A Very Intricate Pencil Rendering

Robb Godshaw, Personal Pencil Production Plant 2010 (polymer clay, no.2 graphite lead, lead dispenser, extruder, toaster, stamp, aluminum foil tape and eraser) Vija Celmins, Eraser 1967 (balsa wood and acrylic paint) 

Mama, where do pencils come from? Robb Godshaw's pencil-making machine offers a whimsical explanation that evokes the endearing misunderstandings of an origin myth. His machine imagines a world where pencils are baked in a toaster, and end-tip erasers are punched from a bigger pink eraser (I'm almost convinced that full-sized rubber erasers grow on trees as a raw material). At the end of the video, the finished pencils are displayed, paying loyal homage to the humble Ticonderoga no.2. I'm reminded of the deadpan sculptures of Vija Celmins, and particularly the work above. 

Personal Pencil Production Plant V1.2 from Robb Godshaw on Vimeo.

In Eraser, Celmins presents us with a faithfully rendered sculpture of a Pink Pearl eraser. The gallery frame give it an archetypal power that brings us to meditate on the eraser. We really notice the font for the first time, or the slightly rounded edges (was it used?), or the odd-yet-intentional geometry of this elementary school icon. Looking at such an accurate depiction gives us a sense of the many nuances that were taken into consideration by the artist. The Personal Pencil Production Plant takes the notion of representation a step further by bringing our attention to the genesis of the subject - its manufacturing process -  along with the artifact itself.   

Yellow polymer clay being extruded around a no.2 pencil lead in Robb Godshaw's Personal Pencil Production Plant

 When an artist creates a representation of a subject, an extreme degree of observation is called into practice. It requires many hours spent alone in a studio obsessing over details. This act of devotion is in line with an expression of worship, conferring value on whatever the subject may be. Portraits of wealthy patrons or marble busts of rulers have traditionally been the subject of choice for representational artists whose devoted labor reflects the subject's societal value. Velasquez broke that convention with his series of beggars, dwarfs and gypsies. 

Andy Warhol's Brillo Boxes 1964 (silkscreen ink on synthetic polymer paint on wood) 

In the 1960s, artists again used the act of representation to bring our attention to an unconventional subject. This time, branded consumer products, which had silently crept into all corners of the American environment, were brought to our attention. Warhol recreated Brillo Boxes out of screen-printed plywood. Oldenburg rendered junk food in soft materials. The movement that became Pop Art merged  one culturally overvalued subject (fine art sculpture) with another culturally undervalued subject (everyday consumer products) to illustrate the growing role of products as objects of devotion. 

Claes Oldenburg Two Cheeseburgers, With Everything 1962 (burlap soaked in plaster, enamel paint)

Celmins' sculptural and two dimensional renderings of everyday objects were made during this time, but don't seem to target consumerism with the same critical approach. Her work is more expressive of the mute devotion of craft than of irony. Celmins says in an interview, "I basically sort of re-describe things that are in front of me, which I started doing from the beginning of my career. It in fact started maybe with Pop Art, which opened up this tendency to mimic something in real life, but I think that the work of art is really more about itself."

Vija Celmins To Fix the Image in Memory, 1977 - 1982 (eleven stones and eleven painted bronze pieces)

There is something wonderfully uncanny about seeing an everyday object made out of unfamilar materials. Inconspicuous imitations tease our understanding of reality. We seek clues to help get oriented in the confusion between the real and the clone, and while Warhol's brand of confusion is vacant and impersonal, Celmins' subjects presents a more tender relationship to the unknown. Like Celmins, Robb Godshaw uses an elementary school icon to transport us on a nostalgic journey back to childhood, when everything held a sense of mystique. More than just a display of technical ingenuity and inventor spirit, the Personal Pencil Production Plant makes whimsical reference to childhood, origin myths, and the opacity of manufacture. 

The journeys of our discarded clothes

'The Bargehouse' is an incredible building close to Blackfriars Bridge on the South side of the River Thames.  A four story warehouse building, it is now a gallery and event space. 

With it's crumbling and atmospheric interior, it was a perfect space for an excellent exhibition at the weekend (20 -22 January 2012) 'Everything Must Go', which followed the journey of worn clothing as it is sold for reuse and recycling across the world.

