I recently stumbled across the story of a little 5 year old girl named Iris. Iris has autism and is unable to speak. But she has an incredible talent for painting and colors. With the encouragement of her parents and the companionship of her cat Thula, she has created amazing artworks that have been compared to Monet’s impressionism. There is a quiet, happy energy in her work that I love. Thought you’d enjoy them at the start of a new week.
More of Iris’s paintings can be found here.
Lately I’ve been collecting images of beautiful ceramic art. An addiction in the brewing, perhaps! The pieces that I feel most drawn to all have a dash of unexpectedness in them: be it a swoosh of color, an elegant crooked edge, or an interesting texture. I guess perfectly imperfect is the descriptor I am looking for.
There is a quality of intimacy in holding a ceramic object. It’s a little treasure in your hands, brought to life by someone’s vision and skill.
Here are a few of my favorites:
{From top to bottom: Bailey Doesn’t Bark, Studio Joo, OVOceramics, Studio Arhoj, Sturdy, Red Raven Studios, Seasons for You}
I have a soft spot for Moleskin, the little black book that looks so polished, compact, and perfectly bare, ready to be imprinted with my thoughts and ideas. What if this humble little notebook were to be transformed into an object of art? That’s what’s happening at the London Design Festival this year, where they are exhibiting the Moleskin notebooks of designers and artists around the world. Here is a small selection of them:
{Photos from Fast Company}
We took a much needed weekend getaway to the Jersey Shore this past weekend. Here are a few pics snapped on my phone while lounging about.
I’ve been busy the past few weeks, working on prototypes of new designs using the lost wax technique. It’s a lot of fun, though daunting at times. But I truly enjoy the experience of delving deeply into a process and learning every detail and nuance.
It’s kind of like being in a relationship with another person. You find out how the material reacts to different temperatures, pressures and tools. You uncover amazing qualities that may not be apparent at first, that make you fall just that much deeper in love. And you learn to work through the rough patches and come out appreciating the special relationship you have with this craft.
My hope is to get everything ready by the busy gifting season. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek of a ring that was inspired by this quote. It celebrates the beauty of the mountainside, not the mountain peak, because it is on the mountainsides where things grow. And it is in the process, not the final outcome, where we can find moments that enrich our lives.
{Photo: Congo Studio}
I’ve been a long time admirer of Rachel over at Elephantine. She is a talented jack of all trades, making beautiful jewelry, curating amazing kitchen finds, taking gorgeous photos, while working on her first novel.
When asked how she overcomes resistance and makes time for writing practice, she says:
“I think the key is to make writing a priority — if it’s truly a priority, you will find time for it, no matter how busy you think your day already is. Write instead of watching TV, write during your lunch break, write instead of going to sleep at your usual time. I’m always asking myself, “Is this really more important than writing?” If you have a newborn or taxes to do or overdue thank you notes to write, then yeah, you probably need to do that first. But there are plenty of things that can be traded in for writing time. And even if you’re a slow writer (like me) just a little bit every day eventually adds up to a lot.”
It’s encouraging to hear her perspective. When you’re on a personal creative pursuit, it’s difficult at times to push forward. A blank sheet of paper (or an un-carved piece of wax, in my case) can be intimidating. Where to start?! But I think it’s also a misperception that creativity just happens. It happens in the process of experimenting, over and over again. It requires diving into the unknown and figuring out a path bit by bit, through trial and error, through little victories and many dead ends.
Speaking of which, here is an interesting list of successful people who didn’t make it overnight but worked hard to achieve their accomplishments.
{Photo courtesy of Elephantine}
Have you heard of this new curated, online marketplace called WorkOf? It features thoughtfully designed, handmade furniture, lighting and decor from independent brands. The price points are on the more expensive site, but it is such a therapeutic experience touring their well curated offerings.
Among those on display, I am FASCINATED by Brooklyn designer Farrah Sit. I’ve come across her hanging planters before and loved her aesthetics. But seeing her range of products for WorkOf took my designer crush to the next level!
Her design philosophy is something that I seek to imbue in my creative pursuits:
With the ethos “own less and own well,” designer Farrah Sit focuses on creating strikingly simple objects that speak to their intended purpose, striving towards the perfection of form and function. Each product is inspired by the vivid purity of the natural world, bringing nature inside with a sleek yet practical approach to luxury. Farrah Sit is the founder of the Brooklyn-based company Light + Ladder, which represents a return to meaningful consumption by providing artistic, American-made accessories for the home.
Other designers who inspire me: here, here, and here.
Mica Musings 