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Coloring Looks

I adore these tiny sculptures by artist Diem Chau. Created out of crayons, each piece pays homage in such a beautiful way to her family and culture.

I found out about Diem through a friend of mine, Jess Van Nostrand, who curates contemporary shows in Seattle, and curated a show of Diem's work. I was immediately drawn to the quality of these tiny carvings when I got the announcement postcard in the mail.

There is something really wonderful, ans sweetly eerie about this work. It has a lot to do with the medium of crayons mixing with the careful craftsmanship, also the almost religious quality that the postures of each figure has. Enjoy!

Knowing Where to Look

Some of the most inspiring things can be found where you would least expect them. FOUND Magazine is a testament to this.

Featuring found notes, photos and drawings, this magazine is based on the asthetic of objects that cross our paths unexpectedly. The fragmentary nature of these items gives them a very strange, displaced energy. The FOUND website is a great source for ideas...the beginning for a story, the theme of a drawing, or just the start of a thought... since each piece that is featured could be telling any story.

Check out FOUND by clicking on the image above.

A Project to Watch

This is such an inspiring project created by lovelydesign. One hundred different packages of scrap paper were mailed out to 100 different artists, and each one was requested to create something out of them. As the project progresses, the results will be revealed on the lovelydesign website.

The great thing about projects like this is that they keep things interesting. An outward-reaching concept such as this yields publicity for the creator, as well as publicity for those involved-- not to mention a great format for sharing creativity with a new group of people. It's wonderful that a company that prides itself on handmade items, like lovelydesign does, can also incorporate that personal touch into their online communications. I wish them all the best with this project, and can't wait to see how it turns out!

Rock On!

What a wonderful sculpture by artist / craftsperson Jill Bliss. There's just something about these forms, and these patterns, and the level of craftsmanship that assimilates so nicely in this piece. More of Jill's work can be found at Motel Gallery. This piece makes me want to jump for joy that spring is here...Enough said.

Yummy...

I found these pillows to be so original. Each one is made by hand. These fabulous goodies and more can be found on morningcraft.com, a site with a great array of original handmade goods. I like to frequent morningcraft to get a feel for what colors and styles people on the fray are using...a great way to forecast trends is to keep an eye on what innovative craftspeople and fashion designers are working on. Very often their motifs, colors, textures and influences work their way into the greater consumer consciousness. A link to morningcraft appears in my links of interest section...Enjoy!

A Great Upcoming Event to Support ICA / Vita Brevis

A great event is coming up to garner support for the New Group, a young, active and forward-thinking membership tier of the ICA Boston and a program it generates, Vita Brevis, which offers opportunities for artists to create works of contemporary installation art around Boston. SCD did the invite, and it promises to be a wonderful evening. The event theme, SEE, BE SEEN was also named by SCD, and is based on the current exhibition, "Likeness: Portraits of Artists by Other Artists." To purchase tickets, become a member of the New Group or donate to the cause, visit the membership log-in page at http://icaboston.bloostone.org/annualbenefit

Even if you can't make the benefit, definitely try and attend the show, which will be up for the next month or so. There are wonderful, thought-provoking contemporary works there by a diverse group of relevant artists. Accompanying the show is a fantastic film series with films about Andy Warhol, Francesca Woodman, and other enigmatic artists. The museum offers free admittance after work on Wednesday evenings, a great way to get to know this marvellous venue better.

I have been on the steering comittee for 2 years, and I am so looking forward to growing with the ICA. A new building, with spectacular views of the Boston waterfront is in the works, designed by Diller + Scofidio-- to find out more about the ICA visit their website, a link is provided in my "Links of Interest" section.

Welcome to spiralbound_

Welcome to spiralbound_. This is the first installation in what I hope will be a great way to share thoughts, influences, and insight into my design process with clients and peers. For samples of my portfolio work, please check out my site at www.susanconnordesign.com