designseattle

ICFF Preview TONIGHT!

2010-04-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Our friends from JOIN Design Seattle are gearing up for International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in NYC from May 15-18. We wish we could go to NYC just to check it out in person!! Unfortunately we're missing it again...sigh.
But lucky for us, these 7 design firms below have thoughtfully planned a preview party in Seattle TONIGHT for the less fortunate people like us who cannot attend the show. Woo Hoo!!

+ KERF
+Yuri Kinoshita
+ far4
+ Iacoli & Mcallister
+ 16th Workshop
+ urbancase
+ graypants

THURSDAY, APRIL 29TH
6-9PM
5813 AIRPORT WAY SOUTH in Georgetown

Fabuloso Marketo

2010-04-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

This awesomeness.....
plus this awesomeness....
Equals.....this awesomeness
Starting April 13-April 18 at the Milan Design Fair 2010, Apartamento Magazine and DesignMarketo are teaming up to create a pop up shop called FoodMarketo.

It's a half pop up store, half cooking workshop, selling contemporary design objects commissioned to over 30 international designers and hosting daily workshops to share recipes and everyday life ingredients.

I'm so wishing that I can go to Milan just for this event! If only I knew how to fly my private jet that's sitting in my backyard...this sucks.

...but Chloë sevigny's life on the other hand looks pretty awesome....

Some fun Weekend Events this Saturday

2010-03-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

There's couple of fun things going on this weekend....plus the weather is supposed to be nice!!

1. HENRY ART GALLERY:
Champagne Truffle: Henry Gift Shop project #6 (the final project) Tea Party reception, March 27, 2-4:30pm, open now through April 11

Champagne Truffles with Maki Tamura, Nicholas Nyland, Jennifer Campbell, Ian Toms and me, Saya Moriyasu. 5 artists along with Matthew Offenbacher transformed the space with wallpaper, live webcam of a cat colony, videos and precious belongings. Feel free to come and hang out in the space, eat lunch, watch the kitties and write in the journal.

Henry Art Gallery
University of Washington
15th Ave NE and NE 41st
Seattle, WA 98195
(206)543-2280 phone

2. HIAWATHA ARTIST PLACE:
Spring Open House with 4 floors of resident artists, 3 bands and food & drinks to keep you happy!

Open House, March 27, 2-8pm

peruse the Hiawatha Artists Lofts open studios 3pm-6pm

mingle with the 60+ residents & their neighborhood

support the Hiawatha Artists in their first annual silent auction 3pm-6pm

listen to one resident musician & two visiting bands from S. California & Portland 6:30pm-8:10pm

check out the little café that caffienates our residents....amongst our other neighboring specialty businesses

enjoy the new neighborhood developments as we can walk freely down a beautiful new sidewalk

share a yellow truck from Georgetown called H A L L A V A....yes bring your cash, they will be here from 2pm until the food runs out!

Jackson Place Community, Hiawatha Artist Loft
843-855 Hiawatha Place South
Seattle, WA, 98144

Shoppe Success!!

2010-03-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for JOIN's Design Shoppe in December! What a fun night! Above and below are a few of our quick pics from the beginning of the evening before it got too crowded for words...

Above are Chalk It To Me animals by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and pillows by Piano Nobile.

Grain's Ty and Ty D.I.Y. Edition plus some new purses (in their shop now) made in collaboration with artisans in Guatemala. Above them are Mini-Pedestal SELECT's by Iacoli & McAllister.

urbancase's candles above plainMade's felt bags and other textile wares.

Grain's new Electric Love rings made from reclaimed electrical wire and Cheri necklaces.

Chickabird's notebooks using Piano Nobile fabric and Greg Bethel's Sigg Faucet Caps.

Screen printed textiles by Dinah Coops Design.

Brian McAllister and Greg Bethel.

Loc Trinh and a friend in front of work by Meet Me Here.

Items donated for the silent auction to benefit Nest Seattle by Linda Beaumont,Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, Velocity Art And Design, Chickabird, urbancase,{Far4}, LiT Shades, Piano Nobile, Meet Me Here and Iacoli & McAllister.

Design Shoppe also included jewelry by fortyfive09, fruit super, Free Time Industries and &c.

Au RIGHT!

2009-12-08T22:54:00.000-08:00

Our friend Joelle King recently launched her new line of jewelry, Au Fait. Her new collection, BOOM, is inspired by vintage radios, remote controls, speakers and cables. They're versatile, sleek, and handsome modern pieces that can be adorn by both men and women. With such well-designed and refined proportions, we almost wish that they're actual radios that we can put on our credenza!I'm in love with the Cable Necklace where the ends are filled with yellow resin.
They're available here, and she's offering free shipping till January 1st!

JOIN mention on Seattle Homes

2009-11-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

Can you really afford to miss this?

2009-11-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

laser nature series, free time industries

pillows, piano nobile

transistor radio, urbancase

silk scarf detail, plainMADE

sigg faucet, greg bethel

t-shirt, meet me here clothing and bags

chalk-it-to-me series, ladies & gentlemen studio

mini-pedestal SELECT, iacoli & mcallister

cheri, grain

so big it's ridiculous, fruitsuper

one-of-a-kind jewelry, fortyfive09

hemp tea towels, dinah coops

notebooks, chikabird

one of a kind jewelry, &c.

just in case you thought
you could miss out on
DESIGN SHOPPE
i thought i would remind you
that you really shouldn't.
:)

REMINDER!!!

2009-11-23T11:58:00.001-08:00

Be there!
DESIGN SHOPPE
Saturday, November 28
(that's THIS Saturday!!)
7pm-11pm
Vermillion
11th Ave btwn Pike & Pine

One night pop-up shop and silent auction.
Bring CA$H money.

More info.

JOIN on Design Milk

2009-11-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

Holiday Bazaar at LiT

2009-11-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

Holidy Bazaar at LiT
Thursday November 19
1906 E Prospect St - Capitol Hill

Save 30% on gifts for the home by
Kaarskoker,
La Rousse,
LiT Shades
and Piano Nobile

10am - 8pm
Refreshments 5pm

JOIN's Design Shoppe Participants Announced!

2009-11-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

Here is a sneak peak!

Above and below is work by plainMADE, fortyfive09, Iacoli & McAllister, Meet Me Here, Piano Nobile and Grain.

Other participants include Chikabird, Dinah Coops Design, Fruit Super Design, Greg Bethel, &c., Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and urbancase.

Bring cash. Everything will be priced under $100.00. Should be an amazing event!! Remeber it is one night only: November 28th 7:00pm - 11:00pm at Vermillion. For more info see the JOIN: Design Seattle website here.

SCRAP opening at Fancy!

2009-11-15T17:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out last night to check out SCRAP at Fancy!

Here are a few of our photos from the evening. Below is a lamp by Greg Bethel and a new chair by urbancase, Links necklace by Grain, custom signage for the event by Loc Trinh, Loc's walnut bow ties, Sleepers by Grain, rings by fortyfive09 and &c., shelving by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, and bowls by Laura Yeats on an an amazing display table by Erich Ginder.

For more on the show, here is a post on the Seattle Metropolitan blog by Laura Cassidy. SCRAP will be up until December 11th.

SCRAP sneak peek

2009-11-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

definitely some cool stuff in the SCRAP show to check out at
fancy on friday night.

fortyfive09 and &c.

