noferin artworks

oh man i am running around like a freak today so this may be the only thing i dash off to you, stupid stupid me clicked private draft on this and it never got published yesterday! so sorry! but i (still) think it’s a good one! behold the lush and magical artwork of australia’s noferin! these richly detailed works come from the minds and imaginations of candy and nicho. they seek to tell us of the colorful tales of carrara island and the pecanpals, some very lovable-looking and bulbous-headed characters who inhabit the mythical island.

boy, am i tempted to pack a suitcase and move to carrara island now…

see candy and nicho’s work in person for a limited time beginning june 20th at gallery 1988 in san francisco, say hello to them on their blog, view their flickr stream and head over to their website to see more and purchase delightful things.

via notcot and drawn!

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michele maule mixed media: miniview

i think i have mentioned before that my father in law has this awesome collection of old typewriters? they’re all black, which is perfect and fine of course, but just a tad heavy to be filling my eyes and mind, what with all the summery things that are pouring into my head at warp speed right now. the old brightly colored ones are perfect in a different way, a seasonal way, a now way, which is why i am sooo attracted to the most excellent artwork of michele maule. i love her free-spirited interpretation of these utilitarian objects, with their foxy colors and soft curves. there is some big love behind these pieces, you can just tell. and her other work, which includes original encaustic paintings, illustrations and screenprints, is a nice crusty contrast to those colorful jammy typewriters. that’s right, i said jammy. the point is, there’s all different kinds of plenty for people to enjoy in her prolific collection, and with all that said, wouldn’t you like to know just a little more about the brains behind the operation? me too!

q: where do you live and where do you make your collection?
a: i live in pontiac, michigan, a forgotten suburb of detroit. i mostly work in my house. i recently converted my living room into a work space, and there is also a small space in my bedroom where i work.

q: what inspires you to create?
a: i find inspiration in everyday objects. i love seeing the personalities that things like chairs, typewriters, spools of thread, and sewing machines take on. every time i draw one of these objects, it seems to take on a life of its own. each one has their own character, and i really enjoy seeing that.

i also find a lot of inspiration in nature, and in illustrated science books. things like the anatomy of flowers and our skeletal system really interest me.

q: what did you think you would grow up to be when you were a little kid?
a: well, i remember the first thing/person i wanted to be when i grew up was wonder woman. i thought she was rad. i even wore these blue rubber bands on my wrists for weeks and weeks. later, i knew that i wanted to do something that would let me be creative. i didn’t know what exactly, and i don’t think i really figured that out until my junior year of college!

q: can we go anywhere to see your work in person?
a: yes you can!! i currently have work in the following galleries and boutiques: fact and fancy in brooklyn, 323 east gallery in royal oak, mi and the ddp gallery in fayetteville, ar.

see more of michele’s terrific artwork on her website, check out her flickr stream, purchase these pieces at her etsy shop, and be sure to stop by and say hi on her blog too!

thank you michele!

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pillowmonster softies: miniview

i love these supercute couch companions from nichol brinkman, aka etsy seller pillowmonsters. i can’t say whether i am more charmed by the fun detailing on these pieces or the very interesting tales of these characters. there’s clementine, who boycotts broccoli, theodore the robot who, despite having been told he has no heart, felt himself getting worked up while watching beaches, and the whipped cream eating daughter of a window washer, polly suzanna. don’t you need to know more about the brains of this operation after reading that? yeah, me too.

q: where do you live and where do you make these great pillows?
a: i live in bloomington, indiana in an apartment with my husband, joseph, and dog, albert. i have a teeny tiny room all to myself where i make all of my pillow monsters.

q: what is your inspiration?
a: i am really inspired by other etsy artists and bloggers and flickr post-ers. i love the healthy competition that comes from being part of a like-minded community. i never in a million years thought there would be this extensive sub-culture related to plush dolls, but it is fantastic.

q: where do you do your best pillow-making thinking?
a: i think all the time about my pillow monsters and new designs for them. i do like to look at books of old circus posters at the library and that triggers lots of ideas.

see all this and more at nichol’s etsy shop, and be sure to stop by her blog to say hello.

thank you nichol!

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reina mia brill knitted wire and ceramic sculpture: let’s chat!

when my cool friend burt came back from the acc show in baltimore, he told me that he really enjoyed the ceramic sculpture collection of new york artist (and recent donor to locks of love) reina mia brill. of course when i looked at it i went a little nuts. i love the clever combination of color and form, all the intricate detailing and facial expressions and most importantly the freedom these pieces give to my imagination when i look at all of them. let’s have a chat with reina mia and find out a little more!

q: where do you live, and where do you create your art?
a: i live and work in a remote section of the bronx in new york city called city island. i like to call it the mythical island in the bronx because in all the 10 years i lived in manhattan i never heard of this place. my boyfriend dan grew up here and we are living in the actual house where he grew up. city island is a very unique place… it is an old fishing village trapped in time. my studio is in the basement with two windows at ground level where i say hello to all stray cats, birds and even snails that come and visit me.

