Ornate Porcelain Skulls by Katsuyo Aoki, The Predictive Dream Series.

Japanese artist Katsuyo Aoki has been working in ceramic for several years. Her Predictive Dream Series was brought to my attention by the fabulous Gblog. The series consists sculptural skulls rendered as intricately worked porcelain pieces that are simultaneously demonic and delicate.







































Artist Statement:

Currently, I use ceramics as my material in my method of expression, incorporating various decorative styles, patterns, and symbolic forms as my principal axis in creating my works.



The decorative styles and forms I allude to and incorporate in my works each contain a story based on historical backgrounds and ideas, myths, and allegories.Their existence in the present age makes us feel many things,; adoration, some sort of romantic emotions, a sense of unfruitfulness and languor from their excessiveness and vulgarity.







And on the other hand, they make us feel tranquility and awe that can almost be described as religious, as well as an image as an object of worship. By citing such images, I feel I am able to express an - atmosphere- that is a part of the complex world in this age.



In fact, the several decorative styles and forms I cite simultaneously hold divine and vulgar meaning in the present age, having an irrational quality that contradict each other, which I feel express an important aspect in the contemporary age in which we live.



Also, the technique of ceramics has a tradition that has been a part of the history of decoration over a long time, and I feel the delicateness and fragile tension of the substantial material well express my concept.







Katsuyo Aoki is represented by Roentgenwerke Gallery

A Macabre Mouthful. Beautiful Silver Skull Spoons By Tom Sale aka Pinky Diablo.

Combining the imagery of death with an instrument used to nourish is an artistic juxtaposition found in the hand-crafted spoons by Dallas artist Pinky Diablo, aka Tom Sale. He has taken vintage silverplate and sterling silver spoons of various sizes and creatively turned them into Skull Spoons, or Skoons, if you will.






The original and individual skulls spoons vary in size, texture and some even have engraved words on the back. Some have a twist in the handle, some are teaspoons, others are serving spoons. And in addition to the human skulls, Tom has created cow and cattle skull spoons as well. Each has what appears to be either a bullet hole or a gash in the heads of the skulls (undoubtedly the cause of death).








Now, I wouldn't attempt to eat peas with these suckers, but you can display them in a shadow box, on a table or simply suspend them from a string like the artist has exhibited them:



If you'd like a spoonful of spookiness, the individual pieces of flatware, which are only $45 a piece, can be ordered directly from the artist via e-mail. He will choose the skull spoon for you. I can't wait to see what he sends me!

all images in this post are courtesy of artist Tom Sale

White Fiberglass Skull Chair By Pool.

This simple, modern white fiberglass skull chair, by Léa Padovani & Sébastien Kieffer of Pool, made its debut at the 2011 Milan Furniture Fair.




"Souviens toi que tu vas mourir, chair” (translated :"Remember that you will die") is described by the designers as "an emblematic monobloc chair reinterpreted as an expression of vanity. This memento mori represented by a skull acts as a leitmotiv for those who seek the comfort of a chair and the ceremonial act of being seated."



photos ©Benjamin Le Du

material : fiberglass
dimensions : L55cm W50cm H88cm


Pool is Léa Padovani & Sébastien Kieffer. They live and work in Paris.

Quiltsrÿche. Edgy Quilts By Boo Davis.

above: Cock Rock quilt from Quiltsrÿche

You gotta love a crafter who labels her textile designs with the sign-off "Made With Hate." At least I do. On her own site she describes herself as follows: "Boo Davis is a designer, illustrator and quiltmaker living in Seattle. She spent much of her youth cozied up under her grandmother's quilt listening to Ozzy. As a grown-up metalhead and design geek, the intersection of cute and evil is what she finds most compelling."




This is apparent in her hip quilts. No grandma patchwork for this gal, instead Quiltsrÿche blends rock n' roll imagery, attitude and a smart sense of color and design. Her graphic and edgy quilts are reminiscent of another modern quilter, Denyse Schmidt, only on acid.

Skullfucked1:

Skullfucked3:

Basketcase:

Does Not Compute:

Bangover:

Beastie:

Beastie Prototype:

Love It or Leaf it:

Quilt In the Headlights:

I'm A Wiener:

Damaged:

Primer:


Quiltsrÿche uses 100% cotton fabrics, though some of the vintage fabrics are blends. All fabrics are pre-washed. A Quiltsrÿche quilt is made with straightforward linear quilting that is durable and adds, in Boo's words, "that totally killer juxtaposition of handmade and industrial."

Your Quiltsrÿche quilt can live on your bed or on your wall. Request a rod pocket to be sewn on the back if you'd like it to hang. Quilt backs feature three stripes in coordinating or complementary colors. Let Boo know your color preferences for the binding and back of your quilt.

Order your Quiltsrÿche quilt directly from Boo here.

She also has a book available for purchase, Dare to Be Square Quilting: A Block-by-Block Guide to Making Patchwork and Quilts



•Check out her illustration and graphic design here.

•Here's a nice New York Times Q & A with the edgy quilter.

special thanks to Boo Davis and Stuart Isett for The New York Times for the above images.