Base14

Over the weekend, Duck Heart Teslacoil won two honors at the Smogdance Film Festival. “Don’t you mean Sundance, Tyler?” you’re probably asking. No. I mean Smogdance. It’s a tiny bit lower key but with just as much heart, as far as I’m concerned. We received the Honorary Mention for Student Animation and the Saturday Audience Choice Award for Animation. And this one actually includes some prize money, for a change. Nicely done, DHT!

It’s that time of year again; time to sacrifice every available moment to the fashion gods. But the good news is I get the exciting pleasure of introducing you to the new line I am working on this year.

The concept was conceived last August and is now finally becoming a reality. Inspired by the Australian artist Ghostpatrol, this line maintains a bittersweet mood. Appropriately for a spring fashion show, this is a fall/winter line for 2010. (Coming to an imaginary store near you!) Fabrics include felted wool, heavy sweatshirt knits, flannels, heavy denims, twills and corduroys. They reminisce of classic winter clothing. Patches and layering give the look that the pieces have been worked and reworked. In addition to the garments, this collection features hand-knitted accessories and handmade jewelry.

Though I have designed a full line, the size of our fashion show unfortunately limits me to only three models. Keep a lookout for more pictures as the garments are completed.

There is something so absolutely charming about textiles. They seem the have endless possibilities and yet their tactile qualities make them so easy to relate to and enjoy. Yet as much as I admire the art form, I still have a lot to learn.

My most recent piece is an attempt to further familiarize myself with applique and embroidery. I have recently been fascinated with topography so I based this piece off of aerial views of Indiana. I hand dyed all of the fabrics to achieve color consistency and pattern diversity. I attempted to build up multiple layers through the combination of applique and reverse applique techniques. I accented the piece with charming emroidery stitches that reminisce of a sweet and simple rural life. (See closeup)

If you want something done right sometimes you don’t (necessarily) have to do it yourself. Here at Base14 we are very luckily acquainted with a skilled craftsman who can turn all of our furniture dreams into a reality. John Kupferer (a family affair) specializes in one of a kind pieces. His work was “green” long before it became trendy, using antique and reclaimed wood whenever possible. The coffee table and futon below are my most personally beloved pieces (especially since I fleshed out the original designs.) Also pictured is the ingenious book/staircase that was designed for me my freshman year of college.

These are just a few of the pieces from this under-appreciated craftsman. Needless to say, his endless patience with my many crazy furniture ideas and his skill in turning my cardboard models and sparse dimensional diagrams into beautiful, functional pieces of furniture continues to amaze me.

Not to mention the fact that they all dissasemble for easy moving.