Archive for March, 2011
Ronit Baranga | Mouth To Mouth

Ronit Baranga moves me each time with her twisted mind ;)
“By combining ceramic sculptures of body parts within, the still object is transformed from a passive, used object, to an active one with the ability to choose how to behave in an encountered situation: to feed or not, to shout, to stay or to escape.
My works deal with emotional states and relationships”.
Ronit’s Self feeding, tea set is part of Handle with Care group exhibition.
You read my previous post about Ronit right here.

www.ronitbaranga.com

Giveaway Break | Time For Some Plasticious Joy

Plastic never looked so wearable and fun! Our March Giveaway Break comes to you straight from Gili Rozin and Adi Singfer aka Me-Dusa.
Winning has never been so easy!
To enter, simply leave a comment below.
- Entries must be posted by Monday, April 13th and one winner will be chosen at random.
- The winner will be announced the next day, April 14.
Luckily for you I made a One On One Break with the girls not so long ago.

www.me-dusa.com

Lital Mendel | Stones

Lital Mendel is on a mission!
She has a different take on diamonds.
First was the origami ring and now comes the stone ring.
“In this work I wanted to come up with a new and accessible interpretation on the diamond ring that will force people to look at things in a new perspective.
I decided to use stones I collected from the street and make them the center of my work. People have the tendency to overlook the things that surround them. They don’t look down and see the beautiful details of the small, simple objects.”
You can get in touch with Lital here:
mendelital {at} gmail {dot} com

Sagi Ashin | Black and White Moment

Sometimes all you need is an illustration to brighten your day.
That’s what Sagi Ashin’s rhino did to my day.
You can read my previous post about Sagi’s magic hands right here.
Hope you all have a sunny week.
{DesignBreak found Sagi’s rhino here}
You can get in touch with Sagi here: sagiashin {at} gmail {dot} com

NY Break | Fay Andrada | Shapes That Make You Smile

  • Just an ordinary day at the studio
  • Suippo Bangle Bracelets
  • Viuhka Brass Earrings
  • Kirves Earrings and Lautta Iso Necklace
  • Sakara Earrings
Lets start with three facts: a graphic designer, an illustrator, a metalsmith. All three are in fact one Fay Andrada.
This lady has what it takes when it comes to making drop dead gorgeous jewelry!
I can’t stress enough how rare it is to find simple yet unique pieces of heaven out there and Fay knows the right mix of shapes, materials and simplicity.
Don’t skip her blog and shop.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you about getting hooked ;)
{This is a DesignBreak by Re Jin Lee}

www.fayandrada.com

Groupa Studio | Black and White Perfection

“Piece Per Week” is a chalange the guys of Groupa Studio took upon themselves.
For ten weeks, they’ll design one new furniture piece each week!
I’m loving their Piece Per Week #7 which is called “hold on”. Black and white are my favorite colors (well, yellow as well but we’ll leave it at that) and when ever it comes hand in hand with clean and refined design I’m hooked.
You can read an Hebrew friendly interview about the project right here.
{Photos by Yoav Gurin}

www.groupastudio.com

Eva Avidar | Still Cockroach

I’ve beem planing on visiting the Six Biennale of Israeli Ceramics for a while now.
Lets be clear on one thing, I hate cockroaches but… this little creature is briliant and the fact that I know it’s made out of clay maks me love it!
I don’t know much about the artist, Eva Avidar, so if anyone can share some info I’ll be happy to hear it all.
You can get in touch with Eva here:
avidar.eva {at} gmail {dot} com

One On One Break | Romi Hefetz | Spins It!

