The Junk King from Evan Burns on Vimeo.
Directed by Evan Burns
Cinematography by Garyle Morgan & Mitzi Morrow
Produced by Eduardo Tobias
A world of junk. For real. Though it sometimes that’s what it feels like cathedral or not. This guy is possibly not completely here with us but fascinating nonetheless. Indulge your inner crazy and imagine how you would build your castle of junk. Brilliant and nicely done.
Last night saw the official launch of London’s first Nespresso boutique in the heart of, currently, the wettest city in the world. Despite the pouring rain and autumnal temperature, Nespresso Club Members filled the Swiss-designed interior to enjoy good-looking (and tasting) Nespresso Martinis and Grand Cru-inspired canapés from Michelin-star chef, Phil Howard (the puddings were heaven). The shop offers all the things a good shop should offer AND more. Bright and airy, this boutique is not only the best designed retail space I’ve seen in a long time but also the most beautiful; from the contrasting tiled floor areas, to up-lit dark wood-panelled walls, to bright pops of pink shelving, this ‘shop’ feels like a posh cocktail bar, a beauty parlour and retailer all-in-one. Their entire range is on view and I don’t mean just the machines: entire walls of Grand Crus, machines, chocolatey/ biscuity treats and all the accessories you could possible want, or need, from which to drink your coffee from. There is, of course, a tasting bar with a trained barista to aid and assist you as you taste your way around the world. A huge section dedicated to recycling your pods, a Club Member area for all your Club Member needs (be sure to check out the beautiful Rococo-style embossed porcelain pendant lights), and seating should you become overwhelmed with the sheer indulgence of the experience. Even if you don’t like shopping or even coffee (really? I don’t believe you), you ought to go and have a look. Watch out London, the standards have been set and they are HIGH.
Strictly speaking, I’ve got nothing to do with it and nor will you find Owen Wilson popping up. Nevertheless Bristol-based Betty and Dupree have some splendid things and it’s definitely worth your while having a good solid mooch though their charming range. Concentrating on a small collection of designer-maker illustrators that have extended their collections into homewares and stationery, you’ll find all sorts of goodies from greeting cards to tea towels, to art work to pretty sticky tape, all of which is made here in the UK (hurray!). Clean lines, graphic styles and geometric repeats; this is the first stop for those of you for whom contemporary graphics is a love close to your heart. They also have stockists around the UK, so you may have already have spotted them. Check out their blog for bits and bobs of interesting information on what they’re up to and their featured artists.
Here are my top picks…
1.) Leah Duncan’s ‘Raindrop’ cushion cover, 16″ x 16″, £20.00, 2.) Leah Duncan’s ‘Hills’ greeting card, Code: LD-003, £2.50, 3.) Gemma Correll’s ‘Animal Parade’ tape, length: 33 metres x 50mm, Code: TP-001, £4.95, 4.)’Leaves’ wrapping paper, Code: WP-104, £1.50, 5.) Jez Burrows’s ‘Walden’ screen print, Code:XAP-001, £40, 6.) Tom Frost’s ‘Fox’ greeting card, Code:TF-014, £2.50
In perfect timing for this glorious sunshiny March day, I bring you my ‘And It Was All ‘Colour’ Yellow’ Pinterest page. Lots of cheery hues and nice pictures, yellow really is a glorious colour. I was slow to join the cheerleader team of yellow but I’m on it now for eternity. I love a bit of yellow especially at home. Adding highlighting flashes via cushions or art work, really adds a zing which can brighten even the darkest of days, which seem a distant memory today. But turning to more serious matters, I want to continue my thought process on the old Pinterest matter. I wonder if what concerns me is what appears to be a rather underhand approach from the makers of Pinterest. I understand that they need to cover their backs from copyright legal issues in terms of what is essentially a free-for-all image sharing resource, but they also have a responsibility to be more explicit with rules/ guidelines for their signees to follow. How different is Pinterest from other file sharing sites such as Piratebay, or all the others that have since been forced to be closed down by the powers that be. Is imagery really so different an art form than music? Sharing is caring, but would this wash if it was any one of the popular mainstream bands’s music being shared?
From left to right, top to bottom:
diptych in yellow, source: Karin A on Flickr
‘Cartographies of Time‘ , via yeahcartography, source: Princeton Architectural Press
‘Stardust‘, via: Social Nesting’s Pinterest, source: Paul Tebbott
D.C. Zatracena Kocka, via: patternandshape, source: unknown, Czechoslovakian poster of American movie ‘Darn That Cat‘, 1965
Rotor for Prada, via: I Love Belgium, source: Designboom of Fonazione Prada
yellow bird origami, source: Mabona Origami
The Art of The Brick, source: Nathan Saway, Brick Artist
marker pen drawing, via: hereslookingathue, source: Katja Mater
Pescara, Fin, source: jukka reverser on Flickr
You Are My Sunshine, via: givemethechancetoloveyou, source: unknown
yellow flamingoes, source: dontmesswithtaxes
yellow sofa, via: belledujour, source: cb2
sunlight on the wall, source: KMingee on We Heart It
Now, before we all get London-parahenalia claustrophobia, if we haven’t already, let me bring you some of the best you’ll find. These two divine little objet d’art toys are NOT just for children. Meh! No, we all want them. Coming to a Muji store near you, the Horse Guards (Beefeaters? The choice is yours) and the tube merry-go-rounds are made from FSC wood and will be available from the first weekend in June to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee and the Olympics. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the four day weekend than eating Victoria sponge cake, drinking lemonade and playing with these. In true Muji style, these sleek paired-back wooden forms perfectly capture some of our favourite London icons, they are simple and satisfying with their limited colour scheme and straight lines. This is the sort of gift that ought be gracing the souvenir stalls rather than the cringeworthy mouse-face boob postcards and the plastic chintz. Let’s show the tourists exactly what design can look like even if, strictly speaking, it’s not British but Japanese. I may dislike the 2012 logo for its patronising condescension naiveté (don’t get me started) these go a way to make up for it.
