ICFF 2011 - Part One

I try to go to ICFF every other year to see what is happening in the USA furniture market. Some years are better then others. This year was neither here nor there. The satellite venues, throughout NYC, have been gaining momentum over the past few years. More of the experimental pieces and installations are being shown at the satellite locations then at ICFF. This isn't a bad thing. It is now defining how designers want their work to be received. ICFF is geared toward the professional Interior Designer, Architect, and Manufacturer. When at ICFF, its about the business of furniture. ICFF also guarantees that a lot of people will see the work. The satellite locations have a smaller more personal feeling and allow the ability to have a more expressive display of design. The work isn't confined to a booth. The environment (store or gallery) becomes part of the whole experience of the work. I didn't have time to explore much of the satellite locations. I wish I could have stayed for several days to explore all the venues. There is so much to see during design week. I was able to go to the Matter opening last night, which was wonderful. I will post about it this week. Below is Part One of highlights from ICFF that I found to be interesting. I should mention that a lot of my photos came out kind of crappy. I'm willing to blame it on the convention center lighting and not me or my IPhone 4. In no particular order -

These pieces are called Candy Pods, by Iglooplay. The furniture line, designed by Lisa Albin, is geared towards children and sophisticated enough to be included in adult rooms. I love all the colors and the matte and shiny mixed together. The stools/pieces are really playful. I can see them in a lot of environments.

In a completely different take on stools, here is a set by Tucker Robbins, the notoriously zen designer. The texture of the weaving on the bases is really interesting. The color choice also works well with the tone of the wood.

Balanced Design is line of fabric, rugs, and pillows. The line is designed and made in the USA using organic fabric and wools. I am especially drawn to the bold patterns on the sofa.

I was excited to see Sandback had a booth. I used to represent them at a showroom I used to work at. Sandback is known for their concrete pieces, which come in a large variety of colors and are perfectly priced.

This new work, by Peter Sandback, is a departure from the concrete line. To follow a designer over the course of a career is really interesting. These pieces are more refined and the proportions are more mature and elegant. Keeping in the Sandback tradition, they are extremely versatile and can be used in a lot of different style interiors. I'm sure this collection is going to do very well. Also, I finally got to meet Peter Sandback yesterday, which was a real pleasure.
Part Two of the ICFF review will be coming up later today.

Victoria Gardens - Nursery, Blog, and Consulting

Photo from http://theshopatvictoriagardens.blogspot.com/

It has finally stopped raining for the moment and although it is slightly chilly, it finally feels like spring. As soon as the weather gets like this, I feel the itch to plant. I have two large planters on my front porch that I do up every year. For inspiration and my plants, I go to Victoria Gardens in Rosendale, NY.

Photo from http://theshopatvictoriagardens.blogspot.com/

This nursery and gift shop has the best selection in the area for unusual perennials, annuals, bushes, trees, etc. The nursery is situated on a rock outcropping that sets a natural stage for all the beautiful plant vignettes they set up. I could easily spend hours hanging out and looking at everything they have. Luckily, I have a great friend who works there and points me in the focused direction of what I want. My plant knowledge is limited and I base all my decisions on aesthetics. Being able to bounce questions off the friendly and knowledgable staff is a huge help. I have never been steered in the wrong direction. Every year, I get tons of compliments on my planters.

In addition to the nursery, they also have a landscape division and are available for on-site consultations. One of the best things Victoria Gardens offers is their blog, which is written by Kerry McQuaide, The Shop At Victoria Gardens. Besides the photos being stunning and inspiring all year long, the blog offers a wealth of knowledge. It's like reading a high end gardening magazine. I have it book marked and there is a link to it from my blog. It's a definite must read for anyone who loves gardening.

This past week, I went and began to pick out my flowers. Its a little early to plant, but I just couldn't help myself. Pictured above is the beginning of this years planters. I will need to go back to Victoria Gardens to pick out a few more plants to fill the empty spots. I will post some pictures in the middle of summer, when everything fills out and looks the best.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend visiting Victoria Gardens at 1 Cottekill Rd., Rosendale, NY 12472, 845-658-9007. If you live too far away, check out the The Shop At Victoria Gardens blog.

Knoll Textile Exhibit At Bard Graduate Center

The exhibit, Knoll Textiles 1945 to 2010, is on view at the Bard Graduate Center from May 18th to July 31st. The show will be covering the history of Knoll's textile division. It ends up that most of the Designers were women. I plan on going to see the show. I am surprised that the opening is after ICFF, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, when most people who would be interested in the show will have already left town. Odd choice.


