Laurie Spugnardi

Archive for the ‘sustainable design’ Category

Keeping Casco Bay Blue, One Tile at a Time

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

THAT’S ME, IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER.

MY DOG, SARA, FROLICKING ON WILLARD BEACH IN CASCO BAY.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Mostly, about the animals and humans who inhabit the gulf waters and its coast. It breaks my heart to think what they are going through. I was trying to imagine if my bay became the victim of an oil spill. I live on Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. I love this bay and it would be devastating if 174 million gallons of crude (or anything for that matter) took over the waters. This is where a big chunk of Maine works and plays… not to mention the visitors who spend their summers and dollars here. Maine is not a rich state, but it is known for its beautiful and bountiful coast. We rely on these waters for just about everything. Anyway, like I said, I love this bay and want it to remain part of what makes Maine… The Way Life Should Be. (That’s what it says on the really big sign as you enter our state from New Hampshire.)
So, here’s to keeping Casco Bay blue! To that end, I will be donating a portion of every sale from my Casco Bay Tray to the good folks at Friends of Casco Bay.

5% of all sales will be donated to Friends of Casco Bay. Visit their site for other ways to enjoy the bay and to keep it blue!

The bay is represented in a watery and reflective blue while the coast and islands are a mat and earthy green. Each tile is hand drawn, glazed and then kiln fired. Slight variations in line and glaze color will occur. The tiles are grouted into a sturdy, handled tray and ready for serving on deck (or your back deck). 13 5/8″ square, 2 5/8″ at handle, 4 lbs

Price: $125 +5% sales tax
Domestic shipping: $15
Order your tray today for 4 to 6 week delivery. Email Me (or lauriespugnardi@gmail.com)
Keep the bay blue and spread the blog. Thank You!

Tags: casco bay, ceramic tile tray, friends of casco bay, gulf of maine, gulf oil spill, hand painted tile, maine coast, willard beach
Posted in goings on in the studio, inspiration, sustainable design | No Comments »

Orphan Annie’s Antiques: Clutter becomes you

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Living in a small house is a constant balancing act. There is little room to store things unneeded or unlovely. Clutter has a way of making a small space smaller, but I admit, sometimes I crave the visual stimulation. One of my favorite ways to fulfill a clutter-fix is to visit Orphan Annie’s Antiques on Court Street in Auburn Maine. Recently, while visiting family in the area, I stopped by the shop and culled myself a set of bright yellow bowls, a book on Japanese art (c. 1903) with dreamy illo plates, a silver-plate runcible spoon and an engagement gift for a friend. If you go: Fiesta, Roseville and Tiffany abound here; Pay with check or cash and receive a discount; Mondays, the warehouse is open from 10 to 1 on the corner of Turner and Pleasant Streets.

fiesta ware

Posted in just for fun, sustainable design | No Comments »

glazed and confused (and guilt free)

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

No, I’m not really confused, but I am occasionally dazzled by these little jewels. I can get down right giddy when I find the right color-combo. You should see how excited I get with a successful experimental session of layering different glazes. The opposite is also true… I could tell tales of woe from failed firings. Live and learn.

Here’s a sampling of the glazes I use in most of my work. This line of glaze is called low-stone and is produced by Spectrum. They have the delightful quality of looking like high fire glazes but fire at a lower temp. Kilns, as you can imagine, are energy suckers and these lovely glazes give me the effect I love with a low energy impact, and that always makes me happy.

Tags: ceramic glaze, low-stone, spectrum glazes
Posted in Uncategorized, on design, product design, sustainable design | No Comments »

Irksome Signage

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

I’m not a sign snob, well maybe I am, a little. I appreciate a sign’s attempt to educate, guide and generally provide order to society. Designers, by nature, respond positively to order and strive to create it. Signage designers ever more so. Signs come in wide variety… they can be funny, colorful, handmade, kitschy, boring, even redundant, but they must always be clear. The following rant is my attempt at providing font abuse awareness in signage. Font lovers unite!

I fully admit to being a type snob or maybe my training has just made me sensitive to the abuse of fonts. I wonder… is there a PETA-like organization dedicated to the relief of these vulnerable characters? Maybe a DRTF: Designers for the Respectful Treatment of Fonts? …but I digress.

Imagine my distress when I discovered such an abuse on a sign marking my very own grocery store! Whenever I drive by, the hairs on the back of my neck rise up. Don’t get me wrong… I realize on the scale of societal injustices, this ranks pretty low. Still, it irks me.

See if you can find the offense. I’ve snapped photos of each side of the sign. One side has been properly installed, the other side is tragic (on the scale of type-abuse). Can you find the offense?

hannaford-logo side b

Tags: font abuse, font design, signage, type abuse, type design
Posted in Uncategorized, just for fun, on design, sustainable design, type design | 6 Comments »

Sustainability, Who Cares?

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

This year’s buzz word: Sustainability.

Some haven’t heard the hum.

Last week I was sitting in a conference room listening to manufacturers (we are talking big, big retailers of stuff, lots of stuff) discuss how they buy and how we should to sell our art for use on their products. I have to admit, there was this moment when I felt like walking out. I did after all just take an oath to be a conscientious creator, so I stayed and asked “How has recycling and sustainability impacted the manufacturing process?” They replied that the economy has impacted the volume and green themes are popular, but as far as a sea change as to the way we extract, make, market and discard stuff… not so much. It is the consumer who calls the shots. They want pretty things on the shelf to look at, even if they don’t buy them.

Hmph.

I went to the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum that very same afternoon. I was especially interested in seeing the Design for a Living World exhibit. Ten designers were commissioned to develop new uses for sustainably grown and harvested materials and tell a unique story about the life-cycle of materials and the power of conservation and design along the way. That’s the museum’s spiel on the show. I liked the show. A lot. But as I walked around the displays and watched video of designers talk about their process, I had this sad realization: sustainability is only as good as its practice throughout the cycle of extract, make, market, discard.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

The morning was spent talking about mass-market (low-cost) production, while the afternoon was spent in the midst of thoughtful (over-priced) design. My brain went into a cramp at the juxtaposition of these two and how they each play out in the marketplace. Is there a happy medium between the two production methods and are consumers capable of wanting less and buying better?

Are there enough manufacturers, designers, and consumers who care? I wonder.

Tags: Cooper Hewitt, design for a living world, sustainable design
Posted in on design, product design, sustainable design | 1 Comment »