Author: annabelee1

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Hundertwasser!

huntertwasser

My daughter Francesca is studying the art of Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser in school. I must admit that I had never heard of this amazing person before encountering her vibrant painting inspired by his work (above), and her enthusiastic articulation of his name—Hundertwasser!—always with an exclamation point—real, or implied.

Born jewish, he suffered under Nazism and joined the Hitler Youth as a subterfuge and means of staying alive. In later years he became a passionate advocate of individualism and bold, bright colors, and raged against the monotony of standardization and mechanization. Sounds like my kind of guy—a proto Wabi-Sabi. He was also an early environmentalist—into composting toilets—and developing mixed-use housing and encouraging “spontaneous” vegetation.

His architecture looks somewhat Gaudi-esque. I love the organic shapes and unrestrained colours. I think I have found a new inspiration.

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Talitha and Solar

turquiose and silver stacked ringThe other day I wrote a post about Talitha Getty and how her style influenced my designs. As the days get longer and the season tips to summer, I like nothing better than to sit on my deck and sip a lovely, racy Rosé from Provence and dream that I am wearing a caftan made by YSL himself and sitting on my roof deck in Marrakech. While that’s unlikely, I am enjoying the new ring, Solar, I just made. These days are made for Rosé and rings!

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Inspiration: Talitha Getty

talitha_gettyI don’t know much about Talitha Getty except that she appears to have lived life full throttle and suffered a tragic end. Her life was messy, but somehow she wore it well. These days she is frequently evoked as the seventies appear to be having a but of a renaissance of sorts. I love this picture of her with her “armour” of jewelry, especially the bracelet. When I think about what I want to make and who might wear it, I hope that someone like her might appreciate it.

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(not) Fast Art

IMG_5927

I often think about value for money and ponder how it all goes so fast and the feelings (if any) invoked by the act of spending or enjoying are generally brief. 100$ for a meal seems cheap to some, and expensive to others. I love fast fashion as much as the next fashionable gal, but wonder about the impact on the environment when items are intended to be disposable, and the impact on communities when hard working people can’t make enough to live a satisfying and fairly stable life, so I am consciously trying to ween myself off the immediate and transient thrill and commit to the hand made with integrity and enduring artifacts and experiences that can be passed on to my child.

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If You Can’t Find It, Design It, Part Deux

Super 8
Super 8

Last week, I made a post about Lella and Massimo Vignelli and the great documentary about them, “Design is One.” I have always been inspired by Massimo’s designs, but hadn’t been aware of Lella’s significant contributions to our cultural milieu. What particularly struck me was their no-holds-barred attitude about what they were allowed to do and the role that design, function, and aesthetics play in every item we encounter in our lives. They have so much joy and their belief that they cod have an opinion or valued perception about ANYTHING really underscored and focused my own belief that we all possess untapped skills that are only limited by our beliefs–not our ability.

So, behold some of my latest “stuff” on etsy.

Enjoy!

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If You Can’t Find It, Design It

My friend Andrea suggested this documentary (Design is one) about the Vignelli’s, and I watched it this weekend. I am so glad I did because it summed up why I started making my own wearable art several years ago. I had no idea that Lella Vignelli made so much of her own jewelry, and that her style, in many ways, evokes what I aspire to, and also what I reject–the over-commodification and mass-marketing of style and taste–where everyone wants to dress like the airbrushed mannequins they see in fashion magazines, and accessories are a sign of status instead of a signifier of individuality. I started making my own wearable art (ok, jewelry) because I couldn’t find what I wanted in the market, and I also wanted to wear things that were unique, and were art. Art does more than decorate our lives–it humanizes us and, if done well, transports us beyond the mundane. If this post resonates with you, I strongly recommend you check out this beautiful documentary. Thank you, Andrea!

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What a difference a pen makes

micron08

I had lunch with a friend in Harvard Square today and we had a lovely conversation about what stimulates us and makes us happy. For me, it’s great tools. I love the heft and feel of a good sharp knife when I am chiffonading some veg or using an old-school 1-click mouse on my mac (steve was right). I was in the market for a great, simple black pen that would draw a great, strong line without fault. It’s been a while since I had been in the square, and I wandered about looking for Bob Slate, who seems to pop up in a different place every time I go there, reminding me of a great Angela Carter book I once read about a city that rearranged itself each night, with streets and alleys recombining under the influence of a realty-distorting machine. (I have my dear friend C to blame for the fascination with Ms Carter). At last I found Bob Slate in it’s latest perch, squatting where the beloved WordsWorth bookshop used to dwell. The selection has dissipated a bit, I suspect, due to less interest in actually writing, but I found my trusty Micron pen and now I suddenly feel like Flaubert.

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Recognition from Sugru

ResInRing
ResInRing

I am delighted to report that Sugru has taken an interest in my art and I have been posted to their online gallery.

For those of you who don’t know, Sugru is a silicon-based putty (they call it Formerol), developed by Jane. It hardens in 24 hours, and, while pliable, is pretty much resistant to most exposure and general wear and tear.

The first time I encountered it was when reading one of my favourite magazines, Monocle.

I love that Jane fought hard for her product and held to her values. Sugru helps users hack items, fix items, and, yes, create art. Buy some and support a woman-founded and run company, and help save the planet.

anne

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For Rachel

I read the news this morning that a friend and colleague, Rachel Jacobs, lost her life in the Amtrak train crash in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening. I am shocked and saddened at the passing of such a bright and kind spirit. I was lucky enough to work with Rachel on a few products she was (trying to) incubate at our last company. I had been with the organization for a number of years and sometimes felt like Radar to her Hawkeye. I helped her source what she needed in an organization that was becoming increasingly siloed. She came with a fresh perspective and a deep need to make the world a better place. Her vision excited me–the first time in a long time–and yet–for one reason or another–not uncommon in business–nothing happened. It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. The last time I saw her earlier this spring, just before we both left the company we worked for, we met for coffee. We discussed what really made us happy, and how to affect change when there was apathy, or downright antipathy, to what you were trying to do within an organization. We talked about what made us stay, or why we might leave. She left for what appears to have been her dream job. I can only hope that she was immeasurably happy as she rode that Amtrak train home to her husband and young son. The world has lost a brilliant and kind soul.

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Curiouser and Curiouser

I was watching Parts Unknown the other night–Bourdain being one of my favourite–if rather salty–commentators on popular culture, and, yeah, food. Imagine my surprise to find him having a very civilized meal, with what appeared to be one very restrained glass of white wine–like ladies who lunch–with Iggy Pop, whom I last saw crowd-surfing half-naked on Randall’s Island about 10 years ago at Little Steven’s Garage Rock festival. And, they were in Miami. Completely clothed. No foul language. Not even a euphemism. I got a little teared up when Iggy actually said he was happy to be “loved” and to love someone back.

As AB was, I was also a huge Pop fan back in the day. I often wondered how one weathers a lifestyle so completely dedicated to living out loud with no regrets, and with a level of curiosity in life and all its dimensions that it’s practically forensic.

The good news is that Iggy is just fine. And lucid. And still curious. In fact, as he and Anthony take a walk on a grey day on a deserted, cold Miami Beach, and remonstrate about life, success, the reward for a life well spent (or youth mis-spent), Iggy is still lyrical, and his thought resonated with me.

Curiosity. . . seems to pay some unexpected dividends. . . .

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