Robert Bradford - Upcycled Art

Bee at Eden steal wood nylon and plastic

Robert Bradford  is a UK artist responsible for the Bee sculpture at Eden, who is recently creating waves in the bloggesphere with his amazing sculptures made from old toys.  This is fabulous bright coloured art in all its fluro, plasticy goodness,  or badness depending on how you want to look at it.

Sniff One toys on wood

Its serious art that doesn't take itself to seriously.  Its art that's also about play and fun, about children and simplicity. And I'm all for any art that captivate kids while still being thought provoking.

Terrieristes - toys and pegs on wood

And yes, straight away there is a feeling of eco-lecture going on - the ugliness of waste and consumer excess, but maybe that's just my guilty conscience rubbing against my high-horse ideals, as while Bradford acknowledges there's a recycling element to his work, he believes that the job of the artist is not to instruct but to reveal. He believes his work starts a conversation but that has no message of its own (more here) - in other words take from it what you will - delight in the colour and form - that its a doggy made of pegs, and if it makes you have second thoughts about buying yet another barbie doll from Kmart well that's no bad thing - perhaps that's more about you and your ideals than it is about the doggy!!!

Toy Boy at Colliford plastic toys and steal mesh

Have a thoughtful week!
*K*

(I stumbled across Bradford via Li'l Magoolie)

Felt! {Friday Finds}

Felt is New Zealands Art and Craft Online Market.
I've mentioned it in one of my first posts but I've never properly talked about it! So here we go...
Felt was created by the talented Lucy Arnold who co-owns a graphic design company called Board of Design.  I have nothing but admiration for those who take opportunities to help artists and crafts people shine -  and sites like Felt, Etsy and Australia's Made It do this while allowing others to do it too!! So we can all feel a little warmer and fuzzier about our shopping habits!

 Blue Swan Retro by Swanwear.  Birdie Tags - Red Tui by Songbird.    New York Neck-piece by the-funk. Two Cheeky Fantails, by Lastik

Take a look some time, and maybe, just maybe, you'll find something that you'll want to keep, and you too can support some of our very amazing local talent!

Have a great Weekend

*K* 

Workroom

Angle Lamp, and Bespoke Cabinet, from Sustainably Farmed Oak

Have you come across Workroom yet.  This kiwi father and daughter team focus on creating furniture from sustainable sources.  They offer a beautiful original range as well as bespoke creations.

DS Stool - made of sustainable timber offcuts 

They have there own store but also stock at various haunts across NZ and in Sydney - YAY I'm off to Sydney next month - wonder if I can get a DS stool on the plane... hmmm...

Sawhorse Table

But what I really really would love is one of the amazing sawhorse tables - we don't have the space but they fold and their gorgeous - that wood - ohhh I dunno why but there is such a beauty in real, solid wood - and its all ecological and sustainable and everything! 'Sigh'... if I really really wine to hubby I might just persuade him!

Turned Table Lamp                              and Zed Table Lamp

Now for the finer details -
Rebecca's blog with all the pretty things they stock and a bit of inspiration thrown in too...
And the website, complete with list of stockists and map to their shop in Clevedon (40 min from Auckland)

David Trubridge

Body Raft, David Trubridge Designs

I have been captivated by David Trubridge since I first discovered his work in a 'theory of design' course I did as part of my BA, oh 8 or so years ago, (gosh I feel old!). And his aesthetic sings to me still - the flow of line, the honesty of the wood - it is beautiful in its simplicity.

Nananu (side and front view) David Trubridge Designs

I cant quite place what it is that draws me in - there is a rhythm, a grace, an almost spiritual element - the body raft and the sling with their bowed form are hammock like, boat like - a shape that speaks of quiet moments, of rest and relaxation. I love that curved line, in sculpture, paintings and design it appeals to me, perhaps because we are all descendants of sea travellers and that shape with its association to the waka, ship or raft is apart of our cultural psyche, or maybe it is more that that - perhaps for some reason it speaks to humanity itself - the moon, the turning of the world, the flow of distant hills, nature and the elements...

                  Sling, David Trubridge Designs

His work is informed by his strong belief that design owes it to itself to be sustainable while still retaining a cultural and social aesthetic. 

Taniko Lights narrow, and wide

To see more of this powerful and beautiful work, to read about the beliefs that inform his creative drive, and to find out where you can see the work for yourself  (he has stockists in Australasia, Europe and America) visit his website. 

Have an inspired week!

*K*

All images from David Trubridge Designs

All About Heidi {Friday finds}

Don't you love it when sweetness and practicality come together!

All about HEIDI shoes are the cutest lil'l things! Made in Australia, all three designs are seamless and adjustable so that they fit perfectly and comfortably to little feet, meaning even small children have shoes that move naturally with their feet whether their crawling or walking, or still somewhere in between!
Find them online at My Messy Room, The Fairy Jarden, Karimu, and at the stockist's listed here

Have a Comfortable weekend
*K*

Girls! Girls! Girls!

