Ariana Heinzman‘s ceramics are a striking fusion of organic form with colourful surface decoration. It’s the heavy black outlines that accentuate her rich and zany designs. Beautifully playful, her vessels have an air of Marimekko meets Die Brücke meets African mud cloth meets Kazuri beads. That’s what I see, anyway. While I love her colour rich vases and cups, it’s the monochromatic ones that I’m most drawn to. One never tires of the bold, graphic appeal of black and white.
Filed away in the very large folder of things I love the idea of, but would never want to live with, is the jet black bathroom. Charcoal tiles, obsidian walls and a black marble tub fit for King Tut –– it doesn’t get darker and more decadent than that. Smoky mirrors do wonders for one’s self esteem. Keep the lighting dim and moody. Maybe I could live here, after all.
It’s the Queen’s favourite flower. And it’s my Mum’s favourite flower, as well. I know she had hoped for Lily of the valley on her wedding day, but it was June so she opted for a bunch of Agapanthus instead. Agapanthus are also beautiful. Agapanthus comes from the Greek word for ‘Love.” Some species of Agapanthus are known as lily of the Nile. Back to the valley though. It’s little white bells look like they’re made of fondant. I read today that “Lily of the valley can take a while to establish, and it can be fussy. But when it takes hold, it is one of the hardiest, easiest ground-cover plants, producing a delightful show of May flowers that scent the air.” I felt an immediate kinship; “takes a while to establish… can be fussy. But when it takes hold.”
Not since the 70s have clogs been so popular. Only this time around, choices are endless, from black patent to neon snakeskin, and everything in between. No amount of Italian leather can make a clog “pretty”, and that’s part of their appeal. Think of them as the middle finger to every strappy stiletto you’ve ever endured. These ones from Ontario-born designer, Charlotte Stone are my favourites. If I ever consider dancing in heels again, these chunky, disco inspired numbers would top my wish list. In these, my feet may actually survive the dance floor.
Before the high tech drones that are used today, photographers strapped their cameras to balloons, rockets and even pigeons to achieve their aerial shots. Bernhard Lang takes his photographs from the open doors of helicopters and other small air crafts. From Baltic lagoons and fish farms in Greece, Lang’s aerial perspective is an exercise in pattern, colour and structure, and also provides an eye-popping view of the human impact on nature and the environment. His tulips fields could be area rugs and it’s hard to imagine that all those planes in Boneyard are real. His images are beautiful and arresting.
Shane Drinkwater (great name) covers his canvases in lines, dots, stars, and concentric circles that form a kind of mystical code reminiscent of ones left on blackboards, scraps of paper and cave walls. A fascination with maps, medieval illuminated manuscripts and astrological charts inform his practice. The work is visually intense with so much beautiful detail to absorb. It invites us to focus, hone in on those details, and crack the code as we see it.
There are a few things I’d like to master in the coming years, and one is a flip turn. In all my years of lap swimming I never got around to it. Another thing I’d love to be able to do is ride a bike with no hands. I watch people swoosh down my street, arms stretched out wide, and I feel a vicarious thrill. Next is sewing. It’s unlikely I’ll ever make a pair of trousers, but I’d like to sew a button like a pro. I’ve never really got the hang of chopping an onion, at least in such a way that doesn’t end in tears, so I’d like to re-visit my knife skills at some point. Drive a car. Better yet, drive a car well. Argh, that’s still on the list. There’s just so much about life that we never really master, bur rather muddle through, so if there are a few things I can do with my eyes shut –– swoosh, flip turn and sew a button –– I’m going to try.
When the Cherry Blossoms at Robarts Library are in full bloom I know that winter is well and truly over. They always seem to catch me by surprise, even though I’ve been willing them to open for weeks. This year, droves of people (and their cats and dogs) have come to admire the trees in all their glory, despite the surrounding construction. Oddly, I’ve never seen so many people before. Is it that everyone is embracing Spring with a more open heart? Are there more weddings in the works –– hence all the engagement photos –– after Covid stuck a wrench in people’s plans? That, too. Are people just looking for shit to add to their snapchat stories? Tik, tok, tik. My children have all mastered the art of surreptitiously cutting blossoming branches from trees to bring home to their Mum; goodness knows where they picked up that habit. I’ve been to see the trees a few times; if I squint my eyes and look up, I may as well be on Mount Yoshino.
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