Bridge Chime: Whim Of The Breeze

Making the rounds of the design blogs is this absolutely amazing public sculpture of a giant, playful wind chime. Artist, Mark Nixon has created the Chimecco bridge chime. It’s a 600-pipe kinetic sculpture that hangs below a wooden bridge surrounded by woods. Chimecco brings music to a beautiful natural habitat. The sculpture is part of the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Aarhus, Denmark.

"Chimecco hides silently beneath the bridge in the forest until activated by human movements or the wind causing it to sing, dance and play with the senses."~ Mark Nixon

As people pass over the bridge, the chime gently sings. Chimecco is intended to be hidden, but the beautiful shape of the sculpture, lush location, and harmonious sounds, must draw many to the bridge.

Check out the chime in action in this breathtaking 360-degree panorama.

Photo credit: Mark Dixon

You Are My Sunshine

One of my earliest recollections of my dad was of him playing guitar and singing this song to me: You Are My Sunshine My only sunshine. You make me happy When skies are grey. You'll never know, dear, How much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.

I took that picture of him in his studio with his Polaroid camera when I was a teenager – circa 1968ish. He was a designer - I wrote about him in this post: Heirloom Design At Home. This is how I remember him – handsome, inquisitive, introspective and forever cool.

Someone told me at his funeral, "Nobody loves you like your father does." So true.

Dad loved art and music, and I’m sure if YouTube was around before he died, he would have loved this too:

Happy Father's Day!

Stunning Stained Glass

“Every project uncovers a new secret. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle," says Doris Cultraro, the stained glass artist that restored this Tiffany window panel that stood for years in a local Hudson Valley residence.

On assignment for Chronogram, I visited Doris' DC Studio a few weeks ago and was unexpectedly enamored by the kaleidoscopic magic of stained glass. With an exploration of color, texture, and opacity, along with a unique understanding and respect of the ancient glass art form, Doris has perfected the decorative art of fitting together the stained glass puzzle.

The walls of the DC Studio are lined with a gradated rainbow of colored glass and an assortment of recycled glass scraps that Doris mines from old windows and other broken glass sources.

While all of the pieces I saw were beautiful, the above window panel totally captivated me. The densely diverse colors that surround the woman create what Doris describes as a "marble cake" effect. The rippled, wavy lines of the dress evoke the textured drape of a fine fabric. From the face to the toes, the skin tone color is ethereal. You can really feel the movement of this piece as it catches the deep Hudson River light with a sparkle. It is truly a magnificent feast for the senses.

After experiencing Doris Cultraro's original stained glass art and restoration work, I will never look at a piece of broken glass in the same way.

Read the full article here.

Credit: DC Studio

Wood Lust To Wear

Let’s just say…moms like jewelry. All kinds. The glittery kind that sparkle in all its small solid rockness on a finger, and the kind that goes with the grain and celebrates the beauty of nature. Designer, Gustav Reyes creates these salvaged wood bracelets by repurposing wood from unusual sources: castoff baseball bats, and maple, walnut and rosewood pieces from abandoned instruments. Each bracelet is like a mini-sculpture. They are hand formed using a cold bend process, and finished with natural beeswax. Reyes' wooden pieces function as a reminder that the past, present, and future are intertwined.

Let’s just say…it’s almost Mother’s Day…

"The desire to create is the vehicle by which we, as humans, extend our minds and souls beyond the limits of our physical selves." ~ Jewelry Designer, Gustav Reyes

Credit: Artful Home via Materialicious

The "Fab 3": Photographers Make The Posts

I want to share the work of three amazing photographers that allow me to post their images on Econesting.

Did you know that Annie Leibovitz lives right near me? Well, she does, and I've had the privilege of gracing Annie's home a few years ago when I picked my daughter up from babysitting her kids. Annie is not one of the "Fab 3" photographers you'll find here. To be truthful, I didn't ask her. Do you think she would have said yes? I hate rejection, so instead I asked these equally talented photographers. I believe they capture moments in time with just the right perspective and composition. Here is an introduction to the "Fab 3" photographers of Econesting:

Ben Scott

Ben Scott is a multi-talented Boston-based graphic designer, photographer and mixed-media artist. I'm sure if you asked him what he would rather be doing more than anything else, he would answer "Fly Fishing". We're glad Ben really loves his camera too. You must check out Ben's images of his hometown, Martha's Vineyard. Ben is also my daughter's boyfriend, so I guess he couldn't say no when I asked him if I could use his photos. Website: Ben Ross Scott

Juliet Harrison

Juliet Harrison is a newish friend that seems like an oldish friend. We started meeting once a week with a few other unbelievably talented women for a "Creative Breakfast". Juliet and I discovered our husbands are colleagues, and now we are all bonded by friendship. When Juliet told me she was a black and white equine photographer, I had no idea what she was talking about. Was there really such a thing? Well, Juliet has many photography books to her credit, and now I know so much more about horses, as she shares their beauty through the eye of her lens. Website: Juliet Harrison Photography

Jen Kiaba

Jen Kiaba is another friend I met at our amped up caffeine and creativity-charged breakfast. Jen is young, beautiful and so, so talented. She's the ultimate portrait photographer. Already a professional at 26, Jen is going places. I had so much appreciation and trust in Jen's work after viewing her portfolio, that I convinced the editor of Where Women Create magazine to have Jen shoot my six-page spread. You all saw that, right? Jen's so good, that my portrait picture didn't even need a photoshopped facelift. Amazing. Website: Jen Kiaba Photography

Main image: Jen Kiaba Photography