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Children’s Products

Claire Patterson Blome — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:07:19 +0000

Doting mothers—and grandmothers—always seem to be buying something for their children and grandchildren. To help you take advantage of this steadfast trend, we’ve rounded up the latest children’s products from eight studios.

: “Princess Crown” hooded towels by Wendy Carter of Yikes Twins.

Wendy Carter launched Yikes Twins (she’s a mother of twins herself) in 2002 after noticing how attached her eldest daughter was to her hooded bath towel. Now the Stafford, Va., artist offers 12 hand-sewn, 100% cotton styles, including princess crowns, monsters and the traditional duck design, for children from babies up to 8 years old.

: “Black Frisbee Flyer” acrylic on recycled wood panel by Anne Leuck Feldhaus of Anne Leuck Feldhaus Studio, Ltd.

The playful imagery in Anne Leuck Feldhaus’s paintings and limited-edition prints largely stems from her dogs Izzy and Alice. The self-taught painter also depicts other animals, people, landscapes and cityscapes on primed reclaimed wood and canvas in her Chicago studio. Drawn to bright colors contrasted with black lines, Feldhaus describes her style as a meeting of contemporary folk art and urban pop art.

: “Farm Animals Tri-corner Lanterns” by Joline El-Hai of Bella Luz Studio.

Light and color have always fascinated Joline El-Hai, owner of Bella Luz Studio. She transforms the playful imagery she sketches out in pastel, colored pencil and watercolor into translucent images that she slips into patinaed copper frames. El-Hai offers night-lights, wall sconces, tri-corner table lanterns, swan-neck lamps and Judaica from her Seattle, Wash., studio.

: “Child’s Sock Monkey Recliner” in red polka dot by Susie Takach Seligman of Fiber Art Furniture.

Susie Takach Seligman has always been drawn to textiles, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that a light bulb went on. Today, she adapts paper collage techniques to fabric, producing her own yardage to upholster one-of-a-kind and limited-edition chairs in her Bloomington, Ind., studio, Fiber Art Furniture.

: Earthenware “Daisy Bunny Bank” by Alison Palmer.

“My work celebrates the joy of life,” explains ceramist Alison Palmer. “The pieces are functional and designed for those special occasions when everyday tableware will just not do.” For more than 30 years, Palmer has entertained her own creativity, pumping out whimsical—and always colorful—ceramics that serve as lamps, toothbrush holders and money banks. Today, she works out of her Kent, Conn., studio.

: Lead-free pewter “Momma Bird Baby Bird Spoon & Spork Set” by Sandra Bonazoli and Jim Dowd of Beehive Kitchenware Co.

“People love our spork and spoon sets because the designs put a fresh, contemporary twist on a traditional baby gift,” says Jim Dowd, co-owner of Beehive Kitchenware Co., in Fall River, Mass. To top it off, the lead-free pewter ensures that the gift never needs polishing. Dowd launched the business with co-owner Sandra Bonazoli in 1998 after exploring kitchenware at flea markets. Their goal is to make their baby utensil sets and cups functional, durable, and beautiful too.

: “Piggy Backpack” by Cathy Berse-Hurley of CBHstudio/Little Packrats Inc.

Cathy Berse-Hurley established Little Packrats in 1996 to offer affordable child-friendly products with enduring quality and design. The fashion-forward line offers backpacks, lunch boxes and handbags in non-traditional materials. Adorable three-dimensional designs include pigs, dogs and ducks. Berse-Hurley also runs CBHstudio in Ayer, Mass.

: “Alligator with Fish” Peculiar Pet by Michelle Lyon of Knockabout.

After 20 years in the culinary field, Michelle Lyon switched gears to open a gallery that showcased her own handmade items. When Peculiar Pets launched in 2006, the demand was so great that she made it her full-time venture. Working out of her Knockabout studio in Raleigh, N.C., Lyon crafts pets from vintage bedspreads and a polyfill that consists of 80% recycled water bottles, finishing each with a unique face and a telling icon on its belly.

Functional Ceramics

Claire Patterson Blome — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:28:52 +0000

We’ve collected a lineup of work from potters who know how to use color and line to communicate both beauty and function.

: “Clique Mugs” by Ed and Kate Coleman.

Ed and Kate Coleman know clay—they’ve had their hands in it since they were each 15 years old. The pair obtained fine arts degrees from Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., before setting up a workshop in 2000. Today, the Swannanoa, N.C., artists “work within the parameters of a series, keeping each piece unique,” in their line of porcelain mugs, vases, clocks and tumblers. www.edandkatecoleman.com

: “Patchwork Teapot” by Boyan Moskov of Boyan Pottery.