The exhibition marked the culmination of a research project by five universities: the Waste of the World

Sadly, this elaborate display was only on for the weekend.  I would like to have returned for a second visit and to recommend it to people. 

As a textile designer, I like to think I know something about the fibre content of our clothes. As the high street brands continue to mix fibres, what struck me most is how complicated the recycling of them becomes. What happens next to the remade downgraded textile?
Of course, the horrendous conditions most people in this trade work in was shocking.

Two excellent short films were very powerful:
'Unravel' made by Meghna Gupta was a documentary in a textile recycling factory in Northern India talking to the women who work there.

In a room which highlighted the shipping involved in the moving of all our discarded goods, a 5 minute film sped up the dismantling of a huge ship filmed over a two year period - incredible.

Custom fabric designs for Tsemaye Binitie

Last week, I finished these handmade rubber applique embellishments and sent them overseas to the London-based fashion designer Tsemaye Binitie, who is putting the final touches on his A/W 2012 collection. In the next couple of weeks, I should have images of the finished garments and am eager to post those here as soon as that happens. Tsemaye launched his namesake fashion label in 2010 after gaining industry experience as part of the Stella McCartney design team. His collections revolve around concepts of the timeless feminine elegance. The exquisite clothing encapsulates a love of luxury and innovative design. See more of his gorgeous work here: http://www.tsemayebinitie.com

How to Know How Things are Made

If the closure of textile mills and shipbuilding yards correlates with the decline of artisan skills and craftsmanship in the US or the UK, do we want to see domestic manufacturing return? In conjunction with the upcoming presidential election campaign in the US, our national media is casting a spotlight on trends in production. It seems that, this time around, the prospect of "insourcing" is becoming a key issue. The Republican hopeful John Huntsman invigorates audiences with statements like, "We're on the cusp of a manufacturing revolution in this country." Obama's White House recently held a conference on insourcing as a means of counteracting the evaporation of factory jobs that the US experienced in the second half of the 20th century. Unsurprisingly, both parties unanimously claim to support domestic manufacturing. This brings up questions about how it's going to happen. Lower wages? More efficient production? Reliable protection of trade secrets? More skilled workers?

Image from our 2009 visit to the UK furniture company Ercol's Chiltern facility.

Hear more about these issues in a recent episode of To The Point with Warren Olney. The show begins, "After years of decline and predictions that it might never return, manufacturing is making a comeback in the United States. What industries are on the upswing? What roles to they require?"

Also, from the trade group PPMA in the UK comes news that a study on the relationship between robotic tools and employment. "The latest study conducted by the market research firm, Metra Martech Positive Impact of Industrial Robots on Employment published recently by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) in Tokyo, demonstrates that 3 million jobs have been directly created in recent years by the use of robots and a further 1 million positions  estimated globally by 2016.

Ercol produces its entire range of furniture in Chitern. 

"Mike Wilson Chairman of the British Automation and Robots Association (BARA) said "This is great news for British manufacturing. The IFR study highlights the importance of robotics to the future growth of UK industry and the jobs it will create as a result. The recently launched government funded Automating Manufacturing Programme is providing assistance to companies looking to use automation to improve competitiveness and drive growth."  He concluded "Together we can make UK manufacturing the best in the world and create the jobs that our country needs."

The Origami Architect: Joyce Aysta

The Japanese word 'origami' derives from the two root words 'oreru' (to fold) and 'kami' (paper). Most of us would imagine the simple, geometric boats and frogs that are made with colorful squares of paper, but Joyce Aysta takes the concept of origami to a new level with her intricate designs.

From her studio in downtown Los Angeles, Joyce runs a daily production of handmade cards. The cards display her mastery of fiber construction, and apply that artistry to the theme of architecture. Why buildings? Joyce has a profound appreciation for the thought and skill that go into making works of architecture. She is constantly inspired by the iconic buildings that define cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and D.C.

The Milliard House, also known as "La Miniatura" is one of several Frank Lloyd Wright designs in the Live Your Dream Designs card collection.

The cards themselves are miniature replicas of buildings, monuments, or features. Each one is cut from a single sheet of paper - a challenge which Joyce overcomes each time she designs a new piece. After she works out the 2D cutting pattern, she begins to produce batches right in her LA studio. Joyce has managed to maintain the production locally, refusing to consider the option of outsourcing the fabrication process. Making the cards is her favorite part of operating the business.

