Can you beat Finnish design?

What can I say? Here is a great site for all things Finnish.

More Maine Pride

These photos are via Design Sponge, and are from a  sneak peek of the summer home of Annie Coggan and Caleb Crawfords. It's in Belfast, Maine. Both inhabitants are designers, as is pretty obvious. I think many people come to maine because of the freedom to pursue anything they feel drawn to explore. There is a small population here, and it feels like most of those are artists and farmers! I can't adequately describe the fresh light and sense of possibility that symbolizes Maine for me. I only know that I love it more with each year that passes. It's been 9 years since we moved here from a loft in downtown Chicago. Those first few years I wanted to turn tail and run "home" because the change was so abrupt. But that was not an option, and it made me realize that home is where you live, and that's what I was doing, one day at a time. 

Maine Pride

by Maine artist and designer Lisa Dorr

Lisa Dorr, Le Bouton Studio 

Lisa Dorr, art and designs

Maine has many talented and accomplished artists and designers. Lisa Dorr is one of them, living and working in Vinalhaven. She makes beautiful clothing and the bed coverings pictured above. You can see her designs here at Le Bouton catalog. I first learned about her at Chelliswilson, a boutique in Portland, Maine, where I saw one of her paintings. Barbara, owner and designer, has created something special where she hosts beautifully curated art and fashion showings, as well as offering clothing of her own design and  others, including Fog Linen. And right next door is Corey & Co. another little jewel, where Maine designer Barbara Corey makes wonderful clothes and combines them with unique jewelry, shoes, scarves and bags. Maine pride.

I did it.

I've put down the paint brush and the pencils. I've documented and put them in a big folio. All 44 textile designs! Whew. Tomorrow I will mail them out to my agent, and she will take them to the Surtex show in NYC in May. I discovered this time around that I like textile designing much more than I thought I did. The difference with these designs is that I didn't think so much about what anybody else would like. I just focused on what I wanted to say, and the kinds of designs I would like to find in stores. So, who knows whether that strategy will be effective or not, but it sure was more fun. And as I send my babies out into the world to make it on their own, I needed a little reminder that I am ok, and they are ok. Funny how comforting something so small can be.

Designing

Here is what has been keeping me busy lately. I have a deadline for sending my textile designs to my agent by April 1! I have done lots of work on designs throughout the year in sketchbooks, but not so many final designs. Um. Yes, a deadline always works for me. These designs will go to Surtex in May. My goal is to have about 25 new designs to send. I know I'll make it because I'm good under pressure, and I really love to design for textiles. Anything I do from the heart usually works out ok.

The Fabulous Lucienne Day

Lucienne Day "Strata" 1952

Lucienne Day "Small Hours" 1953

Lucienne Day "Forest" 1959

Lucienne Day on Converse footwear

Lucienne day "Perpetua" 1953

Thankfully, everyone today knows the work of Lucienne Day. And I know lots has been written and blogged about her in the past few years, but I have to add my voice of appreciation for her work to the chorus! I needed a little encouragement today, as I am starting a big push to complete a bunch of textile designs for a deadline. I took a look at this book, "V&A Pattern The Fifties" published by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which was a Christmas present. Here are some photos I took of images in the book...in not very good light, because it is dull and rainy and grey here today. But I thought you'd enjoy them anyway. If you want to see more just google away, but here is a good link.

"F" is for Friday...and a Fresh Look

Mina Perhonen via mini/s blog

Mina Perhonen via mini/s blog

Mina Perhonen via mini/s blog

Mina Perhonen design via mini/s blog

Mina Perhonin is one of my favorite labels. Akira Minagawa is the owner and designer of this label. His work, especially his textile design is meaningful to me mostly because of the risks he takes...making him truly original, not "trendy". Design Sponge (from where I got some of my info here - thanks!) did a nice post on him here in '09. I do some textile designing, and have often found myself not attracted to what is "on trend" in the surface design world right now. So much of what is popular is what I think of as illustration. Lots of emphasis on representational themes and what the biz calls "conversationals". I admire illustrators very much and value what they do, but for textiles I want something more lyrical that allows people to blend them into their home with subtlety. I want my designs to feel like something natural and simple. When I first saw Mina Perhonen designs I was catapulted into a new space in my thinking. That's a very valuable experience to me. There is a blog, mini/s, you can look at too. Mostly in Japanese, but fun to look at. The Mina Perhonen website is here.

Speaking of books...

Wary Meyers Installation

Wary Meyers Installation

Wary Meyers, a design firm in Portland, Maine did this installation for the old Baxter Library building in Portland. It's called "The Basement Stacks". The library was saved and renovated by the Via Ad Agency, who now have offices there. It's really beautiful what they did to the interior, and how they furnished it. You can look at some other photos here. Sometimes I feel like my books might just do this too! I really must curb that appetite.