Art

Scherenschnitte: Scissor Cuts

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I received such a nice card in the mail a little while ago (thanks Shannon). Isn’t it pretty? I love how the orange pops through the background.

I also recently received this paper cut wedding invite (thanks Celina & Wojciech).

These cards reminds me of a some paper cutting artwork that my friend Shannon and I attempted a couple of years ago. We made these pieces (not our original designs) after many hours of drawing and cutting.

Scherenschnitte by Shannon & Jordana; photos by Jordana

Shannon and I always use the word Scherenschnitte, which means scissor cuts in German, to refer to the art of paper cutting because it was while living in Switzerland that we first learned about and attempted it ourselves. Although neither one of us have done any more Scherenschnitte, we do have a great appreciation for those that do as we learned that this art form takes precision, creativity, and a lot of patience.

Designer Spotlight: Krona & Lion

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Krona & Lion is a Toronto-based creative team of four you may have first met at 2010’s Come Up to My Room (Room 211). I wrote about their amazing white flower installation here.

The fantastic four – Fiona, Jonathan, Kristen, Lisa – are designers, illustrators, educators, and all around talented artists. In addition to the success they had at Come Up to My Room, they have also worked on projects with various stylists and photographers.

Their flowers are whimsical and delightful. Their paper flower bouquets are spectacular!

All images courtesy of Krona & Lion.

Typography: Photocopied Hands

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I remember in my younger days how I used to get a kick out of photocopying my hands (and – gasp – face) whenever I encountered a photocopier. It was so cool to see all the lines of my palms and fingers. Who’s with me?

Although the novelty wore off for me, it hasn’t for one creative graphic designer in Germany. José Ernesto Rodriguez has taken this activity to a whole new level with his photocopied hands typography. Handschrift, as Rodriguez names it (rough translation is, I believe, hand font), is literally, handmade typography. Cool, right?

Handschrift by José Ernesto Rodriguez

The process did take some thought as Rodriguez demonstrates through his sketches.

Handschrift sketch by José Ernesto Rodriguez

I first came across Handschrift via Fast Company.

Etsy Taste Test

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Even after all of these years I am still amazed by the unique selection of items at Etsy. Here’s the latest from my recent Taste Test search.

elephants, 35 Euros, Go Go Berlinette

egg lamp, $99, Rhan

tiered pendant light fixture, $195.99, StudioJOTA

Leentu lounge chair, $500, Lunar Lounge Design

salt & pepper shakers, $40, Kina Gorska

candlesticks, $36.95, Revisions

parchment paper snowball lampshade, 67 Euros, Nellianna

Costa del Sol porcelain bracelet, $180, MaaPStudio

Little Booties Go for a Stroll

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My friend Kate had her baby shower a couple of weeks ago and her extremely talented mom Margaret (or Cousin Margaret as I like to call her) created origami booties as a token of thanks for all the guests. She made my gift in keeping with the theme of White Cabana. How thoughtful, right? Thank you so much Cousin Margaret!

The pair of white baby booties came in a beautiful box with a perfect red crane closure. Such a beautiful work of art.

I was so smitten with the design and workmanship of this sweet little gift that I decided to have a little fun and try making a stop-motion video. These booties are made for walkin’! Here’s my very first video:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_JM4GOd6ys&w=640&h=390]

Photos and video by Jordana.

DIY: Paper Flower Wreath

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Earlier this week Johanne featured this beautiful paper flower wreath by Alisa Burke. I wanted to make it on the weekend but I was too eager and made it the night after Johanne’s post. Here’s the finished product:

It wasn’t hard to make at all but it was time consuming. Wrapping the Styrofoam form was the most annoying part for me but crumpling the paper (to add texture) was kind of stress relieving. Next time I would make flowers of different sizes, just as Alisa suggested in her tutorial. I completely overlooked this detail. Oh, and I used white printer paper instead of butcher paper.

I’m putting it on my door this weekend to welcome spring and all my springtime guests!

Photos by Jordana.

Photographer Spotlight: Vivian Maier

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My uncle recently introduced me to the work of Vivian Maier, an American amateur street photographer whose photos date between the 1950s and 1990s. Countless rolls of undeveloped film along with thousands of negatives and prints were discovered at auction just a few years ago. It’s been too hard for me to choose just a few favourite photos so here’s a full selection that caught my attention.

Aren’t these photos stunning?

Read more about Vivian Maier and her work here, here and here.

Update: The new Vivian Maier website was revealed on April 22: http://www.vivianmaier.com/

What we saw today

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by Johanne

This Wednesday we’d like to acquaint you with What I Saw Today, a fascinating peek into what designer and illustrator Richard Haines sees every day on the streets of New York City.

You will surely recognize Richard’s hand: he is an illustrator currently working with clients J.Crew and In Style magazine, among others.

