peep peep!

Today in the Chicago Tribune there’s a photo  gallery about Peeps –the Holy Grail of Easter candy. The newspaper takes a behind-the-scenes look inside the Just Born factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where the sugary treats are manufactured, and the photos are fantastic!

In America, Peeps are an Easter tradition. If you’ve never eaten a Peep, imagine biting into a sugar-coated, food-colored marshmallow chick (personally I don’t think they taste like much, especially not marshmallow) and then laboriously chewing until all that’s left are the sugar crystals stuck to your molars. I’ve heard the best way to enjoy Peeps is to buy a package and let them ferment for a year, at which point they’ve aged to a “stale” perfection and are a delectable treat. I’m skeptical, but then again I’ve always enjoyed the look of Peeps over their taste.

For more information about Peeps, check out this Web site, dedicated to Peep Research or perhaps you’d rather check out PeepsShow, showcasing bizarre art made entirely of Peeps! Finally, you can visit the blog Unlikely Words, where blogger Aaron Cohen has taken to documenting the existence of Peeps on the Interwebs.

the center for land use interpretation.

The Center Of Land Use Interpretation is probably the greatest thing I’ve been introduced to —  and a productivity prohibitor.  According to its mission statement the CLUI is “a research organization interested in understanding the nature and extent of human interaction with the earth’s surface.” Its database (which includes a free, partial listing online) house of thousands of records that document various sites — like an abandoned pyramid made of limestone, Alcatraz, abandoned tunnels, etc. — and their history across the country. It’s accessible in person (and includes a museum) if you travel to the CLUI headquarters in Los Angeles. In just a short amount of time I came across a steel mill that my grandfather worked in, a missile range, and abandoned diner in the middle of the desert that’s frequently used as a film set.

Have you checked out the CLUI database? What are some of your favorite discoveries??

Bethlehem Steel Mill, PA

Bethlehem Steel Mill, PA

Four Aces Diner Set, CA

White Sands Missile Range, NM

White Sands Missile Range, NM

isabelle abramson ceramics.

Repost from 2Modern Design Talk . . .

 

Isabelle Abramson’s ceramics are gorgeous. I spotted them last summer at the South End Open Market here in Boston, she’s local to the area. She had a few variations of this particular bowl, but unfortunately I wasn’t cash flush to purchase one. Her pieces are made of porcelain and look oh so delicate. Add a bright green granny smith apple or a handful of berries to the bowl, and you’ve got the perfect centerpiece.

lua lua.

If the next few months are any indication as to the future of  lua lua and Justyna Niewiara’s designs, things are falling nicely into place. The jewelry line launched in 2005 to international praise. And just four years later, Niewiara has found herself commissioned for three separate retrospectives, all spanning some combination of the same February-June 2009 timeline. So yes, the artist is decidedly a multitasker, too.

Attesting to her knack for doing several things at once, Justyna kindly took some time to answer some questions for our readers — about her jewelry collections, her upcoming exhibits, and how she likes to spend her down time — while en route from Paris back to her home in London.

Now onto the good stuff — the interview . . . 

the function key: You’re currently involved with three different exhibitions (in some cases you’ve been commissioned to create a special collection of jewelry), how does it feel to be validated by such prestigious institutions as the Tate Modern? Can you tell me a little bit about these projects?
 
Justyna Niewiara:It is an unbelievable coincidence and so exciting to have my jewellery simultaneously in three different museums in London at the same time. Tate Modern has commissioned lua lua to design a special collection of jewellery for the exhibition “Rodchenko & Popova: Defining Constructivism.” I have always loved the constructivist understanding of form and colour, so I was very happy when the Tate invited me to design a collection. I had a look at the works that were going to be in the exhibition and came up with some designs that I felt had an affinity with the constructivist aesthetic. At the same time the Barbican Art Gallery approached me as they wanted to show a selection of my designs in conjunction with their show,  “Le Corbusier — The Art of Architecture.” Finally the Royal Academy of Arts commissioned me to design a beautiful bluish pendant for their exhibition “Kuniyoshi.” 
 
the function key: How did you decide that designing jewelry was it for you? Did you ever consider other mediums? Do you think you’ll one day expand to other mediums? 
 
Justyna Niewiara: I wanted to design jewellery for a very long time, but I have only pursued it since I started living in London — almost ten years ago now. My original background in history of art was a perfect match as it gave me a different approach to making jewellery from other designers. In the process of experimenting and learning how to design jewellery, I got attracted to perspex and silver as I feel that they are the perfect medium to reflect my ideas and designs. I still do work occasionally with other materials which I value for the purity and beauty of their colours, like brass or copper. I am always researching other materials that can help me to develop my ideas further and cross the boundaries of jewellery. Already for my next Enigma Collection I am adding a third component to perspex and silver, which I am very excited about.

the function key: I recently received one of your bangles (I love it!), can you tell me about their construction process? They’re made of plastic but seem to be cut in a way that makes the edges “glow” when hit by light (or maybe this is just because my bangle is day-glow yellow).

