E-magazine Llamas' valley

April / May 2012 3(9)

perfect places - imperfect people

Cover story Photography: Egle Aleksandraviciute www.zaidimuaikstele.lt

Ceramics:

“Mano lietuviški namai” My Lithuanian Home www.mlnshop.com

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It was a sweet day, drowned in cake crumbles, flavored with pistachios and cacao beans; words melted in our mouths, thoughts burst like unfolding spring buds, and the home smelled like chocolate long after... The story continues on the Bon Appétit pages.

la famiglia It was a year full of challenges, births, faith, will, dreams, hesitation, rises, disillusions, tears, wonder, surprises, friendship, trust, doubt, hope, reunions, admiration, knowledge, discoveries, delusion, returns, criticism, support, mistakes, suddenness, concerns, and happiness.

AlgE RAMANAUSKIENE

Editor-in-chief Website

Elas RAMANAUSKAS

Graphic designer

Website

Blog

The year is over, but the challenges continue. Thank you for being near and helping us grow wings.

Enjoy!

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Augis Narmontas

Photographer FACEBOOK

Nadia Gric

Photographer Website

Milda BENDORAITYTE

Photographer, author Website

Egle Aleksandraviciute

Food writer and photographer blog

ROBERTAS RIABOVAS

Photographer Website

Blog

Raminta Bumbulyte

Art critic

Kornelija ČESONYTE

Art critic

Website

Olga LEMPERT

Proof editor

Website

We’d like to hear from you: hello@llamasvalley.com; advertising@llamasvalley.com

The face of 14 a room Oh those doors...

The artist and his Venice

Le parisien

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Stop! Look.

Think...

So very nordic

Culinary games

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sinfully beautiful

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Ask

yourself

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Journey requires:

passport, Rubj, Kiki, Onda Kornelija CesonytE

Aiming to test the readers’ olfactory immunity, I caught up with an extraordinary scent artist. VERO KERN diverges from the classic perfumer type by exploring the modern smells and visual artistic practices, thus impregnating the creative process. She brings the works into the contemporary “perfume mist”, creating an overpowering density and frenzied tension. The latter is astounding even in contemporary fragrance context: far from casual well-built aromas, her works annihilate prior assumptions and demand all available sensual energy...

Facing Vero Kern’s works, vanity driven fools freely associate with every scent. As the effect sinks in, the desperate lamenting - WHAT HAVE I DONE? - begins. The fragrances seep into the skin and manifest an obscure LANGUAGE: it resembles stamping one’s foot, breathing densely, and wondering HOW (ELSE) IS THAT POSSIBLE? Evidently, encountering ART brings along responsibility.

If I had to display fragrances in a white cube tomorrow, I’d choose fragrances by Vero Kern. If I was authorized to circulate scents during Romeo Castellucci’s performances, I’d choose precisely her.

A brief conversation with the perfumer Vero Kern who has managed to merge the modern and postmodern, the headlines and the margins into one scent.

Ask

yourself

Vero Kern

Swiss perfumer Owner and founder at Vero.Profumo

www.veroprofumo.com

- I shall begin at the beginning, as a character from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World said. Tell me - where, when, and how did your smell / scent life begin?

- I consider myself an olfactory human. I experience life a lot directly through the nose. But I only became aware of this when I started concrete scent work.

- What is your everyday olfactory life like?

- I train my sense of smell every day. I smell different raw materials and then try to store them in my olfactory memory. Brainwork!

- What do you like to sniff? Is there an object / subject which is especially important to your nasal experiences?

- I’m very curious about smells and I have no special preferences.

- What can you say about the sense of smell in the context of other human senses?

- The use of ALL senses is very important. But the sense of smell has been neglected for a rather long period.

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- What are the most important abilities a person must have in order to become a perfumer?

What is the advantage to being a perfumer?

- Anyone can be a perfumer, but that doesn’t mean that everyone will be a good perfumer. Being a perfumer requires a lot of experience, work, learning, and patience. I see no particular advantage to being a perfumer, except for my nose being especially well trained.

- What is the relationship between you and your clients like? How do you communicate with them? Are they part of your olfactory visions, do they help you develop perfumes?

- I think it’s lovely to meet and get to know some of my clients personally. Either through direct contact or when someone comments on a blog post about my scents. Feedback in the form of criticism or compliments is important for me. It shows me whether my fragrances are understood, whether they’re liked or disliked.

- What has been the most important experience in your olfactory life so far?

- Having been able to compose three special fragrances and to establish them as a brand.