Here we’ll feature but a handful of his black & white sketches from his recent sightings at New York Fashion Week. We highly recommend skipping over to Richard’s site and checking out more of his B&W and colourful sketches.

Below, we’ve ‘named’ each illustration with the name of the blog post and any text that accompanies it as it appears on Richard’s blog.

Katrina takes some photos…

I sketch her.

Aubin checks his texts…

and life goes on.

Observations @ Patrik Ervell: Thick Sole Boat Shoes, Jumpsuits…

Malcom McLaren, Arena Looks.

Visited Kelly Armendariz @ Splatterpool Artspace The Other Day…

Check out all the cool stuff they have going on here:

All images courtesy of What I Saw Today by Richard Haines.

Thank you to my friend David for introducing me to Richard’s beautiful world.

Fornasetti near you

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by Johanne

It’s no secret that we love Urban Barn.

We’ve featured the Canadian company countless times here on White Cabana, probably because we think the products are fun and trendy and we’ve got experience with them ourselves as long-time customers.

Today we’re featuring these lovely Fornasetti paperweights currently available at UB. We all know that Jordana has a bit of a thing for Fornasetti– the Milanese artist has been featured here before to much swooning and acclaim.

For those of us who are on a budget and can’t afford (yet) a Fornasetti print, plate, sculpture, etc., these paperweights at Urban Barn feature iconic Fornasetti images and are a great entry-point into the style and beauty that defines the designer’s career. At $3 each for the small paperweights “Tea” and “Eye,” and $15 for the larger “Visage” piece, there’s no reason to skip these for yourself or as a gift for someone special.

Images courtesy of Urban Barn.

Font: Lovedrops

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Earlier this week Johanne introduced us to Lovedrops, a whimsical font perfectly suited for Valentine’s Day. I just had to see it in action so I downloaded the file and got to work:

White Cabana has been given the Lovedrops makeover:

Our White Cabana team has been showered with Lovedrops:

Wishing all our readers a whole lot of…

So fun! Thanks for sharing this font with us Johanne!

p.s. In case anyone was wondering…my two favourite letters in this font are the “o” and the “r”. What do you think?

Forged Artistry: Architectural Ironwork

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Forged Artistry, based in New York, makes hand-crafted iron gates, railings, doors, etc. in styles ranging from neo-classic to realist. The Forged Artistry portfolio is chock-full of beautiful iron work. I am happy to feature some of their work in white spaces here.

All images courtesy of Forged Artistry.

Exhibition: WhiteBox@, Kelly Wallace, & the Michael Gibson Gallery

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Last week I headed over to the Michael Gibson Gallery in London, Ontario to check out the WhiteBox@ exhibit. I was intrigued when I heard (via twitter) about a miniature gallery all in white!

WhiteBox@ consists of two galleries housed in a white box that sits at eye level. Because it is located in the front window of the Michael Gibson Gallery, it can be accessed 24 hours per day.

inside the WhiteBox@ – photo via Michael Gibson Gallery

The work inside this miniature gallery at the moment is that of Kelly Wallace. The artist uses graphite, and many, many vertical lines, to explore “the relationship between replication and memory”.

photos via Michael Gibson Gallery

The detail on Kelly Wallace’s drawings are incredible. During my visit to the gallery, I was also able to snap some close-ups of Kelly Wallace’s large-scale works (remember – these drawings are made up of hundreds of thousands of vertical lines – unbelievable):

photos by Jordana

Kelly Wallace’s exhibition is on only until January 1st so be sure to get there soon! The WhiteBox@ will continue through June 2011. Free art for our viewing pleasure. We’re so lucky, right?

Photos by Jordana and via Michael Gibson Gallery.

MASS MoCA – Material World: Sculpture to Environment

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Material World: Sculpture to Environment at MASS MoCA

A friend sent me these interesting photos from one of the current exhibits at MASS MoCA. The artists of the exhibit, titled Material World: Sculpture to Environment, use ordinary objects (e.g., aluminum, rolls of paper, rope, fishing line) to alter the existing spaces within MASS MoCA’s galleries.

Material World: Sculpture to Environment at MASS MoCA

Material World: Sculpture to Environment at MASS MoCA

The artists, Michael Beutler, Orly Genger, Tobias Putrih, Alyson Shotz, Dan Steinhilber, and collaborative team Wade Kavanaugh and Stephen B. Nguyen, “create their work against – or in concert with – the backdrop of the museum’s reclaimed factory space, its history, and its own rich assemblage of brick walls, wooden columns, steel beams, and multiple layers of paint”.

