adam spector ceramics

i am really liking the patterns and tones of this lovely wheel-thrown pottery from new york artist adam spector. adam enjoys the geometry found in nature. tortoise shells, wet rocks and coral that he encounters, along with historical decorative surfaces, serve as inspiration for his stoneware collection. he uses a variety of techniques including wax resist and glaze trailing to perfect his distinctive style.

see more on adam’s website (and thanks for the tip nancy and burt!).

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elizabeth prince ceramics

let’s have a look at the beautiful ceramic designs from uk artist elizabeth prince. in a previous life, elizabeth was a fine artist and a popular interior designer. her stolen moments in between commissions were spent working in clay, and as time passed she decided to make it her full time focus. i’m so glad she did, because these hand stamped, glazed, pierced and pinched results are fantastic.

purchase these pieces at elizabeth’s etsy shop and drop by her blog to see what else she’s doing!

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sixth and elm wood accessories: miniview

we are circling back to some lovely burned wood boxes and frames i featured back in march for today’s miniview, since i loved them so and i think you all did too! these tactile pieces are made by toronto artist tellie finley. i think her collection is so pretty, collectible and timeless, and was curious to know more, so i asked three quick ones…

q: how did you get into this type of craftwork?
a: i got into woodburning as a child with a cheap kid’s woodburning kit and i was horrible at it. almost anything i am good at it seems that i have to fail at the first time, and it isn’t until i pick it up again that it starts to feel right. in a fit of boredom one cold winter i thought longingly of the cheap woodburning pen that used to burn my fingers after a while and, seeking some warmth since my husband refused to turn up the heat, i dug it out and started to burn a design on some scrap wood. then i burned on a blank wood picture frame. then our spice rack. soon my husband was hiding all our wooden items, sure that i was going to brand every piece of wood we own.

although i have graduated from the child’s wood burning pen, this was a recent upgrade and many of my original designs were done with nothing more than that children’s woodburning kit from 1989.

q: what inspires you to create these pieces?
a: i am inspired by anything lasting, timeless. the first (and most popular) piece i created was the french script box, which uses the text from love letters that are almost 900 years old. i love the lasting impression the written word can have and i try to create pieces that compliment the age of such.

nature is another thing that inspires me with it’s permanence. to look at an ancient redwood tree and try to imagine how many lifetimes of men it has stood sentinel is quite an experience. i think that is why i am drawn to wood as a medium, and woodburning as an art. i try to use wood from earth-friendly sources and i feel that i am giving wood a way to live on as art after it’s life as a tree is over. and i can’t deny that i love having my house smell like a permanent campfire.

q: do you have an arts background?
a: i did go to arts school, but it was for performing arts. i learned vocal, violin and drama for nine years, but i still think it was relevent as it meant i was surrounded by creativity. i don’t think being classically trained in a particular art is a requisite for being an artist, however.

every artistic technique i have ever learned was from the internet. a lot of great advice and some really bad advice all cobbled together to form the core of my “formal” training. a little success and a lot of failure has sufficed for my apprenticeship. time, more than formal instruction, made me the artist i am today. my official advice to beginners is simple: just keep doing it until you don’t suck at it anymore.

you can find tellie’s beautiful creations at her etsy shop, and see what else she is up to on her blog.

thank you tellie!

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measuring tape lamps by chrissy angliker

swiss-born multidisciplinary designer and artist chrissy angliker is a recent pratt grad who has created (among many other clever things) these boldly graphic measuring tape pendant lamps.

i can imagine the soft glow emitted from their tightly handcoiled shades, and love the idea of these in a craft room (duh) or a little vestibule or foyer. what a cool thing to come home to!

the lamps can be seen at the los angeles branch of the permanently cool reform school. but you can also order them from her directly: $100 for the black and white light, $120 for the yellow and $130 for the multicolored. be sure to check out her great portfolio too while you are over there!

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authentics bravit candle

look at this cool bravit candle from christophe van bömmel for germany’s authentics. the arrangement of the wicks in the center of this paraffin candle forms a design that is visible through the wax. as the candle evolves through the various phases of burning, the design is traced by the burning wicks. depending on the pattern and size you select, you’ll see up to five different flames burning dramatically and transforming the original shape and size of the candle.

if you like spacing out while staring at candles, these pretty patterns might provide hours of entertainment.

purchase the bravits collection online at authentics. you can also find select pieces over at made in design and moss.

via cribcandy

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laser cut rugs

i like these laser cut felt rugs. the idea of creating a two tone (or monotone!) floor covering by laying this over your hardwood floors is intriguing, isn’t it?

in assorted sizes of charcoal or java at brocade home.

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