JOIN on Blue Ant Studio Blog

2009-11-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

More DESIGN SHOPPE info...

2009-11-09T14:50:00.002-08:00

the participants include:

Chikabird
Dinah Coops Design
fortyfive09
fruit super design
grain
Greg Bethel
Iacoli & McAllister
Ladies & Gentlemen Studio
Meet Me Here
Piano Nobile
plainMADE
&c.
urbancase

DESIGN SHOP 11.28.09

2009-11-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

JOIN proudly presents:
DESIGN SHOPPE
11. 28. 2009
7-11pm

One night pop-up shop
featuring design objects
by local artists and designers.

Silent auction
to benefit JOIN and
Nest Seattle.

Vermillion
1508 11th Ave
btwn Pike & Pine

7-9pm Silent Auction
9:15 Auction Winners Announced
7-11pm Design Object Sale
**Cash Only

Help us support Nest!

Nest is a nonprofit organization that provides microfinance loans and mentoring to female artists and artisans around the world. Nest instills pride of ownership, preserves ancient artistic traditions and successfully moves women from poverty to self-sufficiency.

SCRAP Artists and Designers Announced:

2009-10-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

we're pleased to announce that the following designers and artists will be showing at next month's JOIN event, SCRAP, at fancy friday november 13th 6-9pm.

grain
iacoli & mcallister
ladies & gentlemen studio
laura yeats
trey jones and darin montgomery urbancase
fortyfive09 and &c.

don't miss some mega amazing pieces!

fancy 1914 2nd ave
downtown seattle btwn stewart & virginia

Eat My Story Report Part II

2009-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

At long last we get to our wrap up post on the latest greatest Brite event: Eat My Story.
Let me just start by saying this without a doubt this was most the delicious Brite event thus far. True, this was not so hard to do with Seattle pizza powerhouse Via Tribunali graciously hosting the event plus the creative (albeit amateur) culinary skills of all the event's participants. For every part deliciousness, Tricia Martin of Eating is Art and Food Loyal (her new venture!) added equal parts fascination, experience, and social interaction with her big picture concept:

How can a pizza tell a story?
The rules were simple (and the results awesome...more on that later):

Share a short story with the group (150 words or less).
Pick and bring pizza ingredients to the event that will tell you story.
Come to Via Tribunali the day of the event. Pick someone else's story at random.
Interpret that person's story on the pizza using their ingredients (adding or subtracting as necessary)...lotsa room for creativity here.
Cook your creation to perfection at 1000 degrees F in Via Tribunali's wood fired oven.
Share your the story and pizza with group...drink vino...converse...revel...enjoy.

To shake things up a bit, we added an improv edition at the last minute for those unprepared without stories. These were short stories, quotes, limericks, even tweets chosen at random from a hat.
The results were amazingly beautiful and delicious as well as accurate at telling their corresponding stories. Here's the play-by-play of the day: It was a perfect pizza day at lovely Georgetown (south Seattle). Via Tribunali was the perfect spot for the event with lots of rustic charm and "little slice of Italy" feel. The space was perfect: a long communal table and plenty of room to make some mess.

In true Brite style, Jean laser-cut some signs in cardboard and of course made Brite merit badges for each participants...neatly arranged at the sign in table. As people began too arrive, the ingredients table turned into a cornucopia of amazing ingredients. Everything from heirloom tomatoes to grapes to pork belly to chocolate and everything in between.
Tricia handmade and illustrated these amazing peels for every pizza including cute drawings of each ingredient and the story of the pizza.
Once we were situated, Via Trib brought out the wine and a parade of their signature pies and anti-pasti plates. Leonardo, their GM (and a real Italian of course) introduced us to the history of the resturant, telling the colorful story only as a true Italian can with great expressive hand gestures. We learned how pizza began, it's importance to Italian culture, and how Via Trib's owners had a dream of bringing that to Seattle, decided to buy a defunct pizzeria in Naples, shipped it here, and started their very own Napolian pizzeria right here in Seattle.

We were ready to leave our own mark. Everyone set out to work preparing their incredients and working out the details of their interpretations. There was a healthy buzz around the room as people shared their stories as well as their ingredients and offered eachother ideas and support. Go team! You could see the creative concoctions taking shape:

Jean was trying to make sense of the variety of purple ingredients in front of her.

Christa carefully cut up her ingredients to try to mimic the farm fields when seen from air.
Andrew was contemplating what would happen to Tortilla chips at 1000 degrees.
Chika was confidently crafting a pizza loosely based on a poor Elvis impersonation... Leonardo and his staff carefully showed us how work dough into a thin-crusted pie letting us try and succeed in some way, shape, or form in making our own vessels for our stories. 3 at a time we went to the dough station to try our hand at it and artfully arranging our ingredients.
Roughly 2 minutes after plunging each pizza into the via tribunali inferno, the group was blessed with steaming hot pizza...charred perfectly around the edges. Triumphantly, the pizza makers would reenter the dining hall proudly presenting their creations. After a photo op, each pizza had it's story read aloud to the group then we dug in. It was amazing just how much more each story resonated after tasting the pizza and going through the whole ritual Tricia had orchestrated. I've never tasted so many different types of pizzas in my life! I think everyone went home and took a pizza nap after the event, and some leftovers, too.

Next post will have all the stories and the individual pizzas!

Here is where you can see ALL hundred+ of yummy looking photos of the event!

Save the Date!

2009-10-13T18:26:00.001-07:00

We are hosting an event next month with fancy in their adorable shop downtown.

fancy and JOIN present:

SCRAP

Design objects in scrap wood by Seattle artists and designers*

11 13. 2009

6-9pm
fancy
1914 2nd Ave
btwn Stewart & Virginia
206-956-2945

*artists and designers to be announced October 17th.

JOIN's Design Shoppe Call for Submissions

2009-10-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

JOIN: Design Seattle is planning a one day pre-holiday Pop-Up shop and we are looking for design objects to include. We are focusing on designers from the Pacific Northwest, but we've never been known to be exclusive, so you are free to interpret Pacific Northwest loosely. If you live here, lived here, visited here, aunt lived here in the 60's... you're welcome to apply!

The Details:
DATE: Saturday November 28th (one night only)
TIME: 7pm - 11pm
WHERE: Vermillion Art + Wine - 1508 11th Ave btwn Pike and Pine - Seattle,WA 98122
OTHER: In addition to the Pop-Up, there will be a Silent Auction to benefit JOIN and Nest Seattle. The sale and auction are cash and carry, no credit cards will be accepted. We will have dedicated "cashiers" to handle all transactions. In other words, you don't have to "man a booth," you can enjoy yourself. :)

TO SUBMIT:
Objects should fall into the following categories: table top, lighting, accessories, jewelry, soft goods. No furniture will be accepted.

Objects must be priced under $100 retail.

Please send submissions to info@joinDesignSeattle.com with the following:

Designer name
Name of piece
Material(s)
Dimensions
Number of pieces available to sell
Price
1-3 images

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Midnight November 4th
DELIVERY DEADLINE: November 20th

FEE: Once your work has been chosen for inclusion in the Pop-Up, there is a $20 fee to sell. This fee will help offset marketing costs. Neither JOIN nor Vermillion will be taking a commission of sales.

