Not Just a Bench.

When is a bench not JUST a bench?
When it becomes a piece of art.
Functional Sculpture
When it finishes the space like it was meant to be.

I have always loved adding the icing to a fantastic interior.
One piece can change a ho hum room into an amazing conversation.  

Bring a room to life
with pieces that have an
inspiration and a story to tell.

Stop by Andi-Le Aspen and see the new
One-of-a-kind Benches.

"Live Creatively"
xx
Andrea
 

 

One Good Chair and Hans Wegner

Seat of Honor: Denmark honors Hans WegnerOn 100^th Anniversary with “one good chair” exhibit

 He could be called “Chair Man of the Board” for his contributions to modern Danish art, his 1500 designs of chairs, and his use of natural wood and fiber. I love the passion he had for taking beautiful natural wood and creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces. He influenced a lot of designers throughout the world and is considered one of the fathers of organic modernism. He was one of my true inspirations for doing what I do today.

 Wegner delighted in creating aesthetically beautiful chairs from natural materials, combining form and functionality in ways never seen before. He was especially popular in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s. I loved the way he got inspired from things like axe-handles and oars to create his organic designs. I look for inspirations myself every day in nature’s backyard.

 Wegner designed his first chair in 1949. It was his first, but it wouldn’t be his last. As Wegner put it, “If only you could design just one good chair in your life... but you simply cannot." So he went and designed 1500 more.

 A lot of modernists like Wegner were considered boring, but not him. His designs were called very “human.” They were poetry in motion and also very practical. I walk the same natural path with my own Aspen log creations. People seem to love one-of-kind pieces of nature-inspired furniture.

Below are a few of my favorites

Shell Chair and Halyard Chair

The designmuseum danmark is featuring the exhibit. “Wegner: just one good chair,” in Copenhagen now through November 2, 2014. It tells the story of his life and work, using 150 pieces of his work along with his drawings, photos and models. Stop by if you’re in the neighborhood.

til next time. xx Andrea 

Home Accents on the Road

The Andi-Le Collection is going on the Road.

Well, not in this style! There are wonderful images in a handy catalog. I am so thrilled to have Ginny Sondrol and   Holly Harrison of Etoile introducing our custom furniture and home accessories in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah,  New Mexico and the Pacific Northwest.

Contact Etoile at: ginny@etoiledecor.com holly@etoiledecor.com (303) 560-5027

til next week, xx

Andrea 

Go Private

I love a private museum. They can be out of the ordinary. You can skip crowds, lines and tour groups and there are fabulous gems around the world. Some are in former homes of the patrons such as Peggy Guggenheim’s in Venice, Italy.

_________

 The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia has the world’s finest collection of Impressionists, Post Impressionist and Early Modern painting.

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Foundation Maeght is one of my all-time favorite Museums. Located in Saint-Paul-de-Vence above Nice, this private art collection of 20th Century Modern art and it's setting is unparalleled.

A true museum in nature, the Maeght Foundation is an exceptional site that contains one of the most important  collections  including works by many important 20th century artists.

I learned so much more about the foundation and it's legacy from this article in France today http://bit.ly/JVXnu3  

These museums are personal projects and allow you to see a passion of collecting that spans eras and genres.

Where ever your travels take you, I hope it’s filled with a visual feast.

til next week, xx

Andrea

Find Your Muse

A muse is someone or something that has an influence on another and becomes the focus and inspiration for that person's creative work. The act of creation is filled with inspiration from sources that rock your boat.

Josephine Baker, epitomized and defined the beauty and aesthetic of the 1920’s. Picasso’s ultimate model and muse Marie Therese Walter inspired over 30 years of his best work. Throughout his life, each of the women he met and loved became his subject.

My muses have come from nature that live and change daily. The forms and patinas inspire new ideas in my work.

The Banyon Tree is one that always amazes my soul and reminds me of the forces beyond. A banyan is a fig that starts its life  when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree (or on structures like buildings and bridges) These trees also scream “Climb Me”.

Look around and find your muses. It might change and inspire you to act, do and create in ways you never dreamed.

Til next week, xx

Andrea