TSL est toujours en vacances

Tags

Audrey Hepburn, Chocolate, Eiffel Tower, Fashion, food, France, French language, Mona Lisa, Musee Rodin, Paris, secrets of paris, Sydney, The Louvre, Travel

No introduction required…
(Image by TSL)

Paris is always a good idea. (Audrey Hepburn)

Bonjour TSL readers! A wee post from not-so-sunny Paris where LM and I are enjoying our last couple of days before crossing the channel…

Some observations:

1. Raspberries are so much better here than at home. I have been scoffing them at a rate of knots. I can’t express how much I love them. Seriously yummy!

2. Despite not speaking any French (beyond the extreme basics), LM has mastered the art of Gallic posturing and shoulder shrugs. He’s a natural. Who would’ve thunk it? Quite endearing, really.

3. Sydney would be a better city with a Metro like the one in Paris. No question.

4. Sometimes, (like today) I wish you could pick a new pair of feet when it feels like you have worn your old ones out. All this walking wears a girl out!

…and, some happy snaps as promised. I am not known for my photography skills, and more often than not forget to take pictures (its hereditary) so, apologies in advance!:

Hermes Flagship Store in Paris
Formerly a public swimming pool, now a super luxe example of how Hermes gets it right. Wow!
(image by TSL)

Louis Vuitton Flagship Store in Paris
Looking up at the most amazing atrium in the Louis Vuitton store on the Champs Elysees (& MJ, he didn’t buy the boat shoes!)
(Image by TSL)

A La Mere de Famille
The very lovely Heather from Secrets of Paris introduced us to ‘Les Folies de L’Ecureuil’ (the misadventures of the squirrel) from this fabulous chocolate shop. Yummo!
(Image by TSL)

Musee Rodin
One of my very favourite places to visit in Paris
(Image by TSL)

The most famous painting in the world…
What I imagine an average day in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre looks like
(Image by TSL)

Museum of Decorative Arts
…and right next door to the Louvre, gorgeous tapestries (among other things) from the 15th Century can be seen with nobody else in the room… Go figure!
(Image by TSL)

A dinner of snails, anyone…?
(Image by TSL)

On the Pont de l’Archeveché
LM being mysterious and interesting
(Image by TSL)

The Padlocks of Pont de l’Archeveché
(Image by TSL)

Do hope you are all well at your end. I shall try and pop in again from London.

A bientôt

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TSL est en vacances…

Tags

France, French, Holiday, London, Paris, Quote, Steve Martin, Travel

Image from Favim.com

Boy, those French. They have a different word for everything. (Steve Martin)

Hard to believe the trip to Paris and London is finally here, but it is! I’ll be off-line for four weeks while LM and I tootle around the city of light and old London-town for a while.

Please keep my seat warm for me until I return, and if I get the opportunity I’ll post some happy snaps of the journey…

Au revoir, my blogging buddies!

Héctor Sos & His Paper Faces are Kind of Mesmerising…

Tags

Business, Graphic Design, Materials, Paper, Paper Faces, Printing, Publishing

From the Paper Faces Series by Héctor Sos
(Image © Copyright Héctor Sos)

At first glance, the Paper Faces series by Héctor Sos was just a little kooky. But then I felt compelled to go back and investigate further. Maybe it’s my brief history in the printing industry here in Sydney…

the Paper Faces project was created with the intention of linking the use of CreatorVol paper (a coated paper for offset printing) with the idea of the publishing industry as natural and vital, hence the visual relationship between paper and face. From this idea, and also from the need to show the qualities of the paper in a four-color printing process, is a series of distinctive structures made ​​with paper covering the face of the different models.

I can’t say whether Hector was successful in his brief, but it certainly made me look twice…

From the Paper Faces Series by Héctor Sos
(Image © Copyright Héctor Sos)

From the Paper Faces Series by Héctor Sos
(Image © Copyright Héctor Sos)

From the Paper Faces Series by Héctor Sos
(Image © Copyright Héctor Sos)

From the Paper Faces Series by Héctor Sos
(Image © Copyright Héctor Sos)

If you would like to see more in the Paper Faces series, or learn more about Héctor Sos, check out his website here.

