Kinzo

Kinzo design the interior for 'Maygreen' in Hamburg. The antithesis of recessed lighting, Kinzo show it as it is, incorporating the exposed connecting cables into a circuit board layout on the ceiling. Geological inspired furniture complete the fit out, in their true, (super sleek), style

Tomas Alonso

Cool little creatures by Tomas Alonso in the form of his Mr Light series.

Credenza

Anyone for a Le Corbusier/Charlotte Perriand collaboration from 1947? Yes please. Love the way this looks like it was really worked on, i get a strong sense that elements were added, taken away, then painted, then other things taken away again etc, etc. (Kind of reminds me of Diebenkorn's heavily worked Ocean Park compositions, like this one)

South London Goodness

A big shout out to a couple of friends of mine with upcoming Fine Art shows. Colin quietly works away in the brilliant Havelock Walk in South London, away from the hubbub of the East End making intense and intricate, fractured cerebral landscapes. The open studios are coming up in May, when everyone who works tucked away on the cobbled street, opens their doors to the public.
And even sooner is Jess Warboys performance piece at The South London, "Ballad of the Green Hoop", starting on the 8th April. I have got a lot of love for the SLG from my Peckham days, its so good to have a (very) serious Gallery down in SE15. Why not check out Will Alsop's award winning Library whilst you are down there.
Best of Luck to everyone involved.

Fifties Kitchen

I am presently researching (late) fifties style kitchens for a possible upcoming commission, and i am enjoying what i am finding. Check out the tiny dark plinth on the island with the lourved vent, white frame and venneer (above) - fine detailing. The coloured units (middle) are by Joseph Eichler, not an amazingly well known designer, but one who worked within the modernist rules whilst managing to imbue his designs with lots of personality through palette and form.

Marjetica Portc

A tip from Neil, a friend of mine, who likes to keep his images and inspiration close to his chest. Really sorry to let her out the bag Neil, but Marjetica Portc is so interesting, and downright good, i just couldn't resist.

The Petermann Glacier

A slight squint and these images become very abstract, i find this kind of thing very useful when considering lots of ideas or problems;  from form, scale, colour, mark making, materials and texture, to quality of line and composition. Pics courtesy of the Telegraph.

Wrecking Ball

Studio Job unveil some new pieces, which are getting an insane amount of design column inches, at the previously mentioned Carpenters Workshop Gallery. The CWG  press release reads "Specially designed for this show, Crane Lamp is a floor-standing bronze structure. An enforced cord runs through the core to a hanging bulb.  Indicative of Studio Job’s fine attention to detail, small bulbs light the boom point from which the jib hangs. An ancient invention, the crane has a long history of industrial use. Here, it has been miniaturised into an ornamental design piece."

"New", are they sure its not a reworking, an interpretation? because it looks like that to me when i compare it to Curtis Jere's (Co.) orginal.

I know there are differences in realism, interpretation and finish; but making a lamp via the miniaturisation of an specific object that has already been minaturised and made into a lamp? In concept, it is exactly the same. Ideas of ownership and copyright are blurred; my personal attitude is that there are so many designers and makers working that we have to understand we are going to tread on each others toes occasionally. And that is fine, we just have to respect the things that have gone before, and this where the CWG goes a bit wrong.
The Crane light comes in an edition of six, i am imagining are seriously expensive, and will probably end up in museums all over the world. If you are selling super exclusive things, at big prices you should be qualified enough to know that there is respect due to Curtis Jere, and a little nod to them on the press release would have been appropriate.
(I would much rather have the original btw.)

Elisa Strozyk

Really delicate pieces by Eliza Strozyk . These are supposedly rugs and that's cool, but the 3 dimensional, sculptural properties are what interest me. Almost like a wooden shape generating game.

Tools

I like to work cleanly and neatly, its very important for my mindset when making. I like to know where my daily used tools are, so there is no scrabbling around for something in mid process. I Also planed my bench back recently and recommend it. Obviously its now dead flat and level, but emotionally it makes a difference as well, as i find myself addressing the bench and the work in more considered, (even serious), way.

Shanghai Expo '10

Brilliant piece on the progression of Shanghai Expo '10 buildings courtesy of The Boston Globe. For the UK, the unclassifiable Thomas Heatherwick creates 'Seed Cathedral', a mental, blur of a building; the camera struggling to make sense of its boundaries. Looks amazing.

Myles Painter

Really strong image of Myles Painter's light piece for Jotta's, 'Land Without a Map', recent exhibition.
Painter is a young artist still forming his opinions and objectives, but i admire the way that he is not afraid of experimentation in large scale, ambitious objects.

