A Powerful Simplicity – Artworks by Hildegard Elma
German artist Hildegard Elma’s artwork is very intriguing to say the least. Upon further inspection in to her background as an artist and the life she leads, many of her artistic choices made a lot of sense and I wanted to talk about them here in a little more detail. Living in East Friesland
The Cycles of Life – Photographs & Textiles by Roosmarijn Pallandt
Textiles have so many fascinating qualities. Of course, the primitive nature of woven material harks back to our tribal nature as humans. You can just picture weaving bark to make a shelter, or constructing blankets for warmth or clothes for protection. There’s also some deeper thoughts surrou
New at OEN Shop – Copper Metal Dishes and Objects by 86400
Founded in 2018 by Nobuhisa Yamamoto and Shota Shimizu, 86400 is a Japanese design studio and brand with the concept of producing tools that can improve our daily lives. Working with small manufacturers in Japan, their main focus has been a selection of metal objects that are functional but also hig
On Balance – Wood Shelves & Pedestals by Anne Brandhøj
Unfortunately we as consumers have become so impatient. The instant gratification of something fresh and shiny out of the box seems to fizzle out with time, leaving us wanting more and more of that initial feeling when we first set our eyes on it. It takes foresight to see something for its maturing
New at OEN Shop – Miniature Zen Gardens by FUJIGOKE
Just at the base of Mt.Fuji is a special farm run by the craftsmen at FUJIGOKE. Here they grow and prepare high quality moss used at many of the temples and traditional gardens found in Japan. With a goal to develop products that showcase the beauty found in nature, they came up with a special [&hel
Floating in Space – No Vase Series by Studio Moisés Hernández
I have always been drawn to this idea of “emptiness”. I’m sure part of that comes from an inner desire to strip back and appreciate the simple things in life. Reducing complexity. It’s not that easy in this day and age with so many distractions all around us. I believe the in
Searching for Mood – Photography by Simone Bossi
One of the most underrated aspects of any creative pursuit is the entry point it can offer in to other creative fields as a result of being “in the creative process”. Photography has been a classic example of this. Many of the great designers and artists have used photography as a way of
New at OEN Shop – Tumi-isi Wooden Stacking Blocks by A4
I have always been drawn to those stacked pebbles found by the side of rivers or streams. It’s rare to come across them, but it always made me wonder about who stacked them and why. Kind of mysterious. When I stumbled in to these stacking blocks by Japanese design studio A4 it made we think [&
Fostering Character – Sculptural Ceramics by Päivi Rintaniemi
Material itself is, ironically, often the one thing standing in the way of seeing the physical manifestation of an idea. Only time and dedication, to keep pushing forward even when your vision can not be seen in the finished object, is the way to finally see some promising results. Even then it migh
New at OEN Shop – Abstract Artworks by Dominique Lutringer
It’s interesting how art takes on a whole new meaning and presence when you know the entire backstory. I visited the Villa Chochikuyo (read my article here) built in 1928 by the architect Koji Fujii in Kyoto a few years back. This property was considered to be the first “eco house”, applyi
Details Reconsidered – Furniture & Objects by Hayo Gebauer Studio
Charles and Ray Eames wrote, “The details are not the details; they make the product”. So true. So what if you really examine those details and reinterpret them. Offering a completely new experience on the traditional and bringing awareness to the simplicities in our everyday lives. That
Organic Simplicity – The Forest Villa by Mjölk Architects
If you are also inspired by the natural architectural style of Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright it would make sense that you would also be attracted by Czech studio Mjölk’s works as well. Their style is not flashy but blends in wonderfully with the surrounding landscape and each build has