*****
If you have any questions please contact jamie@iacolimcallister.com

For more information about our organization, please visit:
www.joinDesignSeattle.com

JOIN promotes emerging independent American design by providing designers a forum to show work, get feedback and support. By organizing design shows, events and hosting an online design calendar, we strive to be the adhesive and a resource that binds a thriving, but fragmented, furniture and product design design community in Seattle.

Opening Tonight: Submaterial at Catherine Person Gallery

2009-10-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

David Hamlin of Submaterial will be showing some exciting new work using recycled leather at Catherine Person Gallery.
David intricately cuts and assembles stunning wall art pieces with great precision and patience. We believe he's either a robot or an alien in disguise. Someday, we'll prove our suspicion!

Opening night (tonight!!) Oct 8th, 6-8pm

The show will be up through November 14.

Catherine Person Gallery
319 Third Avenue South @ South Jackson
Seattle, Washington 98104

Tel 206-763-5565

Vote for Seattle!

2009-10-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Henrybuilt's has been nominated for couple of categorizes on this year's Interior Design's 'Best of the Year 2009'.
How exciting!

One of the nominated work is under the Accessories category of HB's Workspace Component Group, (I'm proud to say that Dylan designed it himself!) which includes a cutting board, colander, and knife block designed to integrate with the Henrybuilt backsplash system. Vote Here!The other nominated work is their new line, ViolaPark, a cleverly designed versatile modular kitchen system.
Vote Here!
Also vote for our friends from Graypants who are the creators of the Scrap Lights! Vote here!
Voting ends Sunday,Oct 11 at midnight (EDT). Go Seattle!

great events this weekend...

2009-10-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

that you shouldn't miss:

THURSDAY:

proposals for acquired taste
oct 8th
6-8pm
new work in felt and recycled leather
by david hamlin for submaterial
runs through nov 14th.

catherine person gallery
319 third ave s @ s jackson
pioneer square - seattle - 98104
check the gallery's site for a preview.

FRIDAY:

fancy's 'plush you'
friday october 9th
6-9pm
a group exhibition of jewelry utilizing soft materials
1914 second ave - downtown seattle - 98101

SATURDAY:

new bags & clothing
by jonas devarona
saturday october 10th

6-9pm
art attack @ equionx studios
6555 5th ave s, ste304
georgetown - seattle -98108
map

Eat My Story Report:Part I

2009-10-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday, Brite's collaboration with Tricia Martin of Eating is Art went super well! The event, EAT MY STORY:Make a Pizza, Tell A story, had a great turn out. Besides making and tasting some (actually A LOT) of pizzas, everyone also enjoyed some fantastic house wine, as well as delicious Via Tribunali appetizers donated to us.
Tricia made these wonderful individual pizza peels for each story submitted. It had the story, and all ingredients drawn on there. It made the experience that much more special.
Tricia is super diligent and did her homework of updating about the event already. So here are some photos from her. I'll have more updates later and TONS of delicious looking photos. Stay tuned.Everyone making their own dough. It's totally harder than it looks!
we got to taste 20+ never been tried pizza flavors!!
Plum jam+quince pizza/ peanut butter+almond butter+honey+apple pizza/ huevo ranchero pizza/ heirloom ketchup pizza/ pork belly+lotus root +cilantro oil pizza/ chocolate+coco nibs + habanero peppers pizza, ....and more.Stay tuned!

Design Profile No.2: Urbancase

2009-10-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Is it October already?! I guess that means it's time for another JOIN Design Profile interview!
On a quiet dead end off the main strip of Seattle's working-class South Park neighborhood sits the dynamic hub from which Darin Montgomery of Urbancase spins his creative web of multi-faceted design efforts. The Urbancase studio is well organized and compact, smaller than we expected for a predominantly furniture-centric studio. As we learn more about what goes on there we were convinced more and more that we've quite possibly stumbled upon a Utopian design studio. Here creativity is kept fresh by experimentation with materials, ideas, hands-on prototyping, and occasional contract work, but kept a sustainable business by smart, selective outsourcing to skilled local craftspeople and manufacturers. In a format reminiscent of Italy's post-war designers, Urbancase has managed to use it's local resources to create great products with minimal in-house manufacturing capabilities opting instead to use the services the Northwest has to offer. What was so striking was the ease at which Darin delegates his production work to others while keeping the critical creative functions firmly centered within his company. When asked if trusting others with the critical task of executing his vision was in any way problematic, Darin shrugs it off "I pick people who care about what they do. I try to work with others in a similar position to my own."
He went on to explain his belief that keeping production local and small scale has allowed him to replace a rigorous QC process with a level of trust and confidence in his suppliers. "I was inspecting every box they gave me and realized at a certain point it wasn't necessary. They cared about their work as much as I did." This absolutely shows in the work: curved cabinet edges executed seamlessly, beeswax candles (in the shapes of classic cameras) casted with precise details, finishes carefully applied and rubbed by hand. Can't wait to hear more:

Studio Name: Urbancase
Member(s): Darin Montgomery
Location: Seattle, WA
Website: urbancase.com
Started in: 2002

What's the story behind your company/studio? What made you finally realize that you wanted to start your own design company? Take us back to that exact moment when you thought "I'm gonna start my own freakin' design studio!"
I was in Vancouver, BC for a weekend getaway with my girlfriend Rachel. I left a job several months earlier with the intention of starting my own business but was still trying to figure out what direction to go. Rachel finally suggested I should just do what makes me happy. It seemed so obvious. Design makes me happy...so that's what I did. What's your design philosophy and approach?

My philosophy is pretty basic and I try to apply it to every aspect of my life. Whatever I do...whether it's design, cooking, or interacting with people...it should be simple, functional, thoughtful, and beautiful.
What are some highlights (life changing events) you've experienced that influenced your current work or design?

Growing up, my Father owned an auto body shop and for many years it was the gathering place for my Dad and his buddies. He had a group of extremely talented friends and I spent countless hours working on projects with them. They would engineer everything from suspension systems for hot rods to enclosed motorcycle trailers with fold down seating and eating areas. Material and budget limitations were common and more often than not they would solve problems by committee. It was a great environment to grow up in. The experience of working with them influences every project I approach. The level of craftsmanship and functionality they achieved is something that is with me every day.What's your favorite place to visit and get inspiration?
We took a trip to Berlin two years ago and it had a huge impact on the way I look at design. Unfortunately, I can't pop over every time I need inspiration. But...I have the photos to which I refer frequently. Any industrial or area in disrepair is a great source of ideas for me as well.

What do you like to do when you need a break from design?

I try to keep a project in the shop that I don't have to think too much about. Something that requires sanding or polishing. If I'm having difficulty resolving an idea or I've been on the computer all day, repetitive motion can be very relaxing.

Every Sunday Rachel and I have a ritual. We make breakfast, have coffee and listen to records then walk through Freeway Park on our way to the library. Even though I'm surrounded by incredible architecture, it's routine and comfortable so I don't even think about design. It's a great way to recharge my batteries.

We recently started learning French. I'm not very good so it takes all my brain power. I don't have the energy to think about anything else.

I also play guitar and even though I don't practice often enough, 10-20 minutes a day is a real treat.

In the winter I play hockey. When I'm on the ice, design is the FURTHEST thing from my mind.
What do you consider your most successful and or rewarding project?
The projects I rush through or don't resolve completely are the most successful. I learn so much from them and usually have one lying around to remind me of what not to do. Perhaps the most rewarding project was a wine glass rack I made for my parents when I was eight. I built it from scraps found in the garage. It was hideous. My Dad cried when it got knocked off the shelf and shattered. What are the strengths of design in the Northwest? How do you see it becoming stronger?

