08.26.24
EDITORS’ LIST
Jill and Monica share their August picks, including not one, but two kiddush cups, a sick tissue box cover (no pun intended), a Frank Lloyd Wright for sale in Kalamazoo (above), and a reconsideration of the lowest of art forms. (Related: Are we in the midst of a bumper sticker-sance?)
Jill’s List
 1. CHASE TRAVAILLEI found the work of artist Chase Travaille through Kelsie Rudolph, who we’ve frequently featured on Sight Unseen. Turns out they’re currently collaborating on some larger pieces from Kelsie’s home base in Montana, so expect more on that on the site later this fall. For now, enjoy Travaille’s amphorae made from the shards of other vases. Simply love everything about these. |
 2. ISABEL ROWERPeople often ask me about my new favorite talent to watch, and I sometimes go blank when forced to choose. But this year, there’s no question: I became obsessed with Isabel Rower’s cardboard-like ceramic lamps at Marta Gallery’s NADA presentation this spring, and a few weeks ago, I got to see her marbled ceramics in person at a presentation with her artist mother at the new Galerie Sardine in Amagansett (a must-visit if you’re in the Hamptons this fall). Excited to see what’s next! |
 3. 🔍 LICHENOriginally, I was going to feature in this slot a spiral ceramic plate that I found via the Brooklyn shop Lichen. But when I went to look for it on Lichen’s site, it was mysteriously gone. When I went to look for it on Lichen’s IG, I accidentally searched the term “lichen” rather than the handle, and I made an serendipitously wonderful discovery. BRB going through and liking a million photos of lichen so my Explore page can feature more of this, and fewer weird contouring videos. |
 4. A SLEEK SPOON RESTIf you’re going to install marble kitchen counters — which can’t handle a drop of liquid sitting on them for five seconds without being permanently scarred — you’d better be prepared to purchase a spoon rest. Unfortunately, my counters were installed in 2021, and since then I’ve been placing everything gently down on cutting boards and dish towels because I haven’t been able to find a spoon rest that isn’t huge, hideous, or elaborately patterned — until now. I recently ordered this simple, sleek Alessi one designed by Valerio Sommella, and while I haven’t seen it in person yet, the fact that they also sell it at Lichen is recommendation enough for me. (Yes I’ve been online shopping!!) |
 5. CONSIDER THE BUMPER STICKERSara Victorio is a ceramicist living in Portland, Oregon, and working under the name Hotel Ceramics. She appears to work in a drop-like fashion, releasing pieces and taking pre-orders until she’s reached her production capacity. But the one thing that’s always for sale on her website is this bumper sticker, which has me reconsidering all bumper stickers ever. I’ve never been a bumper sticker person, but now that merch in general has an iron grip on my soul, it’s no surprise that bumper stickers should be close behind. I’m still trying to figure out the formula: The perfect bumper sticker is wholesome rather than aggressive, whimsical rather than political, and more often than not references a niche hobbyist obsession? They also make you somehow want to drive a Subaru? This is, of course, a classic in the genre as well. Anyway, free new business idea! |
 6. TINY BALLS KIDDUSH CUPOk, you’ll see below that Monica ALSO chose a kiddush cup for her Editors’ List this month, and frankly the coincidence was too random and hilarious to scrap mine! I found this one while searching the Jewish Museum webshop for some artifacts for a big life event coming up, and of course I was obsessed with the #tinyballs (though I could potentially do without the little tray?) Speaking of Wiener Werkstätte motifs, I also noticed when I visited the shop that they’re pitching Josef Hoffmann’s Series B wine glass as a kiddish cup, which I love for us. (And by us, I mean the extremely small subset of design Jews!) |
Monica’s List
 1. CERAMIC TISSUE BOX COVERI am a hopeless allergy baby, and always have been — anyone who thinks I’m “cool” should only see the nerdy trail of tissues that follows me around everywhere, LOL. That said, if I’m going to have Kleenex boxes all around my house, make them fashion — I have one in my bedroom already that’s a vintage sculpted-ceramic eBay find, and next on my list is acquiring this chrome beauty by Ekua Ceramics for my living room. Look how she shines. |
 2. GREEN NASSI LAMPI love a bold-green anything, which is why I stopped in my tracks a few days ago when the Paris-based design purveyor The Oblist posted this lamp on Instagram. Marrying a marble base with a limited-edition bright-green linen shade that’s exclusive to the shop, it’s made by the Puglia, Italy, workshop Nassi, which was founded in 1960 and “represents three generations of women in the handmade lampshade industry.” Love the color AND the backstory. |
 3. GOBLETS BY GROSS GLASSThe Chicago gallery/shop Tusk does not appear to have an online shop, but we’re sure if you reach out you can order one of these lovely new glass goblets by Gross Glass, whom we’ve been following for jewelry for years. The goblets trend has been going strong for awhile now but, like most trends that involve traditional materials and forms, we’re far from over it. Sidenote that Tusk also has pretty glass vases by N’kosi Barber. |
 4. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOR SALEGot $1.8 million and a hankering to live in Kalamazoo, Michigan? Neither do I, but I sure am enjoying these photos of a recently-renovated Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian house that just went on sale there. I’m forever troubled by Frank Lloyd Wright’s unfortunate history and personality, but I’m also a sucker for non-square architecture, wood-paneled walls, and lots of huge windows, not to mention the FLW built-ins and that amazing white tile wall situation behind the living room. Wish I could do a writer’s retreat here before they sell it. |
 5. SPLOT KILIM RUGSIn a recent Saturday Selects, we spotlit a new restaurant in Poland with a postmodern interior, and rugs custom-made by Splot. A short diversion to the company’s website revealed a covetable selection of limited-edition wool tapestries, which are made by Polish women master-weavers according to national traditions and with local, zero-waste materials. Some of Splot’s rugs are contemporary motifs by contemporary designers, but we particularly love the traditional-looking pieces that the brand reissued from the archive of the late Art Deco designer Zofia Stryjeńska. “Her works decorated the interiors of Polish ocean liners, and she designed a kilim for the Emperor of Japan.” |
 6. SCULPTURAL KIDDISH CUPIt is actually hilarious how many cool things I find while Google Image-Searching for other things. I don’t remember what vintage metal object I was sleuthing that pulled up this kiddish cup in its results, but I’m here for it — it’s a creation of the Judaica artist Jim Cohen, and while his handmade works are expensive (this cup is $2,300), and some of them are not our style, and I’m Jewish but an atheist who will never use a Kiddish cup, I still appreciate folks who are innovating in this genre. |