Swash of London is Pretty Swish…

Tags

Accessories, Colette, Cornwall, England, Fashion, Hyères, Japan, Liberty, London, Net A Porter, Penzance, Sarah Swash, Scarves, Shopping, silk scarf, style, Swash, Toshio Yamanaka

Dog Printed iPhone 4 Case by Swash
£38 from Net-A-Porter

It has, by my rough calculation, been far too long since my last scarf post…

Today I bring you the extremely talented duo from Swash, Sarah Swash and Toshio Yamanaka. The pair are known for their signature hand-drawn and painted artworks.

Like so many creative types I admire, Sarah and Toshio met at Central Saint Martins, then spent time in Sarah’s hometown of Penzance, Cornwall before working in Toshio’s home of Japan for a year. The brand emerged after they won the prestigious Hyères prize in 2004. They were later invited back to exhibit 100 framed drawings, a scarf retrospective and 3D sculptural installation.

Another important landmark in the partnership came in 2005 when Swash acquired their beautiful whippet Candy, who quickly became an inspirational talisman and recurring motif in their designs – clearly, a design team with impeccable taste!

Candy, the Whippet
Part of the Cinerous Forest printed silk scarf
£229.17 from Net-A-Porter

Today they are based in East London. See what you think…

The Cinerous Forest printed silk scarf by Swash
£229.17 from Net-A-Porter

Midnight Heligan printed silk scarf by Swash
£229 from Net-A-Porter

Heliotrope Snaffle wool, cashmere and silk-blend scarf by Swash
£321 from Net-A-Porter (yes – that’s £321!!!)

Chronometers wool-blend voile scarf by Swash
£321 from Net-A-Porter (No – it didn’t get any cheaper the 2nd time around…)

Conveniently, Colette in Paris and Liberty of London both stock Swash scarves. Of course, after picking up one of their gorgeous wool-blend babies, I won’t be able to afford much else, but hey – what’s a girl to do…?

Swash have a pretty swish website. You can check it out here.

I would love a Karl Maughan…

Tags

Art, Auckland, En plein air, Exhibition, Gow Langsford, Karl Maughan, New Zealand, New Zealand Art, NZ, Paint, Visual Arts

‘Creamery Road’ by Karl Maughan – October 2008
*For some odd iPhone camera-induced reason the colours are not true
(Image by TSL)

I covet a Karl Maughan painting. My parents have the one shown above hanging in their lounge. It’s the first thing you notice when you walk into the room. I love it. I want to know what is around the corner of the path. I feel as if I could just step into the painting…

According to the Gow Langsford bio’ on Karl Maughan, he is “recognised for his hyper-real paintings of lush gardens and native fauna – flower gardens, vegetable gardens, manicured bushes and out-of-control wildernesses – he finds inspiration in them all.  At first Maughan began painting these settings in the tradition of ‘plein-air’ – in the outdoors. However, struggling with changeable elements such as wind, light and weather became too problematic.  Painting outdoors also became an issue when Maughan relocated to London in the 1990’s.  Based there for many years, cooped up in a studio in the East End, Maughan found that he missed the wide open spaces and lushness found in New Zealand gardens.  Maughan began to source a growing archive, capturing gardens on film, to take back to his studio where he could then play and reinvent colours, lighting and perspectives.  The resulting works were an explosion of colour, encompassing viewers in surrealist fantasy landscapes.”

For me, Karl Maughan’s work has a colourful and idealistic joy. Looking at his paintings makes me happy. What do you think?

‘Pirie Street’ by Karl Maughan – 2006
(Image © Gow Langsford Gallery)

‘Crosshills’ (detail) by Karl Maughan – 2002
(Image © Gow Langsford Gallery)

‘Koromiko Road’ by Karl Maughan – 2011
(Image © Gow Langsford Gallery)

‘Awahou South’ by Karl Maughan – 2006
(Image © Gow Langsford Gallery)

An exhibition of new works by Karl Maughan opens at the Gow Langsford Kitchener St Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday 2^nd October. Sadly, I won’t be attending…

If you would like to learn more about Karl Maughan, or see him create a major (5 metre long) artwork for a limited edition wine release by Christensen Estate, there is a 60 second movie of his month-long endeavour here.

Inge Jacobsen – How Cool is She?

Tags

Art, Arts and Entertainment, Collage, Cross Stitch, Design, Embroidery, Fashion, Inge Jacobsen, Photography

Inge Jacobsen Vogue Cover March 2011
Photographer: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
(Image © Inge Jacobsen)

So, I was sitting in the dentist’s waiting room this morning, leafing through magazines and I came across the most amazing images of Inge Jacobsen’s work. I came home and immediately googled her – anybody who can marry a traditional craft like embroidery with fashion and photography like she does deserves a google search, I reckon…

I wasn’t disappointed. Danish-Irish artist Inge Jacobsen uses embroidery, cutting, and collaging to create new images out of magazine fashion editorial and newspaper imagery.