I can’t explain how excited I was when I first realized that the lady behind “Romi Ceramics” is actually Romi Hefetz, a native Israeli, who now lives in Long Island City, New York.
Romi’s ceramics have a certain flow to them. It feels like a magic hand danced it’s way to create a smooth vase… And these bold colors… I just love them!
So… there is no other way than to have Romi as my next One On One Break.
BTW, her Etsy Shop is just a click away.

www.romiceramics.com
I’d love to hear about you, your journey, how it all began.
While studying Product Design at Parson School of Design, I took a ceramics class with Marek Cecula, who was one of the most inspirational teachers I’ve had. I ended up taking this class again and again. After working as a product designer for about a year and a half, I realized how much I miss working with my hands. I started by renting a space at a communal ceramic studio, and working in the evening and over the weekend. A couple of years later I decided to do it full time. What has always attracted me in the slip casting process is that it encompasses both the hands-on craftsmanship quality as well as the production line aspect, which requires thinking of how to reproduce each piece, and adds another challenging tier to the design process.RomiHefetz
Can you describe your work process for me?
I usually start by deciding which kind of product I want to make, and continue with free sketching whatever comes to my mind. When I’m happy with one of the ideas, I usually elaborate on it a bit further, to make sure I arrive at a shape that is both visually pleasing and can be produced. Then comes the production stage, in which I figure out the best way to make the model and which materials would be used for it. And then, making the mold and start casting…RomiHefetz
Which materials do you work with?
I work with porcelain slip, which I sometimes mix with different stains. I like the bone-like matte finish of the porcelain itself, so I usually don’t glaze the external surface of my pieces in order to preserve the quality of the bare porcelain. All of my pieces are glazed on the inside though. And I also use plaster to make the molds. Other than that I use various materials to create the original models from which I make the mold. These can include paper, plaster, clay, plastic etc.RomiHefetz
What is the most unusual piece you have ever designed?
It was a project I called Puccino that I worked on at Parsons. It was a coffee set in which all the pieces had a double wall. The idea was to eliminate the handles, while still being able to hold the cups, when filled with hot liquid. The molds for this design were very complicated to make, as well as casting the actual pieces.RomiHefetz

  • Seconds | Salt and Pepper Shakers
  • Seconds | Salt and Pepper Shakers

What’s next? What is your dream?
I would love to expend my business without loosing the “hand-made by me” aspect of it. I have more ideas that I would like to explore and produce, and it would be great to have a business that is big enough to allow keeping a steady production line, while introducing new products every season.RomiHefetz
I’m curious to know where does your inspiration come from?
This is a very difficult question to answer, I think. It is impossible for me to separate between which is a source of inspiration and which is not. My inspiration can derive from seeing an exhibition, from watching a great film, from having a conversation with someone smart, from cooking a delightful dish, from just taking a walk or going camping, or from any other daily activity. It is really about being receptive at a certain moment, in my opinion.RomiHefetz
Can you tell me which designers inspire you?
In no particular order: Gio Ponti, Joe Colombo, Isamu Noguchi, Ingo Maurer, Josef Hoffmann, Picasso, Alexander Calder, Castiglioni, etc etc…RomiHefetz
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
I can’t think of one piece of advice that has changed my life. As long as I meet interesting smart people along the way, read good books and just absorb the world around me as much as I can, I’m bound to be given many many good advices.RomiHefetz
If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
I wish I could have an extra hour every day! I would probably use it differently every time. One day I would take advantage of it to accomplish some studio tasks that I never get the time to do, another day I would just read a good book and relax and on another I would probably go to see an art show…RomiHefetz

Shelly Dahari | Wooden’t You?

Shelly knows her way to my heart! I’m not that much into wooden items, it always feels old and dated…
However, once I ran into Shelly Dahari’s wooden collection, I understood anything is possible!
You can get in touch with Shelly here:
shellydahari {at} gmail {dot} com

Re’em Eyal | Using Everything He’s Got

RE:USE is Re’em Eyal’s attempt to give back to the universe.
In his own way, he gives a second chance to many objects, which were left behind.
For me, there is a great deal of personification within the final product.
{DesignBreak found Re’em here}

www.studioryx.com

NY Break | Bailey Doesn’t Bark | Ants, Dots and In Between

  • Teabag Mug And Teaspoon Plate
  • Teabag Mug
  • Dotted 23k Gold Plate | Ants On My Plate | Winter Plate
  • Ants On My Mug And Plate
  • Ants On My Mug And Plate
Re Jin Lee is one of my idols. Not many people can work beautifully with the white and simple aspect of design.
On the other hand, not many will say something like: “I purposely kept the design very minimal so it goes well with any other tableware”.
When I need a quite moment, I wander into Re Jin’s Bailey Doesn’t Bark web site. She has it all from tableware to jewelry and stationary. The fact that she shares her process and behind the scenes makes me love her even more! Thank you Re Jin for all the beauty you bring to the world!

