MoD Must Have: Volcanic Glaze Sculptures

MOD MUST HAVES

pure, novel, stylish

for sculpture lovers

Progression, 2012

Surf Volcanic Glaze, cone 6

22 tall x 18 x 16

There's something about ceramicist Josh Herman's work that keeps you engaged...its dynamic, its organic, its geologic, its visceral, its mindful, its one-of-a-kind sculpture. His creative ceramic work ranges in scale and has been seen in galleries, hotels, and luxury decor shops for the home.

Josh is a master of the textural and tactile. His sculptural forms come alive with his applied volcanic glaze, a glazing technique which took seven years to master. The outcome is an innovative surface that is pocketed with craters. 

Progression, his latest piece forces the viewer to walk around it, to explore its texture and dynamic forms. Like a cubist painting, Progression can only be enjoyed from multiple views....take a walk....

Josh, also a friend,  shared with me his process of this very special piece. I asked him what his inspiration was for Progression .... 

He adds, "I do not so much think of inspirations but I think of my process about pieces. In this piece, I wanted to carry forward the principles of movement and a 360 degree dynamic quality that I achieved in Growth and Chaos. I also wanted to work in a smaller scale. Larger pieces are more demanding in attention, time and engineering. (Read a previous interview HERE with Josh Herman to see Growth and Chaos)

As I began to work on the piece I was not all that excited by it. At about 12 inches of height, I was bored and not seeing the organic movement that I had hoped for. My assistant said, "Just keep building taller." And that is what I did, I just keep adding to it and really the top half is where it got more exciting. Since, I did not think it was anything special, I was freed (in my mind) to experiment more. I started to add forms that stretched the form in different ways. Then the top tube forms and undulations just brought it all together. The piece really came alive. 

As the viewer rotates around the form, there are totally different shapes and  views. Its almost as if there are many different sculptures to look at. Balance seems to be a key principle in my work. So much so that the forms can be too uniform all the way around. I mean that if you look at it from any angle it would be similar to the other angles. So I want to keep balance but add in a more organic free form quality. The metaphor I think of is a succulent that grows in amazing patterns and shapes. Its different from any angle you look at it but its all the same language. Make sense?

After I fired it, I thought it was a good piece. It had a quite quality to it. But as we lived with it for a bit of time, it grew on all of us here in studio. That's really the test, does it get more interesting over time? Well, this piece certainly did get better. I think its a really good successful effort. The new owner is thrilled with it.  She is a modernist living in a Norm Applebaum (He is a big Modern architect here in San Diego. He is still alive) designed house. Its super cool and I thrilled to have a piece in that house."

 

Thank you Josh! I really enjoyed reading about the process. Progression is the perfect name for this piece as it perfectly encompasses time, and space!

You can connect with Josh on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, GOOGLE+

You can purchase some of his volcanic pieces via DESIGN WITHIN REACH.


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Broken Skateboard Sustainable Design

Get stoked over colorful scraps from recycled skateboard decks....

Saved from the landfill, designers are using skateboard graphics to push the boundaries of interior design and bring a vibrant story to life in every space they inhabit... 

Lamacek: Eco Felt made from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Eco-Felt by Lamacek Design Studio

Eco-conscious, super fun and yummy to the touch....I'm talking about some really hip eco-felt made from 100% recycled plastic bottles by Connie Lam and Michael Sedlacek of Lamacek Design Studio, based in Willamsburg Brooklyn. I enjoyed my chat with Connie Lam at Brooklyn Designs 2013 this year and she shared with me that her felt- making came quite accidentally. She found some left over felt one day and started rolling it for fun. It was an "ah ha" moment where these shapes had potential to be made for interior. Yes!!, her handrolled and handstiched eco-crafted beauties can be used for flooring, walls and furniture....

How to design an inspiring Architectural Bathroom Design

....an attitude, a point of view, a design perspective from Interior designer Helen Davies who is a keen blogger, Pinterest addict and freelance writer for Better Bathrooms. You can follow her on Twitter and Pinterest. 

Today's slant:

Architectural Bathroom Design

So you'd like your bathroom design to make a statement, to proclaim that you are a person who appreciates aesthetics? What you want is a bathroom that is practical and efficient but also eye catching and awe inspiring. What you need is to think like an architect.