I'm loving the whimsical femininity that is coming through the art world now.  The strong, sometimes even brutal, nudes still exist but it seems the feminine is coming back in all its sweetness and light, or wild and mysterious nuances.  Perhaps this is because we are an era when the fashion magazine is muse, or perhaps it is because the green movement and its appreciation of the handmade and crafted (traditionally the area of woman) is allowing women to celebrate their own aesthetic and the things they find pretty, sweet or enchanting?

Elisa Mazzone is an incredible illustrator who is reponsible for the amazing works featured today. They remind me of fashion shots but are softened with the use of pencil, fabrics, and dreamy watercolour washes. 

Elisa is an illustrator and designer from Adelaide. Her work has been featured in Sumptuous magazine, Next magazine, Cupcake* magazine, Once Upon Sydney, DisBand Sydney, and SALA. 

Want to own some of this goodness for yourself, you can contact her via her website, and her pieces will be available on Leeloo soon.

Enjoy!

Illustration... {Book Worm}

I thought this post from etsy's blog, was fascinating.  The job of an illustrator must be a tough one. They must take the vision of the author, the sales focus of the publisher and the meaning of the book and create something that is both eye catching, and representative of the above parties. 

Coralie Bickford Smith

I have a list of favorite authors but would be hard pressed to create a list of illustrators.  Its a shame because the cover is the first thing you think of when someone mentions a book you've read.  I would even go as far to say that if I don't know the author I will choose books based on the cover illustration and the title first, and the blurb second.  The blurb is the defining factor in the choice but I wouldn't even pick up a book if the cover doesn't look to be 'my taste'.  It got me thinking of the under appreciated role of illustrators.  And in my  research I discovered that Quentin Blake (the one illustrator I can name, due to his quintessential partnership with Roald Dahl) is working to change all this with the founding of the House of Illustration in the UK.

Roberto De Vicq de Cumptich

So today in celebration of that we pay homage to the book illustrator!!
Have an Illustrous week!!!

David Drummond

 
Please let me know if you think of any more talented illustrators (especially those from the Southern Hemisphere) you think I should check out! Thanks

Images 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6,

These blog's:  'The Book Cover Archive' & 'Book Covers Anonymous', are both about fabulous cover illustrations if you fancy seeing more!

Huffer {Friday Finds}

Whenever I go home back to NZ I stop into the surf and skate shops and stock up on Huffer tees and hoodies.  But Huffer is offers more than the funky tees made world famous by Orlando Bloom, they have an awesome fresh take on street fashion.  I've been prowling their website and have seen lots of bits that I want...
like these:

Looks like tights and skinny jeans will be a must have again this winter!

To see more, and to shop (they now ship internationally YAY!) visit the website

In the Beginning {art hist 101)

1. Venus of Willendorf approx 22'000 - 21'000 BC

In the beginning we made art.
It was as intricate and beautiful and spiritual as any art done since...

2. Cueva de las Manos (Spanish for Cave of the Hands) in the Santa Cruz province in Argentina

3. Painting of a Horse from the Lascaux caves in France Approx dated to 15'000 BC

Wanna know more, try links below, or read the very interesting 'How Art Made the World' by Nigel Spivey

Have a great week!!

Images: 1, 2, 3

Rainbow Bright {Friday Finds}

I've been inspired by the rainbow joy I've recently noticed around.  First there was this cake (freak'n amazing), then there was Squint Ltd's range of eccentrically elegant home wears featured at decor8. 

For my sisters birthday I had to get her this ring (ain't it awesome!) by Elle F Bijouxand (find her here)

And now I've stumbled across these cute but elegant works by Kathy Panton on etsy.  Pretty enough for any room of the house, weather it be nursery, office or living space.

By the Water Print

Balloons or Trees You Tell Me Print

Ice cream Print

Hope you enjoy!
Have a great Weekend!

Eating Air {book worm}

I've just finished Eating Air by Pauline Melville

It is a beautiful book. The story follows the a small group who shared an apartment in the 70's. There were the revolutionaries fighting to over throw capitalism, and the dancer, Ella and her husband, the untamable wanderer Donny, who lived above them. Thirty years on the narrator unveils the fortunes and tragedies their dreams, beliefs and actions have brought about... But its not the story as such that resonates when the book is finished - its the poetically breathtaking descriptions that pull the story out of the confines of revolution, reaction, and terrorism (with it's lust and greed and hope and ideology), and into the realm of beauty and magic that can be found in the mundane, the sublime and the tragic moments of humanity.

Read it. Quite simply it is a beautiful book.

Spreading the Love!

Have you come across Brusse yet? 

It is art that makes me  laugh out loud!

His street art in particular is about "Creating an interaction between people and love represented by objects, words or paintings on the streets, in order to make people thing and rethink their relationships, their own situation and love itself ".

Imagine walking past this on the way to work! It would make my day? Would it make yours?

See more, read his manifesto or even buy his prints... I think the book would make a fun tongue and cheek wedding gift!

Have an inspired week!!

*K*