Monday, February 9, 2009

Beauty without CLUTTER



ceramic box by Corinna Mori


"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

William Morris
Father of the arts & crafts movement
24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896

here is a William Morris chair -the true test is the test of time - it is exquisite still.

Gina, my partner and I just did a talk about eliminating clutter from your lives. It was totally fun, with a receptive and engaged audience.
In putting together the talk and slides we used the quote above.

The arts and crafts movement is one of my favorite and I enjoy William Morris' aesthetic.
William Morris wallpaper

In fact, when I read the quote, people in the audience gasped -
as if in response to something so profound; suddenly letting go makes sense.

Permission to be tough on what you have in your home.
Real estate is precious, life is hard.
Let go of some of the stuff, and make way for quality.
Quality of life, and quality of objects.

Every object, every moment.

above Pimpernel Wallpaper design of William Morris, still available today, I believe - the beauty of which almost makes me cry.



Funny thing about how when life becomes too complicated, we want to return to a pared down, clutter less existence, as if we are in rebellion from the curlicues of life.
And the simple is so much harder to achieve.

My friend Corinna Mori is a true artist. Every item in her home is simple, and exquisite.
She is a potter.
and her work is sheer poetry.


This container below sings to me:




I want to share some of her pieces because each piece reflects the rule:
Object Beauty




here is another fabulous little pot - they are also so delicate looking, yet rough and bold,
like a skin on the outside, with the soft inner sheen of the interior.
Each piece employing both the natural handmade look as well as a function.



here is a bowl Corinna has in her garden, put to use - as the Arts and Craft philosophy intended - beauty and function at play:



Next Saturday February 21 will be the reception Mainly Clay, at The Main Gallery in Redwood City, California 6-8 pm Show will run February 18- March 22, 2009
if you are around, do yourself a favor and stop by.
Its a group show, so lots of interesting pieces to be seen.


To wrap up
another William Morris paper- simple yet stunning and totally sophisticated
definitely a great foil for Corinna's work.



We use items in our daily lives, to create and do, why not pick the items that please us?
Ordinary is really what is extraordinary about life, after all.

on that note, a spoon -
to leave you with
by carol boyes




Hands, hearts and heads make sense together.



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