q: what is your background, and did you study art formally?
a: i have an mfa from san diego state university in jewelry and metalsmithing which was where i got started knitting wire. i made hand-knitted wire jewelry for five years out of graduate school. i never was really happy making jewelry, it just seemed practical at the time. so in 2001 when i received a $7,000 fellowship from the new york foundation for the arts i decided to finally ditch making jewelry and do what i always wanted to — make sculpture. i also hold an undergraduate degree from fit (fashion institute of technology) in accessory design which is why my creatures are always very well accessorized.

q: so, why wire and clay? and how did you get to that place of combining the two (along with several other materials)? have you always worked in multiple mediums?
a: up until last year i only worked in knitted wire over a stuffed fabric covered armature. all the hand sewing was killing me. i wanted to be able to make work quickly. working in clay is not quick but it is quicker than sewing by hand. now i am able to build the figures faster and more sculpturally. after the pieces have been glazed i will embellish all the clothing and sometimes the bodies as well in knitted wire.

q: these pieces are exquisitely detailed and must be very labor intensive. (without giving away any secrets of course!) can you tell us a little about the techniques you use?
a: i first start with a drawing usually found in one of my sketchbooks. the figure is then hand-built in a low fire clay and glazed with underglazes. i use two very old-fashioned knitting machines to knit the wire. one is a sock-knitting machine from 1923, the other is a big double bed passap machine from 1960. i can create beautiful dimensional patterns off of the passap machine which i usually use for the clothing. the sock-knitting machine creates a sinuous knitted tube that i like to use as skin covering. i knit with very thin gauge coated copper wire that has been coated with a polynylon coating for color. once the figure has been fired i determine which areas are to be covered in wire. sometimes it is just the clothing and eyes and other times it is the entire creature. the knitted wire is stitched to the clay body by hand and then tacked with an epoxy resin.

q: i see a common thread of expressive human emotions as well as physical animal traits in these characters. did it come naturally to blend the two?
a: i have been drawing since i was a kid. my dad and i used to play these creature drawing games together. we would start with a blank piece of paper and then one of us would draw the first creature. the next person had to draw a creature interacting with the one on the page. we would keep drawing until the page was filled up trying to make the most outlandish creatures.

q: what is the price range of your collection?
a: i offer a wide range of prices. on the low end i do creature illustrations framed in knitted wire as well as wearable creature brooches. these works sell for $95 to $250. my standing and wall sculptures start at $275 and increase in price depending on the size and the labor involved. two figures i made for an exhibition in poland last year stood just under 5 feet. they each sold for $10,000 but i spent 6 months creating them.

q: what is your inspiration for these works? do you have a message you want to send through these pieces?
a: i do lots of sketches. i will study people, usually children on the street for a variety of poses. children’s faces are the most fun to watch for their devious little expressions. the animal/human imagery has just come naturally. when i study human faces, so many are very similar to animal faces. animals, however, offer a wider array of eyes, ears, feet and mouths to come up with my own species of creature. my work does not have a message. i love that it makes many people laugh and smile and remember their childhood. other people are scared by my work and that’s interesting too. the work is open to individual interpretation.

q: where can we go to see your collection in person? are you exhibiting in any current or upcoming shows?
a: i am currently in three exhibitions around the country. the first is called contemporary repetition at the long beach island arts foundation in new jersey. it’s on view now through june 16th. the second is called contemporary crafts at the jrb gallery in oklahoma city. the show just closed but the work might still be there for a little while. the third is a traveling exhibition called fiberart international 2007. this show opened last year in pittsburgh and will be traveling through 2009. currently the show is in charleston, west virginia through june 22nd at the clay center. this show is accompanied by a beautiful catalog as well. i also show work regularly in new york at the eclectic collector in katonah and mano a mano in bronxville. i will be selling my work myself at the following craft shows: the niada conference in las vegas at the show and sale on july 27th; the doll and teddy bear expo in washington, dc august 9th and 10th; and back again in dc in november for the washington craft show. in 2009 i will be at acc baltimore in february and most likely craft boston at the end of march.

thank you reina mia (and thanks to burt for the great tip)!

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brigette barrager art print(s)

UPDATE: hurrah! brigette has loaded her shop up with many more fun prints and some original works too!

right now there is only one print available in los angeles artist brigette barrager’s etsy shop, which shows us a kinder, gentler scene of urban living i wish i could jump into for a little while. actually i can and i do, now that i have found it! among other things, i’m enjoying brigette’s cats and lace curtains in the windows, her lighthearted stylings and soft color combinations in this piece, created from her original gouache painting.

while we wait and hope to see more of brigette’s whimsical prints soon in her shop, let’s say hi to her on her blog and view her portfolio here.