Before the cards are folded, they are cut in batches of 8 and stacked flat. The Smithsonian Castle's many windows make for a complex cutout design.

Each day, Joyce ships out boxes of freshly made handcrafted cards to customers around the country. The majority of her orders come from gift shops associated with historically significant buildings, or museum shops in cities that she has designed a collection for. In addition to her craft skills and her attraction to architecture, Joyce's practice has been shaped by her natural inclination to be organized. It keeps her business running as smooth as clockwork.

Stacks of Christmas cards in Joyce's studio, cut and ready to be folded.

Before she invented her life as an origami architect, Joyce excelled in jobs that involved production. Whether it was producing costumes for film/T.V. or producing events like the Los Angeles Olympics opening ceremony, she could organize messy processes into smoothly run operations with resounding success. Over the past couple of months, I've been assisting Joyce when she needs to run through large orders in a short turnaround. I've seen how her lifelong ability to organize productions translates into a successful business. Her fusion of artistry, craftsmanship, innovation and entrepreneurship is a valuable model for those of us who aspire to shape our professional lives in the same direction.

The Holocaust Memorial in Washington DC, Synagogue at Subotica (Two cards designed and made by Joyce Aysta / Live Your Dream Designs.)

To order handmade origami architecture cards, go to www.liveyourdreamdesigns.com. More details about the construction process can be found in her book The Paper Architect.

Fancy a nap?

Jo Angell has created super-soft velvet eye-cushions printed with a selection of her original designs in rich colours.  The linseed filled pillows gently help your eyes to close and cut out the light.  And relax....

Jo has been selected to sell her designs at a new area in Spitalfields Market, E1 near Liverpool Street (details below).

Saturdays 19 November and 17 December, 11-5pm.  
Pop by and say hello!
More designs can be see here

Pattern Futures for the Body

Who says that surface designers have to work in furniture, interiors, or fashion?

A series of innovative products have been getting lots of attention in the cosmetics industry. Lipsticks shaped like cats, nailpolishes that are magnetically patterned, and now lip tattoos are phenomenally successful products. As we experiment with different ways to earn a living through practicing our craft, it might help to forget the cultural boundaries that exist around applications that are mainstream, everyday, or cheap. The discovery of a new material or a technological breakthrough always opens up new avenues for designers. These trajectories don't always stay within the limits of good taste, and thank goodness - check out these interesting examples:

Magnetic Nail Polish

Magnetic Nail Varnish is making a return. After appearing briefly on the market in 2007 (Lancome's LeMagnetique, which we wrote about here last year) magnetically patterned nail varnish promptly disappeared from the scene. Something must have recently changed (patent licensed to a different product developer? improvement in the formula?) because the concept is now back in a big way.

Sephora is featuring the Magnetic Polish by Nails, inc., and their marketing has been strong enough to get this product into the mainstream.

LCN's Magnetic Nail Polish is more colorful, but the magnetic field application technique is a bit less convenient.

There is also the Alessandro Go Magic! Twist line, which is more or less the same as the LCN line.

As a side note, the technology behind this patterning technique is actually very similar to a technique that I'm patenting. It's interesting to see how the technique has found its way into the commercial world. A few years ago, at a new materials fair, the technique popped up in a collection of magnetically patterned plastics. Also, I'm always on the lookout for examples of how magnetism is perceived in the public domain. The reviews and product descriptions often allude to mysterious qualities associated with magnets.

Violent Lips

These are temporary tattoos for the lips that leave a patterned coating on your flesh. Body artists have used skin as their canvas for centuries. The Violent Lips product suggests another corner of the skin to make artwork on.

The tattoos come in different predictably tacky categories: animal skins, fishnets, word (like "feisty"), and glitter. Oh, and the clever marketing team even figured out how to turn a product flaw into a benefit, at least in the eyes of their audience: "When wearing your lips don’t eat anything too greasy since oil removes the appliqués. That’s one way to stick to your diet!"
Right...

Youtube is now inundated with how-to videos posted by Violent Lips fans from the across the blogosphere.
This is a big trend in the world of novelty makeup bloggers, who often get free product in exchange for reviews.

