Display as Art

This week's theme at Creative Influences is display. In my post about Josiah McElheney below, I wrote about the importance of display. It's easy to collect a bunch of objects. It's not easy to display them effectively. I love looking at the homes people graciously share on the internet, and am especially intrigued by simple displays of white vases. Below are pictures by people who have mastered the art of display.

Flickr user Living-in-Penny. Beautiful pieces, beautiful display. And look at that glass lamp! Lamps are like pottery to me. This one was purchased at the Good Will for $3.99. What a score! I definitely would have bought that lamp without batting an eye.

Flickr user Maditi. That yellow flower looks gorgeous in this display. I love the look of a vase with one simple branch or flower, so that vase and flower compliment, rather than overwhelm, each other.


Above two images by flickr user Spring Globe. Spring Globe is extremely skillful at this art form. These two images are a stunning accomplishment in display. The use of white unifies disparate objects, and simplicity is accomplished even though there a lot of pieces. I adore the unexpected pop of green in the first picture.


Flickr user Reya accomplishes a beautiful display of white, also with a dash of green. I love the organic feel to this display, the green vase could easily be fallen leaf from the branches. Beautiful.

Jessie from My Mod Style accomplishes a beautiful display mixing glass and ceramic. I love how these vases are lined up together, making them much more impactful than if they were scattered about, and making the look much cleaner and uncluttered. Also love how they pop against that red! Jessie, you know I love how you decorate!

Alena Hennessey sneak peak at designspongeshop. I'm not much into ceramic animals, but I must admit this is extremely skillful display. It's simple, elegant and organic. She has unified the pieces by the use of white. Indeed this display would not work if the vase and giraffe were different colors. Color is a great unifier of disparate objects.

If simplicity is your goal when decorating your home, then the way to achieve it is with white.

What Would You Grab if Your Home Were on Fire?

I love my home. There's nowhere I'd rather be. I'm not alone, this is a common feeling. Home is a place of refuge, a place of peace where we restore our energy. A haven from the chaos.

I cry when I read about people who have lost their home. I cannot imagine anything worse than not having a home. Recently, I read about a family who lost their home to a fire. Thankfully, no one was injured, but they lost all of their possessions. Objects, in the scheme of things are not important. Reading about this fire prompted me to think, what would I grab if my home were on fire? My answer. My Vietnamese teapot. This is my favorite possession.

Unfortunately, I cannot say that I traveled to Vietnam to acquire this teapot. But, the day I bought it was miraculous. I was at a store called Ten Thousand Villages. This humble little teapot called my name and felt as wonderful as a new puppy in my hands. I marvelled at the simplicity, the delicate glaze, the artistry. I could not identify the origin, and looked at the bottom. Made in Vietnam.

I was stunned. I like to think I am a pottery buff, and I had never seen Vietnamese pottery before. Upon further research I discovered the U.S. trade embargo was not lifted until 1994! (Love you, Bill Clinton wish you could run again.) Wow. That means Vietnamese pottery has only been in our country for 13 years (of my lifetime).

I was at once saddened and grateful. Saddened to think of the artistry that is lost to war. And grateful that I experienced this artistry.

What is your favorite object? Send me an email and I'll be happy to post it here.

The Moving Sickness

I have it bad. The sickness that compels you to constantly move stuff around. And I'm not alone. It's a common malady. I don't like clutter and find too many possessions burdensome. The dilemma is that even though I am always purging, I always have too much stuff. Here is the benefit of a small space, at least it controls how much stuff I can have.


I don't display everything, I can rotate things and change the look of my place on a whim. But sometimes.... Sometimes I just wish I could sit back and say, "Ahh. This is done." And never feel to compelled to move stuff again. I know, I can dream.


Last week I was confined to bed ill. Couldn't read, watch TV or even blog. My place is so small that I can see almost the whole thing from my bed. Every now and then I got out of bed and rearranged. I did this in short bursts, and then I'd go back to bed and stare at my rearrangement. I know, I'm ill - and it's worse than just having a cold.


The first thing I rearranged was my grouping of paintings. Staring at this grouping provided several hours of entertainment. I kind of liked the fact that one painting is about rain, and one is of a flower. A natural evolution. See previous groupings here.

With my next burst of energy, I moved stuff based on an orange/blue theme.

I love experimenting with color, but I always return to white.

I love white, and I love simple forms. One day I will live in an all white, prefab ranch. And hopefully, I will never have to move a thing.

Influence - Josiah McElheney

Image from Donald Young Gallery.