Boyan Pottery has its roots in the old world—Boyan Moskov was born and raised in Bulgaria. He pursued his art education there, establishing his own successful ceramics studio in 2003. Moskov met his wife Anna while she was working for the Peace Corps, and in 2007 they married and moved to Contoocook, N.H. Today, he produces a range of functional pieces with bright pops of color. www.boyanstudio.com

: “Caged LolliBird Cream & Sugar Set” by Tyson and Jessica Geib of Lollipop Pottery.

Jessica and Tyson Geib grew up in Ohio with an affinity for making things well. They met at a production pottery studio and worked together for five years before realizing they’d be better off as husband and wife. When the Geibs lost their jobs on the same day in 2007, they decided to launch Lollipop Pottery. Today, the partners use their complementary talents to produce everyday pottery with pleasing handmade decals. www.lollipoppottery.com

: “Large Bicycle Plate” by Josh and Margaret Smith of Dovetail Ceramics.

It’s no accident that Josh and Margaret Smith named their studio Dovetail Ceramics at its 2005 launch—it represents the fusion of their talents in printmaking and ceramics. Today, the Smiths create a line of distinctive black-and-white porcelain dishes that incorporates offbeat screenprints with softly squared ceramic forms in their Lexington, Ky., studio. www.dovetail-online.com

: “Sea Star” ornaments and bowls by Christie Chaplin-Saunders of Artifacts in Clay. Credit: Erik Walsh.

Christie Chaplin-Saunders’ goal as a designer is “to entice people to contemplate both artifacts and nature, and remind them of rejuvenating experiences at the shore or in the forest,” she explains. Chaplin-Saunders has run Artifacts in Clay in Chester, Nova Scotia, since 1987, and is still very much the creative mastermind behind the tactile tabletop items. www.artifactsns.com

: Clocks by Mea Rhee of Good Elephant Pottery.

“I make pots for anyone who wants a stylish and functional home,” says Mea Rhee of Good Elephant Pottery in Silver Spring, Md. She lets her Korean heritage, Maryland upbringing and graphic-design education guide her aesthetics, producing minimal, rustic pots that can stand up to everyday use. Although she’s been a self-employed graphic designer since 1996, she strives to make her love of clay her only full-time venture. www.goodelephant.com

: “Ripple” bud vase by Vaughan Nelson of One Blue Marble.

Vaughan Nelson of One Blue Marble is influenced by his travels as a child—his father was in the U.S. Air Force—and the details he finds in everything from the Art Nouveau movement to the artwork of the Oaxacan Indians. The San Diego, Calif., artist has produced a functional line of ceramics since 2003, “as a way to express myself using something other than words,” he says. “Rough edges, irregular shapes and imperfect circles are where I find beauty.” www.onebluemarble.com

: “Vivid Poppy” pet dish by Jillian and Robin Carway of Silver Pail Pottery.

Silver Pail Pottery is the work of mother-daughter team Robin and Jillian Carway, established in 2006 in Summerville, S.C. Jillian, a university-trained artist, launched the business with her mother as the manager, but Robin soon became her “partner in grime.” Today, the pair produces everything from bowls and vases to tumblers and pet dishes complemented by bright, engaging patterns and glazes. www.silverpailpottery.com

Summer Sellers

Claire Patterson Blome — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:39:14 +0000

: “Spike” glasses by Terry Craig and Jennifer Wanless-Craig of Artech Glassblowing Studio

As winter thaws and spring and summer bring warmer temperatures and lifted spirits, expect your customers to search for the best and brightest tableware and accessories. Guide their urge to decorate with iridescent bowls perfect for fresh appetizers, tumblers that tickle the hand, and coasters that bring the outdoors to the table.

Dinah Coops sees nature from two perspectives: it’s full of resources that need to be preserved, but it can also be beautifully adapted to everyday home design. That’s why she launched Dinah Coops Naturally Modern Sustainable Designs in 2007, after 20 years as a designer and art director. Coops is inspired by the seedpods, nuts, leaves and blossoms she finds in her Seattle neighborhood. She translates the imagery into a series of silk-screened coasters, napkins and tablemats, which can also serve as trivets, trays and wall art.

Tableware from Mesolini Glass Studio, on Washington’s Bainbridge Island, is instantly recognizable by the distinct cut-off edges. Diane Bonciolini and Gregg Mesmer’s works also combine color, like the iridescent lime, yellow, aquamarine and tangerine highlights seen in their series of “Crescent Moon” bowls. The pair opened their studio in 1977 and still strive to produce intricate collages of color in a durable line of bowls and trays.

Lawrence McRae and Jill Rosenwald work each day to reinvent and improve their line of studio ceramics. “This is why our work is fresh, spirited and of the moment,” they say. Through Switch/Jill Rosenwald Studio in Boston, Mass., the husband-and-wife team produces a line of lamps, serving bowls, pitchers, vases and plates in bright patterns.

