Ruby Neri

Having seen Ruby Neri's work in San Francisco in the past, and really always thought of horses, these images of new ceramic busts look awesome. Looking forward to seeing a full show. 

David Kordansky Los Angeles HERE

The Gropius Jade

The Bauhaus grows on....

Originally a gift to Ise Gropius, the jade plant thrived in the Gropius house eventually reaching more than two feet tall. Live plants, blurring the distinction between interior and exterior were very important in a Gropius/Bauhaus living space. You can now have a cutting of the original parent plant, by calling the Gropius house. We have are own pictured here, given as a gift sometime back. It is doing well, thanks Dan!

Gropius House HERE

Mission Dolores

Mission Dolores, originally known as Mission San Francisco de Asis, is the oldest standing building in the city founded in 1776. Built as an adobe structure with very thick walls, it survived the 1906 earthquake, and in many ways looks the same today as it did when founded. The structure was built with the Ohlone and Miwok Indians. The mission also contains a cemetery with many Ohlone and Miwok Indians and well known early pioneers. The Mission Dolores Basilica stands next door, where services take place.

Note the amazing ceiling in the church.

More HERE

Andrew Bird

Noble Beast, highly suggested

Mission High School San Francisco

Sunday was a great day to visit Mission High School just adjacent to Mission Dolores Park. Mission High school is the oldest and first comprehensive High School in the west, built in the late 1800's. It survived the 1906 earthquake, but was destroyed in a 1922 fire. The school is in a similar style to the Mission Dolores Basilica down the street. I pass this beautiful building almost everyday, but Sunday was a perfect day to get up close.

As seen on Ready for the House, and spreading like a wild fire over the Internet, Silver Jews front man David Berman is calling it quits. However, Drag City has announced HERE that in May, Berman will release a book of cartoons called The Portable February. Also, as reported by Pitchfork Media Drag City (now former label mate) Bill Callahan will release his new record, Sometimes I wish I were an Eagle on April 14th. I'm already calling it the best record of 2009.

Plaid

Been thinking wool plaid recently, hoping to get these worked into some future studio projects as well as the clothing department.

Orange

It's been unseasonably warm in San Francisco.

Korean Full Moon Jar

Named for its resemblance to the full moon, the moon jar, called a "dalhangari", was most prevalent from the late 17th to 18th century, during the Joseon Dynasty. Moon jars were manufactured in porcelain for the Royal Court in Gwangju. Moon jars are rare pieces, as few of the larger ones, up to 18 inches remain.

A work in porcelain this large had to be made in two halves, two bowls, top and bottom, and then joined at the center, because it could not be thrown as one piece.

The glaze is thick, milky white, with varying tones of white. The surface of the jars maintain impurities or traces of air bubbles, tiny holes, that were created while the piece was fired. Crazing is found in some parts of the surface which enhances the jars natural beauty.

from Seoul Design Essence, HERE

Sam Durant

Porcelain replicas of cheap plastic chairs by Sam Durant.

Blum and Poe, Los Angeles HERE

Paula Copper New York HERE

Harrison Macintosh

One of my favorite American potters, Harrison Macintosh. 

Frank Lloyd Gallery, Los Angeles HERE

Parallel Lives, Parallel Worlds

Nice short documentary on Eels frontman Mark Everett and his search for his fathers history. Mark Everett's father Hugh Everett was the author of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, later termed parallel universes theory. The theory was first defended at Princeton University in 1957.

Fwis (and friends)

Graphic design team Fwis has committed to 31 days of type face invention free to the public.

Fwis HERE

Loot

Rosemarie Trockel

German artist Rosemarie Trockel

Donald Young Gallery, HERE

Helvetica

Just re-watched the great Documentary Helvetica. For those of you who have not seen it, the film is an interesting study in how we read information and how in many ways, clarity can quickly become monotonous.

Beatrice Wood & Shamba

Beatrice Wood with manager R.P Singh, Tippi Hedren and Shamba the tiger, via Linc Art.

Laura Andreson

Today a post on renowned potter Laura Andreson. Andreson established the ceramics department at UCLA in 1934 and taught there until her retirement in 1970. Thats a lot of pots.

She was one of the first California studio potters to experiment and explore porcelain, which up to 1950 was mostly used in commercial products. She would become known as a leading West Coast authority on porcelain.

Smithsonian Archive HERE

The New Naturals

They are,

 from the top: Japanese Design Collective (images 1-2) Lief-Designpark

French Designer (images 3-4) Patrick Nadeau via Designboom

Swiss Design Collective (image 5) PostFossil via Inhabitat