super fun jewelry, super fantastic person
This morning I was reminded of just how fun spending money can be. In tight times, it is always a little tough to let go of the greenbacks, but when it stays local and goes to cool people, it feels kind of good. So it is in our process of acquiring the perfect engagement ring and wedding bands. If you don’t already have Karin Jacobson (aka superkarin.com) on your ‘keepin it local’ or ‘fantastic designer’ radar, I’d say you better tune your signal. Karin’s work can be seen all over the Twin Cities, and she has an awesome studio space in the Northrup King Building. Working with a variety of metals and gems, I imagine her day is filled with cool experiments and thoughts of designing the next playful line to add to her fun body of work. Her interest in working with lab grown gems and paladium struck an ethical chord with us, and her bold, bright, whimsical style of jewelry makes me want one of everything. We met with her two years ago to discuss my engagement ring, and we love it so much we’re going back for more. This morning we ventured to her studio to discuss a custom wedding band to complement my engagement ring. She defines play as a central theme in her work, and in meeting her again I was reminded that the idea of “play” isn’t just manifest in her creations, but in her approach to meeting with clients, designing her studio and personal style. It feels darn good to be able to work with someone who seems to find fun in the every day and does beautiful work!
So I made a little comment about liking more than blooming flowers in my first post, but that does not mean I won’t add a few to our garden now and again. If you have a chance to get over to the Friends School Plant Sale held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, it is well worth it. Plants of all kinds (trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables, herbs) are ridiculously inexpensive; many of them are well established and ready for a good home. It is an operation to behold at the very least – the volunteer corps alone must number in the hundreds! We got what we wanted and the line to check out was better than most commercial nurseries on a spring Saturday. It’s only through this Sunday, so grab Mom and go if you can!
LaFayette Square in Oakland, California
I don’t know Walter Hood, but have attended a few of his lectures and if I could create a professional trajectory similar to his, I would be pretty psyched. Well skilled in the realm of design, at times he also assumes the role of social advocate, environmental advocate, fundraiser, and professor. And, he seems like a damn cool dude to boot.
Probably best known for his work at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco, or his books Urban Diaries and Blues & Jazz Landscape Improvisations, my favorite project of his is LaFayette Square in Oakland, California. The project was hugely controversial; many people wanted to see small this parcel developed, in a way, to get rid of the transient population who perhaps had stayed too long. Hood worked with the community, city officials, homeless, and various funding sources to create and implement a design that would embrace those who need a place to crash, yet didn’t look like one big king-sized bed in the middle of Oakland. As with most design, the devil is in the details. Outfitted with water, showers, bathrooms and electrical plugs, the park infrastructure makes life a little easier for those who don’t have direct access to such luxuries. Well skilled at creating cool landscapes, Hood also programmed in some Depression-Era elements such as tables with chessboards and horseshoe pits, and believe it or not, comfortable park benches!
all images from Hood Design
the world of landscape architecture
While it is true plants are part of the palette of landscape architects, the really cool stuff doesn’t necessarily bloom. The fun parts of the job include things like manipulating landform, playing with hard materials like stone, copper and steel, assessing water flows, and understanding people flows, too. I can’t speak for all in the field, but the most interesting projects have more to do with fitting in to context than specifying the right perennial. During the month of May, I’ll share a few inspirational projects that may bend the idea of landscape architecture.
The first on the list (‘cause it’s local, and well, I happened to work at the landscape architecture firm): Westminster Courtyard and Columbarium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Employing only two plant species (honey locust trees and creeping thyme), the beauty of this project lies in its comfortable size, its relation to the existing structure, and its minimal material palette. A pattern abstracted from the stained glass windows becomes a perforated copper fence, a constantly coursing water rill muffles the adjacent street, soft illumination allows for evening congregation, and a timeless columbarium wall complements the 110 year-old Westminster Church and its engaged community. Check out Coen + Partners website for a lengthier (and more interpretive) description of the project.
All images by Paul Crosby Architectural Photography