Contemporary Days: The Designs of Lucienne & Robin Day

Am still deep in textile work this wknd.
Found this film by Design Onscreen on Vimeo:
Contemporary Days: The Designs of Lucienne & Robin Day.

(Was played at the IDS on Friday night)
Really great.

Inspiration: Unzipped

Over the holidays I rewatched one of my favourite docs: Unzipped.
The doc follows designer Isaac Mizrahi as he plans his fall 1994 collection.
Directed by Douglas Keeve.

Very inspirational + a great peek inside the creative process.

Isaac Mizrahi drawing + deeply focused. I LOVE this photo.


In his Manhattan apt kvetching to a friend and freaking out re: his upcoming show. (Classic creative person!) Decor note: Love the salon wall!

One of my favourite people in the doc is Issac's producer Nina Santisi. (Above in headset) She is so grounded, organized + supportive - ie. what every zany creative person needs! When Issac's show is a success she is the first person he calls. Significant.

Whittle in Down

"There are too many people and things in the world. Having a passion whittles down the world to manageable size".

-Susan Orlean, The Orchid Thief

(I watched Adaptation last week and found a lot of comfort in this quote. There ARE too many things....)

My favourite apt from a movie ever

Meg Ryan's Manhattan apt in Kate + Leopold. SIGH.
Love the messy mix of vintage + modern.
Love the bench by the door, the rounded mirror + very cozy lighting.

I own this movie and every year or so I watch it so I can melt into Meg Ryan's wonderful apt.
It's an amazingly warm space full of a great furniture, rugs, mirrors, and art work.
(Stuart's apt upstairs is also fab with great vintage storage!!)
Watching the movie is the equivalent of wrapping myself up in a warm blankie.
I watched it again last night and it did not fail to inspire.
If you like these kind of interiors I can't recommend it enough.

In a Gertrude Stein state o' mind

Last weekend I went to see Midnight in Paris with my dear friend Eric. I thought some of the dialogue + acting was appalling bad! (This was written by the same man who wrote Annie Hall?!)


However I loved the middle section where the Owen Wilson character is transported back to early 20th century Paris and hangs out with all the famous expats of the time.
Above Zelda + F.S Fitzgerald.


The Art director did a great job of recreating the look + feel Gertrude Stein's salon.

I'm very familiar with this group of artists + writers because several years ago I illustrated a book about Gertrude Stein + her famous circle called "Charmed Circle". (Below) The art director was Raquel Jaramillo and it was published by Henry Holt.


From left to right:
Matisse, Picasso, Getrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Zelda + F. Scott Fitzgerald, + Hemingway

Below are a few drawings from the sketch phase of the assignment.




If you're interested in this period I highly recommend the book.