handcrafted modern/outtakes/eames

I am still going through all the Eames film, prepping all the images for their archive. I'm trying to make them all exactly how I think they should be...cropping, color adjustment, etc. I ran across this one today. I never noticed it before, but I think this one is really nice! You get such a good look at the way Ray and Charles layered so many different types of fabrics. And I think the tiger hide is super sexy!

handcrafted modern/outtakes/blunk

I figured I would end the week with a few of the details I tend to get lost in. More details of JB Blunk's studio.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

Another workshop shot - this one at Eva Zeisel's country house. I was really surprised to find a full woodshop at her studio. It conjured up visions of Eva with a jigsaw and made me see her as more of a badass. Of course she was 101 when I was there photographing her home, but still...total badass. The bagged up wood pieces were from a new piece of furniture she was working on, I believe.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/kapel

I guess it is because of yesterday's post, but I find myself thinking about all the workshops and studios that were not in Handcrafted Modern. This is another view of John Kapel's workshop in his basement. He is incredibly tidy, as you can see. I really love that sculpture. It is an early piece. I believe it is made of particle board. Wish I could have taken it home, frankly.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/blunk

I mentioned in JB Blunk's chapter of Handcrafted Modern that I have a bit of a soft spot for JB Blunk's house because I got to stay there. Well here is what I woke up to. Another couple of shots off my phone, but I think you all understand now. Absolutely sublime.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/esherick

I have been trying to gather up ALL the images I shot from Handcrafted Modern lately - even the ones on my cell phone. I ran across this one yesterday. This was an original "pic of the day" when I sent it out to about 20 of my friends and family. It is a view looking into Wharton Esherick's bathroom. I really like how you can see detail of the floor. I regret I don't have this one on film since this is low res and not fantastic quality. But it captures something important about the house.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

I found it interesting that Eva Zeisel really did not have a lot of reference books. I asked her about it and she said, "what do I need with books when I have nature? Nature is my inspiration." There were a lot of books in the house, though. I was told they were her daughters. I did notice this little drawing that I liked. I think it was by Eva but I am not certain. And then I found this book. It seemed to sum up what she told me. I decided the book "Landscape into art" MUST be Eva's...right?

handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

I wish this was a better picture (I took it on my iphone late in the day), but I HAD to share this beautiful wine glass. Of course one of Zeisel's designs. I seriously fell in love with this glass when I saw it. The stem and foot of the glass is solid so it has a wonderful feel in the hand. I told Eva's grandson, Adam, that if this glass was in production I would buy it in a second!

handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

Here is another bit of shelving filled with Eva's past designs. You really get an idea of just how much she designed, but notice that the shelving is her designs as well.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

A couple of weeks ago Eva Zeisel celebrated her 104th birthday so I thought it was time I shared a couple of outtakes from her country home. As I mentioned in Handcrafted Modern, I was most surprised by her home because of the feeling of Old World Europe downstairs. There were very few hints of modern Zeisel design until you reached the upstairs studio. I especially loved the piano with a healthy collection of old vinyl LPs.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/wright

I'm not sure this qualifies as an outtake. This was the last shot I took at Russel Wright's home. It was late in the day and I noticed this idyllic little red house (or maybe a barn?) as I was loading my car.  I had one shot left on my last roll and the mosquitoes were starting to get a bit too interested in me. I noticed the light coming through the trees and shot this really quick. But as I look at it now, I appreciate how it reminds me what type of environment Wright's house is in.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/eames

I thought I would continue on with outtakes from the Eames House. This chair was sitting in the corner of their bedroom. I moved a stack of Charles'shirts there (the ONLY thing in the house I was allowed to touch). Charles shirts were custom made and each shirt has a different button on them. You can see these two have a silver button, but they are subtly different. I just love this attention to detail. His initials were sewn in each shirt as well.   

 © 2009 Eames Foundation

handcrafted modern/outtakes/esherick

Another outtake from Wharton Esherick's amazing studio. This is from the very lowest floor of his home. None of these images made it in the book because there just were not enough pages. Many of his sculptures are displayed on this level, as you can see...

handcrafted modern/outtakes/esherick

This view of the main floor of Wharton Esherick's home was another that did not make the final cut for Handcrafted Modern, but look at the amazing layers of his work in the background! And yes, that is a self portrait of him hanging on the wall. I especially love that burgundy color floor. Not sure if that is a stain or the type of wood...does anyone know?

handcrafted modern/outtakes/kagan

Just when I said I would post everyones bookshelves this week I changed my mind. I am heading back to NY today for my big book launch at USM on Wednesday night. When I am in NY, I am going to be delivering books to a few of the home owners - namely Irving Harper, Jens Risom and Vladimir Kagan. I had a chat with Vlady today and it made me want to post this image from his study. I absolutely love how he suspended the bottle so it seemingly dangled from the bottom of this painting. Not to mention the rug on the wall.

And another wonderful blog on Handcrafted Modern on Sight Unseen today. They are co-hosting my launch at USM on Wednesday. Check out the excerpt from my book  on Sight Unseen's site

handcrafted modern/outtakes/on their bookshelves...

I have been trying to decide on which outtakes to show you all this week and I finally came to the decision to show you everyones bookshelves. I got really interested in what everyone had on their bookshelves.

Walter Gropius' was one of my favorites  because he had a bunch of books on birds of New England (seen here). Then I noticed he had two sets of binoculars on his desk. I imagined him and his wife both watching birds out their office window.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/gropius

Continuing on with the outtakes from Handcrafted Modern. This entire room at Walter Gropius' house did not make it in to the book. Just so much good stuff and not enough pages! This is the guestroom. He continues his restrained color theme - black, white, grey with red accents.

On another note, I have had a lot of firsts on these four days since the book was released. Yesterday I was interviewed in person for the first time, asked to sign my first book (and I blushed...I could feel it happen...) and Handcrafted Modern was in the NYTimes! Wow! (I hear myself saying "wow" a lot lately.) It is pretty awesome that Pilar Viladas likes my book.