Susi Kramer's Studio

A few days before Christmas, there was the annual open house event at Susi Kramer's fantastic studio out in the Fricktal. Built in an old bakery, the bright white rooms are the perfect place for Susi's positive, cheerful art. You get a view of her latest work while Hans is serving his delicious pumpkin soup with homemade bread.

Advent

My mother's beautiful "Mailänderli" brought first Christmas ambience into our home and so today, we completed the collection with "Brunsli" and added "Grittibänzen" for a cosy brunch. Mmhhh...

Introducing

I am probably as proud as the mother...

All the best to you, my little goddaughter!

7 Random Facts

I was tagged by Leen:

1* A life without music and flowers would not be a real life

2* Already in primary school, I wanted to become a doctor

3* Movies: Wes Anderson's magic worlds

4* Luxury: resting on the sofa, reading a book

5* Elizabeth Peyton: one of my favourite contemporary painters

6* After a long day of work: dreaming in fresh bedclothes

7* Most joyful: having leisure to play cello

Daniele Buetti

It was in the 1990's, when I stumbled in a foto gallery in Berlin and saw Buetti's light boxes for the first time. I could not elude the attractiveness of these manipulated fotographies of top models.

Getting closer and reading the words, written over the images or in form of scar-like tattoos on the model's skin, you realize the accusation of consumption, marketing, beauty ideal and lifestyle.

Golden November

Saturday was another perfect autumn day. With the sun shining, the apartment was all lucid. So, the chrysanthemum from I. were even more colourful.

London

Have spent a great week in busy London. Amongst other things: people spotting at the Frieze Art Fair (freezing Frieze, because of the low temperature and not due to the exposed art), strolling down Columbia Road by sinking in Rob Ryan's wonderful small world, eating sweets picked by E. and spending cosy evenings at C. & Ph.'s house with their family.

This collage in the picture was a gift of mine for their son's birth.

Swiss stamps to New Zealand

My friend N. has moved with her family to New Zealand this summer. She is a graphic artist and probably the best Ayurveda masseuse Zurich ever had. So I do miss her as well for that..

In order to make sure she won't forget about me, I sewed this little pouch of stamps for her birthday. And there they went once again around the world!

La Minervetta

The La Minervetta is a real treasure chest... Time flies by just lolling in the bed or on a lounge chair in the marvellous garden and looking over the sea to the vesuvio. The owner composed himself a little Mediterranean paradise of contemporary art mixed with design classics, books, magazines and ceramics made in the nearby Vietri sul Mare. In every corner waits a little surprise from the owner's pool of memorabilia. And when you have to leave this cheerful and inspiring home, you'll get a small Cornu, the talisman in the shape of a red pepper for your ongoing journey..

Bella Procida

Procida is the smallest of the islands in the golf of naples and the one where local fishermen are still more common than vendors of postcards. La Marina Corricella is and will be used as the perfect setting for italian movies. The pastel-coloured houses just fit perfectly to the deep blue sea. All this and a little more (as you can see in the last picture) can be enjoyed from the cosy La Casa sul Mare.

ABC

I couldn't resist the linen fabrics at Leslie's... and sewed some towels out of them for my friends A, B & C. They feedbacked it would be a pitty to use the fabric as dish or hand towel. So, I guess, it would also be nice as a tablecloth. 

Next time, I will make some pillowcases with these cotton fabrics.

Squares & ice cream again

The fresh design of Sprüngli's ice cream cups is an appropriate packaging for the delicious content. Mango, passion-fruit, vanilla, rasperry, pistachio, hazel-nut, strawberry... you are just spoilt for choice.

And talking about fresh design: I think the colours of Josef Albers "Homages to the Square" (painted between 1950 and 1976) are still modern and full of energy.

Zurich Honey

This honey is made by bees that collect pollen in and around Rieterpark. The woodcarved print by the "imkerin's" mother links well to the intensive taste of the bee's product. 

By the way: the Musée national Fernand Léger in Biot (France) reopened after years of renovation.

Hibiscus

The blossom of my canadian hibiscus is just breathtaking: the diameter is about 20cm and the leafs are almost transparent.

I found this kind of hibiscus on the floral market in Nice. It's robust, so I can winter it on the balcony. Every year, I have to wait until August, that it shows its whole beauty. Even though it's for days only...

Murten / Morat

Murten (or Morat how the french speaking people of the village would call it) is a real beauty spot. The medieval village is located at the likeside of the Lac de Morat and offers a splendid view over the lake and the vineyards of Mont Vully. 

There are a lot of cosy places to hang out and have some Gâteau du Vully or vine from the "Caves du Vully".

And last but not least: if you want to enjoy this beautiful garden with a perfect view, you can stay at Véronique's place. Mail me for contacts!

I'm Boo

Cool design for hot days: "I'm Boo" carafe by Norway Says for danish Muuto. 

Norway Says about the design: Boo is like the skin, or a balloon surrounding the water with openings that tell the simple story of fluid motion in and out of the glass. The carafe exudes a strong personality, as if it's saying "I'm Boo, who are you?"

See-Saw

"L'altalena" by Enzo Mari (first printed in 1961) can be a book, but also a game or just a entertaining strip to hang up. The single strip with concertina-folds is full of animals, that leap with their bodies onto the swing trying to keep the balance. The book contains no words, but speaks conceptually of quantity, shape, weight and balance. I think, it's still very modern.

See also: Valesulfilo

huber.huber

In the collages of the twin brothers Markus and Reto Huber, stag beetles threaten deers, butterflies become monsters and mushrooms grow in snowy mountain regions. There are also hunting women in pink, found on the internet or just white (American) flags, seen in New York.

Time for ice cream!

C. and her children created this dream of an ice cream parlor, made of salt dough and painted with acrylic paint. I especially like the poster with the shop assortment on the wall.

Sitting on the terrace with a cup of ice cream and enjoying the beautiful summer evening, the accurate soundtrack to this scene could be "Bikini" by Zofka...

Owl

Time ago, C. left me a paper bag full of exquisite patterns from the swiss textile manufacturer Jakob Schlaepfer. The draperies are decorated with extensive embroideries, partly made by hand. So, customers of Schlaepfer products are mostly haute couture designers...

Even just looking at all the details of the different draperies is inspiring to me. This time, I sewed and stitched a little owl.

LINES & SHAPES

LINES & SHAPES, published by Lena Corwin and Maria Vettese, is a new art booklet. Different artists work independently on a given subject and present their results. Two editions are available.

Aim of the first year of publishing will be to create 6 volumes, not two with same artists. 

cherry-pick

Visiting good friends in the countryside on sunday. Brunching in their garden under trees and taking a nap in the gras with the bush crickets chirping in the background, before picking baskets full of sweet, sweet cherries. Just couldn't get enough...

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

The Bouroullec - brothers: cloud, floating home and stone light are just a few examples of their broad design spectrum. Cappellini, Vitra, Habitat, Kartell, Ligne Roset - everyone wants to work with them. More in the current issue of the "art"-Magazin.