section: regional roundup
une, deux, trois, and here we go with quatre – the forth and final regional roundup of french designers. as always, it’s been a complete delight getting to know all 20 designers through their work and inspirations, and to look at paris with fresh eyes. today’s plat du jour is: boo louis of ekobo, carine tontini of extremorigin, fifi mandirac, aude de clermont tonnerre: fous de dinettes, gregoire scalabre and celine saby. a huge merci beaucoup to all the designers (and a special thanks to lily, marieke and boo for their insight into the paris design scene). CLICK HERE for the full feature, or just click “read more” below. stay tuned at 2pm for the paris design guide! -anne
[carte integral map by antoine + manuel...check out their full feature in part one!]
CLICK HERE for the full feature!
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February 3rd, 2009 - 01:00pm
maison & objet, paris’s premier home and style show just finished up over the weekend, but here goes part 3 of our regional roundup: paris. check out food designer julie rothhahn, textile designer lily latif, the beautiful classifications of lyndie dourthe, more great patterns from atelier lzc and beautiful furniture with a modern twist by etc. creations. CLICK HERE for the full feature. thanks again to all the amazing designers who participated! stay tuned for part 4 coming soon… -anne
p.s. miss part one and two? catch them here and here.
[ile de la cite sketch by maral sassouni]
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January 27th, 2009 - 12:00pm
after picking up a copy tables éphémères at french touche a few years back, i was instantly smitten with the work of martine camillieri who for years has making the recycling of everyday objects into magically creative projects. the book made me want to throw a dinner party as soon as i got home using egg trays for snacks, add figurines to ice cubes and wrap empty wine bottles in common plastic sponges to jazz them up (trust me, it’s awesome and the beautiful styling and photography proves it). despite considering herself a non-designer, rather than a designer, i was ecstatic when martine agreed to be one of the featured designers in the regional roundup: paris. CLICK HERE for martine’s full feature (with lots more images beyond the plastic eiffel project above), along with the beautiful work of nathalie lete, atelier r.bernier, le petit atelier de paris and sophie toporkoff. in case you missed it, don’t forget to check out paris: part 1 right here. we’ll be back later in the week with the rest of the roundup! -anne
for these designs and more, just click “read more” below…
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January 19th, 2009 - 11:00am
seven years ago i fell in love with a paris as a student studying abroad. little did i know going into it that those three and a half months would inspire me to becoming a graphic designer. today we all know paris as the fashion capital of the world, but when it comes it design, i could only name a few designers off the top of my head. so today i’m so excited to share the latest in the regional roundup series: paris! today is just the start, with part one. throughout the roundup be sure to take the time to explore, as some of these designers have the most fantastically creative websites i’ve seen in awhile, not to mention great work. we’ll be back on friday with part two, and bringing it full circle next week. so without further ado, la cerise sur le gateau, 2,rouge, antoine + manuel, la maison de liouba, and bob design. CLICK HERE for today’s full roundup! [paris pattern by atelier lzc . . . stay tuned to their feature in part 3] -anne
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January 13th, 2009 - 10:00am
if part one and part two of the austin regional roundup were not enough to prove to you that austin has a fun and vibrant design scene, perhaps hey cupcake!, an airstream tuned cupcake stand with rotating cupcake on the roof, is the proof you need. one thing is for sure – austin has a very “go local” flavor, with chain restaurants replaced with local favorites, and shops like parts & labor, devoted to showcasing local designers. there’s tons to explore this wonderful city (you can find the d*s city guide here), and today our exploration ends with part 3 of our look at austin. Click HERE to learn about final installment of all-star designers: illustrator victoria corbett, textile designer nancy mims {mod green pod}, illustrator shannon lowry, hotel san jose landscape designer mark word, interior designer adrienne breaux and card designer cindy bell morgan. stay tuned to find out where our next regional roundup takes us. . . [thanks, austin designers!] -anne
CLICK HERE for the full post and to view all of the designers!
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November 11th, 2008 - 11:00am
you’ve got to love a city whose motto is “keep austin weird.” full of flavor (i’m talking amazing tex mex), color and character, austin is a city that seriously has it all. it also has one of the best vintage/design scenes full of incredible shops like uncommon objects and room service vintage - and these places keep popping up all over the roundup for austin inspiration (check out the d*s austin guide here for more great shopping). so without further ado, today’s talented roundup: joel mozersky (the designer behind the real world: austin house!), d’ette cole {etta industry}, melissa gable {one creative girl}, jennifer braham {brink design} and jaime jo fisher {jewelry}. in case you missed it don’t forget to check out the regional roundup: austin- part 1, and stay tuned next week for our third and final installment! [thanks, designers!] -anne
CLICK HERE for the full post or just click “read more” below.