From Floor to Sky

I mentioned From Floor to Sky recently at the P3 Gallery recently, describing it as mega, and it is just that. Firstly, the space is awesome, tucked away beside Westminster college on the Marylebone Road. You enter via a gate, then down a stair case into essentially a car park where you follow unclear directions wondering if you going the right way, finally entering through a grey doorway into the huge gallery. The first thing that struck me was the lighting, (or the lack of it); comtemporary sculpture is normally flooded by pure white light but at the P3 it is so much more personal, even emotional. The lighting of Carolyne Kardia's plaster floor piece (sorry, cant find an image) is perfect, elevating the work in the best possible way. There is an early work by Bill Woodrow, Untitled 1971, spanning sculpture, photography and (conceptual) installation but making perfect sense. Richard Deacon punches hard with his floor standing forms and Nina Danino does exactly the opposite with her narrative slide film 'First Memory' 1981. The pace is the key for this piece, any quicker and your contemplative time would be insufficient but any slower and you may be in danger of a comatose state. The balance and timing is right, giving beautiful results.
If you hadn't guessed it already, I highly recommend From Floor to Sky, which ends soon, on the 4th April.

Peter Marigold

Super cool new work from Peter Marigold with the Palindrone series. You probably know that i am interested in re-casting wooden objects from my milking stool project and i think this plaster approach is really quite beautiful. Marigold is consistent so check out the other work too, his Prop is weirdly brilliant and in Pied de Biche Marigold turns an old Dexion shelving unit into something very elegant.

Pastoe

More Dutch goodness in the shape of Pastoe. I am very into presenting furniture in a less obvious, or more ambigious way, and the placement here really interests me. Treating the objects as more a landscape or installation rather than using a classic interior set up. Very architectural, really well coloured with good details and mechanics, documented extremely well. Succinctly executed round table here also.

Phase 2

A belated update on the new Cornwall workshop. New floor is all down, 3 phase power is in and concrete plinth and planer are all in place. Lots to do to make it how i want it, but all functioning nicely so very happy so far. Will update you again very soon.

Showing Off!

The view from my house this morning. Spring has finally arrived!

Studiolise

A brief one after yesterday, (phew!)
I like virtually everything Studiolise are involved in. Well considered objects and interiors. Good description of the light too,  as ".....a sturdy, unpretentious friend."

James Turrell

Not sure if i am qualified or clever enough to cover this, but i am going to give it a shot.
Since mentioning James Turrell a few posts ago i have been trying to find out the latest info on his Magnum opus, The Roden Crater. Turrell is undoubtedly one of the greatest living artists, and over the last three decades he has used light and indeterminate space - not objects or images - to extend and enhance perception. "I am really interested in the qualities of one space sensing another. It is like looking at someone looking. Objectivity is gained by being once removed. As you plumb a space with vision, it is possible to 'see yourself see'. This seeing, this plumbing, imbues space with consciousness."
The Roden Crater is a natural cinder volcano in the Painted Desert, Arizona, and is the site for Turrell's last, epic project. It was purchased in 1972 and Turrell has been carving tunnels, passageways, chambers and windows (or 'skyscapes') into it ever since. I think it was first supposed to open in the late eighties, and then again in the nineties, and then again in 2006 but it has not happened to date and the trail as to when it will be finished is getting thinner.
Only a few people have been allowed to visit the site, mostly major financiers, the art world elite, and a couple of extremely lucky others. By all accounts, (and there aren't many), it is mind blowing, allowing the viewer to see celestial phenomena with the naked eye, and playing with light and colour in the most bewildering way. It has even been mentioned in the same sentence as Machu Picchu and the Pyramids as a true wonder.
What really interests me is that, in working on essentially one piece, on such an enormous scale for nearly forty years - how do you let it go, to be free, to be viewed? Only a few dozen photographs exist, its whereabouts is not common knowledge, and The Skystone Foundation, (who administer the project) have no website, just a phone number, to which they receive countless daily enquiries about visitation - all rebuffed. Its been personal forever, since day one, nobody really knows anything about it, it is for him, it is essentially his tomb. You have to remember this place is in the middle of nowhere, you can't just drive there on a whim, and the concept of coach tours is just too frightening. Turrell talks about flying (the sky) as being his studio, and doing a hell of it enabled him to find Roden Crater - it was the inaccessibility of the location, the peace of the site, which drew him to it. In no way am i suggesting that Turrell is not working his guts out to get this done but I wonder whether the struggle for completion is a struggle with ownership in some way, with whether he can deal with hoards of mortals interfering with the total serenity and beauty of his ultimate creation.
When it finally does open (the latest rumours are 2011), i think it should be one at time, for as long as you need - with me at the very front of the queue.
(There is a good (oldish) radio piece about it here)

