Friday, May 22nd, 2009
tube top, UNIFORM Studio, states of matter COLLECTION
spring 2009
I just added this top in size small to my shop. I meant to do it yesterday, but I was behind on taking photos and the light was so bad I just gave up. I took some more today, and the light was better but again I was reminded that I just don’t have much patience for taking photos of myself modeling clothing. Figuring out a photographer/model is part of my summer plan:)
Anyway, thank you again for your kind words and support of my work and shop. The new medium grey blue/green scarves were popular -I’ll make some more of this color soon.
I hope to be back here sometime this weekend with some garden design links -it seems to be all I’m thinking about lately. Oh, and next week I’m planning on a little giveaway.
Have a great memorial day weekend!
tube dress, UNIFORM Studio, states of matter COLLECTION
spring 2009
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
As the semester and school year comes to a close, I thought I would share some thoughts about teaching. When people ask me what I do for a living, I used to say “I’m an architect.” I’ve found lately though that I’ve been saying “I teach.” Teaching is the most challenging thing I do, and it’s also the most fulfilling. And it’s the thing that is intertwined through all parts of my life.
The class that I most often teach is the first studio in the undergraduate architecture program. I’ve also taught other undergrad and grad studios as well as some other classes, but studio I is by far my favorite. In many ways it’s the hardest class to teach, but also the most rewarding. I like to be the one that gives them their first impression of learning about architecture but mainly I like to give them a way to work.
I think of these two things as observing and process. I ask my students to be curious and to really observe the world around them as it is, not as they think it is. To see space rather than object, to notice material and phenomena and to consider how these things effect how people engage architecture.
And then I help them develop a way to work. This is what I consider to be the most important part of teaching. We talk about and practice a method of seeing, recording and making that is very iterative, so that they can understand where they started and how each decision they made effected their work and process. At the end of the semester they have a record of their process they can look back and reflect on. It sounds linear, but it’s really not. I tell them they can start anywhere; with a detail, a material or an idea about light. The important thing is to explore ideas in a way that is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Let one thing lead to the next, rather than starting over with a completely new idea each time.
In the book “Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees”, the artist Robert Irwin talks about the importance of helping his students find a way to work:
“All the time my ideal of teaching has been to argue with people on behalf of the idea that they are responsible for their own activities, that they are really, in a sense, the question, that ultimately they are what it is they have to contribute. The most critical part of that is for them to begin developing the ability to assign their own tasks and make their own criticism in direct relation to their own needs and not in light of some abstract criteria. Because once you learn how to make your own assignments instead of relying on someone else, then you have learned the only thing you really need to get out of school, that is, you’ve learned how to learn. You’ve become your own teacher.”
One thing I’ve realized is that whatever I teach, whether it’s the first undergrad studio, a graduate studio, or if I’m teaching my kids, these are the two things I emphasize. These two ideas are always at the core, it’s just the content that gets more complex.
A few weeks ago the Minnesota Teacher of the Year was announced. The winner was Amber Damm, a young woman who teaches at my son’s school. As I listened to her being interviewed on MPR, I could hear her passion for teaching in her voice. She talked about the importance of teaching to each child and that the teaching method needs to change based on what that student is able to engage. A good reminder that everyone learns in a different way.
Last week the graduate students had their thesis reviews. As I walked around looking at the work of some of the students I had had in studio I years ago, I felt this sense of joy in seeing how far they had come and in knowing that in some small way I had had an impact on their learning. But I also realized how much I have learned from them.
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
tube top, UNIFORM Studio, states of matter COLLECTION
spring 2009
I had intended on updating my shop tomorrow but I’ve been so busy that it doesn’t look like it will happen until this Thursday. I guess I forgot how crazy the end of semester can be. I also didn’t realize that this weekend is Memorial day weekend already! It’s early this year, and really snuck up on me. I was thinking I might push the update off until next week, but I’m assuming that people will be traveling, and I’ll be leaving town at the end of the week, so Thursday it is. It will be a small update -scarves and one or two dresses and tops -but then I’ll do another small update the week after next.
I’ve also been getting some requests for pieces I’ve made from past collections, like the zip coat. This summer I am thinking I might try to clean out my fabric supply and make a few of those older items.
The shop update will be Thusday, May 21st, just after noon CST. And thank you all for your thoughtful comments and emails lately. I always appreciate you taking the time to stop by and read and share your thoughts.
xo
Friday, May 15th, 2009
There is a complexity to color I didn’t fully realize until I started dying my own fabric. From color theory in art class I understand how colors are combined to make other colors, but it rarely works out as pure as a color wheel would make you believe.
