Kueng Caputo is a collaborative art effort between two design school friends, and each consecutive collection seems better than the last. My favorite is Never Too Much, a series of benches, stools, bowls, and lights made from leather and enamel that have been splattered with organic vegetable stains in to create a chromatic effect. Just looking at them I can feel joy rising up within myself!
North Carolina-based Anna Buckner‘s quilt paintings are completely captivating. She begins by piecing scraps of fabric together to form the top half of a quilt that’s then stretched on a support. The action causes the material to warp and a beautiful transformation takes place.
Jessica Brilli‘s ongoing series of paintings – Static – pay homage to a time that no longer exists through vintage cars, telephones, and more. Her eye and hand bring a contemporary eye to the past in everything she touches. Jessica’s current project – Slideshow – is a collection of paintings inspired by slides found at yard sales and in basements in Massachusetts and New York.
I’m digging Shelby Ling‘s loosey goose style, particularly in the plant illustrations. Maybe it’s because I have warm weather on my mind, and can hardly wait to whip my backyard into decent shape and haul out the deck furniture this weekend. At any rate, you can pick up something for yourself in Shelby’s shop!
Paris-based art director and illustrator Inès Longevial creates lots of fantastic work across many mediums, but the one that resonates most with me are her paintings. Inès focuses on using mostly blocked out colors to create her pop inspired pieces that successfully draw the viewer’s eye in deeper and deeper.
Designers love Japanese fashion house Issey Miyake, and now they’ve partnered with Finnish brand Iittala to create a range of homeware which includes pleated place mats, tote bags, and more. The collaboration – Issey Miyake x Iittala – has been in development for four years and includes thirty textile, ceramic, and glass pieces for the home. The technology developed for use in the pleating is fascinating, employing a technique that uses steam to pleat the fabric into origami-like patterns as well as a process that involves baking material in an oven. And that pastel palette? Perfect for spring.
Artist Lisa Congdon’s books never fail to impress or inspire, and such is the case with her latest – The Joy of Swimming: A Celebration of Our Love for Getting in the Water. A longtime swimmer herself, Lisa has created an illustrated collection of vintage swimsuits and pool signs, hand lettered quotes on the subject, dozens of watercolor portraits paired with personal stories, and more. With summer just around the corner The Joy of Swimming is the perfect book to get you swimsuit ready!
I have this thing for floor rugs, and greatly wish I could afford a few more so they could be switched out occasionally. The latest target of my affections is the Meteo line, a collaboration between French designer Inga Sempé and Golran. The contemporary Persian designs feature three different soft, contemporary geometric patterns that are each available in three colors.
My shelves are filled with books, so why not cover the walls too? American artist Jordan Buschur first photographs her subjects – piled, jumbled, and stacked – before painting the final creations. Be sure and check out the junk drawers of friends and family that she captures in the same way.
High contrast is difficult to ignore, especially in vast landscapes provided by nature herself. Jonathan Smith captures the world and its desolate landscapes at their most striking through his camera lens.