Her primary concern as an artist is how one responds to the mass of imagery in the world.  She is particularly interested in exploring the different contexts in which photography can be used, straying away from the conventional perceptions of what photography can and can’t be.  She seeks to create something unique out of the mass-produced.

And you want to know something else? She’s 24 years old.

Inge Jacobsen Vogue Cover April 2011
Photographer: Mario Testino
(Image © Inge Jacobsen)

Inge Jacobsen Sewn Chanel Black Quilted Bag
(Image © Inge Jacobsen)

Inge Jacobsen – Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Helena Christensen in September 1991 issue
Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
(Image © Inge Jacobsen)

Inge Jacobsen for Georg Jensen S/S 2012
(Image © Inge Jacobsen)

If you’d like to see more of Inge Jacobsen’s work, you can check out her website here.

Mikko Kuorinki is an Artist Who Likes Words…

Tags

Artist, David Foster Wallace, Elias Canetti, Finland, Helsinki, Inspiration, Kiasma, Mikko Kuorinki, Mitch Hedberg, Quotes, Rene Char, Words

Wall Piece With 200 Letters by Mikko Kuorinki
Mitch Hedberg – Mitch All Together (2003)
(Image from Mikko Kuorinki)

Between March 2010 and February 2011, Helsinki based artist Mikko Kuorinki formed one new text on the wall of Kiasma Museum each week.

Using removable letters and mouldings, Mikko assembled a number of interesting, inspiring, and moving words and quotes by various novelists, philosophers, poets and thinkers.

I think he gave us a wonderful example of the power of words…

Wall Piece With 200 Letters by Mikko Kuorinki
Rene Char in ‘The Smoke That Carried Us…’ (2004)
(Image from Mikko Kuorinki)

Wall Piece With 200 Letters by Mikko Kuorinki
Elias Canetti: The Human Province  (1973)
(Image from Mikko Kuorinki)

Wall Piece With 200 Letters by Mikko Kuorinki
David Foster Wallace – Infinite Jest (1996)
(Image from Mikko Kuorinki)

If you would like to see images of the entire exhibition, or you’d like to learn more about the artist, you can visit Mikko Kuorinki’s site here.

Terry Border Bends Objects…

Tags

Bent Objects, Blog, Blog Stalking, culture, Humour, Photography, Really Bent, Sculpture, Terry Border

‘Bananas in Bed’ – a Bent Object by Terry Border
(Image © Terry Border)

I’m blog stalking Terry Border’s blog, Bent Objects. It’s very clever and it makes me smile.

With some well-placed wire, creative lighting and some very canny visual puns, sculptor and photographer Terry Border gives life to everything from bananas to marshmallows.

‘Martyr-mallow – a Bent Object by Terry Border
(Image © Terry Border)

‘The Cheesey Kiss’ (after Rodin) – a Bent Object by Terry Border
(Image © Terry Border)

‘Coffee Rings’ – a Bent Object by Terry Border
(Image © Terry Border)

‘Exhibition’ – a Bent Object by Terry Border
(Image © Terry Border)

And, if you’re feeling a bit saucy, he has an x-rated version over at Really Bent, the more graphic, black sheep cousin of Bent Objects.

‘Reclining Produce’ by Terry Border of Really Bent
This is one of the tamer images!
(Image © Terry Border)

What do you think…?

A’N’D Keep it Surreal…

Tags

A'N'D, Azumi and David, Colette, Fashion, London, Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Oliver Sacks, Olympia Le-Tan, Paris, Shopping, style, Surrealism, Trompe L'oeil

Arm Scarf Jumper by A’N’D
Available at Colette
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

So, I was looking for the best place to find a range of Olympia Le-Tan’s minaudières (not sure if that is the correct plural of minaudière, but you get my meaning!) in Paris. Colette came up in my search. I am so going to visit Colette. While I was perusing the Colette wares online, I discovered this phantasmagoric label. Have you come across the most awesome Azumi & David yet? If not, you are in for a treat!

