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Orange and Textured Iron Bowl by Lynn Cardwell Pottery @ Etsy.

I do not fall for all of Lynn Cardwell’s pottery works, but I really really love her bowls. The contrast between the bright and glossy colors on the insides and the rough aspect of the outsides is very interesting, plus the shapes of her bowls are extremely beautiful. That orange one is a favorite of mine, I always come back to it, but then I love orange so much…

Her Ikebana vases are amazing too, they have the same kind of strength and simplicity.

She is a member of the Etsy Mud Team.

Original Paper Collage, Abstract Works on Paper by Cherie Lester.

Cherie Lester is also a photographer, but I am not so fond of her photos as I am of those paper collages of hers. The first one is an original, whereas the second one below is an archival print.

You can also see some paintings on her website.

Archival Pigment Print of an Original Collage.

Pink and brown pompon slippers by art.i.choke @ Etsy.

art.i.choke was founded in 2006 by Turkish designer Öykü Thurston in Istanbul. She had studied the art of felt-making in Zushi, Japan in Haruka Ichihara’s studio and then went on to graduate from the “Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising” in Los Angeles.

She uses the traditional techniques of felt-making to produce modern wearable items. Every piece is hand shaped and therefore unique. And you can find the collection @ Etsy.

I am not exactly into hats - except when it comes to Blythe dolls - and even less into shawls, but I really love those slippers. They come in different colors and even if I like the pink & green ones a lot, my favorites are really the pink & brown above. They are available in all sizes from 6 to 10.

Reddening Beauty by spacedanish @ Etsy.

I’m still on that article about mushrooms in art I talked about earlier, but I like the simplicity of this one, so I’m just posting it.

It’s an original drawing.

Boy’s Play in Forest by The Time is Now @ Etsy.

Found this one on her Flickr the other day. Just love it.
This is a print of an original acrylics on wood painting.

Oceanic Craters Ceramic and Glass Dish by seaurchin @ Etsy.

Whenever you come upon the Simply Gorgeous and Beautiful it is better to just sit back and let the artist do the talking :

One-off ceramic sculpture, this low dish has a pattern of large double craters. The bowl is made of sculptural white clay and has been glazed with a matt ivory stoneware with chocolate brown in the craters. Aqua coloured glass has been melted into some of the craters and the edges have been highlighted with gold lustre. Some of the craters are pierced right through, and some are very thin so you can see the light coming through….this gives an interesting effect with the glass.

The dish is 4.5inches/11.5cm across and 1inch/2.5cm high.

All of my sea urchin and coral ceramic sculptures are individual and experimental, and very personal to me….my true artwork!

This is intended as an object of beauty only….it is not intended for food use.

You can read more about Lisa Stevens on her profile and on the “featured seller” page @ Etsy.

She also has a Flickr.

Extra Large Bad News Bear Polar by oliviaew @ Etsy.

Love all the “felt creatures” by Olivia Ew, some of them creatures, some of them people, some “mutated”. You can see more in her Flickr gallery.

The two below are for sale @ Etsy :

Moss Pincushion by Ottoman @ Etsy.

Whoever still thinks that eco-friendly products cannot be fun, fashionable or even gorgeous must seriously reconsider their beliefs because the times when green meant plain-boring-looking are long over.

I would not necessarily have presented these Moss Pincushions from a “green” point of view, but since Ottoman emphasizes this on her profile, I think it is only fair to do so. All the more as the whole shop seems to be driven by a constant desire to “find environmentally-friendly sources for materials and shop locally whenever possible and still keep the aesthetic (she is) after”. And it certainly shows for the shop has a great outlook and the collections - ‘Moss’, ‘Cork’ - well thought-out in terms of aesthetics and design.

However, you need not be an eco-driven person to appreciate and even love these creations.

Those Moss Pincushions are just beautiful and gorgeous looking !

Golden Yellow Gnome Hat by neuart @ Etsy.

Blythe dolls seem to have been made for hats & bonnets. They simply look great in them, obviously it has to do with that big face of them, and they might look funny or gorgeous but one thing is certain, Blythe fans will never be out of inspiration when it comes to creating something, anything, to put on those heads.

I know some great creators have their own shop, but on Etsy alone there are plenty of great shops so this is only a tiny selection of what’s to be found there. Starting with one of my very favorites, neuart (see photo above) who has always the most beautiful knitted stuff, be they hats or sets, ponchos… She also has a Flickr by the name of miss modular and you can see more of her creations in various files there.

And some more wonderful stuff :

Shimmery Sparkly Sequined Helmet for Blythe by flissy666 + Green Pointy Bonnet for Blythe by loou.

Crochet Hat for Blythe by Sassylassie + Knitted Ear Bonnet for Blythe by xoxo,Blythe.

Blythe Hat - Lime Green and Red Pompom by CannonBelle.

“Sarah Jessica Parker” Blythe Hat by lado.

Blue and White Fleece Helmet Hat for Blythe by nectarine.

Blythe Rectangle Pom Pom Hat, earthy tones by CannonBelle.