Phat Knits

'Soft furnishings' is not my usual department, but i like Bauke Knottnerus's 'Phat Knits', Oldenburg inspired oversized  crocheted and knitted things. (I am a real sucker for that blue), but i think they are very inviting objects, fun but also luxurious - a difficult balance to get right. A few nicely executed other pieces on the site too.

dovetails

Randomly found this image, no idea what it is, or even what scale it is. Nice though.

Ambika P3

'From Floor to Sky: British Scuplture and the Studio Experience' has just started at the mega P3 gallery. Featuring some big name British artists; Woodrow, Deakon and Wentworth amongst others,  the show is essentially a compare and contrast of college and recent work. The rope that binds all this together is the curator and one time tutor of all the artists, Peter Kardia. Kardia is hugely influencial and very well respected, and is talking about the show and all things visual TONIGHT at the Tate Britain. I am not in the City at the moment, but if i was, i would be going!

'EO1' Maquette

 

(Sorry, not quite sure whats going on with the formatting here.)

Continuing the development of the 'EO1' extending coffee table, which i have been charting on the blog, with a half scale maquette. The Red section acts as a lift out tray and extending peice and the large section raw birch ply edge will be seen in the final version. I am going to make the walnut legs slightly longer to give the 'slab' a bit more air and also taper them to a thinner section at the bottom. I like how the asymmetrical pieces really throw the eye, making the surface look undulated. Also, the personality feels good; it avoids being too cute when 'closed' because of the greyish blue and its almost a little angry with the red insert. (The images are huge, so click if you feel like taking a closer look)

Favourite Chair?

Ooohhh, this is a tough one! Decide what your favorite chair is, write a few words explaining why and you could win £1000 to spend in the Conran shop. Me? I have gone for something Swedish!

Bassam El Okeily

I am really feeling Bassam El Okeily's work, such light, ethereal structures and interiors. Definitely some James Turrel influence here. I like the way the website images kind of float around too, with clean, large, (sometimes ambiguous) pics.

6 Music

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

6 Music has been the radio station of choice in the workshop since its conception, it is head and shoulders above the rest and is going to be sorely missed if the BBC goes ahead with its stupid cull. Please sign up (to Facebook) to save it!

The Practice of Everyday Design

The Practice of Everyday Design is a new a partnership, and it feels like it; there are only a few bits on the site but it all seems fresh, varied and experimental. Not even sure if i even like the work, but i do like the way they are determined not to be tied down to certain discipline, medium, format or style. There seems to be a real sense of enjoyment and i think there may be some interesting stuff to come in the future.

Felder

The workhorse in the London workshop is the Felder Panel Saw, a few years old but still an absolutely pleasure to use. You can trust this machine totally; for square, dimensioning, on an angle, with hardwood.....it is simply brilliant. Felder are holding a Spring Show from 25-27th of this month so you can check out all the new models in action up close.

Droog

Continuing the Dutch theme, always a total joy to see Tejo Remy's Chest of Drawers for Droog.

Ivo J.Daniels

Just delved a little deeper into the guys at La Bolleur and found these drawings by Ivo J.Daniels, "The NOTHING BETWEEN THE SOMETHING". If you are into dark, twisted, imagined form, then you might like these. I do.

A Musical Interude

Music i hear you ask, on a design blog? I see shape, form and colour when listening to music and it informs all that i design and create, its very inspiring so i think its totally valid here. A couple of new Vinyl purchases are the new Four Tet album 'There is Love in You' and Joanna Newsom's 'Have One on Me'. Four Tet will not let the electronic  heads down, (he never does to be honest), and the epic triple LP from Newsom takes you away into weird dreamy wonderful world, (even the packaging is beautiful in its own right).  I also saw (the self titled) Sir Richard Bishop live the other day, an amazing technically gifted guitarist going from Pulp fiction to Persian, to Blues and beyond. Not sure how well he translates into recorded form because of the physicality of his performance and personality, but if you get a chance to see live, then go.

Lomo

The excellent Lomo are now making the Instant Back+ for the LC-A. Lomo colours and brilliantness in a Polaroid format simply has to be good. They are a touch on the small side though at 60x40mm.