I love that design in the Northwest has a feeling of honesty and sincerity. It's not arrogant or pretentious.

I believe if the design community in the Northwest continues to communicate, share information, ideas, and resources, it will only get better. JOIN is an awesome organization and the people involved are unbelievable. It's a great feeling when you pick up the phone or e-mail someone in the same discipline that you work and know they will share whatever information they have.

What's your favorite, well-designed food? why?I would say a seed of any kind. They're perfectly designed for their environment and have a little secret tucked away inside. Salsa is a pretty close second.

What's your favorite object? Why?
A micrometer that belonged to my Grandfather. It's beautiful, functional, and very satisfying to use. It doesn't give you a sense of how much effort it took to design. I love objects that conceal their complexity.

Tell us about your very first experience when you did ICFF. What was it like? How did you prepare yourself? Do you any tips or words of wisdom to all the baby designers out there who are thinking about ICFF?

It's funny to look back now, but I remember being very anxious at the time. My friend and I shared a booth and it was the first show for both of us. I arrived at the Jacob Javits Center bright and early with a box of postcards, order forms, and comfortable shoes. I was set. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the booth I found a big hole in the side of our crate. I have no idea what happened, but needless to say...I freaked out. I couldn't open it because my buddy had the cordless drill and was nowhere to be found. I ran around frantically trying to find a drill. Workers at the Javits Center won't loan tools and it seemed as though EVERY other exhibitor was wandering aimlessly looking for a cordless drill. It felt like complete mayhem. I called my friend continuously for the next two hours. Eventually...he answered the phone and the first thing he said was..."do you know the bars stay open until 4 AM?" When he finally arrived at the Javits center he'd forgotten to put the drill on the charger. All we could do was laugh. Once we got the crate open all was good. That was my first three hours of ICFF.

I was naive enough to think my product would sell itself and underestimated the importance of booth design. I'm still learning because there's a science to the dynamics of a trade show. The booth layout has a huge impact on how people approach you. It's sort of like being alone on a dance floor waiting for the music to start. All it takes is one person to join you and others will follow.

I would strongly encourage anyone who feels their product(s) are suited for ICFF to figure out a way to make it happen. There are opportunities you won't find anywhere else. And...if you go one year, plan on going the next. It's an incredible experience, lots of energy, inspiration, and seriously cool people.

For anyone thinking of going I would suggest:

1. Hook up with someone who has done the show. They can help with simple things like finding a hardware store, shipping facilities, and ways to cut through the red tape at the Javits Center.

2. Set aside plenty of time to design your booth and presentation materials. Some people want postcards, some want electronic communication. You should have several options.

3. Most of the rumors you've heard about the staff at the Javits Center are true. They're not on your schedule, you're on theirs. It's all good if you roll with it. Fight it and you'll be miserable (it took more than a year for me to figure that out).

4. Try to have two people in the booth. It's exhausting to do it by yourself. And...somehow it makes your booth more approachable.

5. Eat right, brush your teeth, and don't run with scissors.

What other design shows have you done or would like to do in the future?

ICFF is the only show we've done. Milan is on the radar. We're shooting for 2011.

Call for Entries

2009-09-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Just got word from Lisa that The Object Design League is seeking submissions for Worth Your Salt, its first ever pop-up shop, produced in partnership with Chicago design boutique Pavilion. The shop will open in Pavilion's Bucktown storefront on November 27th, the day after Thanksgiving, with a Black Friday reception, and maintain day and evening hours until December 11th.

This pop up shop aims to provide emerging American designers with a retail opportunity during the holiday shopping season, while also bringing a select cross-section of designed objects to Chicago in a half-exhibition, half-boutique format.

Visit ODL's website for more information and for submission requirements.

Happy Submitting!

BRITE Event: Eat My Story with Tricia Martin

2009-09-30T02:34:00.001-07:00

I'm SUPER excited to say that we (Brite Collective) and Tricia Martin of Eating Is Art are hosting an event this Saturday, Oct 3rd. EAT MY STORY: Make a Pizza to Tell a Story!
I've been looking forward in having Tricia come up from Portland to do a food event ever since I discovered her work in May. So I'm thrilled to see it all happening!
The over concept of the event is pretty simple:
Every participant are to come up with a story as well as the ingredients for their pizza. The ingredients could have personal memories, cultural references, texture, history, smell, color, etc. The pizza could be savory, sweet, or in a shape of a pet! The possibilities are practically endless!

Then on Saturday October 3rd, all the participants will gather at Via Tribunali in Georgetown to do a whole make/share/eat pizza feast! Wine will of course be part of it the equation. Doesn't it just sound horrible?

On top of that, Tricia is making special pizza peel for each story! She's always so thoughtful and playful with all of the event she does. From the invitation, to the table setting and to the actual food itself...she considers all aspect to the experience that really makes each event feel really special.
I'm SO looking forward to it!We're also incredibility thankful that Via Tribunali is being so generous by providing the venue and also letting as use their awesome brick oven to make pizzas....the right way.
They're famous Napolian style pizza is absolutely delectable, and they're really the closest to the actual ones we've had in Italy. Don't let Pizza Hut fool you...

We still have few spots available, and you can still RSVP. So if you're in Seattle and would like to join us, please submit your story and ingredients (in less than 150 words) to tricia@eatingisart.com.
Get on it! Chop chop!!

What a wonderful PARK(ing) Day!

2009-09-26T12:21:00.002-07:00

Last Friday, Christa, Julia and I organized a small BRITE event to take part in global PARK(ing) Day where hundreds of temporary mini parks were set up in actual parking spots or unused lots all around the world.
We were part of a bigger lot that used to be the old stomping ground where the Cha Cha, Bimbo's Burritos, and etc used to be. (On Pine between Summit & Belmont)
Now it's just an empty gravel lot, since after they tore down the whole block, the recession hit...
The PARK(ing) day as a day to give the community a reason to hang out there again....and we couldn't have asked for any better weather than that day.
The Negative Space field sketch was inspired from a walk that Julia, Dylan and I did awhile back in July when Thomas Sieverts lead a walked around Burien....yeah, that's right...Burien. Who would of thought anyone can spend that much time there just wondering around, right? But after 2 hours of walking around, we left with thoughts and questions about other neighborhoods, and realized really how little we know and notice on a everyday basis....and inspirations to do other walks such as this. We wanted to take the opportunity of the PARK(ing) Day to get people to slow down and take a look at the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Especially in an area that has so much history, people, various types of businesses, and landscape, this neighborhood has gone through some major changes in the last 5 years (and still in process of). Some more controversial than others. While many of these issues have been presented as the good locals vs. evil developers, there has been many great positive improvements such as the Cal Anderson park where it has quickly became a common landmark for most residence/students/professional in the neighborhood to hangout.*So how have all the changes effected everyone's connection and perception about the area....are they positive/negative? neither/both?

*With each change that happens, how has it effected one's knowledge, perceptions, memories, feelings, and their use of a certain area? (i.e. excavating of the old Cha Cha lot vs. the creation of Cal Anderson park)

*How do each of those elements tie in to the way we associate with a place?...whether it be 4 block radius, a neighborhood, the city, or the entire country.

