Melodies in WOOD

 by Divya Agrawal

Artists forge a deep bond with the materials they work with. These materials often inspire and shape their Art. 

For Greg Klassen, today's featured artist, wood is the chosen medium. Using reclaimed wood, Greg creates furniture that can be called a 'labor of love'.

 

 

The "River Collection" featuring tables with hand cut glass was my first introduction to this very imaginative, in love with nature, artist's work. And I haven't stopped looking at these meandering water bodies since.. 

What can be more beautiful than incorporating discarded natural materials to create functional and highly aesthetic objects? 

All the wood used to make furniture is sourced from within a 30-mile radius of Greg's studio in Lynden, Washington. Working on one piece at a time, he works with a combination of hand and machine techniques to smooth, mold and polish slabs of wood. Natural disruptions in the wood surface are bridged with blue color hand cut glass.

"My inspiration comes from the beautiful Pacific Northwest and the trees that grow here. No two trees are the same just as no two pieces are that I make from them....

It’s important to me that the “fingerprints” of the craftsman are on each piece I make. I try to marry the natural beauty of the wood with the skilled craftsmanship of the maker. When the two come together, a piece can really sing!" Greg Klassen

The natural edges, grain and rings in the wood, all remind one of the beauty in Nature, and, it's enormity... I will forever cherish the moment I stood next to a section of a redwood trunk, taller than me, at the Ontario Science Centre in Canada. Trying to count the number of rings on that piece of nature I felt so humbled, and, young ;)

With the natural features of wood visible, each piece created by Greg Klassen is as unique as the tree that the wood came from.

The plain wood tables and other items are equally stunning for their design and detailing, and, of course the look.

"...My pieces are handmade, in the truest sense of the word.  I make one piece at a time and give it my full attention, starting with a tree and ending up with functional art.  I love the idea of taking a discarded tree and giving it new life.  I think the natural world is beautiful, and I love what I do."  

I love the idea of having 'rivers in wood' up on a wall (as above - sculpture). The chopping board and note block below are also noteworthy for their raw simplicity.

Greg Klassen's work is evocative and simple, yet grand, for it celebrates Nature the way it is.  

A pointer to acknowledge and treasure the beauty surrounding us and to minimize and reuse!

All images: Copyright Greg Klassen

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

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D E S I G N S  D I A L O G U E S - II

NEHA RAMAIYA, YELLOW SPIDERS

in conversation with Hina Nitesh

'Art is a unearthing of nature into beautiful forms which are suitable for our use.'

So believes Neha Ramaiya, the lady we are in conversation today. A graduate of JJ School of Art, Neha wears many hats- she is a trained potter, dabbles in an art form known as zentangles and is the founder of Yellow Spiders Tangle Club. OTDB got talking to her and here are the excerpts...

On the pottery

While I was studying at the JJ School of Art, I had to choose between painting and pottery. I chose pottery as it is 3 dimensional art form unlike painting. Its fun to do and I have been dabbling in it since the last 15 years. I didn’t even realize when it transformed from a passion to a fully fledged career.

About Zentangles

Zentangles, comes from the Buddhist Zen philosophy. It is a structured form of doodles based on intuition and, when practiced, creates a meditative state. It’s simple and only requires a black pen and paper; you can do it just about anywhere. Anybody can do it and there is no artistic background or technology needed. 

One can complete a plate or mug in 15 or 20 minutes. Although there is a structure, there is no right or wrong way to do Zentangles and anybody with creativity can do it. At a philosophical level, it clears the cobwebs in the mind and helps you to connect with the inner artist.

Combining pottery and Zentangles

All these years while I was doing pottery, I was clueless about Zentangles. Maybe I was subconsciously applying it in my pottery. It must have been deep rooted in me somewhere and expressed itself in my pottery. Now that I am aware about the art, I love it and am passionate about it. 

Creativity has many positive benefits and Zentangles has helped me

make peace with my inner self. It has taught me to slow down and savor every moment —after all, the present moment is all there is.

On the evolution of an idea

I am inspired by nature; the texture of leaves fascinate me and I unconsciously incorporate such elements in my work. I do not plan or have anything in mind while starting a piece. I just start with one stroke and it evolves. Of course it is in my subconscious and as and when I create it takes shape ergonomically and technically. 

I work on instinct and the end product unfolds only when it’s done. You just stat tangling and see where it leads. The process has no expected outcome other than the enjoyment of putting the pen to paper and waiting for the end result. 

About Yellow Spiders

YellowSpiders is my baby; it is very close to my heart. I started it with one student and ended up teaching so many. I want to help others develop their skill sets so that they can enjoy their art like I do. Each student has his or her story and I have learnt a lot about life from them. It is a creative give and take which is very rewarding. I just want to reach out to as many people as possible and hope to enrich their lives.

