Take 5: Sustainable 3D-Printed Vessels, Modern Flowers Three Ways + More

1. UAUPROJECT

This design studio in Warsaw, Poland founded by Justyna Fałdzińska & Miłosz Dąbrowski captured my eye for their vibrant, 3D-printed vessels. I learned that sustainability is a high priority for the designers, so they only use compostable or highly recyclable materials. From vases to sculptures, totems to candleholders, each piece is manufactured as needed, which means zero overstock and zero waste.

2. Studio Mondine

I’m not planning a wedding or big fancy dinner in need of centerpieces anytime soon but I can’t help but continue to be inspired by modern day florists, namely the ladies behind Studio Mondine, a San Francisco-based floral design studio that creates very moving, very intentional floral creations. When you start following many florist IG accounts (which is easy to do because who doesn’t like beautiful flowers peppered into their feed?), you’ll start noticing lots of similar trends and styles, but Studio Mondine strays from staying inside any one specific box as they continually evolve and finesse their style (I love what they’re currently doing with braided grasses and lotus leaves). The next time you’re at a Proper Hotel or checking out the latest Vogue Weddings feature, do a quick scan for the florist credit – you might find that you’re a Studio Mondine fan, too.

(PS: they’ve also written a book called Ikebana Unbound, a beautiful book that’s full of inspiration, even if you’re not arranging flowers anytime soon.)

3. New York Botanical Garden’s 20th Orchid Show

Following the floral theme here, I highly recommend checking out the New York Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show this year if you’re able to attend. Landscape architect and artist Lily Kwong has transformed the grounds into a wonderland of colorful, exotic, and beautifully fascinating orchids, offering visitors a natural zen relief from the busyness of the city. Inspired by her heritage in designing the space, Kwong seemingly pulls illustrations from Chinese scrolls out and into the real world. The show, now in its 20th year, is on view through April 23, 2023.

4. Silke Bonde

What can I say? I guess I have spring on the brain! Unlike my previous flower picks, Danish artist Silke Bonde’s paper art lasts forever. I enjoy discovering the different ways artists incorporate paper folding into their works and especially love that Bonde folds in the art of watercolor into her creations.

 

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5. AutoHedron Chair by Crushmetric

Finally, I’m just going to leave this video here for your endless wonderment…

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F5: Paper Artist Zoe Bradley Shares a Go-To Pen, Favorite Liqueur + More

“I aim to create a truly unique hand-crafted product from paper that celebrates the beautiful, unique architectural forms of nature,” said Wales-based paper artist Zoe Bradley. Working across disciplines, her work brings together sculpture, fashion, and theater, with her skills as a former fashion designer being evident in the almost tailored sculptures. “I work with paper just as a designer works with fabric, folding, curling, scoring, and stitching. My challenge is always to create something unexpected and playful from a 2D sheet of paper into a magical 3D sculpture.”

Zoe draws inspiration from the nature that surrounds her rural home, as well as couture, art, theater, and architecture. “I always take pictures wherever I am. Staying curious and observing the world around me influences my approach on pushing the boundaries of paper. My work is consistently about making the extraordinary from the ordinary,” she shared.

Her paper sculptures are usually commissioned works of oversized silhouettes, though she also likes the challenge of creating on a smaller, more demanding scale. Zoe’s love of skill working with paper first emerged while making showpieces for designer Michiko Koshino’s A/W 2005 show. Afterwards, the well-known London store Liberty commissioned her to create a collection of paper showpieces for their Christmas windows. Since then, Zoe’s been creating sculptures using paper sourced from around the world.

Currently, her clients include brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Estee Lauder, Tiffany & co., Graff, and Christian Louboutin. Zoe’s work has been featured in many magazines, included in several books on paper art, and exhibited in London, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, New York, Rio de Janeiro, and Sydney.

Today, Zoe Bradley joins us for Friday Five!

1. National Museum of Qatar

I was fortunate to visit the museum back in 2019 while I was working in the country. It’s a gravity-defying piece of architecture that rises from the dusty sandy desert, and it took my breath away. The building’s dramatic shape is inspired by the desert rose – a mineral formation created when minerals crystallize below the surface of a salt basin into an array of flat plates resembling rose petals. My dream would be to exhibit a retrospective of my paper sculptures within this magnificent building.

2. Issey Miyake by Irving Penn

I’ve never followed convention. As a fashion and art student, I was always inspired by artists and designers who viewed life through a less conventional lens. Issey Miyake’s work was revolutionary to me. The way he saw clothes as a form of art on the body led me on my own journey of creating clothing from paper, a form of wearable art. Cutting, sewing, and
pleating the paper into a dress was influenced by his work. It was his decade long collaboration with American photographer Irving Penn that captured some of the most exciting silhouettes of his work. This book never tires to inspire.

3. Sakura Brush Pen

My Sakura Brush brush pen is always in my bag! It allows me to capture my line of movement when I start to create a sculpture, the silhouette starts with my brush pen strokes. It feels so good in the hand to create with, a hybrid of a traditional pen with the softer expressive line of a paint brush. I love to use them for my floral illustration work as they can be so expressive.

4. My Cutting Garden

I’ve had an affinity with flowers since childhood, and my love has grown even more since I started my own cutting garden over two years ago. Growing flowers gives me a sense of escapism, and to grow and nurture a flower from seed still captivates me. I love to walk barefoot in the grass, looking for varieties to draw and dissect for my paper sculptures. Tulips and Dahlias are probably my favorites, as their form is so dramatic and voluminous.

5. St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Over the summer I discovered the wonderful taste of St-Germain’s Elderflower liqueur. I’ve come to appreciate how versatile it is with my at-home cocktail making. I love to host family and friends, so I’ve been adding this delicious liquor to my cocktails or adding a dash to a simple glass of champagne. It’s been my go-to liqueur for its usability. With up to 1,000 handpicked elderflowers blossoms in every bottle, it’s a perfect staple for my at-home bar cart.

 

Work by Zoe Bradley:

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