bespoke manufacturing is the holy grail

I have been reading this blog post on and off for the past couple of weeks. Zeroinfluencer aka David Bousola is an interesting thinker working in branding world, writing some very good stuff on his blog.

The plate above is the product of a bit of light play - Amrita at Tinku Gallery in Toronto sent me a picture of her very cool spotted walls and I made a plate sample, pink dots on taupe. I like it. It is a combo I might not of thought of but now I think I will make a big one. What I see is thought flow. Her bathroom, sparks my thought, I can make a quick sample, like it, make again, bigger. Bespoken manufacturing. I posted here earlier about bespoken dinnerware, and the phrase is coming up again, a new meme? Hope so. I think custom lends itself to smaller, cleaner, friendlier more wanted, more necessary, more love...

Isn't that what we are all wanting a bit more of in the world??

technorati tags: tinkugallery, zeroinfluencer, bespokemanufacture

Mad in Real Simple

I always like to post these here. Puts it somewhere I can keep track of it and brag to you. ;-)

technorati tags: davistudio, handmade, realsimple

Sol Lewitt to Eva Hesse

Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, gasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, rumbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatchiiing, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning...searching, perching, besmirching, grinding grinding grinding away at yourself. stop it and just DO...trust and tickle something inside you, your "weird humor." you belong in the most secret part of you. don't worry about cool, make your own uncool...if you fear, make it work for you -- draw and paint your fear and anxiety. and stop worrying about big, deep things such as "to decide on a purpose and way of life..." you must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. then you will be able to DO! i have much confidence in you and even though you are tormenting yourself, the work you do is very good. try and do some BAD work. the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell.

Lovin' Summer

plates in the grass

Been talking to Gregory Lent about likening art making to farming. Fallow times, busy times. Summer is a time for a lot of growth- a lot of activity here at the studio. A lot of color, a lot of possibility, a lot of visitors, a lot of new friends and a lot of old friends. It is a good life. I am grateful.

Studio Summer Hours

New wall idea. 1st draft. This is what will greet you when you walk in.

It is officially summer in Columbia County. I'll bet you thought that was June 21st. Hah! No, it is the weekend after the 4th of July. Why is that you say? Because that is the first weekend of my open studio hours! I will be receiving visitors from 2-4PM on Saturdays from now until Labor Day. Come and see where I make the dinnerware. Handmade fine porcelain dinnerware, custom, on site by the potter (me:-) like the good old days... I keep waiting for the gnomes to show up and make plates as night while I sleep, but alas, they have yet to appear. Oh well!

technorati tags: davistudio, madras, handmade

Grasshopper510

New eco-boutique Grasshopper510 ordered a few things from the madpotter (me;) which I shipped this week. See above. If you are in Chicago, stop by and say hi to Jean. She has the start of what looks like a rockin' shop... No guilt shopping! :-)

technorati tags: ecoboutique, grasshopper510, chicago

Pride

A set of 8 saucers for Avventura, NYC, unloaded out of today's kiln...

technorati tags: davistudio, handmade, plates, pride

Greenfluencers

We have a name. We're "Greenfluencers," according to the new Porter Novelli report. We may represent just a sliver of your market, the report says, but we guide the green conscience of your entire market.

from No Impact Man, Collin Beavan.

technorati tags: porternovelli, noimpactman, greenfluencer

Seed vases and summer flowers

I picked this bunch of flowers just circling my studio. Mostly wild flowers or WEEDS in some people's books... Beautiful. I am married to a guy who is a fanatic when it comes to weeds. He just loves to figure out what they are... Oh, that little vase is part of my seed vase project. Just started new blog here for it. Interactive. :-)

Micro-Production: Part of the Solution

Umair Haque posted a Manifesto for the Next Indutrial Revolution and people are talking about a lot this morning and over the weekend. I am delighted to see this esteemed academic write such a thoughtful and to the point article about the worlds problems and even more excited that it is gaining so much traction around the web. Alexander Elsas wrote about it here in response to Fred Wilson writing about it here.

Umair's list -

Organize the world's hunger.
Organize the world’s energy.
Organize the world’s thirst.
Organize the world's health.
Organize the world's freedom.
Organize the world's finance.
Organize the world's education.

I add : Organize the world's Production

While Fred Wilson expresses the potential for boredom in Web 2.0, Umair's post seems to come just in the nick of time. His words and ideas may spark that which he has called for; a revolution. Local economies are the backbone of any region. Give away your ability to make and do for yourself and you give away your ability to sustain life. Sustainability has to include strong local economies, perhaps local currencies but most important, the ability to produce the basic needs of a population with in a specific region. The people who will get on the ground and make that happen are the young people working with mentors, locally and experts, perhaps from abroad. But, listening is essential in the process.

Much compost has been laid on these principals over the decades. Yes, the invisible hand may have been an illusion all along. Crafting a life, in community and in a region, these are the issues of our time.

Here is an earlier post of mine, called Techno Swadeshi, that talks about making and connecting.

I am going to start a list of posts around Haques original post, as they are rpoliferating like bunnies! Hooray!! Alan Patrick here and here.

technorati tags: localeconomies, umairhaque, web2.0

Clay Shirky on the TV Bender

OK, so I am having a little too much fun posting short videos. This one is totally awesome. A talk from Web 2.0 conference about how everyone is and will contribute more and more to everything.

Pretty pictures of new, handmade fine porcelain to be posted tomorrow! :)

technorati tags: clayshirky, web2.0

I love this Man

My friend, John Krynick.

technorati tags: johnkrynick, advancedknitting