On what inspires her

Inspiration is everywhere around us. I love nature and I often use the fluid shapes of flowers/ leaves in my work. Nature has played a significant role in my creative expression. The art we create from nature’s inspiration becomes a part of our personal and cultural identity. But I find my deepest well of inspiration simply in the process of creating something out of nothing. 

On design in India

When I think about good design, I think about functionality and the ability for someone who has never seen the finished item before to ascertain the information he or she needs quickly. Great design adds beauty and style to that functionality. Having an outdated look or one that doesn't match what you're trying to make can definitely hurt the end result, but having poor functionality, especially in an age where we have at least 2-3 other options for a service, can destroy a design. Design has to be simple and at the same time innovative. 

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

Images copyright: Neha Ramaiya, YellowSpiders

Snippet * 23    " Maps, Below the Boat "

By Divya Agrawal

One look and these minutely detailed wood cut charts reminded me of the similarly detailed contour maps we use for architectural projects. The only difference being that these are bathymetric* charts, laser cut in birch, hand colored and glued to create 3-D pieces ready to adorn a wall. 

These "Below the Boat" maps are simply stunning. The detail lover in me couldn't help but sigh longingly at each beauty on their website.

Straits of Mackinac

"...The point of art is to reveal something or excite some sort of emotion or wonder. So this art basically peels back the water and allows you to see the under appreciated world beneath the surface." Robbie Johnson, Below the Boat  via tested.com

Left: Miami;  Right: Manhattan

* Bathymetry - Underwater equivalent of topography

 All images: Below the Boat

Snippet * 22    " K i t e   P l a n e s "

By Divya Agrawal

 

Image : Saatchi Art Gallery

A part of Saatchi Art Gallery's exhibition 'Paper', this is an installation by  Marcelo Jacome - architect, urban planner and painter. 

Titled 'Planos-pipas n17', this lively and colorful work of art flows across space, twisting, bending and flying, using the light weight material to its advantage.

Image: Saatchi Art Gallery

S T O R I E S   i n   T E X T I L E
 by Divya Agrawal

Intense, evocative, symbolic are a few expressions that aptly describe the work of the textile artists we are featuring today : Maria Eugenia Davila & Eduardo Portillo, and, Anne Woringer.

 Some textiles are story tellers. They carry stories of the hands that made them, of cultures and places. 

Historically, all the great civilizations have had rich textile traditions. Cotton, linen, wool and varieties created using papyrus, reed etc go far back to the ancient period.  Indigo dyeing, Batik, Block print and other surface techniques have added a rich palette of color and pattern to plain fabric since long. 

In the contemporary world, textiles have been the base of experimentation for many artists. Our featured artists have pushed boundaries and created artworks on textiles that can be, at the least, be called stunning.

MARIA EUGENIA DAVILA & EDUARDO PORTILLO

 

Maria Eugenia Davila & Eduardo Portillo's textile art interprets their interest in people, cultures and environment. Merged with their interest in materials and processes, the duo express their experiences through weaves. 

The duo  live and work in Mérida, in the Venezuelan Andes. With titles like "the afternoon sun" and "dawn", these woven masterpieces transport one to the horizon, to be immersed in the beauty of a blazing summer afternoon or embrace the dark with a fading sky. 

A closer look at their work (below) reveals plant fiber interwoven with silk/ cotton. Indigo dyed yarn contrasts beautifully with gold. Note the different shades of blue that the duo have achieved in Indigo dye giving them a much wider palette of color to work with. 

 

"....We also work with local materials, such as cotton and alpaca from Peru and Bolivia, fiber from the moriche and chiqui-chique palm trees of the Orinoco River Delta and Amazon region, as well as dyes from the indigo plant. For us color is crucial. Our interest in color starts at its very foundations: how it is obtained, where it is found in nature, in objects, in people..."Maria Eugenia Davila & Eduardo Portillo

Images : Left: 'En la Noche'   , Right : 'Nubes'/Clouds, Bottom: Detail from 'Nocturno'

Their passion for their art has taken Maria & Eduardo to China to study sericulture when they decided to work with silk; to India and the Amazon, to discover Indigo. In Venezuela, they now cultivate their own silk and Indigo plants. What an interesting approach to Art, right from sourcing to weaving! And, a pioneering one - working with plant fibers and metal to give another dimension to fabric.

ANNE WORINGER

Anne Woringer also tells stories through her patchworks and embroideries. Some of her work is reminiscent of architectural maps - a medley of labyrinths and organic forms.

An amazing aspect of her art is Anne's ability to visualize complex end forms and work piece by piece towards creating them using fairly challenging techniques, like in the patchwork pieces below.  

These works simply reinforce my belief that the human mind is naturally gifted to push its boundaries, to explore further than what has already been...and that Art is a celebration of life!