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November 4th, 2008 - 11:00am
yee-haw! it’s time for our next regional roundup! in our quest to feature smaller, yet thriving design scenes, our latest installment takes us to austin, texas. perhaps know best for their vibrant music scene and south by southwest festival (that has grown to include other forms of media beyond music), austin is full of creative folks. so to get this roundup started, we contacted d*s favorite, alyson fox to help get the ball rolling (and we really must thank all the designers for connecting us to this growing scene). today’s installment features illustrator alyson fox, textile designer melissa cotton {poppy cotton}, poster illustrator rob jones {animal rummy}, botanical/furniture designers – frisbie design, and the all-creative, leah duncan – so make sure you CLICK HERE to read after the jump. stay tuned next week for part 2! and in the meantime, you can check out all of the regional roundups here – australia, portland [me], and iceland! [thank you, designers!] -anne
[austin print above by jennifer hill, one of her many incredible patterns for places i have never been]
Alyson Fox
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I’m an army brat so where I am from is always a tough question to answer. I was born in Texas, and am now back living and working in Austin, TX.
2. Describe your work.
My work is a combination of my fine art and a small design company that I started a little over a year ago. I wanted to start a small design company so I could combine a number of mediums that I am interested in into one on going and ever changing project. Sort of a working studio/design lab. Right now it’s limited edition silk screen posters, printed tees, totes and some jewelry. I am trying to be self-supporting so I have my energy in a few places other than my fine art. My art mostly consists of drawings on paper with pen, pencil, ink and watercolor. I am also making small sculptures for a upcoming show that I am really enjoying.
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
My work is always inspired by things that I see, hear and read about, so living in Austin is great because there are always so many things going on. We also have an amazing community that loves to support local artists and designers, which is why I think there are so many diverse talented people living and working here.
4. Where do you go in Austin when you want to feel inspired?
For ongoing inspiration I go to the Blanton Museum of Art (on campus), The AMOA, Women and Their Work gallery and the Art house. For real quick inspiration I go to thrift stores, hardware stores and Uncommon Objects on South Congress. A good meal is also always inspiring too and sometimes what I need to keep going.
5. How would you describe the Austin design scene?
The Austin Design Scene is smart, friendly, conscious, detailed, innovative, motivating…and always surprising. From Architects to Furniture makers and Artist to Designers there is such a high bar of talent and growing that is taking place here that is always exciting to see and hear about.
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
I would go to Greece. That was the first place of many that popped into my head of where I want to go sometime soon.
Click here for more of Alyson’s work.
Poppy Cotton
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I am originally from Texas. I was born and raised on the Gulf Coast and then college in Austin. I spent most of my 20s in Brooklyn, NY. Now I am back in Austin, where I plan to live forever.
2. Describe your work.
I hand make home accessories (pillows, wall hangings, lampshades) out of authentic vintage textiles with wonderfully quirky prints from the 1960s and 70s. Most of my pieces are one of a kind, or one of a handful.
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
My work has always been influenced by my upbringing in the 1970s. Oddly enough, my childhood nursery looked like it might have been decorated with Poppy Cotton products. I suppose it is a sub-conscious type of influence. I started my business when I was living in Brooklyn and I certainly found myself being drawn to vintage botanicals and floral fabrics. I think I was innately craving something fresh and nature inspired after spending stuffy winters on the fifth floor. It was this same nature craving that made me want to move back to clean living Austin and continue my business here. It’s literally a natural fit.
4. Where do you go in Austin when you want to feel inspired?
I always feel inspired by just stepping out into my backyard and enjoying the smells and sounds of the outdoors. It’s not that my yard is particularly beautiful and well appointed. It’s inspiring simply because it is mine. It’s my first yard ever and something I have wanted since I was a little girl. My brain works better and spills forth inspired ideas when I am squinting through sunshine.
5. How would you describe the Austin design scene?
Honestly, I don’t know much about the Austin design scene. Pitiful, I know! This does not reflect how I feel about Austin designers because I was almost completely uninvolved with the NY design scene as well. I am not much of a networker or a consumer so that does not make many opportunities to find out what is going on with local design in the traditional sense. I tend to just stick to myself and make the things that I personally like and reflect a certain feeling from the past. I aim to stay true to my inner design voice, independent from too many outside forces, which tend to stifle me.
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
I recently finished reading the classic series “All Creatures Great and Small” by James Herriot and so I would love to go to Yorkshire. I want to see the patchwork of rolling green farmland with the bracken and wild heather. Many times throughout the books, James would have a few minutes between vet calls and so he would pull his car over, take a deep breath of the fresh air, and admire the naive beauty of the Yorkshire countryside. These are the simple pleasures that float my boat and I want to experience that same scenery that gave him such peace throughout his long life.
Click here for more of Melissa’s work.
click here for the full post (and many more designers), or just click “read more” below.