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- How do you react to other people’s scents, fragrances, and aromas? For whom do you create perfumes? Who is your ideal perfume consumer or “reader”, so to speak?

- The ideal perfume customer is the one who impacts my creations emotionally. It is someone who is curious about scent, has a sense of aesthetics, and relies on his or her own feelings. This also means that he or she ignores marketing “stories”.

- I perceive perfume as a text full of meanings.

What meanings are hidden in your perfumes?

- “Meanings” are always lent to perfumes by the person smelling them, which means subjective sensations. Perfume in itself has no meaning; it is always neutral.

- Tell me about your perfumes Kiki, Onda, and Rubj. What is the story to these very different perfumes?

- At the beginning of a creation there is always an inspiration. Kiki is a lavender perfume in the style of Guerlain Jicky. Powdery, balsamic, frivolous, Paris like. “Kiki” also refers to Kiki de Montparnasse, French artist and Man Ray’s muse.

Onda is a very controversial, animal, leather fragrance in the style of the 20’s. Onda is the scent of “losing the ground beneath your feet”, almost a drug and certainly a flying carpet.

Rubj is an opulent oriental fragrance, a bouquet of white flowers. “Delicious” on male skin as well.

- Have you ever met anyone wearing your perfume in the street? What was your reaction?

- When I smell my fragrances on someone, I am totally charmed...

- What inspired you to create these perfumes?

- My love for scent basically and the immense desire to create.

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Ask

VERO KERN - Do you agree with the idea that “the human is the most scented ape”? Why? - I haven’t heard of it.

- How do you react to “natural” scents like urine, sweat, saliva, or the odor of human genitals?

- I have no problems with this kind of human odors. I’m interested in all scents.

- Why do you think a person should wear perfumes, yours in particular?

- Perfume is something very intimate, personal, and individual. My opinion is that wearing perfumes should help form and support an identity. Like an additional dimension to your personality, your type or style. This also means that everyone should search for, discover, and wear his or her own scent.

- Perhaps a few words about niche perfumery? Is this just a myth? Or is it another kind of philosophy, a different dimension of scents?

- It isn’t really clear what is meant by the term.

Niche perfumes were once the answer to the trivialization and massification of classical perfumery. Niche fragrances are made in small batches with premium materials and a lot of passion. Meanwhile, so-called niche perfumes are also produced by the Industry.

- What do you do when your nose is “tired”? Do you smell coffee beans, your armpit, or skin? What is your recipe for refreshing the sense of smell?

- I just have a break.

yourself - What are your favorite substances in the aromatic world?

- I especially love scent material that reminds me of human skin, like animal substances or heavy floral scents. Erotic!

- What is the most important thing in the olfactory world for you?

- That my nose works.

- How do you lead your everyday life? I always imagine that most of the perfumers live like Jean Des Esseintes from Huysmans’ novel Against nature: everything what surrounds him is sophisticated, chic, luxurious, alchemical...

- I love and seek sophistication and elegance in life, in every way and every day, and try to create my environment in that sense. I live very modestly with little space, but with finesse and elegance!

- Thank you.

Scent event: exploring Vero Kern’s perfumes Wednesday, 30 May, 2012, 7.00 PM Visokių daiktų krautuvė 3 Uzupio St., Vilnius, Lithuania Free admission Places are very limited, please register: info@vdk.lt llamas’ valley

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Must have

Enamel object Helen Carnac

Nut bowl Mano lietuviski namai / My Lithuanian Home

Ceramic bowl Pia Lund

Bird pots Camilla Engdahl

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Porcelain utage tool Yumiko Iihoshi

Baking dish Sagaform / BjĂśrk-Forth design studio

Small teal plates valley Elephant llamas’ Ceramics

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Idea

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Sofia Jansson

Founder of Little Cute Mokkasin shop (www.mokkasin.com)

Blog

Photography: Sofia Jansson

- How many prints do you have at home?

- That differs. Sometimes we have more and sometimes fewer. Sometimes we hang them on the walls, and sometimes they are propped up in groups here and there. But there are always several in every room.

- What kind of prints are these?

- It’s a mishmash. Like our entire home. I don’t restrict myself to any particular style, just choose what I like. Some print are actually old and purchased second hand, others are those that I sell in my shop, and others yet we have acquired over the years.

- Sofia, why do you love prints?

- I love prints because they award a touch of personality to a home. You can find a print to match who you are, or simply add some mood to a room.

The beauty of prints is that everyone has the opportunity to own one, as opposed to genuine art which can only be acquired by few.

