PhIl Barbato

George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, one of the decisive figures of post-war American design. The focus of his broad oeuvre was on textile design: As head of the Herman Miller Company's textile division, Girard designed a multitude of textiles that reflect his love of festive colours and patterns. He favoured abstract and geometric forms, typically put together in bright constellations of colours. Alexander Girard's upholstery fabrics have lost none of their charm, and a range of classic Girard designs such as Quatrefoil, Names or Toostripe Orange are included in the Vitra and Maharam "Textiles of the 20th century" cushion collection. Having originally studied architecture, Girard made a name for himself over his long career in the fields of furnPhil Barbato

PLUSH SCULPTURE



Using such wide-ranging materials as fleece, felt, fur and foam, Barbato's set of quirky creatures, monsters, whosis and whatsits brings a squishy familiarity and sweetness to a modern art scene preoccupied with nonsensical experimentation and self-indulgent statements.


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ABOUT
Phil Barbato b. 1976, Long Island, NY. Though proficient in math as well as art in high school, Phil did not want a life of calculation and chalk dust. He thought art would be the easier path. He entered Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Art in the fall of 1994. This turned out not to be the easier path.After an extended stay at VCU, where he earned a BFA in Sculpture and Extended Media with a Film minor, Phil settled in Richmond, Virginia and into a working life. He held several jobs, each one a variation on the theme “Creative Professional.” His artistic ambition, however, did not rest.
In his late twenties, prolific and successful artist friends (and jealousy) motivated Phil to rededicate himself to his career. He began painting regularly and experimenting with plush. He discovered his work had the power to make people giggle and point and say things like, “I want that!” This was a good thing. Throughout the mid aughts, Phil sold his art at the Bizarre Market and group gallery exhibitions in Richmond. Over the last 3 years, he has branched out to regional and national shows including: The Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia, Renegade Chicago (part of an Etsy Plush team group booth), The Brooklyn Lyceum Market, and Crafty Bastards in Washington, D.C.









phil sporting one of his tee's.























In 2009, Phil had his first solo exhibition at Gallery5 in Richmond. Plushozoicpresented a collection of plush works as a natural history exhibit, complete with artifacts and informational posters. Upcoming exhibitions include Quirk Gallery and World of Mirth in Richmond, Virginia.
see more @ http://philbarbato.com/

Alexander Girard


a visit with an design icon,

Alexander Girard

 















 

 

ABOUT 

Born in 1907 in New York City, Alexander Girard was one of the leading figures of postwar American design, along with his close friends and colleagues George Nelson and Charles & Ray Eames. The primary focus of his wide-ranging oeuvre was textile design. Girard created numerous fabrics for the Herman Miller Company, favouring abstract forms and geometric patterns in a wide variety of colour compositions. Many of his upholstery fabrics remain as timely and vital as ever and are still manufactured and utilised by Vitra today. Having originally studied architecture, Girard made a name for himself over his long career in the fields of furniture, exhibition, interior and graphic design. Moreover, he was one of the world's most important collectors of folk art. The objects and textiles acquired by Girard on his extensive travels provided him with a rich source of inspiration and ideas. When Rolf Fehlbaum, the son of Vitra's founding family, first visited Alexander Girard and his wife Susan at their Santa Fe home in 1960, Fehlbaum wrote a letter to his parents telling of the deep impression it had made on him, and describing it as the most fascinating house he had ever seen in the United States.  Vitra and the Vitra Design Museum have devoted themselves to the reappraisal and revival of Alexander Girard's work over the past several years. The growing Girard collection in Vitra's product portfolio includes his painted Wooden Dolls, the Environmental Enrichment Panels and various furniture pieces and objects, along with his distinctive fabric designs.  After Alexander Girard's death in 1993, his heirs donated the Girard archive (comprising hundreds of drawings, prototypes and samples) to the Vitra Design Museum. In 2016/17, the museum mounted the exhibition 'Alexander Girard: A Designer's Universe'. 

https://girardstudio.com

https://www.vitra.com/en-us/about-vitra/who-we-are/designer/details/alexander-girard









 













Girard + modern awesome.
ps. You can buy his wooden figures @ Hive.com