Blacks are especially hard -there is always an undertone of blue or purple or green and depending on how much of that is evident, it will change the whole cast and feel of the color. I have a very emotional reaction to color (which I’ve written about before) and if it feels even a little bit off -too bright, or too much of an undertone, I feel uneasy.
Mixing your own colors when painting allows you to achieve a greater depth of color than using a color straight out of the tube. Layering colors on top of each other achieves a different type of depth. I’ve found that using these techniques in dying is similar, although it’s hard to be consistant with results.
I’ve been experimenting more and more with mixing dyes and also with layering dyes or overdyeing. There are certain colors that are just elusive. The hardest ones for me surprisingly are the greys. They always want to go towards purple. This batch of scarves is one of my recent experiments. It’s hard to name the color, maybe sand or putty comes close. But it’s a warm greyish beige, with maybe the tiniest hint of a yellow/green undertone. I think it’s a good color for summer and looks nice paired with white.
I plan on updating my shop next Wednesday, May 20th. There will be scarves (these and various other colors) and a few items from my spring states of matter COLLECTION. If there is a scarf color or clothing item you’ve been wanting, send me an email and I’ll see what I can do.
Thank you for all the positive feedback about U N and my new labels. I’m excited about moving in this direction. Now to start learning about natural dye processes….
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
As I mentioned a while back, 1/3 of my spring collection uses organic fabrics. Almost all of the rest of the fabrics are millends and cutoffs, which if unused are a huge part of the fabric industry’s contribution to the solid waste problem.
I’m happy to be moving in a direction with my clothing company that is more sustainable. To that end, I just ordered woven organic cotton clothing labels. The new labels say U N, which stands for UNIFORM natural. Originally I was thinking U N would be a separate, organic line, but now I’ve decided that everything I make will be under that line and I will no longer use the name UNIFORM Studio. I’m not sure if I will ever be able to have 100% organic products, from fabric down to thread, but I’m going to make sure that the majority of products I use are. And by designing pieces that are well made, aren’t trendy and that can span multiple seasons, hopefully the clothing I make will last, which I think is the best way to be sustainable.
I’ve also started making hang tags using recycled cardstock, pressing UN onto the tags with my metal letter punches. I like how they look and am happy that they don’t use any ink. I sized the tags so that there isn’t any waste when I cut them out of a sheet. Now to find some organic linen thread.
I really like the sustainable company nau. Not only is the clothing organic, interesting and well made but their business practices and shipping methods are all sustainable. Something to strive for.
Monday, May 11th, 2009
click on the image for photo credits
more color inspiration:
some recent flickr favorites. I’m always drawn to small bits of color paired with neutrals.
Friday, May 8th, 2009
color study 1 & 3
Thank you for all the well wishes about the trunk show last night. It went well and was super fun. Now I just need to get through the final review for my studio today, and things will ease up a bit.
I recently started a little photo project I want to tell you about. I have been documenting color combinations I see around me using a blurred photograph. The blur takes away all the detail so you can focus on just the color and light. It also starts to merge similar colors so usually there are just a few that are prominant. I like that editing or distillation. And I’m finding combinations I wouldn’t normally think of. I’ve started putting them into a flickr set and will be adding to it quite regularly (I hope).
A few fun and random Friday links:
The pattern foundry.
Deepleap word game (warning: this is addictive, especially for scrabble lovers)
I’m kind of obsessed with green walls right now and this one in paris using hand blown glass beakers is amazing.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
tube dress, UNIFORM Studio, states of matter COLLECTION
spring 2009
Do you have a clothing holy grail? Something you are always searching for, and can never seem to find exactly? I do. It’s a dress. Something that is flattering, but not too fitted, easy to wear but not too plain. Even though I make clothing, I can never seem to make the perfect dress for me.
This dress comes close. It’s simple but has the architectural detail that I like. It’s slightly fitted so it’s flattering but not too snug, making it easy to wear. It has pockets -which always make a dress feel comfortable and casual to me. And it’s cotton, so I can throw it in the dryer.
And I love this fabric -it has a very tiny white dot over a color that fades from a greyish tan to a greenish grey at the center.
This Thursday evening is the trunk show at Gallery 360. I will have my states of matter COLLECTION for sale, including this dress, and everything will be 20% off gallery wide through the weekend. Please stop by to say hi if you’re in town.
Next week I will update my shop with some new scarves and a few pieces from the new collection. And hopefully after that I will be around in this space a little more.
tube dress, UNIFORM Studio, states of matter COLLECTION
spring 2009