- Who are your favorite artists?

- I think there is an incredible plentitude of talented artists! The people I admire most are those who have found their own expression and personality. Those who find their own style without looking too much at others. Some Swedish talent I’d like to highlight: Elisabeth Dunker, Lisa Rinnevuo, Jenny von Döbeln, and Johanna Gartmyr. llamas’ valley

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- Do you prefer pictures or letters?

- I prefer pictures. If it is a quote, it should really speak to me directly, or be neatly put together.

The market for quote posters has exploded lately.

And most of them are nothing more than black letters against a white background. I feel this isn’t so interesting. Some of them are clever while others just feel like repeats.

- Where do you look for unique prints?

- I always keep my eyes open. On Etsy, blogs, magazines, and some other places. Art school graduation exhibits are the perfect place to find new brave designers. Sometimes I receive tip-offs and sometimes I am contacted by the designers them­ selves.

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- Tell us a little about yourself! Something that nobody knows...

- I hope that in the near future I will have the opportunity to produce my own print. It’s a reproduction of a picture from the 50’s I totally love.

- What inspires you in your everyday?

- My four children. Their world of a never-ending spring with thoughts and words could get you oh so inspired. And all the people who dare to be their own personality and have the courage to go their own way inspire me. These can be family and friends, but also strangers with whom I have come into contact via blogs or business. And even little things that may seem insignificant to anyone else.

A little thing from the local flea market, a picture in a magazine, a word on the great internet. A bea­u­tiful event. A call from someone. Pretty little things, seemingly not as important to others, but important to me.

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Oh those doors...

Tall ceilings and double doors were Indrė Jonaitytė’s dream. The spacious balcony and numerous windows won over her partner Arūnas Gricius when the two went apartment hunting. The ceilings in the apartment may not be the tallest, but the old, charmingly creaky double door never fails to catch the eye. They found it discarded, unwanted, and brought it back to life.

Residents:

IndrE JonaitytE Lawyer

ArUnas Gricius

Economist

Zapa

Hungarian Viszla, 5 months old

Photography: Robertas RIABOVAS

Indrė is glad she stuck by the idea to preserve the ceiling as it was the day they first set foot in the apartment. She says, “I am not ultra-modernist and industrial interiors make me wary, but now I am happy we didn’t redo the ceiling.”

The couple also appreciated architect Andre Baldisiute’s advice to hang all lamps before moving into the new place. Otherwise there would probably still be bare bulbs hanging down in their stead.

Now the apartment is full of sunlight which takes over the common space and the kitchen in the mornings, and tickles the bedroom in the afternoon.

Indrė’s flowers are about to bloom in the balcony overlooking Vilnius’ Old Town, and she and Arūnas will start spending lazy evenings “chilling” there, as they call it. llamas’ valley

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Sinfully bea We were trying to find out what makes a little shop, boutique, or a small family bakery unique

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autiful

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Daniella Witte

Interior designer and photographer Founder of the shop Inreda Utreda Scania, Sweden

www.inredautreda.se BLOG Photography: Daniella Witte

- What makes your shop the cutest?

- My shop is made after my own taste and personal style. The level of visuals and inspiration is high, and all products have been hand-picked to harmonize with each other. The price tags vary so that each visiting customer can feel there’s something within their budget.

I keep hunting for great new designs from all over Europe, and I like mixing and matching famous designers with lesser-known ones to achieve a dynamic and personal ambience. My vision is for the customers to be able to come in to the shop knowing they can stay long just to enjoy the atmosphere.

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- What can be found in your shop?

- Here customers can find a selection of furnishings for the bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom, and work space. The earthy tones are inspired by nature. We are investing in sustainable and solid materials that will last. We always want to see good function alongside sleekness and beauty. Something we’re especially proud of is our own copper collection .IU design, which is focused primarily on lamps and candlesticks.

Besides home furnishings we also sell quality leather bags and shoes, as well as unique ecofriendly fashion with a modern twist.

- Where do you look for unique things? (Except your own shop!)

- Personally, I like finding unique things on trips, in nature, and in vintage shops. Anything can be beautiful if it gets to play on the right team.

I tend to get easily tired of the same type of items and design that appears in every Swedish home, so I am motivated to find new treats for the eye.

Right now I’m in the process of swapping out some things I am tired of in my own home. But this must take time. Under pressure we lean to what’s most accessible, which makes it less personal.

- Have you any shopping tips?

