Hello

I have been rather absent from this site for a while. It’s hard to squeeze these things in, in between looking after two young children and relocating from one city to another, amongst other things. I’m hoping soon things will normalise and I can once again redirect my focus towards other interests!

As our lives get organized, my daughter is attending a very nice art camp this week at LUX, down the road from where we’re staying. I was very happy to discover this rather unique place. She’s doing the printmaking workshop. When I pick her up I get itchy fingers looking at all the lovely pieces they’ve been working on. So much fun!

How to build a city.

I love this work by at swim-two-birds. Collage made from paper trash, then embroidered. Beautiful.

Tokyo Project 11

Tokyo Project 08

Tokyo Project 07

Tokyo Project 06

Edwina Hörl

Edwina Hörl.

Tokyo Project 04

Tokyo Project 01

Today I begin posting a series of photographs taken during my time living in Tokyo between 2001-2007.

As I walked around the city I was endlessly inspired by the many day-to-day things I encountered. I don’t find I have the same experience living in Los Angeles. That’s somewhat due to the driving culture here (I no longer walk from place to place) but of course predominantly it comes down to the difference in society.

The things I found and shot in Tokyo were not what one would immediately think of being ‘typically Japanese’, however there is a certain underlying subtlety and aesthetic in the functional that I have yet to discover here in L.A.. When I first arrived in Tokyo I became paralyzed by the abundance of visual stimulation. After a while though, I couldn’t stop taking photos! A few years later, I was seeing on a different level again, and the subjects I photographed were a little less usual.

With a desire to rediscover my observations once again, here begins ‘Tokyo Project’.

Osborn Shoes

Osborn Shoes – designed in Brooklyn by Carla Venticinque-Osborn & Aaron Osborn, these very unique shoes are handcrafted by artisans in Guatemala City. The fun and beautiful fabrics range from hand blocked Kente cotton fabric, to thick woven cotton from India and almost certainly some Guatemalan fabrics in there too. Wow.

Everything is everything.

Sometime social networking really pays off. A friend posted this film by Koki Tanaka today – ‘Everything is Everything’.

It’s that everyday aesthetic that I find so exciting – the mundanity, simplicity and colours make me smile.

Kaleidoscope

Stripes

Eclat

Eclat was designed by weaver and printmaker Anni Albers. She originally designed it in 1974 as a printed upholstery, but now Knoll Textiles has reintroduced the pattern as a woven textile named Eclat Weave, available from Knoll for $61 per yard.

I absolutely love this fabric and was so excited to spot it in Elle magazine. In fact I’m a big fan of Anni Albers work in general and aim to write another post about her very soon!

Stripes

Evening shadows

Tape from my tape drawer

Pattern Factory

The other day an exciting parcel arrived at my door – a copy of Pattern Factory (aka ‘Pattern Department‘ in Japan) by Ayako Terashima, published by Collins Design.

It’s a beautifully selected and put together book, showcasing patterns by contemporary artists and designers. I know Ayako has been working hard on this project for some time now. I’ve been waiting to see the results ever since she invited me to shoot the designer & director Mike Mills in his studio, for the book’s chapter on ‘Ideas, Process + Output’ back in February.

‘Pattern Factory is a colourful showcase of outstanding contemporary patterns by the worlds leading artists and designers, including Takeshi Murakami, Julian Opie, Keiichi Tanaami, Perks and Mini, So_Me, and many others. In addition to an archive of more than 150 vibrant and distinct patterns, this visually stunning volume includes exclusive interview pages – featuring Mike Mills, Eley Kishimoto, Lizzie Finn, Sousou and Fabrick/Medicom Toy – which unveil the artists’ working processes and sources of inspiration, along with photographs of their studios and factories.’

A refreshing collection of unexpected and unusual pattern designs; be ready for a lot of nice surprises in this book!

Salvia (‘Mori’ – detail)

Will Sweeny (‘Metal Storm’ – detail)

Peter Jensen (Illustration & Print design by Kathryn Dale – detail)

Lizzie Finn (featured in Chapter 2: Ideas, Process + Output)

Mike Mills (featured in Chapter 2: Ideas, Process + Output). Studio photography by Lucinda Newton-Dunn.

Fabrick’s screenprinting workshop (Kyoto)

Eley Kishimoto – A/W 2005

Plate by Lizzie Finn

Mosaic stickers

Waiting for action