27 March 2010

swing out sister


these are photos of may modeling for giovanna's store, una.
i picture them having some white wine and giggling the whole time.
maybe may starts swearing in french if the dress gets a tiny rip because, you know, girls just want to have fun.

NATIONALE loves us, and their new home in the 811 building right behind sword+fern!
may, owner and curator and my favorite cutest frenchie model for una, wrote a bit about me and the shop on her blog this week.
i am so excited to have her and her telepathic radical goodness around the building!
you should become a member of NATIONALE and get involved with all the great gatherings and creative events she is scheming up on the regular. i think it's only like $6 to join.
i am going to try and make it to the next one, this sunday evening.
see her blog for more info -here.

24 March 2010

more morphing





how can i mix these inspirations together to come up with a new jewelry collection?


23 March 2010

things today:sunny spring times and summer gear wishlist









***note-
these things are not for sale at sword+fern..they are just on my personal birthday/wishlist..but hmm..maybe i should think about carrying some of it?**

above:sweet 90's love from Cerrone+Frankie
machinefabriek- experimental drone from the netherlands-click here to listen
images from top:
1.vintage floral sunglasses
2.jupiter swimsuit from we are handsome
3-4. jumpsuit and grey sweatshorts from isabel marant @maryam nassir zadeh
5. ian mculloch's hair, 1978
6.blooming Magnolia X soulangiana in my backyard today
7.plume poppy leaves
8.different alphabets

19 March 2010

leonard cohen said,









"there's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets through."
i am so inspired by blurred, light leaky images right now.
hoping to make some pictures like this at my next photoshoot.
reminds me of swimming, watercolors, falling asleep, perfect imperfectness.
images via flickr.

you're stuck in my mind, all the time








photo shoot inspiration.

16 March 2010

burle marx, jarman, gardens everywhere

above: this one's for you, mandi! amazing vertical wall garden. gardens can happen anywhere..









with the weather changing, garden ideas are spinning around in my head nonstop.
just thought i'd share some images of my favorite inspirations for gardens and design new and old.
derek jarman is a longtime inspiration of mine- his stark, arid garden designed in the midst of a nuclear facility near the coast of kent, used found objects in the simplest way. his garden epitomizes my idea of landscape beauty. minimal, low maintenance, and full of bold, dramatic, interesting foliage.
i find his deliberate concepts and use of old metal, stones, and junked wood re-occurring often in my garden and jewelry designs.
for as long as i've been designing gardens, roberto burle marx has had just as much of an influence on me, but in a more abundant and colorful way.
his tropical gardens in brazil are huge, bold, and bright, full of greens, blues, and colorblocked abstract shapes that don't bother with the perfection of geometry, but come alive with the passion and aggression of organic curves and rough,wild,spilling life. i wish i could have the land/yard space to catch up with that side of myself and design HUGE. for now, i have to keep it contained, and that's okay, i think i am on the way to designing a new jewelry collection that uses some of those ideas..

1,2-gardens designed inside shipping containers at this years' philadelphia flower show
3,4-the filmmaker/landscape designer derek jarman at his home-prospect cottage, in dungeness, kent, UK
5-painter/landscape designer roberto burle marx, painting his garden at home in rio de janeiro
6- burle marx at home in 1993
7-portrait of burle marx's estate in rio
8-detail of a burle marx tapestry on view
9-painting of one of burle marx's landscape designs at MOMA
10-burle marx tribute show at the new york botanical gardens on his 100th birthday

10 March 2010

nice press



my fern earrings were featured in a UK online magazine called N.E.E.T.
also featured is an embroidered necklace from spinthread.. whose interesting geometric pieces are on their way to sword+fern as i type..now if i could just get the mail carrier to actually leave me packages instead of storing them at the post office..it was pretty awesome, last time i ventured out on a quick trip away from the shop to pick up a package, i got pulled over by a cop and got a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt.
the magazine is free to download at neetmagazine.com

04 March 2010

friday, march 5th: ART PARTY

i spent the afternoon hanging and building a small installation for this month's art party at branx.
come!
tomorrow night.
here's more about it from the mercury:
Jenny Hoyston and Sarah Gottesdiener's new monthly, Art Party, is gearing up for its second round on March 5 (at Branx, 10 pm, $5, 21+) this time with a fashion focus that includes two Portland designers who expertly smudge the demarcations of art and fashion on the regular: Julia Blackburn of Dust, and Emily Baker of Sword + Fern. Joining them is San Francisco DJ Chelsea Starr of House of Starr, debuting a new line at the event. Of course, because the art parties are about whipping together a whole mélange of arts, there will also be video installations from Pashly (AKA Susan Ploetz), live music by STLS (Lisa Schonberg's other band) and Atole, DJs, tarot readings, a possible body painting booth, and "a queer guerrilla jerkin' dance troop" injecting the night with a second-wind performance around midnight.
Art Party @ Branx
• 320 SE 3rd Ave • Portland • 10PM • Ages 21+ • $5

saturday march 6th : NIGHTCLUBBING


NIGHTCLUBBING ---SATURDAY MARCH 6TH@HOLOCENE--we r soooo excited!!
we guest DJ, from 9 pm til 10..opening for NiceNice, Operative, and hosted by Linger +Quiet!
Come hang out with us for all kinds a jamz...all night!

"People... people... get ready for NICE NICE to TAKE. YOU. THERE. Finally set to release their full length on the legendary Warp label (Aphex Twin, LFO, Broadcast, Squarepusher, Boards of Canada, Autechre, Jamie Lidell, Grizzly Bear), the timelessly handsome duo have seen a few Pacific Northwest sunsets in their day and are ready to show their spastic, urgent sonic equivalent to the world. These gents are going to share their DREAMS with you and you are going to FEEL it. BUT FIRST... Operative will MAKE. YOU. BELIEVE. They're the guys your friend told you was the best live dance act in Portland. Homemade noise rigs, live drums, pulsating rhythms, entire cities made of cumulus nimbus THIS IS REAL. BUT FIRST! For a moment picture that party in your favorite modern art movie where all the kids are so cool and the lighting is just right and there's sweat on the walls (but not in a gross way) and Chloe Sevigny is there or Samantha Morton or Vincent Gallo... well New Moon Poncho was DJing that party. They'll be DJing this one too. TRUE! And (of course) Linger & Quiet will be your gracious hosts and once NICE NICE's sun burns up they will take you to dizzying new heights of LIGHT, LOVE & LASERS until the sun comes up once again. AMEN."-holocene.org
andddddd..
join us at valentine's tuesday MARCH 9TH for a live set (Dusty Springfeelins!)
we open for Olympia band Broken Water and LOVERS!!

magic is pyramidically attracting you to me