Oh My God - Ida Maria

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Eva Zeisel

Eva Zeisel is a remarkable woman, designer, and ceramist that created the very first all white china set in the United States that was more about shapes and curves than decoration. Her work is well known for the curving forms. I found this short video from Todd Oldham with a quick look at her work.

Her personal story of how she ended up in the United States is something out of a novel. Go listen to her interview with NPR back in 2005. She sounds so sweet and humble when she states after sipping a drink from her own teacup "the handle could be bigger."

Raising the Curve: Designer Eva Zeisel

Eye Eclectic Simplified

A visual representation of Eye Eclectic via Wordle. I could play with these beautiful word clouds all day!

The Watson Twins

I loved the melodies of the Watson Twins when they were backing up Jenny Lewis on "Rabbit Fur Coat." An album full of sarcastically biting lyrics on songs like Rise Up with Fists and Run, Devil, Run backed up by these beautiful melodies and lovely voices.

I am very excited the Watson Twins are back with another album entitled Fire Songs. I especially love How am I to be which could be a dead ringer for a new single from Dusty Springfield. It definitely sounds like an album I will enjoy listening to on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note Labels

If you like soul music and you have never heard of the Numero Group then you need to get yourself acquainted. I am not talking about the soul music you have heard on the radio. I am talking about the soul music issued on small mom and pop labels with very small pressings. The records that make collectors and DJ's just itch to find. The Numero Group works to uncover these forgotten recordings. Their collection is vast and growing. The latest compilation is from Atlanta's backyard from the labels owned by Jesse Jones on the Tragar and Note Lables

"Lost for thirty years among the kudzu and Coke bottles of central Georgia, the Tragar & Note labels are the latest Numero Group unearthings to join our landmark Eccentric Soul series. Spread out over two discs, Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note Labels is a ridiculously thorough survey of Jesse Jones' twin labels that operated out of Atlanta between 1968-1977. Ranging from southern to northern soul, classic R&B to modern, dancers to romancers, the 50 track collection chronicles nearly every sub-genre of popular black music being made at the time.

Researched with leading Georgia soul expert Brian Poust, the accompanying 32 page booklet features a dozen unpublished photos, memorabilia, label scans, and a 7000 word essay that gives a rich overview of not just these two labels, but the Atlanta soul scene as a whole."

If you are interested in learning more about the Eccentric Soul: The Tragar & Note labels listen to this interview on Just Off The Radar.

Design Spotlight: Eames Lounge Chair

The Eames lounge chair and ottoman made of interlocking molded-plywood with a Brazilian rosewood veneer frame and black leather was released in 1956. The inspiration for the chair was the comfortable feel of a well worn catcher's mitt. The final product grew out of Charles and Ray Eames pursuit to produce designs that both worked and looked good. The most recognizable and iconic chair that often decorates movies, television shows and commercials has been produced by Herman Miller for over 50 years.

Charles became interested in working with molding plywood after he and Eero Saarinen won "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" in 1940 from the museum of Modern Art for their chairs and tables. In 1942, Charles and Ray Eames developed molded-plywood leg splints for the U.S. Navy's wounded serviceman. The Eames product development on such a huge scale (~150,000 splints) for the Navy undoubtedly strengthened their abilities and spearheaded them to incorporate the resource into their lounge chair.

Of course, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman was not released until 1956 which was a full 16 years down the road from when Charles won his first award for working with molded plywood. Over those years Charles and Ray experimented with their personally designed machine they called the Kazam! for molding the plywood. Through their experimentation the team finalized on a chair made of three pieces of molded plywood. Various products came out of the molding plywood including chairs with wood or metal legs, table, and screen.

Today the Eames lounger and ottoman is available in various leather colors including black, ivory, tan, or chocolate on cherry, walnut, or a palisander frame. Depending on the materials chosen the chair is price is between $3,599.00 - $4,499.00 according to the licensed dealer Design Within Reach.

A few books about the work of Charles and Ray Eames:

• Charles and Ray Eames By Naomi Stungo and Judith Carmel Arthur

• Charles and Ray Eames: Designers of the Twentieth Century By Pat Kirkham

• The Eames Lounge Chair: An Icon of Modern Design By Eidelberg et al.

• Herman Miller: The Purpose of Design By John Berry

• The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention By Donald Albrecht

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

A Design Spotlight

I started writing here in order to document the things that inspire me. I have decided to begin a design spotlight in order to develop my own knowledge of the designers and their work. I thought I would do this on a weekly basis, but who am I kidding? I just don't have that kind of time! So I am writing this with the aim to promise myself to write a monthly design spotlight and see how this pans out.

My very first design spotlight is on the Eames Lounger. Charles and Ray Eames were a fascinating couple and recently have been honored with their own stamp series lauding their work. I am completely enamored of the synergy that came out of their collaboration.

The spotlight includes a short bibliography to further delve into the man and woman behind the work because there are plenty of amazing writers that can explain the whole story in great detail. I hope this will push me to learn more about them and other great designers.