I first discovered Josiah McElheney's work in Metropolitan Home and was immediately attracted to it. His biomorphic forms are meticulous and appear to grow out of their display. In fact, his work is a study in display. The display of the object is as important as the object itself. I always wanted a table with a vase connected to it, and seemed to grow out of it. It would be even better if designed by McElheney.

I am a lover of white pottery and white glass. As I looked at McElheney's work, I realized that collecting is easy. Display not so. Display is an artform of its own. It's not good enough to have pieces scattered about, and clutter is not appropriate. When I moved into my small apartment, I wondered how best to display my pottery. McElheney provided the answer. Together, and vertically. A collection displayed in this matter is highly impactful. It was McElheney's work that inspired my vertical room divider/pottery shelf, which I am constantly restyling.

Even though the pieces are not all white, I am sure they will be again. I love to foray into color, but always return to white. Thanks Josiah for being an inspiration!

Don't forget your cactus suit

It's a tough world out there. Cactus kids by Tokidoki. A reminder to stay soft inside while protecting yourself on the outside. Available at Fugitive Toys.

Oh Karim!

OMG - just look what Karim Rashid has done now! Think pink and Asian form are disparate? No longer! Karim has unified the two in these stunning pieces that appeal to my inner hippy. Think I'll have a sake party. I'll pass out sequined slippers to everyone and we can pull up an ottoman and use these groovy pieces.

As you know, Karim's prices can get pretty ridiculous. (I won't tell you the expletive my boss uttered when he saw Karim's $41,000 chandy.) But not these. They are fairly reasonable. I want them all!

Oh what's a girl to do? I'm a great consumer. Just not such a good capitalist.

If Money Were No Object

Kose Pietra bowl and Ted Muehling porcelain pieces from Rose and Radish. Note to self: win lottery. Note to Target: in the event note to self doesn't work, would you please make a knockoff of the Pietra bowl when you produce the architectural vessels I wrote about here?

Joshua Stone's amazing felt vase, Ice Collection and Moroccan lantern from Lekker Home.

Ripple fruit bowl and cafe server from Karim Rashid.

Lola teapot by Bodo Sperlein. Available in the U.S. at Unica Home.

Hella Jongerius available at Unica Home.

Teco reproduction from Just Art Pottery.



























Vessels and bowls by silversmith Shimara Carlow.

The Beauty of Simplicity

Beautiful. Simple. Functional. Affordable. White.

Tea pot, tray and cup from Tribute Tea.

ASA Selection Sake Set from Joanne Hudson Basics.

Mortar and Pestle from The Gardener.

Tivoli White Tea Server by Mikasa.

Porcelain salt bowl and spoon from Global Table.


Pura Bowl from Floz Design Group and Ciro Asian bowls available at Lekker Home.

Breakfast set and salt and pepper shakers from CB2.

Any questions?

Melissa Moss

Today was a good email day. I received a notice from Melissa Moss about her new work. See my previous entry about Melissa's work here. I dearly love her little creatures. These beings commune with nature in perfect symbiosis. It's no wonder that one of my favorites is entitled "Safe." Indeed, this family feels safe to me. The safety that comes from being free to love and live in harmony. This would make a great holiday card.

See Melissa's blog here. Melissa, thanks for being an inspiration!

Victor Vetterlein - New Design

I was excited to receive an email from artist/architect Victor Vetterlein announcing his new design, the totally fab Meeraboo FL-1 floor lamp. See my previous post about Victor here.

Victor states that the lamp is "60 inches tall and made of fiberglass with a high gloss white finish. The interior is gold leaf. The FL-1 is designed to cast light downward... This is the third and final piece in the Meeraboo-2007 Collection, the LC-1 lounge chair, is currently under development."

At first glance, I find Victor's work other-worldly. However, the piece is far more complex than initially appears. Though its alien-like appeal is evident, it is nonetheless organic in form. The form does not appear forced, but natural. At once primitive and modern, an amazing accomplishment.

This lamp could work in so many environments, in a clean modern minimalist home. In a home with Asian inspiration or organic inspiration. I could also see it alongside African sculpture, and because the light is cast downward, it would highlight sculpture very well. As I contemplated the lamp further, I thought it looked a bit like a house and became amused at the idea of the lamp paired with African family sculpture.

Image from Shona Gallery.

This piece would fit beautifully in my conceptual white box. But in order to give this piece the full meditative contemplation it deserves, I would need a Noguchi sofa to lounge on.

Victor and Noguchi's artistry have something in common. They both employ a sculptural elegance. In fact, I believe Victor's Woojiun lamp, could easily take its place among such classics as Noguchi's Akari lamps.

.

Victor, thanks for being an inspiration, and thanks for keeping me apprised of your work. I can't wait to see the Meeraboo lounge chair!