art Smith- He views jewelry as an incomplete sculptural expression until it relates to the human structure... I like that idea. It addresses the ideas that jewelry can be seen as its own object, but also that it needs to relate to the body to be complete.

Artists to look into further:
Harry Bertoia- hollowware
Art Smith
Paul Lobel
Everett MacDonald
Betty Cooke (local Baltimore!)

ooh- must see!

2008-04-02T20:59:00.000-04:00

Takashi Murakami exhibit opening at the Brooklyn Museum of Art! NY Times story here.

Tom Dixon

2008-04-02T19:07:00.000-04:00

Tom Dixon is a UK designer who designs a wide range of objects. He dropped out of art school, and learned to weld repairing his motorcycle which then led into creating sculpture. From sculpture he moved into furniture, and was "discovered" in 1989 by the Cappellini furniture design company and they produced his S chair.

Tom Dixon is known for embracing the technology available and using it to create his designs. In a quote from his website tomdixon.net, he says "Honestly, I can't remember ever holding an ambition to be a designer. It just slowly came over me as I rejected notions of being an artist or, a craftsman. Even today I prefer the idea of being an industrialist." This outlook is obvious from his designs, not looking at what's been done before or really what's happening tangential to him- he seems to make a place for his work if non previously exists. One thing that really strikes me about the work is the broad outlook at the "object"- particularly in his lighting- and the experimentation with materials. Some of my 3 favorites:

I love the look and delicacy of the form.

The structure of this piece really draws me- it could seem too much or too heavy, but the scale in which it was rendered makes it seem almost fragile.

I love the simplicity of the form, and that he put so much thought into the design for this piece.

Tom, along with David Begg, started Tom Dixon Designs in 2002, and they partnered with venture capitalists to for Design Research which oversees both Tom Dixon Designs and Artek, which is a furniture manufacturer that was started by Alvar Aalto. He has exhibited at numerous exhibitions- including the Milan Furniture Fair and 100% Design in London. For the London Design Festival the past 2 years he has orchestrated a public display/giveaway of his work to raise social awareness- this past year he designed and gave away a specially designed lamp that uses CF bulbs! Here's a video I found with Tom Dixon talking about sustainable design. Tom Dixon Designs will be exhibiting at the ICFF in NYC in May!

2008-04-02T18:47:00.000-04:00

So after several weeks of trying to balance all the new stuff with old stuff, I completely ignored getting this off the ground. So now I'm playing catch up, and trying to get this blog into the daily juggling act. On to the updating...
The first half of the semester is over and done. I now feel like I have a routine, and am more at home there. My space has accumulated stuff, and the slightly frightening part is that my studio at home still looks full... or overfull depending on who you ask. Here's my space as of a couple weeks ago:

Pictures of projects underway upcoming soon, I promise!

New Beginnings

2008-01-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

Here we go everyone... I figure this is going to be the easiest way to let you know what I'm doing and making as I flip my headspace into being a student again.
Things are about to start- first class in on Monday. At this point I have an ID card, parking pass, and a schedule! I'll be taking a 3-D modeling class using some of the cad-cam software out there for jewelry and object design. This should be fun and I think it'll also be very important for me in my work over the next few years. I'll also be doing an art history class on the History of Modern Design, and 2 independent study jewelry classes (the topic of one: Body Modifications- so expect some weird stuff from me). Hopefully this will be enough to keep me busy!
Over the next week, I'll start moving stuff and tools into my space- something I've been putting off as the idea of both cleaning my studio (in order to see what's down there) and splitting it all up is frightening to me.
I'll certainly be ordering a bunch of things from Contenti!! (many thanks to those of you again!)... just as soon as I figure out what I need!
I'll post pics of my new studio home as I move in and hopefully get through the first week of classes only mildly battered and bruised. And somewhere in here I'm supposed to be getting ready for ACC Baltimore... I have a month, right?