Pia Wüstenberg

Pia Wüstenberg is well known for her mixed-material Stacking Vessels, combining blown glass, ceramic, turned wood and metal. They come in lots of different variations, all with wonderful bloated forms and are a brilliant exercise in mixing different craft skills. Pia recently introduced a new evolution of the Stacking Vessel called Branch Bowls, which pairs a hand-blown glass bowl with a lid formed from a tree branch. There is a great video filmed by James Maiki called A Tale of Two Halves which gives a glimpse into how they are made.  The film shows the mesmerising process of the two separate pieces being made and fitted together and highlights the craftsmanship that goes into making the work. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the video, although I confess that I love glass blowing and could happily watch it all day. I interviewed Pia for a book project recently and thought I would include some extracts from the interview here. We were discussing her work and inspirations...

How did you get involved in design? I studied a Foundation in Glass, Metal and Ceramic Design at SIAD in Farnham and a BA in Furniture Design and Craftsmanship at Bucks New University. I chose Furniture Design as I believe it is a versatile product requiring the most technical and material knowledge. Later I studied in London on the MA Design Products course at the Royal College of Arts. I set up my own studio following graduation. How would you describe your style? It is all about contrast. Everything I do is mixed-media, and the process and materiality of each media supports the other. All my work is handmade. I use traditional craft skills and traditional raw materials, such as wood, ceramic, glass and paper. The resulting objects contain the stories of their making and the traces of the materials origin. This makes them objects of desire. What materials and techniques do you use? I work with very raw and pure materials such as glass, ceramic, copper, wood and paper. These are processed using traditional craft techniques. Are there any particular designer/artists/things that inspire you? I really respect the work and philosophy of Kaj Franck and Jurgen Bey. I get inspiration from many things I see, it just depends on the mind frame I am in. What are you working on at the moment and what do you hope to work on in the future? At the moment, I am working on a collection of glass jewellery to hold scent. In the future, I hope to work more with glass, to challenge its application and the ways in which we normally find it used. Have you noticed any particular trends in design lately? I have noticed my friends investing in objects for life, rather than going for cheap, quick solutions. What materials or techniques do you think we'll be seeing more of in the future? I believe there will be a return to pure materials and traditional skills. Mainly because I think we want fewer things, and for the things we do want , we have to be considered and durable. What is your favourite piece of design by another designer? The sewing needle, paperclip, can opener, fork and scissors. There are so many simple, clever things that do not have a shining name or famous designer behind them, and they are the most durable designs that we live with. These are the designs that move something in me, that challenge me to think, innovate and feel desire for objects.

Thank you Pia! www.utopiaandutility.eu

Chimney Pots

A nice clay chimney pot can be a beautiful thing so I was pleased to discover these new ones by Studio Wieki Somers. The pots are the crowning glory on a new housing development in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands and in keeping with the architect’s reinterpretation of English Tudor style, the designers have created a range of chimney pots, all enhancing the identity of the new neighbourhood.

The inspiration came from the tall, richly decorated chimney pots characteristic of traditional English Tudor architecture, echoed in the way that farmers stacked peat around the Haarlemmermeer lake in the sixteenth century. The studio developed a modular system by stacking several elements in various combinations to produce different compositions. It is a kind of Lego with infinite possibilities. The details of the chimneys are actually made from polyester concrete instead of clay and this contemporary and durable material allows sections to be ground open, revealing the underlying structure. At the housing development, each of the residents can choose their own chimney pot from a family of five different designs, offering them a unique way of personalising their home.

Studio Visit: Rose Choules

Rose Choules creates the most beautiful handmade moccasins from her studio in North Cornwall. I visited recently to explore the space and to find out more about her work. For Rose the power of art and craft is life changing; she is that rare artisan who has dedicated herself to a hand-made life and who describes her work as the transference of love from one human who makes an item, to another who wears it. "For me this is the spice of life" she says, "and what I dedicate my everyday to." Rose designs two collections of moccasins a year and each pair are made to order in her workshop. My favourites are the mixed suede and leather fringed ankle boots for autumn/winter 13 and the cute mini children's versions. Rose also teaches moccasin making workshops, in London and at her studio - something that I would love to have a go at! She is currently running a number of unique workshops in Saskatoon, Canada, as part of the newly formed Young Artisans Co-operative. The aim of these special workshops is to help find a way in which craft can be used to alleviate poverty. To see more of Rose's inspiring work, please visit her new website.

Herriott Grace

Herriott Grace sell beautiful handmade wooden objects, porcelain tableware, kitchen linens and accessories. They are a father and daughter team and I love the unlikely story of how they began working together. Nikole and Lance both live in Canada 3400 kilometers apart: his workshop is in Victoria, British Columbia, while her studio is in Toronto, Ontario. When Nikole first made her home more than halfway across the country from her father, they started to send packages to each other. In some of the packages, Lance included his own hand carved spoons. Nikole loved them and knew they were special. One day she thought that others might appreciate her father’s work, so she asked if he would ever want to share his pieces. He took a while to think about it and after some convincing, agreed to her plan, "but only with people that understood and cared about the time and effort spent on each piece." She told him, “Leave it to me, I know just the sort.” And with that, Herriott Grace was born.

www.herriottgrace.com