Creative Candy: Happy Red Fish

Two things I love: thread art and vintage images. Throw in some pics of oldish houses with character and you've got me sold. This is exactly what Happy Red Fish does. Happy Red Fish is a creative studio run by artist and designer Hagar Vardimon-van Heummen and is based in Amsterdam. The artist's statement says it all: "Love paper, love thread and adore the combination."

Please visit their site. Even better, check out their shop on bigcartel. There is so much more awesomeness there. I love art with a sense of humor. Beautiful work!

Textile Tuesday: Blue & Red & John Robshaw

Pipal Indigo bedding set by John Robshaw Textiles

I cannot seem to get over this blue and red theme I have completely by accident with all our decor. Then I discovered John Robshaw Textiles. Now I think I'm lost to it. for some reason a lot of our artwork has blues and reds in it, and our couch is a chili pepper red leather. I've been looking for ways to add a light and airiness to this combo, because we've been pairing it with dark woods, and lots of ethnic touches, which can make it all seem very heavy. The lovely thing about John Robshaw Textiles is that they are ethnic, which I love, and block-printed with the daintiest designs. Can't you image a beautiful spring breeze blowing through the room?

1. Twine Light Indigo  2. Alahambre Coral  3. Algiers Lotus 4. Petra Cobalt
All block-printed by hand on linen by John Robshaw Textiles

I fully encourage you to read more about John's story, because he has traveled so many places and learned the various techniques you see in his shop. His description of block-printing is an obvious reflection of his passion for this art form:

"It's so simple and natural. You touch a woodblock to wet clay and then to the fabric. After the clay dries, you dip the cloth into the indigo vat and the clay stays on. One dip gives the fabric a sky-blue color, two dips and it deepens to cobalt, three dips and its a saturated midnight blue. Then the fabric is laid out to dry in the sun and later the clay is washed off. The dyer says the indigo vats are like a mistress because they need constant attention. I was completely fascinated by the dyeing and printing processes, as well as how the finished product is used. Textiles become intimate companions in daily life, whether as a pillow, bedcover or sarong." 

In addition to his block-printing, John Robshaw sells a collection of found objects, furniture, blankets, and pillows named "Souk". I absolutely adore this blanket, which is made from vintage fabrics collected from around the world.

Patched Coral Blanket & Euro by John Robshaw Textiles

It gets me in the mood to make some quilts of my own!

Creative Candy: Takashi Iwasaki

Takashi Iwasaki's playful embroidered art speaks of a fantastic private world that is bright and beautiful.

Mogmogkukan by Takashi Iwasaki, 2011

I love his statement, which explains that these worlds he creates are actually quite personal:

"Most of my recent works (after 2009) are either visual recording of my daily life or visualization of my imaginary worlds or landscapes that no one would see unless otherwise depicted; whereas my earlier works have been mostly focused on their formal qualities.

Those recent works may appear to be abstract on the surface, however, most shapes and colors have meanings and origins that are very significant to me in the way I feel them, therefore they are very representational and are reflection of my state of mind.

Things that I feel are never the same in the next moment because I keep changing. Capturing moments and sharing my visions with others have been my recent obsession and pleasure."

Pkapkatogeshakin by Takashi Iwasaki, 2011

Shishitata by Takashi Iwasaki, 2010

Poetry by Takashi Iwasaki, 2011

Check out his full portfolio here, which includes more embroidery, paintings, sculptures, prints, and what he calls "abbies"--his nickname for abstract drawings.

Art Basel 2011

Hi creatives! Did you have a wonderful weekend? I spent mine visiting Art Basel, a huge art festival that takes Miami Beach by storm each year. Art Basel consists of "more than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa...showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries." It's an overwhelming and incredible experience, and this was the third year I was lucky enough to go.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Untitled by Barry McGee, 2011, paint on panel in 20 parts, Cheim & Reid Gallery

2. Girl, Girl on a Globe by Yinka Shonibare, 2009, dutch wax printed cotton textile and globe, James Cohan Gallery

3. Empty Voices by Octavio Schipper, 2011, acoustic foam and cast bronze shapes, Anita Schwartz Gallery

4. Seal Box by Alan Shields, 1984-85, watercolor, thread on handmade paper, Greenberg Van Doren Gallery

I was so excited to finally see a piece by Yinka Shonibare. I've been a major fan for years. There were so many others that they all sort of blur together. I am hoping at some point this subterfuge in my head will steady and stop, and then I can sift through all I saw and show you more. This year was truly fantastic!

Creative Candy: Rosemary Milner

It's time to get a little romantic for a moment and talk about Rosemary Milner's beautiful embroidery, fabric, and wallpaper. Rosemary is an English printed textile designer, recently graduated with honors from the Leeds College of Art. You can visit her website to learn more about her approach.