*How do we, as an individual make a place more pleasant for yourself...and if possible, for others?

People participated on different levels depending on the time allowed. Many came by to say hello or during their lunch breaks draw up some quick cognitive memory maps of what they know about the area. Here's a whole line of the hung up. For those who had more time, we then gave them each a special "biographical field sketch book" as they went on a self-guided walk jotting down what they noticed.Constance' conclusion: Pay Attention. (Constance came back and admitted that she spent half the walk looking for her car trying to feed the meter and got even more turned around)Jonhathan's Field Sketch: Great old buildings. (as an architect, he appreciates the old charming buildings of Capitol Hill)Jean's Findings: Great mix of pattern & texture that reminded me of Italy.
(I went on a walk myself and wondered around for 45min taking notes as well as photos. It was nice to just walk without having to get to any places....it was as if I was visiting Capitol Hill for the first time.

We even got some young BRITE participants! How cute!
Below are some other great mini-parks on the lot that day:
Below is an "Air" Park
A giant connect four, a table to make some art, Flash Volunteer, and a ping-pong table.

For the fact that it was a working day, the turnout was more than we had anticipated. We were just happy to see people out and about and actually showing support. Granted we couldn't get people to start the walk all at the same time, it was still a good trial run and learning experience nonetheless. We hope that we can do this on a time of the day so more people can attend in the future and perhaps even do other less popular neighborhood walks like Int'l District, First Hill, Judkin's Park, Lake City...and many many more!)

Check out the Flickr set for more photos of the event and people's field sketch notes!
If you like to join BRITE's mailing list to hear about our updates, please leave a message with your email on our Facebook page.

PARK(ing) Day

2009-09-26T12:21:00.001-07:00

As part of BRITE Collective, Dylan and I are excited to be taking part in this Friday's PARK(ing) Day! We are co-leading a neighborhood walk with Christa (of Cafe Weekend) and Julia Levitt (editor of Worldchanging).

BRITE collective presents...

NEGATIVE SPACE: a biographical field sketch

1-hour interpretive walk along the Pike / Pine corridor (West of Broadway). We will explore, examine and share our collective memories that identify this place. As we walk, we will discover new ways of viewing familiar places. Participants will receive a field journal to help guide and record their unique experience.

SCHEDULE:

11:30 – 12:30PM INTRO & COGNITIVE MAPPING (Hub Pavilion – central park @ pike & summit)

12:30 – 1:15PM SELF GUIDED WALK/ FIELD SKETCH (field map available@ Hub Pavilion)

1:15 – 1:45PM REVIEW & DISCUSS and enjoy some snacks & coffee (Hub Pavilion – central park @ pike & summit)

*please feel free to join in any three of the above activities individually or as a whole

LOCATION

We will be in the HUB PAVILION of CENTRAL PARK in Seattle located on Pine Street between Summit & Belmont Ave. (West of Broadway)

Come to the event if you're in Seattle! There will be tons of other mini-parks, music, and food venues at the Central Park. Should be Lots-O-Fun!!

For those of you who are just learning about this, PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day global event where artists, activists and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. It's gonna be everywhere! Click, here to see if there's any PARK(ing) spaces happening around you. This would be a good excuse to walk slower or stop and hang out just for the hell of it. Oh boy, I can't wait to see the faces of the drivers looking for parking spots as I take up the whole spot to get a nice sun tan. It's gonna be fun.
This IS what is all about, right?

Design Profile No.1: Grain

2009-09-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our very first JOIN Design Profile. On behalf of JOIN, Dylan and I will interview talented and emerging designers and visit their studio and homes starting in the Northwest region. Our goal is to share a little something about each designer's work, personality, work/living space, and design philosophy.
Today we’ll be featuring Bainbridge Island-based design all-stars, Grain. We had the extreme pleasure of enjoying a perfect summer BBQ evening at their picturesque 1901 island home situated a short ferry ride west of downtown Seattle. Grain partners, James and Chelsea, live and work out of the home and adjoined workshop, which they have renovated and decorated to perfectly reflect their appreciation of the home’s character, but also their clean modern style. They prepared an amazing meal, which we enjoyed on their wooded porch. What an inspiring setting to design in.
When Grain isn’t enjoying laid-back island living, they’re busy working away as a design studio and consultancy with an ecological focus (easy to understand their appreciation of the earth given their surroundings). Grain’s goal is to help clients develop sustainable solutions that have a positive effect on humanity on a social and global scale.
Each of the four members of the collaborative can trace their roots back to Rhode Island School of Design where they first developed their approach to sustainable endeavors. Their diverse body of past work ranges from furniture to socio-cultural documentation and more.
They also have a budding collection of their own products that includes the simply clever Ty shower curtain (made from durable, recyclable and water-repellent Tyvek). Grain is also in the unique situation of operating on both coasts with half its workforce on Bainbridge (Chelsea Green and James Minola) and half on the East Coast (Brit Klienman and Sami Nerenberg). While working at a distance can have its challenges, Grain sees the arrangement as an advantage, allowing them to meet their client’s needs from multiple perspectives and locations. We spoke to partner Chelsea Green to learn more about what makes Grain tick.
Studio Name: Grain
Members: James Minola, Partner, Chelsea Green, Partner , Sami Nerenberg, Sustainable Systems Strategist, Brittany Kleinman, Designer
Location: Grain is based on Bainbridge Island, which is a 35 minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle. We also have designers available in Boston and New York.
Website: www.graindesign.com
Started In: 2007
What's the story behind your (company/studio), how did it start?
James first conceived of the consultancy while we were all still students in the Industrial Design Department at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He invited us all to participate. At first he was the only full-time Grain employee. In 2008 I began working full-time for Grain as well. Along with being our Sustainable Systems Strategist, Sami is the youngest adjunct faculty member in the Industrial Design Department at RISD, where she teaches the popular Design for Social Entrepreneurship studio. Brit works full-time for Jack Spade, is the creative force behind AVO Market and designs for Grain.
What's your design philosophy and approach?
We focus on uniting sustainability and business through design. We believe that there is an inherent responsibility in the practice of design. We approach every design problem through a rigorous and systematic process - always considering the social and environmental benefits and affects of the work that we do.
What are some highlights (life changing events) you've experienced that influenced your current work or philosophy?
We all come from different backgrounds which have led us individually towards design and focus in sustainability. My background was luxury interior design. I had enormous conflicts with using my design thinking merely to facilitate conspicuous consumption. I loved the opportunities for creative expression that the seemingly limitless project budges allowed me, but at the end of the day I felt unfulfilled as the work required me to turn a blind eye to some of the larger social and environmental realities of the world. I believe design has the capacity to promote positive changes-to inspire and be catalyst for good. I want to spend my short time on this planet working on projects that are in line with this belief.
What do you consider your most successful and or rewarding project?
For me, one of the most rewarding projects that we’ve worked on together happened before we even became an official collective. It was Bridging Cultures Through Design, the wintersession course at RISD in which James, Brit and I met. It was led by designer and educator Mimi Robinson, who has worked for years helping artisan groups bring sustainable products to market.
After a month of studying Guatemalan artisan techniques and traditions, we traveled in a group of nine RISD students to the communities of San Antonio Palopo and Santiago Atitlan in Guatemala to create a collection of textile-based products for contemporary markets. The goal of the project was to build sustainable income opportunities for the artisan communities that we worked with – providing them with design ideas to help build future collections. As a group, we developed over 60 products (many that are still in production) that were launched at the New York International Gift Fair.

