I came across these small, sculptural gems at the recent holiday market at my house, and asked Laura from Templton General if I could photograph them. They are new works by local Boston artist, Liliana Folta. A departure from her previous, more iconic, work these intimate, abstract pieces nonetheless possess Liliana’s signature exploration of the boundaries between the beautiful and the bizarre.

Flora and fauna intertwined, these undulating lifeforms take us on a cyclical ride that is both nurturing and disquieting. At first our inherent optimism leads us to experience those pods as buds, unfolding with life. Or are they fungi initiating their recycling process?  Are those tendril forms reaching forth to take root? Or are they choking tentacles? Are we witness to nascent garden or Little Shop of Horrors? An exciting dance, small enough to be cupped in the palm of your hand, these works feel like a privilege. For though they are fluid and fecund, they are also brittle as bone. Take care of these emerging seeds, lest their fragile bodies turn to barrenness and dust.

 New works by Liliana Folta are available at Templeton General.

Melbourne artist, illustrator and ceramicist Kerry Scheen is the talent behind the enchanting world of Linogirl. A graduate in printmaking and photography at RMIT, she also studied gold and silversmithing, before teaching herself the art of ceramics. Now, from her garden studio in the shadow of Mount Macedon, Kerry can be found at work on her limited edition vessels, prints, and wearable art.

Much like the setting in which they are formed, Kerry’s intimate pieces reflect both the uncertainty and awe of the solitary individual in the vast landscape. Though they may cast an eye over the horizon, as yet, her characters appear a bit shy of the world beyond. Inwardly focussed, they feel somehow familiar and knowable. Vulnerable, they invite us to cradle and care for them. And yet there is always that blank landscape beckoning. We are aware that our vigil will only take them so far. Soon the lines will fill in and become more complex, and more colors will begin to show.

Or perhaps the critters on Kerry’s works are a mirror of our own maturation. And when our paths take us beyond the sheltered nest, it might be time to pass Linogirl’s pieces on to the next generation to cheerish and hold.

Hidden away off a quiet courtyard in the heart of the capitol’s bustling shopping district, you’ll find the quiet oasis of Tortus Copenhagen. Here, master potters Eric Landon and Karin Blach Nielsen follow a century-old tradition of Danish ceramics, which is informed by a “love of making and a passion for the materials.” Working within their 19th century truss-style studio, these two artisans seek to create individual objects that, though grounded in tradition, are utterly timeless.

Much like their textured pieces, Tortus’ studio is a rich marriage of storied history and modern design.

A graduate of the Danish School of Design, master potter and Tortus designer Eric Landon sits in the courtyard of his studio.

I strongly encourage you to watch the process of Eric forming a Tortus vase in the inspirational video on the company home page. It’s from the pot’s perspective!

Unglazed, Tortus’ vessels await Karin’s finishing touch.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, Karin Blach Nielsen is Tortus’ “architect of color and surface.”

elegant, earthy and modern, Tortus’ finished vessels

Wooden legs mirror beams, pots reflect the building’s plaster walls in a seamless dialogue between space and design.

a detail of the layered textures of Karin’s luminous glazes

red stool

For more see my article on Remodelista.

tea pot via plantkui

Feeling under the weather today, and find myself gravitating to quiet places. Gentle curves. Tactile, soothing. Dark, dappled warmth. Pleasing to the touch, yet not too much of a strain on weary eyes.

Vilhelm Hammershøi, portrait of Anna Hammershøi, 1884

Oliver in the morning sun, by me

molding clay via Herriott Grace

wisteria by Xenia

a rock, by me

I’ve come to realize that I have a thing for stitch. Whether sewn or merely implied with a painted line, there is something about a cloth or canvas traversed with thread. Like tracks in the snow, these pricks and tucks are echoes from another time. Traces of a different story, weaving their way across a pristine landscape, they add textured, dimension, and a bit of mystery. Present but vague, these ghosts are not to be ignored. Their identity revealed after only the most carefully scrutiny.

Perhaps this fascination with the subtleties of stitch, explains the allure of the small and intimate collection of copirates. Another find from Ms. Beau, my source for everything French and fabulous, copirates is a collaboration between artists Myriam Balaÿ Devidal and Lydia Rump, who share influences and experiences in fashion, theater, and textile design. Featuring handmade items by the artists themselves, or by their friends and fellow creators, copirates is an unusually personal selection of sewn and other goods – storied gems, adding character to the person and home.

The story of Haand Ceramics begins long ago with two boyhood friends. Mark Warren and Chris Pence grew up together in Jacksonville, FL, sharing experiences of “strip malls and pink flamingoes.” But as often happens, college and young adulthood took them separate ways. While Chris was training to become a CPA, Mark was studying sculpture in New England. Mark then went on to work for the grandfather of American studio slip-casting, Tom Spleth. And so, it wasn’t until 2011, that the two decided to merge their business and artistic talents with the formation of Haand.

