Artist Warren Muller

Meet artist Warren Muller. His studio, Bahdeebahdu is located in Philadelphia. He has been creating illuminated sculptures out of re purposed material for many, many years. His work can be seen in the Guggenheim Museum in New York City , the Dallas Fort Worth Museum , countless restaurants and buildings in New York, Philadelphia and even the Bat Bar in Japan.

Former education director of the Museum of Modern Art, Phillip Yenawine describes Warren's work:

"A glance is all it takes. We grin and think, never saw anything like that before..

The way Frank Gehry has reshaped our expectations of buildings, Muller has exploded the notion of look and function of lighting."

I so enjoyed working with Warren. We had a lot of fun searching through his wonderful, odd, old, shiny, collection of flea market finds.Once selected, he starts to assemble and magic happens.

Below are examples of his work, enjoy!

                                                           Here is Warren in his studio

                                        A look at how Muller's sculptures read in living spaces

                                         

                                                        
                                                          Brooms never looked so good

                                             A close up of Warren's newest work for the Sherle Wagner showroom
                                                    in Los Angeles. Look at the swan faucet!

This is a vintage jeep that hangs in the Philadelphia Cruise Ship Terminal's Naval Yard. It weighs over a ton.

                    Reception desk at Bahdeebahdu. portrait is made entirely of one tread and straight pins.

this is a close up of the front of the desk above. you are looking at ephemera and toys painted white

Lastly, here is a photo of Warren and Yours Truly standing below our collaboration in his studio this past summer.
To read older design blogs, go to www.merlehillaryinteriors.blogspot.com and go to the archives on the right. Also, stay tuned for the next blog which will feature a different kind of art. It will  also be sculpture, but the materials used are VEGETABLES!

                                                


                                               

OOPS ON THE OMO PEOPLE!

To my wonderful subscribers,
 I apologize that you were not able to view the omo people in my last post. Due to a few uninteresting reasons, that one was not able to be published on my blog,

There is a new video that is lap top and I-pad ready this time, so i hope you can view. Just continue to scroll down and have a look! if you can't scroll down, just go back to my original email, posted may 2nd, you won't be disappointed!
                                            sorry for the snafu !

THE OMO PEOPLE

The Mursi tribe and many others have lived in southern Ethiopia for centuries. Their religion is referred to as "Animist". They believe that there is no distinction between themselves, animals, plants or rocks. Everything has a soul. Nature is deeply revered. This may explain why there unique expression of body art blends seamlessly into their environment. Artists like Picasso, Motherwell and Rothko believed that primitivism was the core of creativity because it conveyed the soul of a person. Abstract Expressionist art was based on the non-intellectual. It was all about revealing your inner expression directly on the canvas.

Sadly, these tribes along the Omo river are slowly being forced out by the Omo National Parks. Government officials have coerced the Mursi to give up their land without compensation, making them squatters on their own land. Now there is a community tourism project helping the Mursi to declare their territory a community conservation area. You can go to www.mursicommunity.com.

Please watch this stunning video of the Omo People, their bodies are their canvases

GREAT GIFT IDEAS

This lovely logo is from "iomoi" (i owe me) www.iomoi.com . If you are looking for great gift ideas, this company offers standard or custom designs for home accessories as well as desk, kids and fashion accessories too.

Just enjoy and have a look!



These wonderful icebuckets can be made using custom designs. they also make lucite trays with custom designs. if you look below, here is a sampling of their choices.








I hope you enjoyed looking at some interesting gift possibilities. To look at older posts, please go to my main page at www.merlehillaryinteriors.blogspot.com

ARCHITECT ZAHA HADID

This is architect Zaha Hadid, from Baghdad. She is the recipient of the Pritzker award, the equivalent of the noble prize in architecture. Her research focuses on interrelating fields of urbanism, architecture and design. She combines natural topography and human made systems with cutting edge technology. The result is unexpected and dynamic architectural forms.