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October 28th, 2008 - 11:00am
our lovely editor anne ditmeyer spent hours upon hours (upon hours) compiling her most recent regional roundup to australia. with so many sections featured i decided to compile them here in one post so you could visit the cities in one fell swoop, rather than search around for brisbane part four or brisbane part one. so, below are links to each city and each section- which will live in the “guides” section of d*s permanently. thanks to anne for her hard work and thanks to all of the wonderful artists who shared their work with us.
[photo above via runnersworld]
September 9th, 2008 - 10:00am
for the past few weeks we’ve been exploring the major design hubs in australia. but as with anywhere, there are those incredibly talented artists and designers who are able to make a name for themselves from off the beaten track. today’s final regional roundup: australia covers everywhere in between. and while these features have been focusing on the contemporary design scene, aboriginal art – a history that covers 40,000 years – continues to make it’s mark on australia, and is something i still hope to explore (talk about patterns! . . . luckily, one of the best collections is at the kluge-ruhe aboriginal art collection at my beloved university of virginia, of all places). but that’s the beauty of these roundups – they’re a starting point to discover a place, begin a conversation and in a world that is constantly changing and each can be revisited. it’s been nearly three months since i started on this piece – which features over 40 designers – and it’s still only brushing the surface. so please continue the dialogue in the comments, sharing your new discoveries, favorite aussie designers, inspiration and observations. in case you missed any, you can find all the posts here. and to view this full post (and many more designers) just click here. [an incredible thank you to everyone who participated!!!] -anne
[aboriginal painting by roslyn ann kemp, above]
Magic Jelly
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
Born & bred right here in Adelaide, South Australia.
2. Describe your work
Most important to me is to communicate & connect. I’ve just started a project called The Paper Chase, trading art for paper, it’s all about collaboration & communication. I try to make my work as accessible as possible. I like to use low-tech equipment (Gocco for instance) & commonplace materials, & to lavish care & attention on the forgotten, overlooked & discarded. I tend to work on a small scale, firstly, because I’m a finicky fuss-budget obsessed with detail, but also because I want my work to be intimate & personal rather than to shout at you from across the room. I hope a little bit of wit & levity creeps in there somewhere too.
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I often trawl the local secondhand markets for bits & pieces to use in my work, & take lots of photos, particularly of signage & architecture. In fact, I’m combining my interest in architecture & ephemera at the moment by building a house out of paper, loosely based on a lovely row of late-Victorian terrace houses on the seafront near where I live.
4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
Anywhere that’s out of the house! Every spring I start feeling restless & want to take a trip to Sydney.
5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I really can’t say as I don’t feel that I’m a part of it – I’m a total hermit! It’s a small market, that’s for sure – especially in Adelaide – & I tend to sell more internationally & do more commissions for overseas clients. I think the Australian scene is growing though.
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
I’m planning a visit to the US in a few months’ time to take a road trip along the West Coast. Now, if you have a time machine handy, where I’d really like to go is back to the mid-20th century so I can go wild amassing huge quantities of ephemera & toys, & taking lots of photos.
Click here for more work by Karena and visit the Magic Jelly Etsy shop here.
Bison Home
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I am From Grenfell NSW (population 2000 ). My family came on the Sirius…the first Fleet of White Settlers/Convicts who came to Australia in 1788. I currently live in Canberra and my studio is in a rural location (Pialligo) surrounded by plant nurseries and vineyards.
2. Describe your work
My work…best described as a ceramics designer. I am drawn to simple, classic forms and I produce a large range (140 profiles and 30 colours) of dinnerware and decorator pieces. I’m a former archaeologist and ancient historian who became tired of excavating broken pots in Syria … so I taught myself how to make them instead! We create forms which reflect the relationship between beauty…and practicality. I am fortunate to have a wonderful team of craftspeople who support me in crafting our Fine Australian Stoneware Collections.
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
As a person who was training to be an academic… I was captivated by the evolution of design in Classical History…and the amazingly poignant social contexts behind ceramic vessels. To unearth a piece of pottery…over 2000 years old with a fingerprint in it sends chills up your spine. I also went to School in Malmo Sweden and the colours and subtlety of Scandinavian seasons and design…obviously filter through my palette and shapes.
4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I absolutely love The Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Crusing along the stark coastline in a car or just spending time at our family Beachhouse near Portsea. Simple, unpretentious…and better still…uncomplicated.
5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
Australia is changing rapidly in terms of global visibility and credibility. I always find it ironic though that within our own country people find it hard to conceptualize that viable design and manufacture can occur outside of Sydney and Melbourne. People look somewhat bemused when you tell them your studio is in Canberra (Our capital is better known for the Greenhouse gasses which come out of the Parliament Buildings!) That being said I see numerous whimsical and elegant works from talented artists/designers emerging…particularly working with textiles.