Her embroidery takes me away to some windblown field in Victorian summer. But somehow her patterns have an updated feel that keeps them fresh and current. I love how she embroiders on vintage items, like doilies and handkerchiefs.

And her textile and wallpaper designs are just as amazing:

I am having a serious crush moment right now....sigh.

Creative Candy: Crochet Coral Reefs

I had to take a quick moment to feature the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef: a project started by twin sisters Christine and Margaret Wertheim. Not only have they crocheted their own coral reef that travels the globe, but they've inspired several satellite projects in various communities.

Link: Cal Arts, photograph by Dagnija Griezne of the Latvian Coral Reef

I first discovered the project in the July issue of Australian Vogue Living, where they were highlighting a community of people at RiAus in Adelaide, that had done just that.

Link: Institute for Figuring, Latvian Coral Reef

The sisters are co-founders of the Institute for Figuring, and their project began, as they would put it, "as an experiment in modeling hyperbolic mathematical space." How could you not love that?

Link: Cal Arts, photograph of Hyperbolic Coral Reef at the Smithsonian Institute

See the terrific video on TED to hear straight from the source this terrific idea that has become a global phenomenon.

To my fellow readers in the United States, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Creative Candy: Gabriel Dawe

What looks like enchanting, rainbow-colored mist is really enchanting, rainbow-colored thread! Check out My Modern Met for an interview with the artist. You can see more of his awesome work on his website.

plexus no. 4 by Gabriel Dawe, 2010

plexus no. 4 by Gabriel Dawe, 2010

plexus no. 3 by Gabriel Dawe, 2010

plexus no. 3 by Gabriel Dawe, 2010

plexus no. 5 by Gabriel Dawe, 2011

plexus no. 9 by Gabriel Dawe, 2011

Creative Candy: Richard Saja

Happy Friday, Creatives! Today's creative candy is about Richard Saja, whose work I just saw featured in November's Elle Decor Magazine. 

I would describe Richard Saja's work as "thread graffiti": and I mean that in the best possible way. Saja stitches fantastic mohawks, clown faces, and burning homes over the angelic face of the picnicking bourgeoisie on classic french toile de Juoy. I've always loved the artist who can re-imagine a classic. Mr. X Stitch (so on the ball) interviewed him in 2010, and you can read that interview here. You can also follow Richard Saja's work on his blog, Historically Innacurate. Prepare to use the word "fabulous" a lot.

I am most impressed with his glow-in-the-dark projects and they have an interesting connection to his childhood: 

"My grandfather and I used to put together monster kits that came with two sets of faces, hands, and feet--one gray, the other glow-in-the-dark. The thread gives me my color fix, even when the lights go out."

And did I mention he paired with Opening Ceremony last year to create these limited editioin toile Keds?

My mind has been thoroughly delighted. Have a terrific weekend!

Creative Candy: Devorah Sperber

One of my aims with Don't Sew Angry is to highlight artists who are utilizing embroidery, yarn crafts, and needlework to create exceptional and intriguing pieces of modern art. I was stunned by these works by Devorah Sperber, who uses the actual spools of thread as her palette to recreate famous works of  art. She treats the spools as pixels. My favorite part might just be the "viewing ball", which accounts for why the images are installed upside down.

Before Warhol by Devorah Sperber, 701 spools of thread, 2010

After the Mona Lisa 8 by Devorah Sperber, 1482 larger spools of thread, 2010 

Sperber explains in her artist's statement:

"I am interested in the link between art, science, and technology, how the eyes and brain prioritize, and reality as a subjective experience vs. an absolute truth. As a visual artist, I cannot think of a topic more stimulating and yet so basic, than the act of seeing--how the human brain makes sense of the visual world...

After The Last Supper by Devorah Sperber, 20,736 spools of thread, 2007

When the top (or brain) is convinced it knows what it is seeing (in this case, initially fixating on what appears to be a random arrangement of thread spools), the bottom level of data (the recognizable portrait) is overruled. This may explain why my use of thread spools create such a jolt or 'WOW" experience when the viewer finally sees the representation imagery in the viewing sphere, as the brain abruptly shifts focus from the individual spools to the whole recognizable image."

After The Last Supper by Devorah Sperber, 20,736 spools of thread, 2007

I particularly love how she places the acrylic viewing balls on the eyes of her portraits, which makes them look like they are viewing you just as much as you are viewing them.

After Renoir by Devorah Sperber, 5,024 spools of thread, 2006

After van Eyck by Devorah Sperber, 5,024 spools of thread, 2006

After Vermeer 2 by Devorah Sperber, 5,024 spools of thread, 2006

viewing spheres from the eye-centered series