If you hire an architect to design a home, what do you expect them to deliver? A floor plan? Measurements? Assistance in liaising with the planning department? Most of us would expect all of these things - but I think most of us would also want their architect to bring to the project a little inspiration, a little flair, a new way of doing things. And architects are an innovative crowd, on the whole, so maybe it’s reasonable to expect a space that’s been designed by an architect to be not simply liveable and aesthetically pleasing, but poised at the cutting edge of both style and practicality. 

So, imagine you’re an amazing architect with a bathroom to design and a very demanding client (you)...


Plan your layout with precision

Style without substance is nothing, and the most beautifully designed bathrooms are often also the most user friendly. Think about the way you and your family use your current bathroom. What needs to change? What can stay the same? Only when you have an ideal layout in mind should you begin shopping!

Keep an open mind as you source your sanitaryware

Great architects deliver great results because they can convince a client to try something new. Can you convince yourself to be bold? Today’s designers are creating bathroom suites which are worlds apart from traditional sanitaryware. Making the most of modern materials and manufacturing processes means that designs are less constrained than in the past, and it shows: a spiral fossil basin cast in a resin block, a stainless steel and glass bathtub, a glass waterfall tap lit with colour LEDs, a glamorous Japanese plum tree blossom toilet... The sky’s the limit!

Incorporate technology that makes your room work harder

The best architect-designed spaces not only achieve their function, they excel at it. Do your research and uncover the innovations that will help your bathroom become a beacon of stylish practicality: an intelligent tap which knows how fast and how hot you like your water, a mirror that connects to the internet, lets you watch tv and monitors your health, an in-shower radio that runs on water power... Choose technology that suits your lifestyle, whether you’re eco-friendly, health conscious, busy at work and at play, or a pampering addict.

Opt for dramatic decor
Finish your bathroom to perfection with decor which suits your space and your style but adds just the right level of drama, too. From richly patterned and coloured walls, glamorous chandeliers and luxurious soft furnishings to striking monochrome schemes, verdant natural palettes or the warmth of classical copper and bronze, your bathroom decor is all about you - express yourself!

( all images with permission from houzz)

Debra Folz: bringing embroidery into modern furniture design

I always love design that works with the ideas of contrast. At Wanted Design in NYC, I came across designer Debra Folz who experiments with the ideas of hard versus soft, industrial versus domestic and traditional versus contemporary processes.  She showcased some beautiful wood stools called RADIAL and BRAIDED which are inspired by traditional leather weaving techniques.....

She explores geometries created by the combination of hard and soft leather materials and uses modern technologies to create canvases for the embroidery. 'Love is in the details' and I love the slanted cuts in the wood to accept the leather. You can see that in the stool below with pink leather. Very cool! The 14" dia stools are available in Oak, Cherry and Walnut and the leather strapping is available in 6 colors. 

Debra Folz also showed the glass table called Echo. It has multiple colors and depending on how the light hits it, the geometries produce a kaleidoscope of colors shadowing the floor.  The manufacturing technology is complex - four thick glass layers project a color and a pattern.  This is a one-of-a-kind piece!

Echo

James De Wulf, Modern Handmade Eco-Friendly Furniture

Meet James De Wulf, a guru in concrete who pushes the envelope with custom concrete design and fabrication. He discovered the vast potential of concrete and now merges cutting edge technology with clean modern lines and forms. His handiwork is pure craft and functional art....

 JAMES DE WULF - ICFF 2013

I was excited to meet James De Wulf, a charasmatic guy in a stylin' pink suit at the International Contemporary Furniture fair (ICFF) 2013. He showcased a broad range of whimsical products from sleek and modern pool and ping pong tables to outdoor furniture pieces. Designers were having a grand ole' time at the ping pong table during the show. 

Here it is in someone's home:  

I asked him how he got his concrete so ultra-thin and extremely strong which is an innovation in itself.  He freely described to me to that he experiments with polymers rather than aggregate materials. Uh huh...oh, so that's how he does it... The profile is so thin yet you can literally stand on this table and not break it!

The elegant and streamlined pool table can be used as a dining room table too. Ultra- mod, Love it! 

The Concrete Ping Pong Table can withstand any climate and is built to last. Built with a steel frame, so will need a couple of strong guys to put together!

I'm obsessed with the color of this concrete table design....it simulates blackened steel.

See the VINE from the ICFF show:

De Wulf's Soft block furniture is absolutely FAB.  He captures the same minimal profile of his concrete chairs and shifts its characteristics into his Softblock collection of modular sofas, chairs and ottomans. The forms are lightweight and covered in popping colors and patterns in collaboration with designer Goga Bouquet, president of Jiti bedding, an online modern textile company. 