- Don’t let yourself be led by trends. This only causes stress! Listen first to your heart and what you know is good for you. Solid and timeless materials are a better choice. For example, a solid wood table can always be sanded and painted, as opposed to a table made of plywood which will have to be thrown away after a while. Dare to experiment, but follow an underlying principle.

First, ask yourself: where will this item find a place in my home? Is there room or should I get rid of something else first? Is this my style and does it fit my home décor?

Of course, sometimes you just fall in love with something beautiful and unique, and then there’s nothing to do but buy it, otherwise you will regret it for the rest of your life!

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Louise Roe Andersen

Clothes designer Founder of Louise Roe design enterprise Copenhagen, Denmark

www.louiseroe.dk

- What makes your shop the cutest?

- My shop is a small personal design enterprise where I strive to give my products a unique visual impression always characterized by good quality and personality. My brand is distributed through selected stores as opposed to big mainstream concepts and therefore it is not seen all over. My shop is the cutest because it is authentic and real.

- What can be found in your shop?

- In my shop you can find both interior and fashion articles. A combination of timeless high quality essentials and visual textile prints which all have a current story to tell. My trademark is that my designs are personal, functional and essential. The use of different matching materials and structures such as leather, knits, and prints on textile gives you a vibrant and exciting look.

- Where do you look for unique things? (Except your own shop!)

- I love to go to markets and quality secondhand shops. Here I often find unique things from a time where craftsmanship and detailed handwork were of the essence. This is also where I find inspiration when I design my own products.

- Have you any shopping tips?

- I only have one shopping tip: “Less is more”, so to speak. Fall in love with essentials instead of here-and-now trends.

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tage of keeping people closer to one another, which is something we all need today, don’t we?

Laura Donele

Founder, “Tie kepejai” (Those Bakers) shop / bakery Vilnius, Lithuania

www.kepejai.lt

Photography: Robertas Riabovas

- What makes your shop the cutest?

- Perhaps that it’s the smallest! It only fits a display case, a couch, a coffee table, and two chairs.

We dismissed this space several times during the search for Tie Kepėjai premises, because it seemed too small. We wanted to find a place to be able to bake and offer our fresh products to guests on the spot. We said this place couldn’t fit both our kitchen and the client area. However, there must be something to it that inspired us and made us think harder to find a solution. It’s fun to watch several separate parties huddle around the tiny table, enjoying cupcakes and coffee as conversations and acquaintances are sparked. It took the first few guests for us to realize that a small space has the big advan-

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- What can be found in your shop?

- In our conversations, the labels “coffeehouse”, “bakery”, or “shop” have never really fit the place.

We just call it “The House of Tie Kepejai”. This may be why we do not have a permanent menu. Just like when you visit someone at home, the hosts try to surprise you, so, too, we bake something new and interesting almost every day. We taste it ourselves first, then offer it to our guests. Some of our treats have become permanent fixtures: you will always find cupcakes, macaroons, marshmallows, and caramels. But the flavors are always new and ever changing. Lately we’ve found ourselves trying out new cakes. Our guests love our bread and granola as well, so you will surely find these here.

Sometimes you can also find an event: we invite interesting people who explain, for example, how they make their own chocolate or roast their own coffee. When we ask our guests how they found out about us, they often say their friends told them.

So besides various delicious treats you are also likely to find here a good old friend.

- Where do you look for unique things? (Except your own shop!)

- It so happens that the truest, coziest items found us accidentally, without us looking for them.

The glasses made out of used bottles were discovered in a recycled items shop in a residential neighborhood in Riga; the loveliest plates came from flea markets and antiques shops. We like purchasing regular supplies directly from the maker: be it a hat made by a knitter, cheese produced by a cheesemaker, or oats grown by a farmer – when you can talk to the creator, the product gains an entirely new value and emotion.

- Have you any shopping tips?

- Whenever you can, talk to the maker. Only when you know the history and the makeup of the item, you can really evaluate its true worth. When buying food, taste it first. And never hurry - enjoy the process!

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Le parisien

EGLE CEKANAVICIUTE 38

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EglE CekanaviCiutE

Assistant designer for Maison Martin Margiela Creator of fashion label Artefact

www.eglecekanaviciute.com

Photography: Nadia GRIC llamas’ valley

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- In one of your earlier interviews you said you were a great fan of Maison Martin Margiela’s work. Now you work there. How did you achieve this goal?

