I’m in week six of my eight week hand building ceramics class at a local studio and I’m very inspired by what I’ve learned. I’ve studied different kinds of clay, different methods for construction, as well as the kiln and glazing processes. I have a new appreciation for the medium and how much time and talent goes into making functional and sculptural pottery. My next class will be all about how to throw on the wheel, I’m excited to learn that technique.

Lately I’ve discovered some skilled artists that I wanted to introduce you to, ones you may not be aware of. Take a peek at their portfolios and online shops and consider them as sources for gifts for this upcoming holiday season. Each has their own unique style, I’m sure you’ll want to bookmark/pin a few favorites.

Gina Zycher Ceramics

 

 

Paula Casella

 

 

Tamara Bryan Pottery

Lisa Fleming Ceramics

 

 

 

Sunshine

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June 9, 2022 by Robin Plaskoff Horton

colonaie symbiotic plant furniture and vases

Designer Gionato Gatto’s collection, Coloniae, is a series of objects designed like dwellings within a colony, their structures conceived to interact symbiotically with plants. 

The objects are probably best suited for air plants (Tillandsia) as they don’t appear to contain vessels for either soil or water, but the idea is noteworthy.

colonaie plant table

A collection of variously shaped vases and a table, Colonaie hosts the plants, allowing the plant roots and leaves to intertwine themselves with the support structure to become a single complete unit. The table is reminiscent of French designer Frédéric Malphettes’s Surface which does double duty as both an indoor-outdoor modular table system and a planter, or Norwegian designer Philipp von Hase’s seed shaped “Plantable” a  table with an integrated planter.

Unveiled at Milan Design Week 2022, Colonaie is part of the design collective JCP Universe’s Alternative Lifeforms series, whose concept

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Picture of a frant garden with plants and hedges

Do you pay special attention to your front garden? Have you decorated it with plants or have you installed special lighting to make it more inviting?

Although it’s natural to focus more on your back garden design, since it’s generally a larger and more intimate space, your front garden plays a vital role in your home’s first impressions. Whether you have a large space in front of your home or a small driveway, creating a green and inviting front garden doesn’t have to be time consuming and expensive.

If you’re looking for a few simple design solutions that inspire you to add extra life to your front garden design, we’ve prepared our top 5 design ideas, to maximise even the smallest of front gardens and help you transform your outdoor space.

1. Adding greenery

Picture of a front garden with lots of greenery

Are you looking for a low maintenance front garden? Use evergreens or other foliage plants which

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