I have been on hiatus for a while to complete a two year docent program at the Philadelphia Art Museum. I am now a full fledged guide. The program not only focused on art and sculpture, but decorative arts as well which has helped me tremendously in my field of Interior Decoration.

Hadid's work can be seen at the museum. The focus of this show is how her interior space relates to her furniture design.

This photo below is Hoxton Square, London, England. It is based on the idea of a prism. The design seeks to respond to and manipulate daylight and views.


This next photo is he opera house in Guangzhon, China.

Below is the Vitra fire station in Weil am Rhein, Germany.


Id like you to take a look how the architect translates her merge of urbanization and design when we look at the interior spaces.


Here we are looking at her "Art Borders" wallcovers as well as one of her tables, organic and sleek. These pieces as well as her exteriors show movement as well.

Below is Zahad's latest installation at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The three dimensional pieces you see are actual seating. Once inside the space one feels like you are part of a wave.

Please go to my blog, www.merlehillaryinteriors.blogspot.com to look at older posts that may be of interest. My portfolio is also on display as well.
Wishing you all the best in 2012! Merle Weismer

Artist, JoAnne Russo

This is the work of JoAnne Russo, contemporary basketmaker from Maine. This is part of her "Pod" series. What attracts me to her work is her use of unexpected materials like buttons, and zippers, and eyehooks. her application creates an unusual sophisticated surface design, they transcend their use and take on a new meaning.

Ms. Russo started making baskets in 1984. She was inspired by the works and basket techniques of the basketmakers of long ago from Mount Agamenticus in York, Maine. She was able to learn their techniques and incorporate them into her work. It involved selecting the right kind of Ash tree, splitting the wood for handles and rims using tradtional tools and then finally weaving the basket. She was also inspired by basket makers from Native Americans from the north east and the southwest. She started to incorporate porcupine quills and other natural materials which gave texture and individual presence to each peice she refers to as "Animism".

Here is a close-up. These pieces are from the "zip it" series.

Above is a shot of the inside. The buttons used create a wonderful 3d textural element to the

surface. Below is a basket whose top is made using acorns.

Her use of simple acorns adds a certain quiet elegance to this piece.

The pieces also look wonderful together as a group in the "chili pepper" series.

The curves in the eye hooks look like an ornate surface design I featured in my last blog, the

surface decoration of architect Robert Adam .

I am always impressed by taking unconventional materials and using them in such a poetic way. Russo has won numerous awards. Her pieces have been purchased by several museums including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

To see older posts, please go to my main blog page, www.merlehillaryinteriors.blogspot.com

ARCHITECT ROBERT ADAM

Scottish architect Robert Adam became one of the most successful and fashionable architects in the 18th century in England. He was the leader of the Neo-Classical movement, also known as Adam Style. He influenced western architecture in Europe and North America. He did not just design buildings and homes, but accessories and furniture. I am particularly fond of his surface decorations within his rooms. Above is an example of one of his ceilings. the paintings were subcontracted, painted on canvas and applied to the ceiling later. the curly foliage you see is taken from antiquity and is known as "Grotesque Design". Taken from the Italian word, "grotto" which is a subterranean garden.

Above is another example of an Adam ceiling. also, the use of unusual colors like pale greens, blues and even pinks became his signature. He would provide a set of plans to be purchased by the owner and various artists and artisans would execute the designs using elaborate mouldings.

above is an example of a wall and doorway using colored glass panels, gilding, and painted mouldings.

Here is an example of how the design of the arch of the doorway is repeated as a surface decoration on the ceiling creating continuity of design as well as the "movement" for which he is known.

Neo-Classic or Classic Revival are all terms used to describe design vernacular from the Greco/Roman culture circa 5th century. The revival came after two cities in southern Italy were discovered by accident while digging a tunnel. These cities were Pompeii and Herculaneum.

They were buried under volcanic ash and revealed all kinds of frescoes, architecture and art that were reproduced through an 18th c filter.

.

This is one of his most well known exterior structures in Bath, England called the Pulteney bridge.

To view older posts, please go to my main page www.merlehillaryinteriors.blogspot.com.