- My own work has long been influenced by the unusual spirit and style of this fashion house. So as soon as I graduated, I sent them a “love letter” with examples of my work, which they, surprisingly, liked enough to invite me for a meeting. They offered me an internship, but sadly, circumstances forced me to decline. After almost a year working at Dior, I received another call from the Margiela team, this time with a real contract. This way, my dream came true.

- What is your working day like?

- This really depends on the stage the collection is at. However, in general, I take part in every stage of its development, from research (sorting ideas, sewing prototypes, and sketching) through choosing fabrics and colors, fittings at the atelier in Italy, and finally to organizing presentations and photo shoots. Our team is small, so I get to contribute to all of these processes. We all get along great, so we even manage to do things together after work.

- What are your responsibilities?

- My contract says assistant designer, so I assist my boss, create clothes, and contribute to realizing the collections.

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- What changes do you see in the work and philosophy of the fashion house following the departure of Martin Margiela himself?

- The philosophy remains, and it is treasured.

Even today, every collection is created based on the house’s DNA. I can’t really say what changed in the house itself, because I unfortunately never got to work with Martin, though I hear a lot about him from my coworkers. It is also not clear what causes the change, whether it’s Martin’s departure or the changing times. Of course, like in all other companies, today more emphasis than before is made on maximizing sales.

I received a call from the Martin Margiela team. This way, my dream came true.

Collection: Seed (2011) Photography: Egle Xiapin

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- You previously worked at Christian Dior.

What did that job teach you? What knowledge did you gain? What was most memorable and what interesting personalities did you encounter?

- At Dior I was assistant designer at the accessories and costume jewelry department, which was my first job in my own field. I learned a lot – the properties of probably every gem and metal on Earth, ways of treating and mounting them, nuances of jewelry design and production, and the way these designs reach their clients. I worked with Camille Miceli, a colorful personality, never boring.

There were no limits on the way to achieving our result.

I encountered John Galliano several times when he still worked there. I remember him as a sincere, humble, and inventive person, not some racist. Hat designer Stephen Jones, virtuoso make-up artist Pat McGrath – they were all simple and kind people.

- What is the fashion label backstage life like generally? What is special and interesting about it, and what kinds of people work there?

- The backstage of every label is different. They say that every rose has its thorns. Every place has its own specifics, but maximalism is prevalent.

There is joy and there are tears. The people in the industry are extremely enthusiastic; they love their work.

- Is there time to work on your own collections? When do you do it?

- I’ve only created two so far, and it seems that once an intriguing idea is born, the time appears magically. I am endlessly grateful to my mother for round-the-clock help, and to my friends. llamas’ valley

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Collection: It’s All Around You (2010) Photography: Rokas Darulis and Abie Lamin

- For the SEED collection you presented at Fashion Infection this spring you used potato sacks to make garments. What is the story behind the idea? What was the message you were broadcasting through the collection?

- The main idea of the project is omnipotent nature, against which any human creation is powerless. This theory is best illustrated by the tsunami which razed most of Eastern Japan last year, but do we really need a disaster to make society reconsider and start respecting and cherishing nature? My goal is to find simpler and more fun methods of waking people up, without the cost of human lives.

Potato sacks constitute an organic, decomposing material, which does not harm nature. In fact, it goes on to fertilize the plants that take seed in it. Silver aluminum foil was used to contrast the green shoots and to symbolize the garbage mercilessly piled by humans in forests and on riverbanks, which is in dissonance with nature.

- This is not your first unorthodox collection.

The previous one, IT’S ALL AROUND YOU, had to do with orthopedics and the beauty of imperfection. How are such original ideas born in your head?

- I believe that everything in fashion has been created already. So I can’t just make clothes, fooling myself into believing myself the first to come up with such-and-such silhouettes or sleeves. The new thing we can do today is to reinterpret the same shapes, but apply them in an entirely new context. I am trying to shoot several birds with one stone here: not just mold something beautiful, but also shock the viewers into thinking through the idea of the clothes.

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I remember John Galliano as a sincere, humble, and inventive person, not some racist - What are the most important things in life, in a few words?

- Family, bodily and mental health, educating self and others.

- What is humanity’s greatest invention?

- Fast trains.

- How would you describe your current home and what is your dream home?

- My Paris studio is a tiny haven where I return to rest after a day’s work. Miniature apartments are typical for Paris, but after a while I would prefer more space, another room or two, and an orchard with many trees (problematic in a big city).

- You’ve lived and studied in London, now you are working in Paris, and you were born in Lithuania. How do you befriend new cities, new places, and new acquaintances?