Together from their studio in the rural piedmont of North Carolina, Mark and Chris craft modern porcelain tableware that is minimal and refined, but also earthy and extemporaneous. Employing deep, but largely monochromatic white or blue glazes, they mostly let form guide the individual character of their pieces. The results are fluid and dynamic. Their organic shapes pitch and undulate, lending both grace as well as whimsy to the collection. Bearing the marks of creations with pride, each piece is utterly one-of-a-kind, making for a very personal collection. And thus, though the execution is fine, Haand’s tableware has an informal quality, meant for everyday use.

In their studio Mark and Chris’ practice is focussed on improving eficiency throughout the entire process, so there is little waste or unnecessary frills. Similarly, Haand’s pieces are designed to work together interchangeably, giving the user greater versatility.

Made from slip cast porcelain, a set of nesting bowls stack in a pleasingly wonky way.

Inspired by historical ceramic lab ware, Haand’s chemist cups come in a variety of sizes.

Haand’s nested squares and triangles have myriad uses and configurations.

Named for sleek and stealthy cats, Margay and Caracal plates are part of Haand’s Nesting Hunter series.

Sometimes the best birthday presents are ones that arrive, out-of-the-blue, 6 months late.

Imagine my surprise when a large package from Brazil (of all places!) arrived on my porch yesterday. In it I was delighted to find two gorgeous bowls from Estudio Manus. There’s a story there.

Closer to the actual date of my birthday, my mother happened to be departing for a bird watching trip in Sao Paulo. I had recently completed two features on Estudio Manus, located there, and so I asked if she could pop in on them and buy one of their gorgeous jaguar plates for my birthday. Well unbeknownst to me, Sao Paulo is a reallllly big place, and Mom’s birding adventure was actually outside the city, so long story short, no bowl. (Though I did get a swanky pair of sparkly sandals.)

I mentioned this amusing story to Caio during an email exchange over a Remodelista post. And lo, a few months later, not one, but two, jaguar bowls arrived made especially for me! Of course you know that beautiful items are made even more special when there is a story and personal connection behind them. So now these are among my absolute favorites. Thank you so much, Daniela and Caio!!!

Speaking of thankful, have you ever been so grateful towards a shop just for existing? There are some stores that so channel my design aesthetic that it’s a joy every time I go in. I feel that way about ABC Carpet and Home, POD, and more recently Oen Shop in the UK.

Though I may not be able to personally browse their collection, Mark and Daniel write so vividly about the rare items in their online shop, that I almost feel I’m there witnessing the objects first-hand. Two of my new Oen favorites both hail from Japan: Misa Kumabuchi, who creates serene ceramics, and M. Saito, whose wood carvings are more visceral and raw.

From her studio in Nishinomiya, Japan, Misa hand forms from ceramic and porcelain all the pieces in her Mushimegane Books collection. Based on people and sounds—the rhythm and encounters of everyday life—her work has a personal quality. Like a secret whispered between friends, they are quiet, but nonetheless beg your attention. It is clear that Misa’s fluid forms are also heavily influenced by nature, their organic shapes and tactile surfaces designed to be touched.

Equally captivating, but intentionally less refined, are the wood carvings of M. Saito. In fact, Saito seems almost reluctant to alter his medium beyond what is minimally necessary to form a basic cup, bowl or spoon. Thus, baring the marks of their creation with pride, Saito’s rough-hewed pieces are enticingly tactile. Organic and elemental, they scream “I am wood!” in the quietest kind of way.

Trailing around after her mother in New York’s Garment District, Melissa Newirth developed an appreciation and an eye for fabrics early on. But it wasn’t until she found a barn full of unused, mid-century textiles that she started her own retail shop. Since then, the stylist and interior designer has travelled the globe, from Europe to Java, in pursuit of antique and exotic cloth goods. Today, Newirth’s passion for textured and storied textiles has culminated in her new shop Cloth and Goods, based out of Portland, OR. Luckily for those of us not in the Pacific Northwest, Melissa’s rare textiles and dinnerware are also available online.

a selection of porcelain and pottery from the UK and Holland

indigo yarn

antique fabrics and mid-century pottery are also for sale

dish towels from Japan

recyclable Wasara paperware from Japan

Melissa’s studio/store

Cloth and Goods also offers, many African textiles and pillows as well as those fashioned from vintage French fabric.

Yesterday while browsing through one of my favorite shops, Everyday Needs, I chanced upon these stunning vessels by New Zealanders Bruce and Estelle Martin of Kamaka Pottery. Internationally recognized and respected, these experts in the ancient art of Japanese pottery make each piece in their traditional Kamaka Anagama kiln. No glazes are used. Instead the distinct markings on each pot result from the unique wood-fired process, in which about 1000 pieces are placed in a large kiln for 9-10 days.

At $885 to $1,288, these lovely vessels are to be filed under “when my ship comes in.” But for now, the beauty of these images alone is enough to add joy to my day.