Little Black Dress Trench by A’N’D
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

Azumi & David’s latest collection ‘keep it surreal’ draws inspiration from the book ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat’ by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The book was first published in 1985 and describes case histories of some of his patients. I first read it at university and found it unputdownable. If you haven’t read it, it’s a winner. I promise.

‘Keep it surreal’ will challenge your perceptions of everyday normality by confronting you with distorted visual interventions using digitally printed garments and accessories, subtly mutated leather items such as bags and wallets, gold and leather plated objet trouvé jewellery, subverted familiarity using trompe l’oeil illusions to propose multiple interpretations of reality. (Azumi and David)

Have I mentioned what a fan I am of trompe l’oeil?

Arm Scarf Sequin Tuxedo by A’N’D
Available at Colette
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

Belt Scarf by A’N’D
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

Bodyshawl Wrap Sheepskin by A’N’D
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

‘Keep it Surreal’ Pearl Necklace by A’N’D
I love this piece…
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

Fine Jewellery Pearl Pendant by A’N’D
Yep – it’s surreal!
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

Bob Hat by A’N’D
I reckon Dali would have loved this, but it may be a bit too surreal for me…
(Image and design copyright © A’N’D 2012)

Azumi and David both studied fashion at Central Saint Martins, London but met in The Troubadour Coffee House, in London’s Earl’s Court in May 1995. They got married in Hackney Town Hall, London on March 10th, 2000 and had their wedding reception on October 14th, 2001 in Nagano, Japan. They celebrate birthdays on the 8th and 10th April, designating April 9th as A’N’D day.

Since first coming together in 1995, Azumi and David have progressed through a variety of creative projects – initially with limited edition artist’s books and performance art, moving gradually on to fashion and accessory associated ‘things to wear’.

Azumi and David presented their first fashion accessories (‘piercing’ and ‘ear wax’ – foam and wax earplug earrings), branded A’N’D, to The Pineal Eye, London … followed by Colette, Paris … their first two stockists. They have shown their new collections of ‘things to wear’ twice a year in a Paris showroom every year since 2003…

Their ‘things to wear’ are stocked around the world in over 40 stores, in cities such as London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Milan etc… Just not Sydney, apparently.

If you’d like to check out their website, you can here. There is also an online store

Kathryn Clark – Urban Planner Turned Fibre Artist

Tags

Art, Art and Craft, Artist, craft, Fiber art, Kathryn Clark, Quilt, Shopping, Textile, United States

Albuquerque Foreclosure Quilt by Kathryn Clarke
35″ x 47″
Linen, wool, yarn and embroidery thread
(Image from Kathryn Clark)

Kathryn Clark has something to say and she has chosen to use fibre art as her medium in this body of work, her ‘Foreclosure Series’.

From 1999 to 2004, Kathryn Clark worked for a private urban planning firm designing New Urbanist neighborhoods throughout the United States. In 2007, as housing foreclosures started to occur with more frequency, she began to question her design work. She wondered if she was adding to this in some way?

It was important for her to present the whole story of people losing their homes in a way that would capture people’s attention and make a memorable statement. Making quilts seemed an ironic solution to her. Quilts act as a functional memory, an historical record of difficult times.  It is during times of hardship that people have traditionally made quilts, often resorting to scraps of cloth when so poor they could not afford to waste a single thread of fabric.

The patterns for the Kathryn’s quilts are based on neighborhood maps. The quilt is pieced together using patterns of neighborhood blocks taken from RealtyTrac maps.  Within these, foreclosed lots are shown as holes in the quilts. The lot locations are completely random and they yield an unexpected beauty when laid out on fabric. These torn holes question the protective nature of a quilt.

I think her quilts are beautiful, and all the more amazing for the message they provide. See what you think.

Riverside Foreclosure Quilt by Kathryn Clark

Riverside Foreclosure Quilt by Kathryn Clark (detail)
34″ x 46″
Tea stained voile, cotton, linen, yarn and embroidery thread

Cleveland Foreclosure Quilt by Kathryn Clark

Cleveland Foreclosure Quilt (Detail)
25″ x 60″
Cotton, linen, recycled denim and embroidery thread

Cape Coral Foreclosure Quilt by Kathryn Clark

Cape Coral Foreclosure Quilt by Kathryn Clark
30″ x 44″
Recycled bleached linen, recycled string and embroidery on voile
(All images from Kathryn Clark)

If you’d like to learn more about Kathryn Clark, or about her Foreclosure series, check out her website here.