New Collection Andi-Le Aspen

My emersion in the studio this summer caused me to go dark in the blog and social media world. Between commissioned pieces, creating a new line of serving ware, and enjoying Aspen and my horses, the days went by quickly! I have had to reorganize and prioritize my aspirations. As an artist, I want to play. As a businesswoman, I need to produce.  And there in lies the crux. Finding a rhythm and enjoying the ride is key!

Trying a selfie with Chiquita, I need longer arms!                                  Kayaking at Reudi.      AHHHHHH!

 

Andi-Le Aspen is the key to bringing it all together. One of its kind or limited production, home accessories that fill my need to create those special details that give a home soul.

Right now, I am concentrating on exceptionally designed trays created from reclaimed wood, giving each tray a deeper history while repurposing nature’s art.

AND…. I am very excited to launch the Andi-Le Aspen NOT SO lazy Susan Collection.

This is not your mother’s brown, wood, lazy susan!  This collection is sculptural, modern and stylish. Small editions of each design, allows me to play and create as the inspiration flows. They blend art and function perfectly. Andi-Le Aspen has a modern global aesthetic and the stamp of the artist/sculptor and craftsman. These home accents have been inspired by my lifestyle, travel, nature and a curious eye.

 Andi-Le Aspen products can be found at www.luxdetails.com Check out the whole collection! As well as the great tips on entertaining, design ideas.

 LOVE LOVE LOVE this quote. “Freedom to me is the luxury of being able to follow the path of the heart, to keep te magic in your life. Freedom is necessary for me to create, and if I cannot create I don’t feel alive” Joni Mitchell

“Live Creatively” til next time xx Andrea

One Good Chair and Hans Wegner

Seat of Honor: Denmark honors Hans WegnerOn 100^th Anniversary with “one good chair” exhibit

 He could be called “Chair Man of the Board” for his contributions to modern Danish art, his 1500 designs of chairs, and his use of natural wood and fiber. I love the passion he had for taking beautiful natural wood and creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces. He influenced a lot of designers throughout the world and is considered one of the fathers of organic modernism. He was one of my true inspirations for doing what I do today.

 Wegner delighted in creating aesthetically beautiful chairs from natural materials, combining form and functionality in ways never seen before. He was especially popular in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s. I loved the way he got inspired from things like axe-handles and oars to create his organic designs. I look for inspirations myself every day in nature’s backyard.

 Wegner designed his first chair in 1949. It was his first, but it wouldn’t be his last. As Wegner put it, “If only you could design just one good chair in your life... but you simply cannot." So he went and designed 1500 more.

 A lot of modernists like Wegner were considered boring, but not him. His designs were called very “human.” They were poetry in motion and also very practical. I walk the same natural path with my own Aspen log creations. People seem to love one-of-kind pieces of nature-inspired furniture.

Below are a few of my favorites

Shell Chair and Halyard Chair

The designmuseum danmark is featuring the exhibit. “Wegner: just one good chair,” in Copenhagen now through November 2, 2014. It tells the story of his life and work, using 150 pieces of his work along with his drawings, photos and models. Stop by if you’re in the neighborhood.

til next time. xx Andrea 

Bespoke vs Mass Produced Furniture

Finding the right piece, in the right size, in the right tone, with the right elements, can be down right tough. And can leave a bare space in your home for longer than you intended and never being quite finished or quite right.

 While buying either a custom pieces or a mass produced piece can be beautiful and exclusive. The exclusivity is in the process not the design.

 As a designer and maker, I am moved by a desire for authenticity and pieces genuinely inspired by the maker. I like knowing the hands that touched it, the history, the story and the soul of a piece.

I encourage everyone to find artists and craftsmen that resonate with you. Get involved in the process and create something fresher and more alive.

 A home is more than a place to rest your heads. Beautiful objects have the ability to transform. Your home is the best representation of who you are, what you like and how you live.

So my passion is to help you LIVE CREATIVELY!

xx Andrea

What Blog?

I think I am caught up….. 2011 went out with deadlines met.  2012 started up with deadlines to meet.what all this means... #1    I am so lucky to be creating work that is inspiring, fun and looks wonderful in place.  and.... #2     Blogging took a back seat.

So, as I put together my images of the custom pieces that have been installed, I will share them with you. Below is a sampling.

This  9' console with a custom color beneath the glass blends the room together ___________

A Mantel Shelf was install in a Ft Worth, downtown loft. The clients and their designer chose a wonderful array of textures, colors and art. __________

A close up of a Dining Room Pedestal created for an Aspen couple's new home. It is topped with a 72" round glass. __________

Big, strong and beefy. This table has an inset of leather hide as well as stainless accents. ____________

Mirrors... This is a one of the custom mirrors installed recently. Stainless steel corners and hand carved texture. ____________

Until next week, xx

Andrea

Ride Like the Wind

There is nothing like a morning horseback ride, Just me and my trusty mount, Chiquita. We have years and miles behind us and a solitary (most times) trail in front of us. I use this time to feel the gratitude, calm down and be "in the Moment". My work is inspired by the natural beauty surrounding me. The flowers, the trees the smells, all change daily. Chirping birds, ground squirrels, butterflies and crickets run across the trail. We also see  elk, deer, grazing cattle and on one occasion, a bear. It is idyllic and I often feel that I am in a fabulous movie.

I feel so alive and connected, being a partner with this big beating heart and we do ride like the wind.

Ahhhhhh the open spaces

Breath it all in.

til next week, xx

Andrea