Well done Muji. (Now can you start stocking those midnight blue pens again? They are my favourite)
Limited Edition tube and horse guards merry-go-rounds, £12.95 each, Muji (suitable for children 3+)
images with thanks to Muji.
‘Lost In The Stars’ is my second importation of one of my Pinterest boards to my blog. I’m increasing unsure of Pinterest and so will be clearing it over a period of time. However, the idea behind Pinterest I still love- the idea of a visual mood boards of found images available at the click of a button. I love it but I find it tricky too. This trickiness was underlined whilst compiling this post and my struggle to find the absolute ‘ground zero’ source of many of these images. Something else that bothers me, is am I really doing anything different by posting it here than by pinning it on Pinterest?
They’re still lovely though and if anyone can shed any light on some of the unknowns, please get in touch.
From top, left to right:
From Inkweed to Haunted Ink: The Beat Greeting Card by Lionel and Joanne Ziprin, source: John McWhinnie
Mother Theresa’s wisdom, via: An Abundance Of,source: Cameron Kim Jones Design
Black Hole by Roy Lichenstein, via: 1pce.com, Source: Christie’s
‘O! and other letters’, source: Welcome Home Store
‘An Idea’, via: Nexart Design, source: Two Decades tumbler
‘Lost In The Stars’, via: Nexart Design, source: unknown but original artwork by Jack Pierson
‘Yes’, via: Nexart Design, source: unknown, artwork by Roy Flynn
‘If you’re not going…’, source: Wordboner.com
‘What screws us…’, source: Nick van Woert
‘I have an idea’via: Nexart Design, source: unknown
‘My ideas are all the same…’, via: Nexart Design, source: unknown
‘Mas Amor Por Favor’, source: Fuckyeahaccionpoetica
‘Sometimes, you need to step outside’, via: Nexart Design, source: unknown
‘in repair’ by John Mayer, via: Quote a Lyric, source: no longer available
‘What defines us…’, via: Nexart Design, source: unknown
‘You’re not all there’, From Inkweed to Haunted Ink: The Beat Greeting Card by Lionel and Joanne Ziprin, source: John McWhinnie
‘Hay tantos hoy…’, via: Nexart Design, source: unknown
These exceptionally exciting pieces of work created out of books are by artist Guy Laramée. This collection of geographical paper worlds are not only mind-bogglingly amazing but beautiful. Lamarée has transformed dusty old hard-backed tomes into recognisable of-this-world landscapes. The amount of time they must have taken him I can only begin to wonder, and even that hurts my brain. A truly multi-talented man, these undertakings came about whilst completing a masters in Anthropology. The result of a happy experiment with a sand blaster, Laramée visualised the landscape and created it using old obsolete encyclopaedias and dictionaries. The books are chosen purely on aesthetic basis, there are no hidden political contexts or messages to be read in these sculptures, however, there was an interesting exploration of the idea of ‘Biblios’ a people who lived in books (best you read the interview with Laramée on It’s Nice That than me try to rehash it. There are more photos of his work too). They’re everything a zen garden of calm requires, move over Buddhist monks because if this is tranquility and inner calm, I’m in. You can hear the trickling streams, the tinkle of wind chimes and the gentle cooing of exotic birds- feel the worries of the world melt away and let me hear you say ‘ommmmmmm’.
Now when this email landed in my inbox this afternoon, I very well almost ignored it ’til later but thank goodness I didn’t because I can’t think of an email more suited to this rather joyous day of spring sunshine and good stuff. Mister Finch is a textile artist, obviously it was love at first sight of the name birds of a feather an’ all that and is somewhat of a rarity in the textile world, being a fella. But needless to say, this Mr Finch makes magic with a needle because these animals are cute, but before you all groan ‘we’ve seen it all before’, I suggest you hold your tongue because these are special.
Hares, foxes, wolves, rabbits, beetles, moths and butterflies, this fairytale woodland of creatures will capture your hearts for sure. There is nothing cutesy or twee about them, which I despise, these are magical and slightly eerie, a sprinkling of Tim Burton and a pinch of Tim Walker, pretty yet slightly raw, they seem to create an emotional reaction in me that I can’t quite put my finger on but I’m absolutely hooked by them. They sort of make me want to cry yet smile and laugh at the same time. He sites British folklore as one of his many influences, it’s so apparent and maybe that’s the reason of my response and their obvious magnetism. Boggarts and elves, witches and Will-O’-the-wisp, hobgoblins and Tom Thumb, they’re all in there, along with Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel and Gretel (even if this is German in origin). Made out of recycled materials; old wedding dresses, vintage aprons and hotel curtains all bring the sense of previous lifetimes which form the basis for the animal’s character. If you ever are lucky enough to visit Leeds or the Yorkshire Dales, be sure to keep your eyes peeled, for you never know when magic will happen.
Available to buy from Mr Finch’s Etsy shop and also select stockists around the UK.
all images taken from Mr Finch’s website
When you’re supposed to be out running but instead you’re mooching around the internet on a Sunday morning and you come across little gems like these pencil sculptures by Dalton Ghetti. I’m sure that I’m way behind in the old loop of new unseen things but hey, his work is glorious enough for a yearly hats-off to him mention, I reckon. Genius. Mucky work but I’m glad someone’s doing it.
images from http://oddstuffmagazine.com/extraordinary-art-on-pencil-tips-by-dalton-ghetti.html