Material World: Sculpture to Environment at MASS MoCA

Material World: Sculpture to Environment at MASS MoCA

Material World: Sculpture to Environment at MASS MoCA

The exhibit runs until the end of February 2011 so if you’re in Massachusetts between now and then, you may want to stop in and surround yourself with these impressive installations.

More information can be found here.

Images courtesy of Taylor Shoolery.

Heart of Goodness

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Last week I wrote about my love of coffee. Turns out that Johanne (Fashion in Motion editor and White Cabana contributor) has a talent for making hearts in her latte! Who knew?

Made with love: I spy a heart!

p.s. I know – the cup/saucer combo is pretty cool too!
p.p.s. Johanne swears this is an easy DIY. Perhaps we can convince her to share the step-by-step how-to!

Photo by Johanne.

Olenka & the Autumn Lovers

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Beautiful collaboration: Olenka & the Autumn Lovers

I bought a new CD yesterday. Olenka & the Autumn Lovers. I have listened to it several times already and I think I’ve decided that my favourite songs are: Odessa, Lark and Louise of Littleville. Have a listen to it here.

Olenka & the Autumn Lovers

I don’t know much about music but I know what I like. I can’t identify all the instruments but I like what I hear. According to the band’s bio, Olenka and the Autumn Lovers has a sound that mingles a strong Eastern European influence with elements of North American country and folk. It’s been compared to Cat Power, Tom Waits and Arcade Fire. I’m sold!

But it gets better – not only are Olenka’s lyrics and the music amazing but I love violinist Sara Froese’s black and white line drawings. Simply beautiful.

Olenka & the Autumn Lovers: And then we sing

Teamwork: Lyrics by Olenka Krakus, Artwork by Sara Froese

Olenka & the Autumn Lovers have just finished their fall tour and have recently been shortlisted for the CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards (Best Vocals). If you like how they sound, vote for them here! And you can keep tabs on future show dates here.

p.s. Dear Olenka: People were talking about you on the bus. How’s that for song lyrics?

Photos by Jordana.

Blog Love: Paris Versus New York

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Paris and New York, like many of our White Cabana readers, are two of our favourite vacation destinations! We love the art, architecture…and fashion! Don’t you?

Have you ever stopped to compare the two cities? The culture, the traffic, the food? Well, a new blog has come to town, the creation of Vahram Muratyan, which makes friendly comparisons, using graphic images, between Paris and New York. It’s brilliant (and stylish). We’re so happy that a white(ish) design has made its way to the Paris versus New York blog this week. Hooray!

Le journal

Have you seen the blog yet? Which image is your top choice?

Image courtesy of Paris Versus New York.

Sharing Secrets: Caviar 20

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I know it’s supposed to be a secret and all, but I just can’t keep it to myself! Caviar 20 is having a (shhh) secret sale! It’s too exciting! Prices have been reduced in half! I’ve pointed White Cabana readers to Caviar 20 in the past as I believe it’s truly a hot source for beautiful collectibles. In addition to original Fornasetti pieces, Tahir Mahmood’s mortar & pestles, and art deco lamps, Caviar 20 is the place to find unique chairs, Ikat pillows, and original art.

Octagon French Art Deco Chandelier, $375 (reduced from $775)

The C Chair by Karl Sorlie & Sonner, $325 (reduced from $475)

The Caviar 20 (secret) sale goes until November 8th so be sure to get there soon! Click here for sale items.

Images courtesy of Caviar 20.

Reading: Guide for the Unlucky

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I adore Kyle Bean’s spooky black and white pop-up book, titled Guide for the Unlucky. Have a look at the video. It’s amazing!

Some Halloween reading

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGehXwzI-4c&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0]

Happy Halloween!

Via Hip Hip Gin Gin.

Image courtesy of Kyle Bean & Co. Video via Youtube.

24: Overheard & Illustrated

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Mark Addison Smith

Gosh I just love a good idea. Mark Addison Smith, of You Look Like the Right Type, overhears random dialogue and illustrates it within the day. How fun is that?

9_5_10

10_1_10

9_29_10

9_25_10

And the bonus – the illustrations are all in sleek black & white. Beautiful!

All images courtesy of You Look Like the Right Type.

Union Jack

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The popularity of the Union Jack continues to be strong in home decor. The design has been painted on vintage dressers, printed on pillows and used as curtains.

Here’s a more subtle Jack for all of us who love the look but without all the colour.

White-on-white Union Jack, $66, Karen Hilton Designs at Etsy

 

Image courtesy of Karen Hilton Designs.

For the Love of Fornasetti

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Fornasetti plate, 125GBP, Milk Concept Boutique

I first “met” Fornasetti on an episode of Debbie Travis’ Painted House, a long while ago (I think I might have been in highschool!). I was a fan at first sight. Those black & white faces just had a way of capturing my attention. Since then, I have noticed that Fornasetti has continued to gain popularity and interest among designers, collectors and artists. The Fornasetti style has been produced and reproduced countless times in numerous forms. Pillows, lighting, stools and even umbrellas with Fornasetti designs have made it to the marketplace.