Decadent Mohair Hat for Blythe by Ttttemma.

Cream Beret by PinkPetal.

And I only saw this one this afternoon while finishing this article, I just couldn’t resist :

Luxurious Fuzzy Hat Hood for Blythe OOAK by bonspielcreation.

To Be Continued…

Red Light Male Bowler (Limited Edition, signed print) by Tina Rice @ Etsy.

I kind of fell in love with this illustration by Tina Rice. It happens she also makes nice enamel jewelry too.

Tina Rice Jewelry @ Etsy
Tina Rice’s blog + her flickr.

Ceramic coffee mug by Brendan Monroe on Park Life, go to Homewares.
New in 2007. Very limited Edition of 150 pcs.

Brendan Monroe is an amazingly great artist. I discovered his work at the same time I discovered art toys since his Sour figures were then being released amidst quite a bit of turmoil as I seem to recall. The toys had been shown back in 2005 at SDCC and were first scheduled for October/November of the same year, but as is often the case with vinyl figures the production experienced some delays so that even though they were at some point announced for late January 2006 they were not actually released until April 2006. The release itself was a bit chaotic since it was mostly done through pre-orders and it seemed Glen Liberman from Android 8 was doing pretty much everything by himself. You could find the Green and Brown versions in a couple of shops though, but the Red Sour was a Munky King exclusive and the Orange one which was an Android 8 exclusive was sold solely at SDCC.

These “toys” are truly fantastic figures. They are a bit scary at first sight but they are so unlike anything else and so “strange” and sculptural that for many people - including myself - they ranked among the best and most beautiful toys produced in 2006. I love them. I love their strangeness and mystery. (And, Oh joy, I even managed to buy the Green one a couple of months later from Giant Robot - the Brown one was unfortunately “sold out”).

Indeed they have all long been “Sold Out” and the only way to get one - you guessed right - is eBay. Of course the prices today for those figures are quite insane - not to say totally insane if you are aiming for a complete set (the last complete set of four on eBay sold for a little more than $800 about 2 weeks ago) - so if you really love Brendan Monroe’s work for that price you could as well get an original painting or one of his Microbes. Or for less money than you would pay for one Green or Brown Sour you can also buy one of his Potato Heads at HarnerHouse. And truly it is a mystery to me that these sculptures be still available… (Edit : A friend of mine tried to order these and they are in fact sold out. I am sorry since it was not clear at all on the site. 21 September 2007)

Potato head (large) + Potato Head (small) by Brendan Monroe (2005, resin & wood, signed)

Also from HarnerHouse : In Case of Paper Face, a small interactive book.

Other books and zines :
Sour Leaves available at NOWhere Limited and Rotofugi.
Organelles available directly from Brendan Monroe.

Brendan Monroe
Brendan Monroe’s Studio PROJECT S2DIO #049 by www.glltn.com.
Upcoming exhibition “Insides” at Richard Heller Gallery from October 13 to November 11, 2007.

The Sours by Brendan Monroe :
Sculpted by Dave Pressler
Produced by UNKL for Android 8.

According to Squidoo numbers were as followed :

1. Brendan Monroe Sour Brown 400 Produced
2. Brendan Monroe Sour Green 400 Produced
3. Brendan Monroe Sour Red (Munkey King Exclusive) 100 Produced *At Last Report 50 Actually Sold To The Public*
4. Brendan Monroe Sour Orange (Android 8 Exclusive) 100 Produced *SDCC Exclusive Now* *At Last Report Only 50 Will Actually Be Sold To The Public*

Large Whirl #1 + Pebble Cup in Orange + Pebble Pendant in Aqua + Small Whirl #4

When it comes to objects, there’s really Shape & Material. Well I grant you there is also this great dynamic duo called “Form & Function” but let’s just stick to the “Shape & Material” thing. Indeed, you can have the most wonderful color, if the shapes and materials are not right, then it’s just useless, it will never be right.

Kim Westad, since she expresses her art with clay, should know about materials. She used to be a graphic designer but she says her life changed when she decided to take a pottery class. And anyone over the age of 5 having one day put their hands into clay will understand exactly what she means. Because with these arts that require some technique either it’s like some Big Revelation, or more often than not, you just suck at it and you know it will take quite some time before you make anything more than heart-shaped ashtrays - if you ever do. (And although I have had some urges to try myself at the stuff, as you may have guessed to my great dismay I somehow am stuck in the latter category.)

So Kim Westad has this thing with clay, and she also has this great sense of “shape”. To be honest I am not fond of all her creations (some of them are a bit too classical for my taste) but the ones I like I really love. I find her Whirls Collection, and most of all her “Large whirl #1″ - the white ones being my favorites anyway - amazing. Those pieces have a powerful architectural quality (she herself acknowledges to the architectural influences, and they definitely arouse images of the Guggenheim in New York or of some of Niemeyer’s works) and an impressive simplicity about them that make them look more like sculptures than mere decorating objects.

Her Pebbles Cups in Orange or in Chocolate, her Pebble Bowls, Sweet Peas and Votive Holders are also very nice.

