I'm Mesmerized

African Baskets

These Baskets from KwaZulu Natal in South Africa are absolutely amazing. I've decided to carry them on my online store, Kerut Home for their beautiful craftsmanship, detail and contemporary clean look. These baskets are made from Ilala palm fronds. The fronds are collected, pulled into strips, naturally dyed and then hung to dry as the traditional Zulu women prepare their materials for basket-weaving. The palm fronds have a natural waxy coating which makes them ideal for the weaving of these watertight baskets. These baskets are also a product of Fair Trade. This fair trade partnership works to provide low-income artisans and farmers with a living wage for their work. Please support the people of Africa by purchasing these stunning fair trade baskets. I will add more baskets to the site soon. As of now, I have the 2 large ones with lids, and 2 bowl baskets.

If Lamps Could Walk

Happy to be back!! I had strep throat that kept me in bed or on the sofa in a comatose state feeling like I would never recover and get back to the outside world, and the city of NY, that I adore so much. Finally I feel motivated to get my ass going again. Ugh! I hate being sick. I don't do it well! Anyway, I just received a postcard from the New York artist, Rodger Stevens Studio. His lamps are extraordinary!

Atom

Mondo Cane is a fun little shop here in NYC, chalk full of mid century goodies. I love this 1920's Atom Model from Mondo Cane.

ForestBound

My new favorite New York bag merchant, FORESTBOUND uses exclusively found and salvaged materials to create durable, utilitarian tote bags. great effort is put into hunting for well-worn historic textiles and hardware throughout new england. much time and care is spent working with these unique materials to make every forestbound bag one of a kind.

Holding On To The Fascination

Marina Abromovic's amazing performance art exhibit has ended, I report...sadly. During the 4 months (I think) while she was at the MOMA, I would leisurely take a stroll a few blocks and visit her and the other artist's once in a while when I had the time. The energy I received from the crowd and the exhibit inspired and motivated me. It opened up a space in my mind and fascinated me to the core, although I never did muster up the courage to sit at her table and stare into her intensity. Anyway, for those of you who want more of Marina, and just can't let go of it all, check out Personal Archaeology at Sean Kelly Gallery through June 19.

"If I had a world of my own"

I attended the one of my favorite Antique Shows this holiday weekend, and came back with a lot of goodies. My favorite find of the show was this vintage Architectural Model from the 1940's. Now only if I had a bottle that read "drink me"!

Visit my new online store, Kerut Home for more images and a detailed description.

Robert Stilin

Loving Hampton based Interior Designer Robert Stilin's work right now.

Dead-Stock Pillows

As materials and ideas from fashion and interior design continue to merge, Kara Green jumps on the bandwagon. check out these pillows from Pendleton fabric dead-stock. Throw a few of these on the sofa for a punch of color! Reasonably priced too. By Kara Green

Krum

His First solo exhibition...Practice... photographs by Gregory Krum at Jen Bekman Gallery

Straight Forward Design

I attended the New Finnish Design Show this weekend, and even though it was small, it contained some quality design. The above images are a few of my favorites that I photographed while I was there.

The first is Alessi, Adagio Fat Tray & 123DL. by designers Harri Koskinen and Kristiina Lassus. A set of three different sized crystalline glasses intended for several purposes: drinking toasting measuring cooking stacking storing. The Fat Tray made of bamboo can "swallow" inside it everything one needs for setting a table, while food beverages or pastries can be placed on top for serving.

The second is Anu Penttinen, City Plan 24/7. The City Plan wall pieces are versatile art products. It represents the artist's interest in introducing urban moods into hand-made art glass objects. A City Plan is about the small details within a cityscape: signs signals architecture walkways everyday objects.

The last is offered by Mottoform. These are part of a collection of old things made new, each with it's own story and design. Each textile embodies the unique history of a previous life in a home or cottage-where signs of age and use are markes of beauty. The Helsinki made hand printed vintage linens contains relief patterns found in Helsinki Art Nouveau architecture.

Official Art Poster Edition

I don't watch much football, or soccer as we say here in the states, but I'm liking the art work from this years South African World Cup poster editions! Especially the three above from William Kendtridge, Barthélémy Toguo and Kay Hassan.

The 2010 Official Art Posters are available as individual prints or as Complete Set in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM Portfolio. The Portfolio is handmade of natural black cardboard with embossed silver lettering „2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM “. It holds all seventeen Art Posters. Each individual Art Poster comes with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity with FIFA Hologram

New Finnish Design

As a part of this weeks Core 77 NY Design Week, STRAIGHTFORWARD: New Finnish Design is setting up shop at the Chelsea Market

“Is it not the ultimate meaning of the beautiful to
be essential, functional, justified, truthful?”
— Designer Kaj Franck (1911–1989)

Designer Kaj Franck is often described as the conscience of Finnish design. He thought that in order to be designated good and beautiful, an object had to be durable, robust, easy to clean, functional, do justice to the materials used for it, and be indispensable. By removing everything excessive from his designs and leaving only the essential, he created a design philosophy, which has become the backbone of Finnish design.

The starting point for STRAIGHTFORWARD stemmed from the validity of this principle today. The route was to discover the ways in which present day Finnish design still embraces those traditional values, and how these values have been reinterpreted today.

Earth And Clouds

Completely crazy about Vein and Baby Alpaca, a collaboration of 2 creative forces. "Vein" who sprung from the earth, and "Baby Alpaca" who was born in the clouds. Jewelry of the natural, whimsical, and dark. I'm in love...

I Love Unis

I love Unis clothing! Its just so damn comfy and classic. I think I need to do a little summer shopping! Oh, and this model is a sweet guy. I've photographed him a few times around the city, glad to see he's modeling for the line.