Tweeting

So little time to blog lately. However Red Bridge Studio wants to keep you informed on the latest happenings. So follow Red Bridge on twitter . Tweeting is travel friendly allowing for short posts on artists, exhibits, and things of interests from Hamburg, Cologone, Paris, and Munich.

Handmade Oldenburg: Nikolai Markt

Oldenburg City Hall

During my stay in Oldenburg, I was fortunate to attend the Nikolai Markt , a market in the city center, featuring the handmade works of over 60 professional German artists, from Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, and other areas, including Berlin. This two day event, featured diverse mediums including metal, ceramics, textile, wood, glass, and paper.

Oldenburg has a long tradition of handmade artistry. The Nikolai Markt was sponsored in part by the Angewandte Kunst Oldenburg, AKO, an group of artisans from Oldenburg specializing in handmade art.

Ceramics by Annette Dannhus

Annette Danhuss, from the town of Celle, makes ceramics. Marlies Adams-Hennecke, another ceramist, based south of Hannover, was also in attendance. Their aesthetics are quite different, yet the work of both feature surface design elements.

Hergen Garrelts, furniture designer, had a handsome wood table on display . In addition to tables, this Oldenburg native, designs chairs, bookcases, as well as pieces for the kitchen.

The work of Monika Fitzner features textile and paper. With a focus on books, she binds them, and creates book covers and holders.

Find a complete listing of 2009 Nikolai Markt participants click here.

Handmade in Berlin

Recently I visited Berlin for the first time. It was a three day visit, jam packed with walking tours with visits to the Bradenburg Gate, Peter Eisenman's Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Unter den Linden and St. Hedwig's Cathedral, The Museum Island, and Prenzlauer Berg to name a few sights and places. 

During the visit, I managed to find a few independent stores and designers.

Sabine Dittmer of Panama in Berlin

Literally minutes before I was to catch a train heading back to Oldenburg, Brian, an Australian furniture store owner recommended that we  visit a store front just around the corner from our hotel. In a walk around the neighborhood he came across Panama. The studio and storefront, owned by Sabine Dittmer was open. Upon seeing the lovely colors in her window, I fell in love. As I entered the shop I saw a figure emerge from the background, with squegee in hand. It was Sabine. I had to contain my excitement. She has run her business for 13 years, screen printing on creating hand printed textiles, and creating curtains, cushions, and books. 

Penthesileia, Taschen Design Handwerk

The handmade bags of Penthesileia

caught my eye on the first day. Like Panama, the store front also serves as a studio with the leather bags also being made on sight. 

Supalife KIOSK

Supalife KIOSK carries hand made wares of local Berlin artists, some from around Europe. There were even t-shirts by an American designer from Portland, Oregon. You can find clothing, screen printed cards, prints, and accessories here. 

Books from Buchhandlung Walther Konig an der Museumeinsel

Shoppers in Buchhandlung Walther Konig an der Museumeinsel

The Buchhandlung Walther Konig an der Museumeinsel is not a place to find handmade wares. However, this book store specializes in books on art and design. Near the Museum Island, the inviting display worked as I made my way in to have a look. Any design book lover will not be disappointed!

Flowers of Oldenburg

Oldenburg, in northwest Germany is a city of flowers. It was easy to find floral inspiration in the local gardens and at the nearby Park der Garten .

Blau druck in Jever

Georg Stark with original block

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to visit Jever, a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany near the North Sea. I went specifically to see Blau Druck im Kattrepel. There I met Georg Stark, owner and printer. He does "blue printing" a type of hand textile printing, with roots in India, that made its way to Europe some 400 years ago.

During the visit he demonstrated the process of hand dyeing and printing textiles. As well, I saw some of the tools of the trade including, blocks, some which are several hundred years old. As well, I saw rolls of hemp and linen, fabrics which were traditionally used for printing in the blau druck process.


Lowering of fabric into dye


Raising fabric from vat after dyeing


Dyed and printed piece


Traditional block used in printing


Rolls of hand woven hemp or linen. Such rolls may have been found in the chest of a new bride when she got married.


Coating of block with resist wax


Printing block one repeat at a time

69 Meters on Montague

On Wednesday evening, the parking meters on Montague Street, in Brooklyn Heights, were transformed from the stark gray poles to colorful coziness. The Knitta Please public art project, known as "69 Meters" and commissioned by the Montague Street Business Improvement, was installed.

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Running late, I rushed to a first floor meeting location in a building adjacent to St. Ann's Church. People's attention and cameras were directed toward the front of the room where Head Knitta in Charge, Magda Sayeg demonstrated how to attach the sleeves to the meters.

Fellow {NewNew} team members, Kimm of KimmChi, Nguyen of KnitKnit and Lydia of L'elephant Rose were in attendance to install their pieces. Each installer received a clear numbered bag containing their sleeve that corresponded to a numbered parking meter. Kimm headed toward the Promenade in search in of hers. Nguyen and I paired up since our numbers were close together. As luck would have it our meters were across the street from the church. Although one of her meters had a parked blue bike locked to it, Nguyen installed her cozy which featuring her signature power cord pattern. I installed three including one created by a friend who could not attend.

{NewNew} team knitters by Jonathan Hokklo


Sleeve installed with bike attached to meter, Photo originally uploaded by Nguyen Le

Through out the entire installation process, it was evident that passersby were curious about what we were doing. There were a lot of looks. New Yorkers stopped to talk, to inquire, to ask "What's the significance of this?" These fleeting moments with neighbors, fellow Brooklynites, strangers, and visitors alike, may just be the best part of this project.

The project is expected to stay up for atleast 3 weeks. So if you're in the Heights anytime soon, make sure to stop by Montague Street.

Photo by Nguyen Le


Meter 54

Installing as friends look on, Photo by Jonathan Hokklo





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In the Blogosphere: Scoutie Girl

Check out today's Scoutie Girl. Two new pillows, Flowers of the Sea and Kelp are featured.