She is currently living and working in New York but she ships internationally.

She has been an Etsy Featured Seller in June 2007.
You might also want to read her interview on Crafty Synergy (a great blog I discovered writing this article).

www.kimwestad.com

ice flower tank for girls + camilla, crazy dot, half-apron for girls + playtime sugar cookies in a lil bakery box + playtime sugar cookies in a mini-valise style lunchbox, limited edition by nanaCompany on Etsy.

Those are only a few of the exquisite items you will find in Amy Sinibaldi’s shop!

I first noticed the cookies because I am only just discovering “felt food” so every time I come across one of these things, I feel like a child and look with amazement. But very often having said “how cute” well, there’s not much more left. I mean these things are “cool” and “nice” indeed but, so what? You see them and like them, and then usually forget about them.

I think Amy’s cookies go beyond the “cuteness thing”. They have this special quality, a kind of perfection achieved no doubt with carefully chosen materials and great care and love making them. Look at the full sized image on her Flickr here. Aren’t they just the nicest cookies you ever saw? Don’t you feel like touching them? I myself am not into pinky things and yet they appeal to me in a way I cannot totally explain.

Somehow I think there is something magical in Amy’s creations. She writes :

My husband likens me to a magic elf who only works when everyone’s asleep — pretty little things “magically” appear on the kitchen table in the morning!

I like the Fairy Tale imagery, because I think it acounts a lot for the beautiful world nanaCompany proposes. Those creations seem to me to be more related to a fantastic and ideal world than to the “real” world.

They are meant to be gifts :

a unique and special gift… perfect as a birthday present, end of school surprise, or merry happy un-birthday treat!

And this is exactly what they are, “unique and special”, thus clearly stating to the child you are offering them “you are unique and special and deserve to have beautiful things because I care about you”.

Amy Sinibaldi is making them for little girls, and the modern woman in me - noticed how I managed not to say the word “feminist” here, oops now i’ve said it - the modern woman in me is wondering why it is still only girls who should get offered cooking ustensils (the miniature “just-her-size” wooden spoon) and aprons. Some might argue that the fabrics nanaCompany uses have definitely “girly” patterns and colors. I am not so sure. And anyway, cookies are not just for girls, are they ? And the kitchen is no longer the realm of women exclusively, at least not in my world…

This being said, Amy Sinibaldi’s creations are more modern and less “conservative” or “nostalgic” than they might appear at first sight. The fabrics she uses are elegant and I particularly like the from tokyo with love apron, and pink lemonade is fresh and nice too. There is also another tank with a bit more color and less classical feel to it : pretty posy tank.

Note that she can customize your order. For instance you can ask for your favorite color for the buttons on the ice flower tank. You can also order an adult size apron for 28$… (Anyway she pretty much makes everything upon order, so that you have to allow 2 weeks for your order to be ready to ship.)

Enjoy !

nanaCompany on Flickr

Designers of Tomorrow : Ragnheidur Osp Sigurdardottir

I stumbled upon Ragnheidur’s work on This is Blythe Forum and even though she showed only a few pictures of her work - she is still young and is currently studying product design at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan - those few pictures clearly pointed to some strong personality and a great talent. Ragnheidur was born in 1981 and comes from Reykjavik, Iceland which accounts for her Northern sounding name : Ragnheidur Osp Sigurdardottir.

Her work is both elegant and familiar. The objects she makes are beautiful without being intimidating. They have something of the obvious in them - a quality not easily attained and which requires work and talent. They have not yet been produced but you wish you could already find them in shops.

Amongst those projects she would like to see produced, the Pick Me chocolates look very promising. She has thought of making them herself and selling them, but what she really wants is to work with a chocolatier that makes premium chocolate. There is also her Aromalarm, an alarm clock that wakes up and puts people to sleep with aroma. Here is what she wrote to me when I asked her how it was really working :

The Aromalarm is still a concept but I thought of it working in a way where you buy little capsules containing different aromas and inserting them inside the clock (on bottom). They would then get attached to tubes that would release the aroma depending on if you are falling asleep or waking up. If it ever gets made and could really function, I would like there to be all kinds of different aromas to buy.

And although it is not exactly the kind of things I like, I must admit that the way she worked on the BENJAMIN stool designed by Lisa Norinder and produced by IKEA by drilling holes in it and decorating it with brodery - she calls it Bentey - is very interesting. I came to think about it afterwards which is always a good sign with objects. I think it works better with some color and the brodery on top so that you don’t get to see the reverse side of it, but on the other end, this version has a more modern touch and is really inspiring.

And I love her digital patterns for ceramic tiles! I think it goes way beyond what you usually see that has been made with a computer. (Edit : The tile patterns are not available any more on her new website. You can only see this one on her Portfolio at coroflot.com. 27 August 2007)

Ragnheidur Osp Sigurdardottir’s links :
Umemi : her website.
Her Portfolio.
And Everything Nice, part of her research for her thesis on cuteness.
And would you believe it, she has a pug too! Hers is called Panda, you can see pictures of her on Ragnheidur Osp Sigurdardottir’s Flickr.