Softblock collection - comes in an array of patterns and colors

I had a lovely chat with Goga Bouquet too in her booth diagonal from James. (see in pic above) Really comfy sofas, I didn't want to get up.  The new striking pink and blue cover line had a nice feel and they are all removable, interchangeable and machine washable. Great for outdoors as it is UV resistant and quick drying. 

See the VINE from the ICFF show:

You can connect with James De Wulf on his WEBSITE, FACEBOOK and TWITTER, You can connect with Goga Bouquet on her WEBSITE.

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CELEBRATING LIGHT ICFF 2013 - #03 SERIES

Enjoy my light series called Celebrating light #03, where you will discover novel innovations in lighting design and technology seen at ICFF, International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2013.

Sleek geometric modular light fixture by Gabriel Scott called Welles. I love the contrast of black and copper from exterior to interior. Comes in brass and nickel too. The fixture can stand alone or grow into an enormous chandelier.

See the vine:

The NUD lighting collection features dangling textile cords with vibrant colors, cool patterns and playful sockets. 

See the Vine:

The capsule shaped light fixture by Assembly design has some really cool features. Besides the peekaboo lighting effect through the hand-blown glass, the Right Lamp features a touch technology with on, off and dimming options. 

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See the Vine:

Within the JOBY collection, Industrial designer Peter Stathis was showing his new impressive prototype light fixture called the Trapeze LED Table Light. Very skeletal looking fixture with joints that rotate like butter. The thin flat LED panel is designed with 102 LEDs inside to prevent glare.  Perfect fixture for the modern office offered in 6 different colors.

See the VINE:

the ANGLE: Outdoor Rustic Modern Spaces

.......an attitude, a point of view, a design perspective from Anne, writing specialist for JHE's Log Furniture Place, one of the oldest and most trusted online providers of log beds and rustic furniture. You can follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Provence collection, Restoration Hardware Outdoor

Although the idea of a rustic modern space or building is something that has been around for at least fifty years, it is only in the last decade or so that the trend really started picking up speed. The home improvement revolution brought about by giant home goods stores allowed house owners to experiment with the entire design of their home space.

Terra Mai

The accepted design of a rustic modern space is one in which rustic furniture and installations reside within a very modern space. This design trend often shows up inside homes, but venturing outside to create an outdoor rustic modern space offers some terrific opportunities to connect a modern approach to decor with the rustic appeal of the outdoors.

Choosing the Colors

Provence collection, Restoration Hardware Outdoor

Inside the home, rustic modern spaces will often showcase neutral and warm colors on the walls, such as white and cream, but green is a prevalent color as well and will come out naturally in an outside design. When planning an outdoor space from the ground up, focusing on including colors like beige and cream for items like seat cushions will allow the space to retain its modern feel.

Allow Nature to Come Through

Corsica pillows, Restoration Hardware Outdoor

The designer of an exterior rustic modern space might have it easy in allowing nature to run its course through the area, but care must be taken to ensure the space isn't too modern and that nature isn't pushed to the edge too harshly. Finding some neutral floral or leafy patterns for the fabric on some of the pieces of furniture offers a touch of nature within the space itself.

Green Technology

Legrave collection, Restoration Hardware Outdoor

One of the perfect pairings of modernity and rustic appeal comes from using raw beams and furniture alongside green technology such as energy efficient  lighting, which may create a wonderful glow for an evening party.

Natural and Reclaimed Wood

Aspen collection, Restoration Hardware Outdoor

A popular choice in many different styles today, reclaimed wood furniture offers the perfect approach to rustic decor. Reclaimed wood furniture often showcases a beautifully lived-in appeal that welcomes visitors as if they're walking into a space that's been the same for a hundred years. Alternatively, rustic furniture made from sustainable woods will also offer a green-friendly appeal to the space.

Finishing the Furniture

Emmet collection, Room and Board

A rustic modern space will often have a number of kitschy pieces that look as though a tree trunk was re-purposed for direct use in a home without any modification, such as a table where the legs look like four small tree trunks. This extreme approach to rustic furniture isn't absolutely mandatory to create a proper rustic space, however. Darkly finished wood is a subtle way to enhance the refinement of the design.

Minit collection, Room and Board

As you can see, a rustic modern backyard or outdoor space is the perfect way for people who love nature yet enjoy modern conveniences to create a beautiful gathering space. Crating a rustic outdoor space is a wonderful way to allow the outdoors to connect organically with the home's decor, and create a healthy balance between modern civilization and nature.

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