Getting to experience the whole process of authentic research, culturally and environmentally sensitive product development and the economic forces that influence everything, really opened our eyes to how impactful design can be.

On top of it all, it was the project that led us to meet each other!
What's your favorite place to visit and get inspiration? (i.e. countries, cities, your home, beach, middle of nowhere, etc.)
I personally get a lot of inspiration by going back to New York (my home of 7 years) to be with friends who are in similar places in their careers and creative work. I also have family in London that I like to visit often. It is such a gritty, diverse and creative environment for me. We get a lot of inspiration from living here in the Northwest as well. There is just so much awe-inspiring natural beauty. Its influence is ever present.
What do you like to do when you need a break from design?
James and I have to remind ourselves to get out there. Because we live and work in one place (on an island no less) and are a couple, we spend the majority of our time together and in work mode. We get that guilty feeling that a lot of young entrepreneurs experience when they steal time away from their work. That said, we are learning to create more balance. We spend a lot of time outdoors since moving back to the Northwest. Walking, hiking and beach lounging are a major part of our repertoire and definitely get us out of the office. I am also pretty dedicated to practicing yoga several times a week and spending several hours with The New York Times on Sunday.
We also love food: foraging, cooking, reading about and experimenting with. We have a so-so vegetable garden, though it seems to get better each year. We also belong to a CSA so we have access to a lot of spectacular local produce to play with. We have lemoncello working its magic as I write and beer and wine making on our to-do list this year.
What's your favorite object? Why? (i.e. something of sentimental value, or something with character, charm, or simply will designed)
The most important objects that I own are all sentimental. Photos, love letters, old journals, sketchbooks and jewelry that I have been given by family and friends. They would be the things I grab in a fire. That and my hard drive.What's your favorite, well-designed food? why?
Um, this could be a long list... Generally, I prefer simply prepared foods that celebrate ingredients at their finest. A caprese salad of heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with basil from the garden and great olive oil and balsamic comes to mind. When prepared properly, it just lets each ingredient shine and fills you with the taste of summer. In winter, we also make this slow cooked bolognese that is so rich you almost have to lie down after a bowl of it over pasta. It has these deep flavors (from the red wine, pancetta, etc.) that just continue to reveal themselves with each new bite. 
What are the strengths of design in the Northwest? How do you see it becoming stronger?
There is a lot of great design happening in the Northwest. The tricky part is getting to know what’s going on beyond the surface. Becoming involved with JOIN has made a major impact on how connected we now feel to the Northwest design community - which is really important to us as we think about growing our business here.
In an effort to educate myself on contemporary art and design in the Northwest, I began a blog in late 2008 called Village Mews as a way to archive everything I was stumbling across in my own personal research. In doing this, I thought I would begin to get a more cohesive picture of the Northwest design scene. Almost a year later, I am not sure if I can summarize it into a neat package. That said, there are some themes that begin to bubble up. One is materiality; there is definitely a consciousness to the way designers here think about their use of material – whether it be reclaimed, sustainably sourced, or locally produced. Secondly, in the process of making, there seems to be a strong D.I.Y./craft/handmade affinity. Also, here in Seattle at least, it feels like a lot of designers try to leverage the tremendously rich manufacturing/production processes available locally in their work. These themes are not necessarily unique to the Pacific Northwest, but they are the themes that I would identify with Northwest design if I had to make some unifying connections. If I were selecting a couple adjectives to describe designers here, I would probably pick authentic, straightforward and resourceful.
As far as strengthening design in the Northwest, I think the efforts of JOIN are going to be a catalyst - bringing together the disparate work of our regional designers. This should help us more clearly define our collective efforts and get the word out about what we do so well here. Through the grey and gloom that we are infamous for, I think the future looks bright for Northwest design.

apartment therapy give away

2009-08-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

Apartment Therapy is running their annual Holiday Give Away again this year. Every Nov & Dec they give away over 100 design items; they tell readers what they love about them, and give them the opportunity to enter to win the item.

This is a GREAT way to get your product in front of thousands of readers. For consideration the product should have a retail value of at least $100. The deadline for submission is 10/01.09 and they will get back to you by 10/23/09.

More information and the form to submit your product is here.

object design league on designglut

2009-08-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

lisa smith and caroline linder of object design league were interviewed on designglut. lisa interviewed me and wrote the (amazing) core77 article about american design clubs. the article is a nice look into how object design league is pursuing what they do.

so exciting to be a part of the american design wave...

read full article here.

Laser Cutter is SO Last Year

2009-08-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

I want my own rotation molding machine!

Check it out:

Also a video...a little long...music not that great, but awesome machine nonetheless.

We should make our own rotational mold for JOIN and have a molding party!! Not a bad idea, right?

Jean & Dylan
Ladies & Gentlemen

american design article (&JOIN) on core77

2009-08-04T09:26:00.001-07:00

the american design club, object design league & JOIN design seattle in core77 article.

i'm pleased as punch to see the article that the lovely lisa smith wrote about the american design clubs that have popped up recently. such an amazingly written article, i can't begin to paraphrase. please check it out in it's entirety here.

Summer Studio Sale @ Studio Piano Nobile

2009-07-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Summer Sale
Studio Piano Nobile
908 NW 50th Street
(in Ballard btwn 10th & 11th ave)
Seattle, WA 98107
Fri July 17 & Sat July 18 11 am - 6 pm

The summer sale is a gorgeous group of local designers who will be showing jewelry, home goods, and accessories. The sale is taking place during the weeklong shopping event, City Stimulus, which promotes Seattle's innovative small businesses, shops, and restaurants. Visitors to Piano Nobile can do more than just shop local, though -- they can meet the gifted local designers and artists whose work is on display!

CHIKABIRD/randl wallets and notebooks (including a few featuring piano nobile fabric!)(not pictured but oh so very exciting!!)

DAO JEWELRY/handmade silver jewelry

HEATHER DAVIDSON JEWELRY/hand-drawn jewelry

IACOLI & MCALLISTER/jewelry and home goods

NOMURA/hand-printed recylced garments and fine jewelry

LIT/couture silk shades featuring piano nobile fabric!

PIANO NOBILE PRINTSHOP/hand-printed textiles, accessories, and home goods

ctrl+alt+design press

2009-07-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

HURRY!! This weekend is your last chance to see the show before it comes down on Monday July 13th!

here's a nice little article about the show on seattle magazine:

coolhunting posted a nice little write-up on JOIN and Ctrl+Alt+Design:

click here for the full post.

ctrl+alt+design also made it onto the core77 event listing:

click here for post.

laura cassidy of seattle metropolitan magazine wrote a nice article promoting the show.
click here for the full post.

Take a Closer Look at What's Around....Even If It's Costco

2009-07-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you stopped to appreciate the most mundane parts of where you live?
Have you ever hike along the woods off the highway?
Can fences be used to connect instead of divide?
These are a few of the questions brought up in a lecture Jean and I attended tonight by urban planner Thomas Sieverts and put on by Portland-based Suddenly.org.
Thomas's theory is that we need to come to terms with the already established sprawl of our urban environments and recognize the inherent charm and potential in the in-between state of being it creates. His suggestion is that we begin to shape our culture in a way that appreciates and enhances interactions of people with their location.