Justyna Niewiara: This bangle from the Molecule collection glows during the day and night as it is made from a fluorescent perspex that catches the light on its edges, creating a beautiful effect. It is a wonderful quality that the fluorescent coloured perspex offers and which I am continuing to explore in my work.

the function key: Where do you get your inspiration? And does your inspiration affect how you name each collection? Is it connected?
 
Justyna Niewiara: When I have an idea and I start working on a collection, the name is somehow communicated to me through the shapes, form and overall design of the jewellery. I always try to achieve a coherent sense of unity both in terms of concept and design within each collection. The naming of each collection often comes about through a direct response to the forms or ideas that I have explored through each individual piece that also exists in the collection as a whole.  Some of my recent collections have been in response to art, fashion, music, and even chemistry and physics.

the function key: Do you follow fashion? Who are some of your favorite designers? If you could be chosen by a fashion designer to accessorize their collection for a runway show, who would it be? Why?
 
Justyna Niewiara: I follow fashion as I am interested to know what is happening out there. I would love to collaborate with  Hussein Chalayan and Martin Margiela, as I like their unconventional approaches to form and how they push the boundaries of design, expanding it far beyond fashion into realms that span many different creative disciplines.
 
the function key:The world has become a very technology-centric place. Do you read blogs? If so, which are your favorites? Do you keep one yourself? Do you think blogs have helped in promoting your designs?
 
Justyna Niewiara: I occasionally read blogs, but usually I have very little time surfing on the Internet as I prefer to spend time at my studio, but I have lots of friends who send me great links from time to time. I do not have a blog at the moment, but I am strongly considering it as they are fantastic. 
 
the function key:Records, CDs, or iPod? What are you currently listening to on repeat? 
 
Justyna Niewiara: I am really enjoying listening to a brilliant Georgian singer called Hamlet Gonshavili who has the most mesmeric vocal range. A little bit of early Lee Scratch Perry is always welcome.

the function key: When you’re not designing jewelery, you can be found ___________?
 
Justyna Niewiara: Strolling on the beach in Lamu.

Thank you to Justyna Niewiara and to Alicja Braid for considering the function key. We look forward to working with you again!

gone for the weekend.

We hope everyone has a lovely weekend! We’re headed to Pennsyltucky for some wedding duties, and we’ll see you back here next week!

the resourceful home — kid’s playroom edition.

As promised, I have another batch of Nicole’s fabulous home, this time showcasing her decorating skills in her girls’ playroom. Be sure to check out the details, such as the leeetle red fairy door, her collection of Little People toys, a set of vintage luggage that serves as toy and art supply storage, and of course, the doll house on wheels! I would’ve have killed to have this playroom as a kid, wouldn’t you!?

     

     

true. yogurt.

Repost from 2Modern Design Talk . . .

Well, I’ve been killing myself for the past couple of hours trying to dig up a photo of true. yogurt. I saw it last night at Whole Foods and tried to commit it to memory so I could write about it today. But then, instead of searching for the correct brand, I was looking for pure. yogurt (very close, four letters) and came up with nothing. Finally, I found a picture of the packaging on flickr, which led me to the correct product and voila, true. yogurt.

Pretty nice isn’t it? I think it was worth the two hours of photo searching that made me question my sanity. I love the lower case font punctuated by the period, it’s the headline style I follow on my own blog, in fact. The package is clean, and the image of the flavor pops against the white background! Overall, the it’s very pleasing to the eye and definitely makes me wonder if the product inside is as good as the design on the outside. I didn’t buy it last night, but now, maybe you will!

the resourceful home.

I’m really excited to share these photos with you! They were sent to me by my clever and crafty friend Nicole — a real expert in decorating on a small budget. She scours eBay, Craigslist, yard sales, Etsy, estate sales, etc., in search for items conducive to her mid-century modern, brightly colored aesthetic. 

I really love her attention to detail, did you see how she styles her shelves and color codes her books?!  But the fact that she basically pieced together her entire home using and reworking thrifty finds is inspiration we can all use! I hope you enjoy her home as much as I do.  I’m saving some more of her photos for another post later this week.  Stay tuned!

Click on thumbnails for full view!

       

Oh, and if you like Nicole’s aesthetic and want to know where she found a specific item or would like to contact her (she is available for design consulation),  please contact me for more information!

mantel dome.

It’s quite likely that you’re familiar with the carriage clock — or at the very least, you’ve seen one. It was invented during the 19th century and as you can tell by its name was designed for keeping track of time while traveling (typically by carriage). Years later, as the car replaced the carriage, the carriage clock became a fixture on many fireplace mantels or desktops in homes. My grandparents had one in their living room, and I can remember watching my grandmother wind the clock every so often so it would continue to tick. In keeping with the evolution of design and function, Cédric Ragot of  designedbyitem for Innermost gives us a definite modern interpretation of the centuries old timepiece — the mantel dome. I like it very much.

telephone wear.

Looking for some fun accessories for the spring? Why not wear a telephone from Tatty Devine’s new Spring/Summer 2009 line “Leisure Pursuits.” These super fun retro phone accessories come in variety of colors, sizes, and styles. Check out the whole collection, here.