In the Chaise piece above, I used a traditional Knoll Boucle in Cayenne. Knoll fabric is a joy to work with. Its durable, thick, and easy to sew. This piece was made many years ago and shows no sign of sun fade or wear. I'm more concerned with the foam breaking down before the fabric gives out. Whenever you see an old Knoll furniture piece, usually the fabric has lasted strongly and is just in need of a good cleaning. Knoll has always understood what it takes to make a high traffic piece last. While over the years I have studied a lot about the company's furniture, I welcome the chance to learn about their textile department.

The Twenty Year Quilt

Quilt laid out on my bed. It is made for a Queen bed, but fits on my King.

In honor of Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I should showcase the amazing talent of my Mother. As they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. People ask me where I get my ability to make things and I always say, my parents. Over twenty years ago, my Mother decided that she was going to make me a quilt and that I would have it to go to college. We went together to the store and I remember being so excited to pick out the fabrics for the quilt. College came and went and it was never finished. Mind you, she worked full time, raised three kids, kept a garden and house, and made every meal for the family. It started to become a family joke and a way to tease her that the quilt would never be finished. When she retired several years ago and said that she was going to work on it, I didn't think much of it.

Detail of the border, pattern, and overstitching.

A few months ago, I saw the quilt in some pieces laid out in her bedroom. She said she was working on it again. I told my sister that I planned to go home one weekend and help her do some over stitching. The quilt seemed years away from completion. A few weeks later, she came to visit me with my Father and was really adamant about coming that week. It was a little odd, but I didn't think much of it. So, I was completely surprised when she showed up and gave me the finished the quilt. I got really teary eyed and every time I look at it, I still do. It is beautiful. 
What strikes me about it is that after all these years, I still love all the colors and patterns of the fabrics. I cannot believe how many hours and years she spent working on it. She over stitched, by hand, the whole quilt. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.

She made a bag to store the quilt and keep it dust free. I should also mention that she is a self taught quilter and sewer. She made this quilt from a pattern she found in a Better Homes & Garden magazine in 1990. 
Maman, you are amazing and continually inspiring to me. I love you.

Getting Ready For The Saugerties Artists Studio Tour

I am going to be part of the SAT this year. I participated in 2009, but took 2010 off because I thought I would be moving to New Mexico. The move, thankfully, fell through. However, by the time it did it was too late for me to be part of the tour. In 2009, over 200 people came to visit my studio. Although I had invited a lot of friends, about half the people who visited I did not know. It was a great experience and I met a lot of people. I truly enjoyed opening up my studio to people and getting their feedback on my space and work. I also sold some pieces, which is always nice. I'm excited about this year's tour!


I spent this weekend gathering ideas for new work I want to create. As I prepare for the tour, I will post on my progress.

Blacksmithing Class Number Seven & Eight

I had to travel for work so much to my chagrin, I missed Class Number Six. The project for that week was to make a BBQ grilling fork. Jonathan Nedbor, the instructor and owner of Canal Forge, was kind enough to offer me the opportunity to do a make up session to forge one. The following two classes went by far too quickly. I can't believe eight weeks have gone by...

In the last two classes, we went over metal identification by grinding metal and studying the spark patterns. That was pretty exciting! I saw my first grinding wheel break, which caught everyone off guard. Unexpected events like that are why you wear safety glasses. We also went over tempering, which is the process of bringing metal to a certain temperature and cooling it properly to cause it to become harder. This process is used to make tools.

Our final project was to make a cold chisel out of hex rod tool steel. We used the tempering technique to harden the chisel edge.

This is my final product! Every tool box should have one and I never bought one. So, I'm excited to now have one I made. Anyone need something chiseled?

I wish I could give a link to Jonathan Nedbor, our instructor's, work. Unfortunately, he doesn't currently have a website. Once he does have one, I will update this post with the information. Jonathan owns Canal Forge in High Falls, NY. I highly recommend taking a Blacksmithing course with him. Besides being a great teacher, he is extremely talented and very generous with his knowledge! 

Kickstarter, Fund and Follow Creativity

I came across Kickstarter via WIRED magazine. In WIRED's April 2011 issue they did a feature on Kickstarter. It is a website where if you have an idea/project/concept you can get people to donate to your project and get funding to finally see your vision come to fruition. I know many artists, designers, and inventors who could be well served by this site. Get your video together and see if people like your project enough to help you out. Good luck!