BEAUTY: Paper Art--Cecilia Levy

Clever artist Cecilia Levy transforms old books and manuscripts into cute tea cups, tea sets, and bowls. Her approach is disciplined and the resulting pieces have a sort of minimalist flair. Magical...

Top to bottom: Band; Dear Jack; Longing, mocca set; Nothing is like expecting #5; Poesie; Red; Tea For Three; Tea For Two; Tea Party; Text Out

https://www.cecilialevy.com/

Kintsugi

Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese practice of repairing cracked or broken pottery and ceramics with lacquer mixed with powdered metals, most often gold. This method of repair most likely started in the mid 1400s and has become associated with the Japanese concepts of wabi-sabi (a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection) and mono no aware. Instead of destroying or decreasing the value of an item, the art of kintsugi highlights the unpredictable nature of existence and prompts us to find beauty in that which has stood the test of time. The fact that something is cracked makes it more valuable, more beautiful, more desirable.

BEAUTY: Art--Drew Mosley

For your spring awakening Easter pleasure, here are diorama works by Drew Mosley who uses second hand wooden bowls, trays, and vessels: he fills these with layers of resin, painting on each layer of acrylic his images of hares going about rather human-like activities. Then he adds actual greenery and found insects for a sense of natural verisimilitude. Each one evokes a sort of sweet, old-fashioned style of story telling for children, like Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.

http://drew-mosley.com/

BEAUTY: Ceramics--Brian Giniewski

These colorful drip vessels by Brian Giniewski are delightful. He starts with a gritty matte finish on his pieces and then layers on a colored slip meant to ooze and melt down the side when fired.

http://www.brianginiewski.com/

BEAUTY: Art--Drew Mosley

Canadian artist Drew Mosley recycles found wooden bowls into three dimensional art works using built up layers of resin, paint, and found flora and insects. Regular readers might recall that I love animal figures with human-like bodies and Mosley's owls and foxes being sweet and human-like (an owl cradling a baby fox!) are quite touching. Remember: all animals have a human form...and all humans have an animal form.

Top to bottom: The Egg Thief; Grey Owl; Owl and Fox Pup; Owl and Rabbit; Travelling Fox #1

http://drew-mosley.com/

Heath Ceramics

I went to Sausalito last week to visit my dear friend Sherry Page of Culinary Getaways and we took an impromptu field trip to the Heath Ceramics Studio, located right down by the water. I've loved Heath for years but had never had the opportunity to visit the factory and store until now.

Although there are other Heath locations, the Sausalito space is the original factory started in 1948 by Edith and Brian Heath. In the early 40s, Edith began making ceramics and despite the fact that she had no formal training (or perhaps because of it), she quickly made a name for herself. She had a one-woman exhibition at the San Francisco Legion of Honor in 1944 and a few years later, Heath Ceramics was established. Heath creations went on to adorn many Eichler, Neutra, and mid-century modern homes on tables (in the form of hand-crafted dinnerware), and on floors and walls (in the form of stunning dimensional tile). Edith's work led to advances in clay and glaze development, securing Heath a unique place in ceramic history, along with design awards including the Industrial Arts Award from the American Institute of Architects. Many of her original pieces are a part of the permanent collections of museums such as MOMA and LACMA. The factory itself was built in 1959, and was designed by the Heaths and Marquis and Stoller Architects.

In 2003, the company was bought by Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey and all of Heath’s products are still handcrafted by skilled artisans in small runs in the Bay Area. Edith and Brian Heath’s vision of "making good things for good people—the right way—" lives on.

In addition to serving platters and trays, Heath makes dinnerware of all kinds, including some very special collections, such as the Chez Panisse collection designed in collaboration with Alice Waters and made for the legendary Berkeley restaurant (which is ground zero for the modern foodie movement!).

They also produce clocks, house numbers, candle holders, and vases. But for me, as an interior designer, I am most interested in the specialty tiles they produce. The Sausalito location boasts an extensive tile design studio where you can see the many different colors and glazes they use in addition to the stunning shaped and raised tiles which can be used for many applications such as on fireplace breasts, and as kitchen back splashes or even bathroom walls!

Your blogmaster at the Heath Ceramic store and factory
Photo by Sherry Page

Visit the Heath website for more information about the history of the company, how they make their products, and information about visiting as well as tours of the Sausalito dinnerware factory or the San Francisco tile factory.
http://www.heathceramics.com/

BEAUTY: Ceramics--Brett Freund

Ceramicist Brett Freund makes imaginative bowls and vases that look like cartoon versions of crystals formations. I like how the shapes look like they are sketched with a charcoal pencil.

http://www.brettfreundportfolio.com/