The Annieglass Story:  Table Art with Exceptional Durability.

Limited Edition Cone Vase
Shown in Gold. Platinum also available.

Annie Morehauser, creator of Annieglass, took her inspiration from Santa Cruz where she first saw glass blown on the beach.  Now over 30 years ago, that convergence of art and ocean proved life-changing.  The young art student set down roots in Santa Cruz and founded the luxury tableware company known as Annieglass.

Annie’s original tour de force was a piece called “Roman Antique,” a glass plate with a widely painted gold rim.  At a tradeshow back in 1983, she astounded the country’s retailers with this entirely new look.  Fusing the precious metal into the glass made it tarnish free, chip resistant and even dishwasher safe.  This combination of art and durability was a real breakthrough for her business. 

Today “Roman Antique” is an oft imitated industry icon that is sold by luxury retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, and Bloomingdales as well as leading hotels and restaurants.  Private collectors include celebrities such as Oprah, Jennifer Aniston, Christina Aguilera, and John Grisham.  Roman Antique is the “starter elegant set” for many brides.  It is enormously popular with Southerners who have been mixing china and glass for a long time. 

Annie adheres to the Japanese expression, “Dining should be a feast for the eye as well as the stomach.”  She believes that delighting your guests with a beautiful presentation before the food arrives puts everyone in a festive and receptive mood.  In her blog, Annieglass Blog, Mix & Match 7-30-13, she suggests using plates that don’t match or varying each place setting slightly. “Mixing and matching can add fun to the table.  It’s a way of more closely reflecting your personality and allows you to indulge in your love of tableware without feeling guilty about buying multiple patterns.” The following tricks can give a cohesive quality to the look:

·        Embrace the chaos with confidence.  You can make it work by seeming 100 percent intentional.

·        Have a unifying theme.  Maybe a color theme or accent color like a metallic trim on the plate. 

·        Plates for each course should be of similar weight.

·        Tie it together with an accent for a more unifying, harmonious look.

Ultramarine Bowls

In a recent interview with Diane Dorrans Saeks, The Style Saloniste Blog, Style Alert:  Heart of Glass - Annieglass 7-15-2013 , Diane posed the question “What was the most dramatic response you ever had to a new design?”  Annie:  “The Smithsonian asking for two pieces to become part of their new museum; having one of my pieces sent to the Pope as a gift was pretty awesome; customers making sinks out of my ultramarine blue bowls; seeing one used as a baptismal font was pretty impressive.  Some of my customers recently bought my new limited edition cone vase sight unseen.  That was dramatic.” 

Annieglass is sold in more than 500 stores worldwide including Chelsea Passage at Barney’s New York, Gump’s in San Francisco and boutique retailers like LCR.

Artist Michael Aram: The Core of his Vision is a Deep Attraction to Nature

Ocean Coral Napkin Holder by Michael Aram

Michael Aram has built a reputation creating high-quality, crafts-based pieces largely inspired by nature.  On a trip to India in the early 80s, he discovered a metalworking tradition that was largely untapped.  He quickly set up shop in New Delhi.  Turning his attention to crafts-based design, his work bridges the oft overlooked gap between artist and artisan.

In Hindi, the word “aram” means “gently, with peace, love, and care.”  A daily mantra to his craftsmen, his success resides in the creation of high quality work, work that makes a personal statement while retaining universal appeal. 

The core of his vision is a deep attraction to nature and in particular, its fascinating variety of trees and plants.  This is reflected in many of his signature pieces, including the charmingly twisted “Sleepy Hollow” collection, his “Twigware” cutlery, and the “Fantasy Bloom” serving pieces, which have all brought a new whimsy and elegance to the American table.  He also has collections inspired by the ocean and solely by the artistic process. 

Ocean Coral Photo Frame by Michael Aram

His work has a soulful quality and energy – which is only possible with handmade work.  No two pieces are alike.  His pieces work well with both contemporary and more classic interiors. 

Aram’s empathetic and holistic worldviews have made him a popular speaker and he has remained philanthropic throughout his career.  A partner in SeaWeb’s Too Precious to Wear Campaign, Aram donated some of his treasures to raise awareness of the global threat to coral reefs.  Taking time out to talk to SeaWeb about what inspires him to use his art to raise environmental awareness:

• On the design industry as a whole:  “I believe that there is presently a deeper commitment and heightened awareness of conservation and environmental stewardship.” 
• On coral as inspiration:  “Using coral as inspiration offers an endless variation of shapes, textures, forms, and even colors.”
• On his message:  “Rather than use endangered natural resources in the final product, use them as inspiration.  This promotes artistry and richness of thought while preserving natural resources.”
• On consumer buying decisions:  “Buying prod
  
  ucts that are timeless, of high quality, and made through a sensitive process – enhance both cultural and natural resources.  Ideally, purchase heirloom pieces rather than disposables destined for landfills.”
• On life in India:  “My life is beautifully organized between work, home, and friends.  India is the heart of the organization, NYC its brain.”
• On his leap to India:  “It wasn’t even a decision.  I just immediately started doing what felt right.”

Ocean Coral Centerpiece Bowl by Michael Aram

His flagship store is located at 136 W. 18^th Street in Manhattan.  In addition, there are several “shop-in-shops” in Bloomingdales, Niemen Marcus, Saks, and select Macy’s stores.  In sum, his work is sold in 600 major department stores and specialty boutiques including LCR, worldwide. 

Jewels, Beads, and Roses: Mary Rose Pottery has Glamour Appeal!

If a sense of whimsy and love of vivid color appeal to you, Mary Rose Pottery certainly fits the bill.  Founded by its namesake, Mary Rose Young, her pieces are noted for their sense of fun; she is adept at blending beauty and humor.  While a student, her trademark pieces were sculptural.  Realizing she needed something glamorous to brighten up an old farmhouse she moved into after college, she tried her hand at the potter’s wheel.  Apply the bright color that she had achieved in her artistic pieces, she achieved the look she was hoping for.  Mary Rose Pottery was born!

Her earliest designs included the rose motif (after her name) and the humorous, frantic chicken.  The rose motif became three dimensional.  Her rationale:  since flowers were needed to make a vase work, why not design a vase with its own bunch of flowers.

Her career catapulted after she exhibited at the Chelsea Crafts Fair, exposing her to American and European buyers.  Soon, Barneys New York came beckoning.  No longer destined for obscurity, she relocated her pottery studio to her refurbished home called “Oak House,” located in England and open to the public.  She lives and wears the amazing colors of her art every day, as every surface of her home is alive with color.

While her rose design is still  popular, her art continues to evolve with new shapes and designs.  In her look, “Jewelled and Beaded,” she uses gold luster to create pottery that resembles a pirate’s treasure.  She has licensed some of her ideas to larger giftware companies, so you may occasionally encounter some of these mass-produced pieces on High Street or as we say in the U.S., on Main Street.  She displays her newest pieces annually at the New York City Gift Show, held in August.  To celebrate the recent birth of his Royal Highness Prince George, she has introduced a pair of baby cups and saucers.

Mary Rose’s art can be purchased at select stores in the U.S. (including LCR) and on her website.  Her work has attracted its share of celebrity buyers, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, the British Royal Family, Mika, Lilly Allen, Burt Reynolds, Steven Tyler, and Demi Moore.  In 2007, her art attracted media attention after Ozzy Osbourne’s Mary Rose Young teacup and saucer fetched $1,650 in a charity auction of his possessions.