All images: Courtesy the featured Artists

 

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

 

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Snippet * 21    W i n d o w   t o   m y  W o r l d  # 2

 By Divya Agrawal

A peek into my current work - a series of postcard drawings titled "Postcard Musings'

 More on view at: Divya's Art Diary

D E S I G N   D I A L O G U E S - I

We at OTDB have been featuring works of designers and entrepreneurs on our blog. To take this association a step further, we are starting a new column - 'Design Dialogues'. This is a platform through which we bring you up close and personal with Designers. 

Our aim is to introduce design ideologies, what shapes them and how they influence design thoughts. We also hope that such interactions will inspire the reader to give wings to dreams long forgotten...

J A P N E E T   K E I T H,  R E D  M U G

in conversation with Hina Nitesh

'Pottery is a LANGUAGE.

A language that you not only speak with the material but one you take yourself through a journey with. As you learn to be with clay there is a bit of magic in that interaction.'

So says Japneet Keith, the lady behind Chandigarh- based ceramic design studio, RED MUG. I stumbled upon her accidentally while researching for the blog. Trained as an industrial designer at National Institute of Design, she took her love for ceramic and glass to the next level by setting by RED MUG. Lets get to know her, her studio and her works...

On becoming a potter

During my graduation days I was a student of sculpture. Ceramic and glass were my specialization materials at NID. I always had a vision to have my own studio. After working with ADIPA, Pune  I knew for sure I had to be back in Chandigarh and have a set up there.

Being on your own brings with it a certain set of challenges; the prime one being sustenance. I started as a glass designer. It was around 2007 that the market was being stocked with Chinese glass platters which were being sold for as less as Rs 200. I had no way to sustain the studio and thus ceramics gradually entered into my working. 

It is not only pottery that attracted me it was the joy to work with ceramics. The material is much more technical and challenging especially while one is trying to establish a studio. So while I worked with ceramics doing tiles… I gifted myself a pottery wheel from the money I earned from a workshop. And soon I was building my studio in bits and pieces from income generated through the work I did at the studio. 

“Customise” for the joy/need of others/clients  was always my intention. With people asking what they desired the gradual inflow of people to learn pottery increased. That’s how I realized my passion with clay.

On working with clay

Not only while I work on the pottery wheel but the moment I start kneading clay I know what is the inert desire of the material. Sometimes its slab work and sometimes its coiling. When my hearts  had had enough of imprints on clay I switch to the pottery wheel which helps me make bowls to jars to utility ware - customizing some of my thoughts.

Pottery is a language that builds within you a certain connection. And perhaps I have been unfolding its essence while designing, creating, throwing, glazing, doing the kilns and finally placing a product that someone finds a connection to.

On setting up RED MUG

RED MUG  came about being in 2012 when my husband asked me to create a brand name. I started the studio in 2007 after NID, but I worked as an independent designer- perhaps the all in one employee. As an industrial designer I always believed in team work. The inter-dependence among a team is something that I value the most. RED MUG came into being as a space where each one prospers, where the passion for design and material is not only through me but is a connection through various resources pooled in together. 

My studio is open to people from any field or any part of the world who shares the same passion for clay. Recently I had Gary Hambleton from W.Australia for almost 4 months who did some amazing porcelain products at the studio. RED MUG is an extension of my feelings to share and nurture in a very conscious manner.

On the design process

There is a thought and that thought is put through numerous visualization. Some are rendered in my mind and some are rendered while I sketch or do my doodles. I am also reminded of what my faculty at NID. Ms Neelima Hasija used to say. As any student I was struggling through the transition from an artist to a designer. She said, “ Today this design process feels like a task…. tomorrow it will be a part of you and your design thinking. Go watch a movie or have a tea and then get back to writing the design brief” 

So while I work with clay I do let the material do its own creative work with my fingers but at the same time the Being in me is in constant conversation to achieve that refined form that my senses appreciate and my client needs.

On what inspires her

The earth inspires me the most. My connection to – The Earth. And through that it comes to the various textures I find in my environment. From the deep veins on a frangipani leaf to the form of lotus.

My latest work  Dhvani is art through a narrative where the artist and the observer are bound together within the magic of a story. When we set out to create a new kind of art which captures the vibrancy of India, we turned to the most elemental substance, terracotta- the sacred mud formed from all five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether. 

In Dhvani, we wanted to arrest motion, which is life itself, and hold it so fixed that later when you, the observer, look at it, it starts moving again since it’s life. And out of this sacred mud, emerges the lotus. It has a vibrant core that opens up when connected. You have to be silent and listen closely to hear the sound of this ghungroo as the beauty here is entwined with a story. It’s silence is more musical than any song. Listen with your soul.

On balancing functionality and creativity

When a product at studio Red Mug is designed as a customised object it finds its own set of rules. For some it’s the bowl/ tea cup for everyday use with functionality and for some it’s the attraction for the glazes/ textures to go for tiles or wall pieces for being creative artifacts in their spaces.

For me the happiness and balance is when one finds the product from our studio shelves as to  what they have been looking for.

Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat   

Images copyright: Japneet Keith, RedMug

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