Perspectives
September 24, 2009
Perspectives // First touch of color
After an amazingly hectic summer - evidenced by the near total neglect of our beloved blog - it seemed like the right idea to tie our new resolution to get back to writing with the first glimpses of fall color. This picture was taken first thing this morning from the little deck outside our back door with a cup of coffee in hand.
May 14, 2009
Perspectives // The DIY Countertop
We had our first Teroforma warehouse sale this past weekend. Leading up to it, we were worried that we didn’t really have any sort of useful countertop where people could stack their selections without lugging them around while they shopped. One of the drawbacks of operating your own warehouse is the profusion of shipping palettes that build up over time. Turning negative into positive, the picture above is what Andrew did to solve both the counter dilemma and the shipping palette plague: 24 palettes, 57 sq ft of 5/8 plywood, 23 2.5″ woodscrews, some swearing and a band-aid = Teroforma’s Eiffel Counter. The sale was a hit and at least one person asked us who made our cool checkout countertop. I’m pretty sure Andrew has added it to his bio somewhere :)
April 22, 2009
Perspectives // Make like a master
In this economic downturn, I have noticed a new directness. When presented with complex challenges, the answers seem to appear when layers are removed and the focus is on simplicity. Building Teroforma has meant time spent talking to and working with some really gifted craftsmen around the world. Not necessarily the type who figure in museums or in retrospectives (yet). But the kind who seem to do it for love of the game. Their differences are numerous - age, language, nationality, etc. It is, however, an elemental similarity that connects them: focus. Complete absorption in the task at hand. The ability to disregard the noise and to concentrate on the thousand practiced movements and nuances that turn motion into craft. While adopting some of that focus may help us all keep our heads above water in the turbulent ‘now,’ I wonder if a new found simplicity can survive in calmer times. And if it did, I wonder what could be achieved.
February 28, 2009
Perspectives // Just about perfect design
Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) designed the Bolle series of vases for renowned art glass studio Venini & C. Glass in Murano, Italy in 1967. In his own words, Wirkkala believed that “all materials have their own unwritten laws…the designer should aim at being in harmony with his material.” The incalmo technique is employed to join two “cups,” separately blown, and, as seen here, is used to create a band of color. At least as important as the color in these pieces is the effortless interaction between the shapes - resonant without being repetitive, each offering a context for the scale and presence of the others. In working on Teroforma, we see a lot of design concepts, but it is always useful to have something you can refer to which embodies in one place all the most essential and inspirational elements of your craft. For us, Bolle is the work of a true master at his finest moment and comes as close to perfect design as we have ever seen.