it's always refreshing when a beautiful product has a beautiful origin, and that's definitely the case with these handmade desert boots from namibia-based schier schoes. each day 8 damara men assemble each shoe by hand, creating about 20 pairs a day. the leathers come from wild kudu and hyena, so they can often have imperfections such as scars that lend them a unique character. i love the neon touches on the toes, and they even have small versions for littles - too cute! learn more about schier shoes here.
toronto-based artist carly waito came onto my radar a few years back when her exquisite mineral study paintings were circling the internet, and soon after i had the pleasure of seeing her work in person which only solidified my love. the level of detail in her brushwork is truly stunning. her most recent paintings continue the story with slight variations, using solid black as a backdrop and featuring more close up views of the minerals, which i think is a lovely development on her theme! see more of carly's work here.
i'm one of those people who primarily uses my iphone as my camera so i don't have a lot of need for a camera strap, but if i did there's no question i'd go straight to bloom theory. their feminine and festive straps spice up any picture-taking occasion ... if only they made them for iphones too! see more of their selection here.
how pretty are these puppies? artist pia wustenberg's stacking vessels have not only a very clever design - they are three individual containers that form to make one - but each piece is made of a unique material and is expertly crafted to fit into the other. ceramic for the base, glass in the middle, and wood on top. i'll take one of each, please. see more from pia here.
i've been a fan of tennessee artist wayne white since i saw his work in miami several years back, although i suppose i was subconsciously a fan much earlier in life when i was obsessed with peewee's playhouse, a show for which he was the set and puppet designer. throughout his career he has been successful in a number of fields including illustration, sculpture, film, comics, set design, and more recently, painting. it was his word paintings that caught my eye years ago - i loved the way he imposed colorful sarcastic statements over traditional vintage landscapes - therefore i'm stoked that a documentary is being made about his very interesting life. the film beauty is embarrassing, narrated by white himself, chronicles his life and work, as well as the highs and lows that come with pursuing art as a career. as somebody else who doesn't like to take things too seriously, i really appreciate his focus on making fine art fun. can't wait to see it! learn more about white here.
i love a good fashion exhibit - and there's a fantastic one out now, schiaparelli and prada: impossible conversations - so i'm a little miffed that i missed the opening at the met by mere days. the exhibit explores the similarities between the two iconic italian designers elsa schiaparelli and miuccia prada, despite their multi-generational gap, the former having worked in the 20s and 30s and the latter working from the 80s to the present. the exhibit is broken out into seven themed galleries, ranging from "the surreal body" to "naif chic," but all explore the way the women tackle similar concepts through different approaches to fashion. paired with each gallery is a baz luhrmann film featuring an "impossible conversation" between prada and an imaginary schiaparelli about the topic at hand. i was already a huge fan of both designers, and the clever way the museum has arranged their bodies of work just makes me appreciate them all the more. and hey, now i have an excuse to return to ny this summer! see more here.