-How can we make the best out of the situation and be better aware of and enjoy the places we live?
-Can spaces between buildings become spots for gardens or for people to mingle?
-Can big commercial businesses use the parking lots to house community events like flea markets, fairs, or skateboard competitions?
Thomas posed these questions and more through a narrative photo tour through a Tigard, OR, an apparent suburban wasteland (similar to Burien, WA) of big box stores, fast food, and lower-middle class residences. The photos highlighted the hidden beauty of forests situated between strip malls, spaces between buildings, unofficial walkways, and well-intentioned. Some were beautiful examples spontaneous human resourcefulness others audacious attempts to insert "beauty" in an altogether bland location (think trimmed hedges in parking lots...what's the point?). All were scenes you could witness if you'd just notice it or take a thoughtful walk around a neighborhood near you....or keep it simple and get your ass out of the car. :DBillboard on I-5 between Seattle and Portland. It's always changing with some ridiculous messages on it. I love reading it every time we go by.
Playful signs on a roundabout by Hiawatha neighborhood off of S Rainer Ave in Seattle.
The point behind it all is that there's a natural desire to express human needs no matter the location and that we all need to recognize them and demand them, but it's also what we choose to see and appreciate what's around us.
Will there come a time where living in an abandoned strip mall or Costco building is just as desirable as livinging in industrial warehouses?
This whole lecture has opened up so many design potentials on this subject, and our heads are spinning with ideas for Brite!!...... oh boy!

Today July 2nd: Continuing event with Thomas Sieverts : there will be an organized walking tour in Burien neighborhood to practice this exact philosophy we described and explore what's around there. When's the last time you decided to stop and walk around Burien?? We can't say that we have....But we will tomorrow!

4:00 pm Burien through Community Eyes: Walk the city of Burien with Thomas Sieverts and artist, Boris Sieverts. (Gather at B/IAS 5th Ave SW & SW 150th St., Burien.) Free and open to the public.

6:00 pm Conversation and Nosh with Thomas Sieverts and Boris Sieverts, Burien political and civic leaders, neighbors, friends, and an interested public (at B/IAS, 5th Ave SW & SW 150th St., Burien; food and drink from Mark & Sal’s Deli). Free and open to the public.

Events: Urban Planning with Sieverts

2009-06-30T00:30:00.000-07:00

There's a series of really interesting events happening in Seattle this week from July 1st-3rd concerning the idea of urban planning specifically in Seattle and Burien. Occasioned by Thomas Sieverts, there will be discussions, film showings, and exhibits surrounding this topic.

Suddenly Presents: Seattle and Burien, July 1-3, 2009

Our cities surprise and confound us by scrambling the categories we
use to plan and understand them. At once dense and sprawling, crowded
and empty, urban but centerless, dynamic and stalled, the landscape
where we live defies planning and leaves us with little grasp of its
meanings or pleasures. Yet it is the product of our choices,
individually and as a public: we live here now. So, what can we make
of it? Suddenly will bring art and food and public conversation to
bear on the common cause of making meaning and life in the landscape
where we live now — as it is, as we are, as best we can.

We're thinking of checking these events below:

Wednesday July 1
7:30 pm “Urban Aesthetics,” lecture by Thomas Sieverts (at Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave., Seattle, $5 suggested donation)

Friday July 3: (if you can splurge...this dinner sounds really amazing)
Corridor Project closing dinner at 6pm hosted by Michael Hebb,with Matthew Stadler and Thomas Sieverts in conversation, including a celebration of “suddenly: where we live now, the visual chronicle;” (see www.onepot.org for details). It's $40 for the dinner
The documentation of the Corridor Project IIII: Habitat: will be on display. The opening of the Exhibition is open to the public and begins at 9pm in Occidental Plaza in Pioneer Square.
Corridor Project IIII is an exploration of the wilderness and landscape of the Interstate 5. Michael Hebb, Hannes Wingate and Michael McManus discovers what it means to live, eat, and create a habitat for 3 days in one of the freeways generous median areas. (crazy!!)

Ctrl+Alt+DESIGN Recap

2009-06-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

So Finally! Went through all the photos we took...all 200+ of them! Phew!!
You can see the crowd and the space at Ouch My Eye. The sun lit room made the space look even more amazing. Here's all the designs that were at the show. Remember, the show will be up through July, 12th, and the gallery will also be open late for First Thursday Art Walk on July 2nd.
Above: Graypants , Grain, Elisa Werbler Above: Frame Lamp by Iacoli & McAllister, Paper Flower Shade by Lit, Peep Show Shade by Andrea Claire, Scrap by Graypants, Porcailine shade by Heath Bultman.Above: Pedestals by Iacoli & McAllister, Ceramic Cans by Jason Neufeld, Doily Clock by Stanley Ruiz, Hookup by Fruitsuper Design, "Pour"by Elisa Werbler, Recycled leather sculpture by Submaterial. Necklaces by Stanly Ruiz, Wood & Corian rings by Iacoli & McAllister, Cryon Rings by Timothy Liles, Cinder Block necklace by Kiel Mead.
Hairpiece, and mirror necklaces by FortyFive-09.Above are some of the figures I made for the Chalk-It-To-Me Series along with the Buddha figure and Piggy Bank. I provided bunch of various colored chalk and people went crazy on all the Chalk-It-To-Me figures. It was fun to see the progression of what people drew as the night went on. As you can see that what used to be the handsome black panther got turned into a drag queen panther.... Good times. :D
I especially enjoyed the art installations and art work by (knee shy). They have a wonderfully analytical, but humorous way of commenting about the audacity of our everyday behaviors and interactions. They didn't begin working on their piece until arriving in Seattle allowing their journey here to inspire them to document a movement of their own creation: O.N.W.A.R.D: Our Nation Want Airport Re-Design. Their installed piece mocked humanity's futile efforts to improve airports by adding things like bad art and crappy shopping to our air travel experiences. Pretty funny stuff.
Brite Collective has a section in the show with all the Brite Lites are displayed. It was fun to see them again in the gallery context and I think it got a lot of people curious and interested in it! Become a Brite Collective facebook fan and get all our updates plus other design-related Seattle happenings!
More of Tricia's Bread Friend Map. It was even more impressive to see the bread board that she had someone custom made for her. I love all the adorable playful doodles that people did through out the map, too!
There's seriously too many photos! You can see MORE on our Flickr!

piano nobile open studio 6/20

2009-06-18T15:13:00.001-07:00

SUMMER OPEN STUDIO
Saturday June 20th 4-8pm

Studio Piano Nobile
908 NW 50TH STREET
SEATTLE WA 98107
phone 917-862-2262

*Grow/Draw: New Paintings by Isabelle Grizzard Robertson*

*The Positivity Project*
A collaboration between dao jewelry and the Piano Nobile Printshop.

*Semaphore*
The first collection of furniture, lighting, and textiles from Piano Nobile Home made its debut in May. A selection of tables and lamps will be on display.

*Farmhouse Modern*
Chadhaus introduces the newest piece in the celebrated Farmhouse Modern collection: a dining table made entirely from recycled or salvaged materials, including some gorgeous straight-grain fir.