For more than 14 years, Kino Guérin has continued to search for balance and harmony in his work—with great success. The Quebec, Canada, artist mixes aesthetic with function, curves with straight lines, and wood and veneers with industrial materials. Every tray, vase and piece of furniture aims at simplicity through the talented use of vacuum-press lamination.

Terry Craig and Jennifer Wanless-Craig of Artech Glassblowing Studioin Ontario, Canada, push the limits of the traditional blown-glass cup with functional “Spike,” “On the Rocks” and “Lattice” glasses. The one-of-a-kind, bottom-heavy vessels offer a tactile experience by massaging your hand. In addition to its functional line, Artech offers whimsical and high-end sculptural works.

Patty Benson doesn’t think home accessories should be limited to ceramic and glass. That’s why she launched Papaver Vert in Alameda, Calif., in 2007. She meticulously hand-crochets and felts “Plant Cozies,” coasters, bowls and vases. “I love everything about wool,” she explains. “Its texture, smell, how well it shows off bold color and how it can go from one form to another with a crochet hook, soap and water.”

Gerald Haessig has spent the last four years rebuilding his life after his home was flooded during Hurricane Katrina. He temporarily relocated Gerald Haessig Designs to his hometown, St. Louis, Mo., before returning to New Orleans. Today, he produces lines of decorative blown-glass flowers, vases, paperweights and bowls.

Emily Reason explores proportion, color, texture and function in vases, teapots, pitchers, tumblers and serving dishes. She throws, alters, carves and glazes each piece to produce durable tableware. Since opening Emily Reason Ceramics in 2004, the Marshall, N.C., ceramist has also taught classes and workshops, and will have her first book published this year.

Outdoor Furnishings

Claire Patterson Blome — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:58:37 +0000

: Geo White wall art by Chris Austin of Kiwi Studios.

As summer turns to autumn, backyards, gardens and patios are in high demand for gatherings, cookouts or just quiet moments to oneself. We’ve gathered a selection of outdoor accessories that will help your customers beautify and personalize their at-home escapes.

Laurene Hunt left a powerful position in corporate advertising with good reason— to launch a line of tableware that is seemingly alive with color and movement. At Laurene Hunt Designs in Ashland, Mass., she uses acrylic paint and silk screening to create bold graphic designs on her ceramic trivets and wooden lazy Susans. Hunt brings Pop Art to the table, sure to enliven any gathering.

“I really wanted to create something that could be hung on the outside of the house,” says Chris Austin of Kiwi Studios in Solana Beach, Calif. That’s why she created her Geo White, Black and Silver recycled steel-and-glass wall art designs. Austin launched her studio in 2002 after leaving a successful career as an event planner. Today, she creates everything from personal accessories to tableware and wall art.

Ben and Kate Gatski of Gatski Metal create the perfect art for outdoor spaces: each bird feeder, shelf, table and sculpture is crafted from reclaimed farm machinery in their small studio in Pennsylvania. The Gatskis maintain the machinery’s vibrant colors and unique wear marks when handcutting and welding each piece, connecting the work back to its rural roots.

Prairie Dance in Sioux Falls, S.D., started miles away while owner Terri Schuver and her husband were on vacation more than a decade ago. Attracted to metal sculpture that would be difficult to transport home, he suggested they try to make it themselves. Schuver committed them to show their work at a local festival—andafter months of work (and many patina recipes), they sold out of several designs the first morning. Today, Schuver crafts sculptures and planters for the garden, as well as tabletop accessories.

Bonnie Greenwald and Jon Tury put a spin on wind chimes more than 12 years ago when they created their first solar chimes, powered by a small chip. The partners have since expanded their Manchester, Mich.-based Sunblossom Solar Gifts to include silent, ever-moving mobiles and “SoulMates,” calming figures that hold a spinning, bouncing flower, powered by a solar micro motor.

Corey Silverman and Horace Marlowe of C&H Glassworks in Lakewood, Colo., designed their popular line of hummingbird feeders to imitate glass flowers. The resulting work—which comes in an array of pleasing color combinations—is perfect for the garden, but is so beautiful many customers bring it inside to enjoy the glass year round. The team also creates an array of blown-glass work, including ornaments, vases and decorative figurines.

Sandra Webberking of Sandra Webberking Originals in Springfield, Pa., has been a metal sculptor since she graduated from Moore College of Art & Design in 1997. “I found a kinship with the process of bending, heating, hammering and welding,” she says. It’s natural that the avid gardener gravitates to outdoor sculpture like her popular pair “Peter Peacock” and “Penelopy Peahen,” along with “Filamina the Flamingo.” Her line also includes lanterns, sculptures and candelabra.