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my beautiful backside sofa by doshi levien

gather round everyone and admire my beautiful backside! oh. oh no. i didn’t mean my backside, i meant the very modern sofa from nipa doshi and her design partner (and husband) jonathan levien for moroso. i am quite batty about the high asymmetrical backs, the gorgeous indian textile choices and exaggerated style. it was inspired by a painting called the garden of life.

i don’t care if i am looking at the front or the back, i like it from every angle.

see more design excellence from the talented duo right here.

via bonluxat

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artghost prints

seattle artists (and husband and wife team) eric adler and liz wong make prints and paintings, personal accessories and greetings with retro style and a wicked sense of humor for their artghost studio.

purchase these pieces at the artghost website, see what liz and eric are doing at their blog and be sure to check out liz’s website too!

via indie shopping

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it’s pop it’s art prints by airside

look at these fun and bright screenprints and canvases featuring famous song lyrics from the it’s pop it’s art collection from london design company airside. they are working in conjunction with emi, the music publishing company to create these quirky and playful limited edition posters, which were inspired by the connection and love of music and art.

i love graphic word and art combinations and think these are so playful and appealing.

purchase the collection at the airside shop and see lots of other cool things around their site too!

via design crush via coco+kelley

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mara snoeren illustrations: let’s chat!

i have been following the playful artwork of dutch artist mara snoeren on her blog hemelsgroen (which roughly translates into heaven’s green) for quite some time and love them all. every time i see a new colorful piece from her i am grinning from ear to ear - that is how joyful and festive her digital and mixed media creations make me, no matter what the subject. there is a freshness and simplicity in her style that just grabs me. let’s have a chat with mara and find out more!

q: where do you live, and where do you create your art?
a: i live in rotterdam, the netherlands, on a small island in the river maas. i work as a graphic designer in a small company in rotterdam. the pieces on my website i make just for fun in my spare time, though, and i make them at home using any available space.

q: what is your background, and did you study art formally?
a: yes, i studied illustration at the willem de kooning art academy in rotterdam.

q: how are your pieces made? what types of media or techniques do you use?
a: first comes the idea. i always need some sort of assignment to get me going. (this is why i studied design rather than art.) illustration friday is a wonderful initiative that gives out a new topic each week. depending on my interpretation on the subject, i choose my technique. it is usually mixed media as i find this the most natural and playful method for me. i use anything that fits the idea: modelling clay if i need something three dimensional, magazines to cut out for a collage, my camera to take photos, digital brushes or just plain pencils.

q: do you have a favorite piece that you have made? if you do, why is it your favorite?
a: i have several favourites for several different reasons, but not one in particular. some of my favourite stuff:

emergency: i like this because the idea comes out just way i had it in mind.

visitors: this one looks so cheerful!

suit: simple and strong.

q: is your work for sale?
a: ehm, no not really because i make this work just for pleasure. however, i’d be happy to take on assignments. i am always interested in nice projects!

q: what is your inspiration for these lively, positive works? do you have a message you want to send through these pieces?
a: the given topics on illustration friday ARE my inspiration! i let the word sink in and consider all the associations i have with the subject. then i filter out the idea that can be transformed to an illustration. sometimes i stick to my original concept, but it also happens that i change things along the way. i which case it’s the material or technique i work with that inspires me. i don’t have an overall message to send, but if i spread some happiness in the process, that would be perfect.

be sure to check out mara’s blog to see a terrific portfolio of her artwork. maybe one day she will open an online shop and we all will be able to enjoy her art in person everyday!

thank you mara!

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touch sensitive dog lamp

i like this playful dog lamp from propaganda, and think it would be a lot of fun in a kid’s room. come to think of it, it wouldn’t look half bad on my desk either. the lamp is touch sensitive, so every time you pat the dog’s “head” you’re rewarded with adjusted light levels. fun!

one thing: i wish this was made of metal instead of plastic (it would probably get too hot to touch though, so plastic does make sense in this application).

£74.99 at drinkstuff.

via geekalerts

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summer salt design

i like these sweet little one of a kind birdie arches from california crafter nicole peterson for her summer salt design company. they measure about 5″h x 7″w and include embellishments like vintage millinery flowers and glass beads. i think they’d be cute in a child’s room.

hold on - nicole makes cute reuseable shopping bags and purses too!

i like nicole’s eye for fabrics, finishing and color combinations. these are bound to bring the spring on just a little bit earlier!

check out nicole’s blog here and purchase these and other cute items over at her shop.

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vitra bovist floor pillows

oh, dear, more embroidery — i think i have a craft crush! i love the color combinations and imagery (your choice of doves, lacemaker or pottery) printed on these fun hassock pillow ottomans by dutch superdesigner hella jongerius for vitra. it’s made of a vicose/linen blend fabric, and filled with little plastic balls. it claims to be quite supportive because of the way the sides are sewn, so you probably won’t flop down like when you sit in a beanbag. what a great way to add extra seating to your living room and splashes of brightness and pattern too.

that chocolate, khaki and pink combination up there at the top is making me insane. and don’t you love that little handle on the edge, so you can drag it around from room to room with you?

find them at design public, where i could easily spend way too much money.

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