*Live Music!*

Summer Open Studio will spill from the gallery into the front drive, where musician and author Steve Treseler and company will perform.

more information on the studio piano nobile website.

grain presenting @ green drinks in bellevue TONIGHT

2009-06-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

Grain will be presenting at the next Eastside-Seattle Green Drinks on June 18th 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Open Satellite. Grain will be presenting their Ty Recyclable Shower Curtain as well as talking about some of their up-coming projects. The event is sponsored by Georgetown Brewery, so don't forget to bring your own reusable cup.

The current Open Satellite exhibition is Vehicle by New York-based artist Seth Kinmont. It is an amazing installation of in-process electric cars and is not to be missed!

online calender up and running!!

2009-04-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

we finally got our online calendar going. it's a google calendar, and it'll do for now. psst psst are you a programming/coding guru? are you just dyyyyyying to design us a nice little custom job? contact us! :)

the purpose of this calendar is to be a reliable resource to find out all that's going on in seattle's design community. so please, help us make this a success and let us know about your events! we're here to help!!!

....and the first event we added is this tuesday. mark your calendars folks, urbancase will be introducing their new line of contemporary furniture, lighting, and home accessories at cairo - 507 E Mercer St (near the corner of Summit and Mercer in Capitol Hill) on April 28th from 7-9 pm. This is an opportunity to see our latest products before being introduced at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York in May.

This year’s release is based on ideas and images from Berlin...

bahn credenza

melli compact lounge

melli compact lounge detail

energie lamp

camera candle

more photos and info on the pieces can be found on urbancase's website.

sound bugle horn

2009-03-11T10:58:00.001-07:00

please visit our NEW site for more information about the show, criteria for entry and to download the application.

best of luck!!!!!!!!!

new logo and website

2009-03-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

oh goodness, it's been a WHILE since our last post.

but what the hey, we've been busy. we have a new logo, look up, isn't it cute?! thanks dylan and jean!!

and we have a new website!!!

www.joinDesignSeattle.com

check it out. we have an event calendar in the works for seattle design events so if you know of a listing, please let us know. and tell us you are out there by getting on the mailing list. just email info [at] joinDesignSeattle.com

see you soon!

More Photos from Vermillion

2008-12-20T19:24:00.001-08:00

...this time from Jean of Ladies and Gentlemen Studio. I pretty much took these images straight from her post last week...thanks Jean!

Submaterial's felt piece was truly stunning and was complimented so well by the petal credenza with cast resin doors from urbancase. It was really a match made in heaven. L&G's mega doily is the neatest rug I have seen all year. *Swoon*

A close of of the entirely HAND CUT felt piece. *Drool*

Totes, from Meet Me Here made from recycled rubberized mesh, that would have been a PERFECT companion in Miami Beach a few weeks ago. Next year, definitely. (These pieces will be on display for the entire length of the show.)

Ladies & Gentlemen, I'll take one of each please.

I can't get enough of the cardboard lights from Graypants, Inc. The shadows they cast are really something to see.

Corian and powder coated steel pedestal tables and chairs and thermoformed corian pendants from Iacoli & McAllister. The detail and craftsmanship should be duly noted.

:)

Photo Highlights from 12/11

2008-12-19T18:34:00.001-08:00

A special thanks to Tomika D for taking some amazing photos at Vermillion. And a special thanks to me for finally posting them. Hah.

Hand cut and assembled felt ornaments by Submaterial.

Looking through amazing bags and clothing from Meet Me Here.

Credenza by urbancase has case resin doors with delicate flower petals.

Graypants' Scrap Lights are always a crowd pleaser.

Oversized lamps/bench from Ladies & Gentlemen Studio were a serious smash. We were just in Miami Beach for Art Basel/Design Miami, and the pieces reminded us of the Mondrian Hotel in Miami Beach designed by Marcel Wanders.

Powder coated frame pendants from Iacoli & McAllister.

Ornaments and jewelry for sale at the event.

Be sure to check out Tomika's other photos here.

JOIN: i think it was a success

2008-12-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

photo credit: jean lee

now that the dust has settled after a seemingly hugely successful event, i will start posting photos (downloading them now from the photographer). until then...please check out ladies & gentlemen's blog and their flckr for more photos.

and a special thanks once again to EVERYONE who participated in this event to make it the success that it was. :)))))

sneak peak to dec 11th at vermillion gallery

2008-11-23T21:22:00.000-08:00

urbancase
urbancase.com
urbancase is a seattle based furniture design and build firm founded in 2002 by metal worker and sculptor darin montgomery. our design philosophy is to create objects that contribute to a simpler, pared back lifestyle focusing on basic aesthetic elements and functionality. we make informed decisions about the materials and methods we use in an attempt to minimize the negative impact on the environment.
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meet me here
mmhclothing.com
meet me here is a line of clothing and bags designed by musician jonas de varona.
the line includes bags made from recycled materials as well as tops and skirts made from hand painted silk, leather and non woven fabrics. all pieces are cut and sewn by jonas in his seattle work space.
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submaterial submaterial.com
founder: david hamlin
works by submaterial explore the tension created by trying to define objects as art or as design. emphasizing texture, repetition of form and precise hand work, these pieces compliment modern environments.
all our work is made to last in the united states.
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iacoli & mcallister
iacolimcallister.com
designmate
iacoli & mcallister is a joint effort between jamie newman and brian mcallister. we are micro and we design in order to stay that way. we keep our hands on the process from concept to finished product, handing off to craftsmen and incorporating industrial processes as we go. we design honestly with real life situations in mind, thinking about the future and the world.
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ladies&gentlemen
ladiesandgentlemenhome.blogspot.com
dylan davis from henrybuilt kitchen systems
jean lee from chikabird inc
L&G celebrates objects and rituals in all their glory whether new or old, shiny or matted, natural or man made, simple or complex. their mission is to give new identities and value to mundane objects by highlighting their purity and inherent character.
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graypants
seth grizzle & jonathan junker
graypants.com
seth and jonathan are architects. they also like to use their hands, designing and building things like chairs and light fixtures. they first crossed paths at kent state university in cleveland, honing abilities to endure long winters and earning professional degrees in architecture + design. now, eight years of collaboration and spirited adventure has landed them in seattle, where graypants, inc. was forged from a desire to make a difference through design.

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in addition to the designers featured above, there will be artwork by ann farnsworth duffy (above) and paul thomas. sadly, birdwatchers united! have been called back east for an early christmas, and won't be able to join us dec 11th, maybe next time.

a special thanks to vermillion gallery for hosting our event!

and the postcards are IN

2008-11-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

yay! now it's time to paper the town with postcards! i can't believe that it's already time to really start promoting this event. time is FLYING by - but that's a good thing, right?

i feel SO fortunate to have met such talented and enthusiastic people (please check them out in the links to the right). i am so thankful to each of you for being so supportive AND patient. we're going to rock the boat a little in seattle's design community!!

Our Next Event...

2008-10-22T20:26:00.001-07:00

Come and check it out...new designers, new products, Birdwatchers United!...what more could one possibly ask for?!?

THURSDAY DECEMBER 11th, 2008
vermillion gallery
1508 11th ave - btwn pike & pine
opening 6pm-11pm
show runs thru january 4, 2009

featuring:
graypants - lighting
iacoli & mcallister - furniture/lighting/accessories
ladies & gentlemen studio - furniture
meet me here - bags & clothing
submaterial - wall installation/decor
urbancase - furniture
birdwatchers united! - music! (time tbd)