Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Air



I have been wanting these white Bertoia stools for a long long time (this is the white version- it looks silver) Maybe, I still want them but, I am not sure anymore. Maybe, I rather have the chair version or better yet a Diamond Chair. 

Really all the stuff I want that is a whole other blog,  but,  another way I like to goof off is to look at auction catalogues. Not only, is it great for image overload but also, you can see stuff that has been sitting in private collections.  Often you, or I should say, I- have never seen it. 
Goofing off like this the other day, I came across several Harry Bertoia drawings!

Another thing I like to look at- other people's drawings. Personally, I usually hate the way I draw, I rather cut things out but, I like to look at other people's drawings. 
So looking at these Bertoia drawings got me reading up on Harry and I prepared a little lecture below on his life, well, let's call it typingoutwhatireadonwikepediaandothersourcesandsharingit

First the drawings up for auction at Rago: 


He designed Ray and Charles Eames' wedding rings! 
He was a jewelry designer first, then, a sculptor then, furniture designer- I didn't know that, I thought he was a furniture designer then, a sculptor.

Some jewels (for you jewelers out there) :
Not sure you how you wear this one, but I would like to


He worked a lot with the Eames and Saarinen... they all had the Cranbrook connection. While working with the Eames, he felt he wasn't getting enough credit so Knoll (another Cranbrookien) encouraged him to move his family to Pennsylvania and design some furniture which they did. 

Of his diamond chair he said: "If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them"

Me too- I want to make objects from air!


This is a cloud!


His furniture designs were so successful with the royalties he received from Knoll, he was able to concentrate on his sculpture. He was pretty inventive with his sculptures making many that were sound sculptures. (Leading to the release of several albums of the sculpture sound recordings which were later reissued by P.S.F. Records  entitled "Unfolding"- still available)

And finally some sculptures: 
 

I see some parallels!

Here are some links 


That's it- those are some of the more noteworthy items I gleamed from my readings...


please excuse my poor grammar!

And now, I sign off to try out my newly arrived camera chord (missing for many many months)

2 comments:

  1. Awesome! Please goof off some more so you can teach me more about fascinating and inspiring people!

    ReplyDelete