Last weekend a friend took me to The Good Neighbour espresso bar in Toronto (thanks Kathlyn!) and I was quite excited to see the Fornasetti wall. I think the wall in this inviting café makes for an interesting focal point. Seeing the wall also reminded me that it was about time I put a little Fornasetti into White Cabana!

Fornasetti Wall at The Good Neighbour, Toronto

If you’re looking to invest in a piece, I suggest you start your search at Caviar20 as there always seems to be a Fornasetti piece or two in stock. Troy at Caviar20 suggests that if one is serious about starting a collection, vintage is the way to go. According to Troy, “savvy collectors know that this is the time to buy Fornasetti”. Be warned…the new items have purely decorative value and they will never appreciate in value. Are you sold yet?

Fornasetti's Mesi Soli, $225, at Caviar20

Although I don’t own any pieces just yet, when I do begin this collection I might decide to arrange them something like this:

Fornasetti plates as wall art, via Design is Mine

Want to learn more or get your collection started? Click here and here.

 

Update: Read Troy’s review of the book, Fornasetti: The Complete Universe here.

Images via Caviar20, Design is Mine, Milk Concept Boutique. Image and more information about The Good Neighbour here.

Designer Spotlight: Heyday Design by Claire Madill

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I was recently introduced to the lovely Heyday Design, owned by Vancouver artist Claire Madill and I’m impressed (thanks Christine!). These white porcelain creations are all about modern Canadiana!

Large beaver jar, $85, Heyday Design by Claire Madill

Detail of Beaver jar, $85, Heyday Design by Claire Madill

Small Canadian jewel jar, $36 each, Heyday Design by Claire Madill

Nursette jar, $18, Heyday Design by Claire Madill

Extra large Imperial Crown jar, $125, Heyday Design by Claire Madill

I have a growing collection of glass Imperial crown jars so I’m definitely a fan of the white version above. Claire creates these jars from a slipcast using a mold made in-studio from the original glass version (some courtesy of her nanna – sweetness!). And the fun doesn’t stop there – Claire has a line of accessories as well. Have a look at these earrings:

Wing earrings, $52, Heyday Design by Claire Madill

Images courtesy of Heyday Design.

The Friday Five: The Swissmiss Blog

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Swissmiss is a blog that started in 2005 by the multi-talented “Swiss designer gone NYC” Tina Roth Eisenberg. If you haven’t already visited Swissmiss, then please let me introduce it to you by highlighting five fabulous white posts featured on this wonderful design blog this year.

One: The Moshi Moshi – an ergonomic Bluetooth handset by Frendh designer David Turpin.

The Moshi Moshi bluetooth handset, $135

Two: The Workshop office space, Brooklyn.

The Workshop office space, Brooklyn, New York

Three: The 2011 Calendar Scarf.

The 2011 Calendar Scarf, 55 Euros

Four: Made A Mano letter tiles.

Letter tiles by Made A Mano

Five: Sewing Kit wall sticker.

Sewing kit wall sticker, $57.50

Over the past decade I have spent a lot of time in Switzerland and feel quite attached to it. Swissmiss always manages to put a smile on my face when she makes references to the Swiss way of life (i.e., language, data, food). Anyone who has worked or travelled in Switzerland will understand what I mean.

On a final note, many White Cabana readers may also be interested to learn about TeuxDeux, a simple browser-based “to do” app, created by Swissmiss and Fictive Kin.

Images courtesy of Swissmiss.

Toronto Designer Spotlight: Anu Raina

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Anu Raina logo

I recently had the pleasure of “meeting” (via blogging and email) Toronto-based textile designer Anu Raina. Flipping through her portfolio, I was quickly drawn to the diverse detailing in her creations (silk-screened prints, burnt holes in silk, staples). Although for the most part her work extends beyond my four-colour rule, she did manage to hook me in with her hand-crafted Salad Recipe apron and tea towel set.

Anu Raina's pigment-printed Salad Recipe apron, $70

Anu Raina's attention to detail

Only the best: Leather strings on Anu Raina's Salad Recipe apron

Anu Raina's Salad Recipe t-towel, $48 set of two

Anu Raina's T-towel: Pretty enough to frame

It just goes to show you – no matter how detail-oriented and colourful a person might be, there’s always room for white! Thoughts?

P.S. Anu Raina will be exhibiting her work this month at The Clothing Show in Toronto (Sept 24-26) so if you’re in the area, you can meet her at Booth #558. Anu Raina will also be featured on Fashion in Motion this month so stay tuned.

All images courtesy of Anu Raina.

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