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go? If I could travel anywhere and spend time it would be south America…Belize in particular. The fusion of Jungle (with panthers) Mayan Pyramids and Amish/Mennonite settlers….sounds so disparate you’d have to get inspiration!
Click here for more from Bison Home.
CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE POST
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September 5th, 2008 - 10:00am
it’s our third week focusing on australia and our latest regional roundup focuses on brisbane, australia’s third most populous city. today’s line up stars tiel seivl-keevers {tsk-tsk}, mel robson, jason grant {inkahoots}, tiffany shafran, and alex tebb. we’ll be back tomorrow with our final australian roundup so be sure to check back, but in the meantime, click here to check out today’s designers (there are many more below the fold). [thanks again to all the fabulous designers! all the roundups can be found here.] -anne
[aussie porcelain above by mel robson. check out her feature below]
Tsk-tsk
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I’m from Australia. I have lived in many different cities here, but I’m currently living in Brisbane, Queensland.
2. Describe your work
Most of my work is illustrative. I create original artworks or limited edition prints for children and grown ups. I’m exploring a range of themes including matryoshka dolls, birds, flora and fauna.
My works are mostly small in scale so I can finish them!
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I live in a warmer climate so the outdoor lifestyle does influence my work. I pay attention to the wildlife around me, particularly the birds and I enjoy the colours of where I live. Brisbane is a very light and sunny place. I’m very close to the ocean and some of Australia’s best beaches, but it is the trees and hills that I feel closest to. I often pick up leaves and pods on walks and take them home to study.
4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
Melbourne. It is home away from home for me. I lived there on several occasions and it is so full of life. Art, craft, design, good food. But locally I enjoy being in a park near the river, or going to a few suburbs here that have hidden shopping treasures. Also the gallery of modern art has a continual range of exhibitions and displays catered for all ages. It is such an amazing space.
5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I think here we are influenced so much by so many different cultures and countries. We then somehow take bits of pieces from that, combine them with our surroundings and it becomes quite unique to anything else. There are so many good Australian designers who have emerged over the last 10 years and I really get a sense that a lot more quality design is about to bloom..
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Today, somewhere a little warmer like Fiji! But I really am keen to go to Japan. The history, design and food really interests me.
Check out more of Tiel’s work here and her blog here.
Mel Robson
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a little town called Murwillumbah (which means place of many possums!!), but I now live in Brisbane (right in the middle of the east coast of Australia) and have been based here on and off for the last 15 years or so.
2. Describe your work
I make objects from porcelain. I design and hand make ranges of functional and decorative objects for the home, as well as limited edition and one-off exhibition works. I use a lot of text and imagery on my pieces which I draw from a whole array of sources – old letters, wallpaper, photographs, maps, recipes, sewing patterns, excerpts from old books and magazines etc. I take lots of old things and work them in to new ones.
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I’m probably influenced more by the built environment rather than the natural environment – the architecture, the buildings and houses. Brisbane has grown a lot in the last decade and is a real mish mash of old and new. This doesn’t always work so well but there are little pockets where the old and the new sit comfortably, even beautifully, together. I like this. Its something I try to achieve in my own work – weaving together the past and the present, integrating them.
4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I find that I get most of my best ideas while I’m walking. I like to go hiking, so our national parks are pretty inspiring for me. There is nothing like wandering along deserted trails for clearing the mind and making space for new ideas. At the moment though I walk mostly around my local area, which is an old area of Brisbane filled with charming houses and shops full of character (and characters)!
5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I think Australian designers have a good sense of humour and often approach design with a sense of playfulness and wit. We are good at sarcasm and laughing at ourselves and I think this is often reflected in the work of our artists, craftspeople and designers.
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Hmmmmm…..where wouldn’t I go?! I’d like to spend more time in Europe, particularly the Scandinavian countries.
More of Mel’s work here, and her website (under construction) here.
Inkahoots
1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I was born in New Zealand and now live in sunny Brisbane, Australia.
2. Describe your work
I’m part of design group Inkahoots that includes Robyn McDonald, Ben Mangan, Joel Booy and Kate Booy. Rather than privilege market agendas of commodification, the studio promotes visual communication as an important tool of cultural critique and transformation. The work is visually adventurous with a strong typographic focus, and aims to be daring and searching, not for the sake of newness, but to give expression to a changing society.
3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
For a long time Brisbane was a politically oppressive and culturally conservative place you needed to escape. So it bred a resilient underground oppositional culture that continues to influence the city. The rainforests, bush, and beaches around Brisbane are incredible. And the scale and pace of the city makes it both a great place for work and play, and for playful work.
4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I’m not so comfortable with the idea of chasing inspiration.
5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
If it were a super hero it would be one of those characters with random control over their super-human powers.
6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Satori.
Click here for more by Inkahoots.
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 September 4th, 2008 - 11:00am
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