New York City graphic designer and illustrator Christopher Dina‘s work ranges from identity and print work to wayfinding and environmental graphics, including a recent collaboration with his wife – herself an interior designer – on a children’s clinic in Japan. Chris draws inspiration from his love of illustration and painting, travel, and music like the eclectic pop and indie tracks of this week’s Playlist.
Born and raised in Michigan, Evernote’s Jeff Zwerner attended high school at Cranbook. Connecting with the noted institution’s design resources, Jeff gained an early appreciation of Cranbook’s — and Herman Miller’s — role in American design history. The impact is clear amidst his collection of classics including Eames Molded Plastic and Plywood Dining Chairs, and Case Study units among others.
Jeff’s work ranges from product and experience design, to designing Evernote’s building and physical workspaces. Previously Jeff founded the SF office for Hamburg-based Factor Design, launching products for Apple, Google and Coca-Cola just to name a few. Take note of Jeff’s diverse work and listening habits in our first Playlist of 2013.
Make holiday shopping easier now through December 10 with our annual Herman Miller Sale, where you can save a storewide 15% on everything from an Aeron Chair to the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Here’s just six of the many favorites on sale now for home, home office, and small business.
This week gives us the rare pleasure of peering inside at one of our own. Mindy Koschmann is a writer at Herman Miller and a blogger for Discover, the sibling blog to Lifework. As a writer, it’s no surprise that Mindy is drawn to stories, be they in books, cinema, and of course, music. Literally surrounded by Herman Miller chairs, Mindy tells us her work’s musical story in this week’s Playlist.
Graphic designer and painter Ricky Watts spends the workday in a studio in Sebastopol, CA, that he once shared with his grandfather, Arthur. Today, Ricky’s Embody Chair shares the space with an Eames Lounge and Ottoman first owned by Arthur and his family. Take a look at the workshop and hear the story behind the Eames piece — as told in a charming recollection from Ricky’s mother. Read more
Furniture designs by Ray and Charles Eames are instantly recognizable — think Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Eames Molded Plastic Armchair, Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair — but the design they crafted for films, exhibitions, toys, advertisements, brochures, and posters are the focus of a new exhibit in London, “Addressing the Need: The Graphic Design of the Eames Office.”
Spotlighting Eames-made material never exhibited before (much of it rare), this show at the PM Gallery and House takes a look at the creative process the pair — and architect and a painter — used to meet the needs of each design project they undertook. (“Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design,” Charles once said.) The exhibition runs through November 3. Per the Eames Office, plans are in the works to bring the show to Santa Monica at the end of 2013.
Get details at ealing.gov.uk. For an insightful video overview from the BBC featuring Charles and Ray’s grandson Eames Demetrios and curator Carol Swords, visit bbc.co.uk.
Image: hermanmiller.com/discover
Portland, Maine-based artist and wanna-be astronaut Christopher David Ryan suffers from the creative’s curse: too many thoughts and too little sleep. But like many an under-slept, hyper-inspired artist, there is a prolific pay-off. Whether working under his own name, or as Atmostheory, or as creative partner at Portland studio More & Company, Christopher finds inspiration throughout the natural world and cosmos, weaving together everything from vintage and retro inspirations to distinctive icons of the modern world. He also dabbles in music production at Monolathe Recordings and spins records, which is the perfect segue for his contribution of this week’s Playlist. Take a listen.
Where do you stay when it’s time to take your office on the road? Here is a quick peek at a few spots across the globe that feature some of our most work- (and rest-) friendly pieces in a variety of hotel settings.
One look at a colorfully sophisticated mobile by artist and writer Mark Leary and you can’t help but smile. Inspired by sculptor and artist Alexander Calder, they’re a modern-day take on an artform that uses motion, and a touch of whimsy, to mesmerize. We asked Mark for a look around his studio in Bend, OR — as well as his thoughts on why it is that some furnishings by Ray and Charles Eames always seem so well suited to bask beneath these captivating works of art. Read more
A look at all the places we’ve been throughout the last week.
1. “The Home Office – a Visual Guide” from The Globe and Mail
2. The New York Times‘ feature on photographer Julius Shulman, who was known for shooting the Eames House in Los Angeles (among many others).
3. Want to see more of the Eames house? Get a look inside with these videos at Mental Floss.
4. Inspired by this office in the woods found by Inthralld.
5. Lots of smart advice over at workfromhomewisdom.com.
6. The video of the Dragon Skin Pavilion of hi-tech bent wood at Co.Design.
7. “Why Eames Matters” at Maharam.
8. “Email Tips: 5 Ways to Get Action” at Inc.
9. Creative Director Garrett Murray’s review of the Mirra Chair — and his thoughts on our Embody Chair — on Maniacal Rage. (And don’t forget — you can now share your own reviews at the Herman Miller store.)
10. Another reminder: today is Arbor Day. Learn about it at arborday.org…then get outside and celebrate.
