To mark the festival of red polyester lace and disappointment that is Valentine’s Day, here is ‘Love Poem’ by American poet John Frederick Nims – not only beautiful but a useful hint about the sort of things women actually want to hear… My clumsiest dear, whose hands shipwreck vases, At whose quick touch all glasses chip and ring, Whose palms are bulls in china, burs in linen, And have
A stitch in time saves on the vet’s bills with Knit Your Own Dog, created by expert knitters and dog-lovers Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne. First there was a book Best in Show: Knit Your Own Dog with knitting patterns for 25 different breed of dogs then followed the website selling individual patterns and a best in show competition featuring customers’ best efforts. You can also mix and match, knitting your
There may be no such thing as a free lunch but if you mention ‘Avocado Sweet’ at The Harbour Cafe Tayport this weekend, you can claim a free coffee or tea on us! The Harbour Cafe is a delightful little place serving homemade soup, sandwiches and cakes – all most welcome after a bracing walk on the vast, windswept expanse of nearby Tentsmuir Beach. The Cafe, which overlooks Tayport Harbour,
Aged 82, Yayoi Kusama’s largest UK exhibition of her work opens today, 9 February at Tate Modern, London. Earlier this year she also announced a design collaboration with Louis Vuitton. At the start of her ninth decade her profile in the west may be about to equal her position as Japan’s most prominent contemporary artist. To the public, her art looks fun, and it is, but the work is very much a
One of Switzerland’s most celebrated product and furniture designers has his first solo show in London. The work of Nicolas Le Moigne, which has been described as ‘artisanal yet industrial, sophisticated yet without guile’ can be seen at The Libby Sellers Gallery from today. One of Le Moigne’s most noted pieces is a public clock which spells out the time in words. It was made for the city of Geneva
One of the many ironies that marked architect Isi Metzstein’s life is that the self-described ‘lapsed atheist’ was known for his series of bold and inventive churches. Metzstein died in Glasgow on 10 January 2012 at the age of 83. The Roman Catholic hierarchy believed the architect of the Scottish churches to be Coia, of Gillespie, Coia & Kidd. The designing was in fact carried out by Metzstein, a Jewish refugee
For those of us afflicted with praise dependency here are some long overdue ‘ribbons for adult accomplishments’ from artist, Brittany Powell. First Place: Setting the Clock on the Microwave Champion: Refraining from Using Your Cell Phone While Driving Champion: Finishing this Month’s Book Club Book First place: Toilet Aim Champion: Tupperware Drawer Organizer Best: Cat-Bathing Skills Champion: Afghan Knitter Champion: Refraining from Using Sarcasm on the Customers First Place: Fastest
A relatively unsung female designer was a significant influence on the breezy, mid century style for which California is known. Greta Magnusson Grossman emigrated to America from her native Sweden (where she was already a prolific industrial designer and architect) in 1940. She arrived claiming that all she needed in her new LA home was a ‘a car and a pair of shorts’. The unique approach she brought with her
Mid-century design laced with sunshine and optimism plus Modernism and rat-pack glamour. Where else but southern California? A new exhibition, California Design: 1930-1965, is at LACMA and includes a full recreation of Charles and Ray Eames Pacific Pallisades Interior (below) and the ever popular Airstream caravan. It has been praised by the LA Times for its detail and inclusion of lesser known artists as well as the usual suspects. A
Artist Brittany Powell has created sandwich art as one of her ‘low-commitment projects – making stuff happen with little time and energy.’ Powell, who is based in Oregon, and fellow artist Tae Kitakata, who lives in Hawaii, are taking it in turns to post a low commitment project every Monday throughout 2012. From Mondrian (above) to Damian Hirst below modern art lends itself perfectly to the sandwich medium: Canaletto might