These gift ideas combine beautiful home decor, clean simple lines, and some (well-hidden) elements of engineering or technology. Check out my top list for this year’s shopping season: a clock in words; a levitating planter; and a shelf that floats off the wall.
Nixie Clocks, Wall Sculptures, & More!
2 CommentsCheck out three original and recent creations, at various stages of completion, and learn about their original seeds of inspiration: a “twisty” lamp inspired by a few conversations with an LED expert; one of the rare purely artistic pieces I’ve done as wall hangings, inspired by a beautiful parquet floor; and a Nixie clock, inspired by multiple customer conversations.
Political Rant and Call to Action
Personal Journey2 CommentsEdison Bulbs & LEDs
Technology & Steampunk4 CommentsLED bulbs have taken over, available for around a dollar per bulb at the big box stores, all the way up to a few tens of dollars at Restoration Hardware. And, as you’d expect, there are wide differences in the characteristics of those bulbs. But how did we get to point where choosing a light bulb became more complicated than just wattage & size? This article outlines what attributes really matter in choosing an LED bulb so that you can understand the jargon and marketing hype, decide whether that $1 bulb is good enough for you, and see where even a top of the line bulb falls short of our incandescent expectations.
How did we get to this point where it
Computer-Generated Circular Art
Technology & Steampunk1 CommentMy failed journey in recreating Bruce Shapiro’s amazing Sisyphus “kinetic art” table took me deep into geometric patterns - and introduced me to the art and science of mazes, which I then tweaked to apply to circular mazes. Want a maze that will stump your kids for hours in that cross-country road trip, or with enough intricacy to expand to a wall-sized print? Then this is your article.
Artists That Inspire
Personal Journey4 CommentsI see so many amazing artists and craftspeople at the shows I’ve done, at past gift shows I’ve attended in New York, and in wandering the furniture stores in San Francisco. Even a “highlights” reel would take too long, but these three businesses - Modern Cellar (by Tim Krablin & Melliza Taipe), The Art of Motion Control (by Bruce Shapiro), and Phuze Design (by Orfeo Quagliata) would be at the top of just about any list I would create.