Handpainted nail art

This is just fascinating to watch. A blogger with a lot of artistic talent applies her drawing skills to nail decoration. She paints the patterns onto the nails by hand, and has worked out formulas for making intricate fizzy drink logos:

And classic textile patterns like houndstooth:

Again, this makes me think about all the artisans who create elaborate objects outside of the high-brow category of luxury goods. It's a different culture. They don't have sophisticated ambitions in the worlds of design or fine art. Yet, when it comes down to it, we're all doing the same craft.

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Re-telling: a dive into magic realism

[extra]ordinary wallpaper by Aurélie Mossé

Do you feel like having a dive into magic realism? On the 12th and 13th of November 2011, Cork's guest house will exhibit the work of contemporary artists exploring such dimension. The Re-telling show is organized by Anna Crudge and Nora O Murchu as a part of the World Ends residency programme and will feature the work of Ciara Dunne, Aurélie Mossé, Steve Maher, Tom Dalton and Tracy Hanna.  A good chance to discover or rediscover the [extra]ordinary wallpapers.

Guest House

10 chapel street, Shandon

Cork, Ireland

Opening Hours:
12-5pm Saturday 12th
12-6pm Sunday 13th

Bohemian Like You - contemporary illustration exhibition

Puff & Flock good friends' The Somethings Lab and Green and Fay are happy to present “Bohemian Like You” a playful illustration exhibition inspired by the image of the modern bohemian.

It’s 2011, distances and journeys are shorter than ever, we are used to travelling more often, for work reasons, for inspiration, for a getaway, just to visit a friend, or why not to make new friends?

If you are inclined to take lousy low-cost flights or prefer to spend 48 hours in a bus to enjoy the landscapes from the highway, if you don’t mind sleeping on a couch or wearing the same clothes for more than one day, then you belong to the modern bohemian family!

7 artists from France and Italy give their interpretation of the “bohemian” mood through a poster design :

Benjamin Pancakes (IT)
Claudia Carieri (IT)
Emilie Boudet (FR)
Joan Tarragon (FR)
Jonathan Calugi (IT)
Julia Wauters (FR)
Somethings Lab (UK-IT-FR)

Curated by: Somethings Lab

Enjoy here the preview of 2 of the 7 posters exhibited: from top to bottom, designs by Claudia Carieri and Somethings Lab.

Opening night : Tomorrow night : Thursday 3rd November - 6.30pm - 9.00pm

The Exhibition will crash for a couple of days at Green and Fay design furniture store and all the gang will attend the private view !

Friday 4th November: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Saturday 5th November: 10.00am - 6.00pm

Location: Green and Fay

137-139 Essex Road London N1 2NR Telephone: +44 (0)20 7704 0455 Email: info@greenandfay.co.uk

Look for "Bohemian Like You" on Facebook :)

CSM in the NY Times

Yesterday, an article appeared in the New York Times' Style section about Central Saint Martins moving to its new Kings Cross building. Since we're all CSM grads, I wanted to link it here.

From the article: The dean of fashion and textiles, Anne Smith, said: “What is really fantastic is the mix of all disciplines from drama students and fine arts. I think the student community will be much healthier.”

When we were on the MA Textile Futures course, which was based at the iconic Lethaby building on Southampton Row, we mixed with the MA Industrial Design students (the were also based in the Lethaby building). The relationships we made have carried on and continue to influence us. We didn't have the same fruitful relationship with the courses that were not in our building, so it will be great, as Anne Smith says, for all of the disciplines to share a space.

However, the departure from the Southampton Row building leaves many of us with a sense of nostalgia. The atmospheric building is named after Art and Crafts Movement architect William Lethaby. Lethaby was an influential figure in late 19th century London, who founded the Central School of Art and Design and eventually became the first Professor of Design at the Royal College of Art.

Lethaby had a deep interest medieval and non-European design, and published Architecture, Mysticism, and Myth in 1891. His wikipedia entry states that "this was the first major work of architectural theory to treat architecture as a system of symbols with identifiable philosophical meanings, rather than as abstract systems of aesthetic principles."

Personally, the medieval architectural details resonated, and probably even led, the design research I was doing there. It also made for a convenient location to do photo shoots!

A recent Homes&Properties article implies that the Lethaby Building is "earmarked for residential development".