www.baileydoesntbark.com

OTOTO | Even A Snack Should Be A Designed One

The TeaSub was beyond clever and I wondered what will be the next move of the OTOTO team.
Well, I have to tell you that I’m falling for their pretzel key ring.
I love pretzels so why not having it with me all the time ;)
No extra calories.

www.ototodesign.com

Oded Arama | Dreams Do Come True

Not so long ago, I had an One On One Break with Oded Arama. Since then a lot has changed! Oded released pictures from his men’s 2011 summer collection and… wait, there is more! In May these to die for shoes will be available for all you women out there to own. I might add that as I’m writing this I’m jumping up and down in my chair ;)
Oded’s association game began with a car with dried mud on it, an old shoe he saw on a public bench and coffee stains. At the end we got some breathtaking mixtures of vibrant colors and brush strokes.
I chose to show you the ones that I love but there is a lot more right here.
www.so-arama.com

One On One Break | Me-Dusa | Under The Sea

Gili Rozin and Adi Singfer are working in full gear! The two graduated two years ago and since then they are unstoppable.
A while back I wrote about them but I felt like I need to know more about these driven ladies. Their ever growing collection of bags, jewelery and laptop cases is a sea of color, fun and madness.
-
BTW, the girls of DreedTea.com had a Me-Dusa party. Don’t miss it. It’s lots of plastic fun ;)

www.me-dusa.com
I’d love to hear about you, your journey, how it all began.
Me-Dusa is a new brand that we founded in 2009 after graduating from the Jewelry Design Department at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design.
Our mutual work began from friendship during our studies and led us to try and work together in the last year. It turned out to be a success when we became finalists in the ITS#8 competition in Triest, Italy, in the final year of our degree. At the end of our studding it was only natural that we will start working together.
MeDusa
Can you describe your work process?
The items are all handmade from processed plastic, through an industrial technique that is not traditionally used for jewelry and accessories. The process from it’s begging to it’s end takes place in Israel and the designer takes part in every step.MeDusa
I’d love to here about your medusa collaboration. How does it work and who does what?
In every good collaboration, we think, every one contributes the best way he can. In Me-Dusa we work on the design part together and the rest of the things that need to be done we split between the two of us. For Me-dusa to work well it takes the two of us, we are very different and this is what makes Me-dusa.MeDusa
Which materials do you work with?
Plastic which is processed by us and metal parts.MeDusa
What is the most unusual piece you have ever designed?
We have a good friend who is a singer performing in Israel around the world, she asked us to make her special accessories for her show. It was this big necklace\top that covered all the top part of her body. It was colorful and original. just what she needed for a special show.MeDusa
What’s next? What is your dream?
That question is in our minds all the time… We hope to develop as a brand, that will be seen all over the world. We have several new bags and have many ideas for more, and maybe even do accessories for the house, furniture and more…MeDusa
If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
Go outside, see people, look for new ideas and inspiration.MeDusa
I’m curious to know where does your inspiration come from?
Our inspiration comes from a rich world of imagination. The items feature floral elements, amorphous shapes and a unique sense of textile, nature and the sea.MeDusa
Can you tell me which designers inspire you?
AlexanderMcQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte and many many more.MeDusa
Can you tell me which websites and blogs do you visit regularly?
NotCouture, The Cool Hunter/Fashion, Jak&Jil Blog and many many more.MeDusa
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t take advice from strangers!!!MeDusa

Jenny Pokryvailo | Traveling Teddy

“Teddy Bear in a suitcase deals with the familiar feeling before a long journey of stuffing your suitcase until there is no space left.
How much space will you sacrifice for your plushie?”
I would definitely sacrifice all the space my teddy needs ;)

sirton-art.com/jenny

Sponsored by

  • 506521_Logo_120x90

  • 185860_Shop Tees, Hoodies, & More at Threadless!

  • Free domestic shipping on orders of $150 or more

  • 131629_Shop at FreePeople.com!



  • 45115_Shop Urban Outfitters

  • TopMan US