Pattern Pulp

Art: Wave Interpretations




waves

Reinterpretations of the wave are the norm every summer season, so in honor of the weather, we’re highlighting four artists and their unique approach to the surf.  Caitlin Hinshelwood, a textile designer and illustrator from the UK, explores nautical themes ranging from anchors and Hokusai-like waves to sea urchins and starfish in her 2D gouache creations. Riding a massive wave of foam (and irony), our hairy meets hip favorite, Alexandra Cassaniti, introduces her summer catalog, Summer Bummer, with a colossal, hovering, tooth-like swell.  Moving into the literary corner, Tamara Shopsin, a frequent illustrator for The New York Times, communicates political content using a googly-eyed shark fin in her effort to convey the art of political distraction. Using a similar blue and white palette, Geoff McFetridge expresses surf etiquette with his marker drawing, Your Wave, My Wave.

July 2, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Quick Links: Weekly Notables




6-26wrapup1

1. Interview with illustrator Andy Smith, via Shiny Squirrel

2. Life sized camera obscura as wallpaper, via Design Boom

3. Ryz and COLOURlovers patterned shoe design contest, via Colour Lovers

6-26wrapup2

4. Moroso’s M’Afrique collection and other african/african inspired designs, via Yatzer

5. Furni’s artist enhanced clocks, via If It’s Hip It’s Here

6. Wonderful blackboard style packaging of Kaffe coffee shop, via The Die Line

6-26wrapup3

7. Modular light wall tiles give a stained glass effect to your work, via Yanko Design

8. Not your typical boutonnieres, via Design*Sponge

9. Interview with Phil Dunne, via Abduzeedo

6-26wrapup4

10. Some amazing street art up for auction at Paris’ Art Curial, via Arrested Motion

11. A collaboration between Missoni and Converse, via WWD

12. Beautiful modern prints and patterns from Cristina Londoño’s Wallnut
Studio, via Print Pattern

By: Emily Gup

June 28, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Framing the Conversation




Frame art has gotten a lot of airtime over the past few years.  From global recognition in the fashion world (see Tokyo streets and London runway), to providing a polished edge in home decorating, the familiar gilded border is experiencing a welcome role reversal.

A recent New York Times discussion of the Met’s current exhibition, The Pictures Generation (1974-1984), recognizes that Allan McCollum’s installation, Collection of Forty Plaster Surrogates, heightens a viewer’s awareness simply by highlighting the unexpected.  “McCollum’s works were not presented as decorative accessories or social commentary but as physical signs of the mechanical drives of existence—of repetitious behaviour and patterns of market-based relationships.”

Drawing inspiration from this trend, Lisa Rengtsson, a young designer from Sweden, has created wallpaper designed to frame personal moments and details from everyday life.  Entitled, Familjen,this pattern provides the structure for artsy types to create their own visual diaries.

Furthering the concept of the visual diary, this examination wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of Todd Selby, the extraordinary photographer and illustrator behind the website, The Selby.  On a weekly basis, Selby profiles interesting people within their own creative spaces.  This photo, for example, highlights Francois Curiel, the European Chairman at Christie’s Auction House.

Additional contributions by: Nicoletta Granati and Jennifer Machiavera

June 22, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Quick Links: Weekly Notables




6-19wrapup1

1. Stunning nautilus home by Javier Senosiain, via Inhabitat.

2. Wendy Plomp’s “Message in a box” cardboard carpet at the 400 years later – cite goes dutch exhibition, via Design Boom.

3. Brokenfab’s intricate beaded geometric patterned jewelry, via The Pipeline.

6-19wrapup2

4. Lizzy House’s latest fabric collection, Red Letter Day, has adorable color combinations and whimsical geometrics, via PrintPattern.

5. Beautiful and compelling info graphics, via Abduzeedo.

6. Stephen Meisel is an inspiration and a puzzle, via Pattern People.

6-19wrapup3

7. Nooka’s Summer ’09 collection uses bold graphics inspired by triangles, via High Snobiety.

8. Watch as Invader creates one of his trademark mosaics out of Rubick’s Cubes, also known as Rubickubism, via Moco Loco.

9. Love the bold packaging of Bold City Brewery, via The Dieline.

6-19wrapup4

10. Wonderful wallpapers from Intrade, a Swedish wallpaper supply company, via Decor8.

11. Wearable gifts for hip dads, including some interesting renditions of the typical necktie, via If its Hip it’s Here.

12. Beautiful paper cut maps by Famille Summerbelle, via Joanna Goddard.

By: Emily Gup

June 19, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Diamonds are Forever Changing




Apparently, diamonds don’t have to sparkle in order to shine. Diamond contours are surfacing everywhere. We first noticed interesting uses of the infamous pyramid on the streets of Paris back in November and have continued to spot creative variations across the Atlantic.  From Mike Perry’s vector repeat to this Parisian jewelery display to this remarkable 3D installation by Kirsten Hassenfeld, all of these interpretations glorify the geometric intricacies of the world’s most famous carbon.

While shopping in the trendy Palermo Hollywood district of Buenos Aires (yes, it’s named after Hollywood, California), we sensed this trend emerging on the tails of ArteBA. The graffiti-culture shop, Sixfeet, is covered in diamonds, most notably on the back wall, which is strategically complimented by several colorful diamond hoodies for sale on the floor.  Back in Boston, the creative geniuses at AdamnCompany designed this abstract illustration, replacing stars with sparkling diamonds.  Focusing solely on angle and color, Susann Johansen’s color prisms celebrate light and repetition.

This watercolor repeat by Eika Dopludo is a beautiful departure from it’s angular counterparts, while this metallic Moschino display in New York’s meatpacking district currently presents a mirrored platform for their summer shoe collection.  Moving into the realm of online retail, we quickly discovered this trend’s reach on etsy.com. The artist, lanydevening, creates small heart-shaped wooden wall hangings covered in a similar diamond motif. The heart paired with vibrant diamonds is a fresh take on an otherwise clichéd romantic combination.

BA coverage by: Rebecca Silver

June 18, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Greg Hopkins: Painstaking A-Peel




hopkinssmall

Greg Hopkins’ work is tediously created layer by layer with the use of masking tape and an exacto blade.  For each color layer, he covers the canvas, then cuts out the major details by hand, peeling away specific areas in an effort to expose a colorful design. Hopkins’ technique provides a level of unpredictability and reminds us of Poster Boy’s subway art.  While Hopkin’s work certainly has a DIY vibe, it’s subject matter is fairly traditional.  It almost appears as if the artist himself has gone into an old house, taken a knife to outdated wallpaper, and revealed decades of interior design. Each piece is as interesting as it is beautiful, and celebrates the tear, rearrange, and reveal concept.  We could easily see the integration of this technique in bedding, wallpaper and packaging design.

Coverage by: Emily Gup

June 17, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Tracking Repetitive + Awesome.
On Instagram.