Skull rug by Timothy Liles- Having previously worked for Converse as a footwear designer Timothy has turned his hand to product design. Here he has combined the pop icon with a tradition of technique. This is a thick, double-sided, wool rug  made by the extremely skilled workers at Country Braid House in Tilton NH. They’re more used to making traditional rugs but they’ve applied the same technique to totally different subject matter creating a modern heirloom  countrybraidhouse.com

Edging back toward the macabre Stefan Strumbelhas taken the traditional cuckoo clock of his homeland, the Black Forest in Germany, and applied objects of popular culture soaked in bright and acidic colours.  Strumble has moved from being a graffiti artist into 3 dimensional work.

His work looks at the German concept of Heimat, roughly translated as homeland  “There is no English word for Heimat,” Strumbel explains. “Some people link Heimat to a place, for others it is a feeling.”  Strumble has replaced motifs associated with his homeland with items of popular culture that have no geographical link.

Skulls by Beware the Moon This is a quality wallpaper; each roll is handmade with a “no expense spared” attitude from the makers to keep the print as close to the original art work as possible.  And they’ve chosen a quality gent to high light this.. Insouciant, sartorially superior ,eyebrow quizzical, pondering the taste of his fag – sorry cigarette. Or possibly he’s standing opposite a wall hung with one of the more risqué papers in the range “She” featuring a naked lady. I’d say he’s pondering the latter.  Beware the Moon have a refreshingly witty approach to wallpaper design and production , hopefully some new designs are coming soon

I’ve mentioned Studio Job’s Industry in in earlier post on Marquetry but they’re always worth another look. In the beautiful work seen here they’ve interwoven skeletons and skull/gas masks onto the surface of their wardrobe.

Illustration on paper products and t-shirts we’re used to, doodling on pieces in your home  is something we expect from a naughty toddler, but despite this association a number of women artists and designers have created a series of products and interiors that are beautiful and inspirational.

Danish designer Louise Campbell had the challenge to create a temporary meeting room for G1 Strand and came up with this rather witty response. The room is within a listed 1750’s building so Louise has created a series of Blah posters that line the walls but can be removed. The tables, chairs,  light fittings and decorations have also had the blah treatment.  Keeping it simple in black and white the room has a serenity that the introduction of colour just wouldn’t achieve – and in a meeting room with the potential for many a verbal battle it has a calming effect.  ”It is the sports arena of verbal power struggles, where words are hurled back and forth across the table and bounce off the walls as everyone strives to take the upper hand – or upper word so to speak”  

Blah Blah Blah by Louise Campbell  http://www.louisecampbell.com/  

 Artist Anna James reworked antique furniture using images of graffiti taken from an archway in Verona. The graffiti is little messages of love left by those visiting the supposed house of Juliet  of Romeo and Juliet fame. Anna has taken digital images that  have been transposed onto a variety of prepared period pieces. Each piece captures a moment in time – the wall constantly changes with new declarations added daily.

www.loveannajames.com

Artist Charlotte Mann originally worked in fashion design, styling and illustration before switching to over to focus on her artwork. From working on a hand draw back drop for fashion designer Peter Jensen shes has taken commissions for both private as well as commercial clients. Using marker pens she draws onto the prepared wall  incorporating objects the client has chosen to create a personal and unique work.

www.charlottemann.co.uk

 Esther Coombs works with vintage ceramics that shes found in flea markets, charity shops and carboot fairs. Working with the aesthetics of the piece she hand draws images of the urban environment creating unique works from what are essentially unloved mass produced pots of yesteryear. She reinvents and gives new life to items that are other peoples cast off. I love the juxtapositions between the dainty flowers and the and the tower blocks. I guess the irony is that many of the ceramics would have come from homes such as these, and there is the romance of the work, its rather fun to imagine their previous homes. For more examples  http://www.esthercoombs.com/

Happy Easter!

Heres a great pic courtesy of the Wooster Collective

http://www.woostercollective.com/