- I try to go everywhere with an open heart, accepting new challenges, new people, and new places. I like the idea that our home is the Earth, while cities and people change according to our stage in life and circumstances. If I am open and positive and spread good energy, people will respond the same way and treat me kindly.

- What kind of city do you think Paris is?

- Romantic but ruthless, full of surprises.

- What are you favorite places in Paris?

- The Buttes Chaumont park, Montmartre, Saint Martin channel, the banks of the Seine, several cafes, and of course, my home.

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- Some clothing designers obsess over their appearances, while others say they are fed up with fashion. You usually see the latter in plain t-shirts and jeans. Which type are you?

- The latter. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about my appearance. I wear what I feel like on that particular day, without any limitations.

- Where do you find interesting, special clothes? Where do you like shopping?

- I favor several second-hand / vintage shops (like Chine Machine), or make my own garments.

I rarely buy new clothes.

- Where do you suggest looking for interesting design objects for the home?

- The Maison Martin Margiela store, Colette, Merci, and, naturally, flea markets. My favorites are Marché Paul Bert and Porte de Vanves.

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- What is your favorite reading? And where do you normally read?

- Biographies of influential people are like the most exciting novels to me. No standards… I usually read during my vacations or on trains.

- Living in France, one probably cannot remain indifferent to food. What are your delicious discoveries?

- Strangely enough, I have switched to very plain food in recent years. I now care mostly about receiving the necessary elements to keep my body functioning, and about having my food fresh and good quality. I rarely cook anything sophisticated.

However, I do adore soups, and sometimes “get involved” with cheeses.

- What was the oddest thing that ever happened to you in Paris?

- Paris is magical, odd things occur here all the time. The most frequent oddity is when I unexpectedly meet the same person several times over the course of a day in different parts of the city. I used to think these were just accidents, but now I have come to believe that the city just has a magical energy.

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If I am open and positive and spread good energy, people will respond the same way and treat me kindly

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So very Nordic Annaleena

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Annaleena Karlsson Sweden-based interior stylist, conceptual creator

Shop Blog

Photography: Annaleena Karlsson

- What’s the story behind your current home?

- When we started building our house 6 years ago, we had a clear vision of a bright and modern home that still retained that rustic feeling. We were after what we usually call Swedish / Danish style. As most people, we had a certain budget, but in our case it was my husband who was the builder, and I was the visionary, so we did everything we wanted by ourselves. We worked almost around the clock. Of course, we got help from an architect getting our plans and ideas down on paper.

- Is it perfect yet?

- Almost. We dream of a pool and a plant house.

I love to work in the garden. For me it is a way to relax. So in my opinion, the house is not limited to just the four walls; another house is outside, the garden that you can develop and enjoy.

- How would you describe your home in a few words?

- White, rustic, retro, bohemian, modern.

- You have 4 children! And yet your home looks so orderly.

- Oh yes! It does - in the picture! My kids go to school and there’s daycare on days when I have shoots for my blog, but after they return from school, the toys begin to spread out in every room.

Sure, white floors aren’t really an option when you have children at home. But we wanted to have them. I have to wash them often, but I don’t think about that anymore. It has become routine.

- Where in the house do you spend most of the time with your family?

- In the downstairs living room where the kids are free to play and we watch TV. Everybody loves to hang there.

- Do you like spending your free time in the kitchen?

- Yes I do, I love to cook with good ingredients, and a lot of time, which is not always easy, because I work a lot. But the food is important to our family. We always dine together. It is a way to gather the family once a day. llamas’ valley

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- What does your ordinary day look like?

- I drive the kids to school at 8.30, so I start working at 9, responding to emails and often planning my work. I have lunch at 12, and in the afternoon I work on a photoshoot or chase after props, or when I have time I love to shoot for my blog posts.

Lately there has been a lot of work with my web site and shop, and developing products. I go to the gym at 5 pm, and by the time I return the children are at home with the father and we eat dinner at 7.

Then it’s time to put the kids to bed. I check my final emails and blog, and after that I turn the computer off and watch a good movie or read a book before it is time to get some sleep.

- How did you fall in love with interior design and decorating?

- I have always loved it. I was addicted to interior magazines and worked part-time at a store, but it was when we began building the house that I understood how much I liked interior design. I developed my style in my own house.

- How do you understand the word “stylish”?

- Elegant, simple, well thought out. Daring not to over‑decorate.

- Is there something beautiful that you have recently bought for your home and felt very happy about it?

- A vase, which I can use for flowers, pens, or sticking on photos. Very useful.

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- Where do you look for beautiful, interesting, unique pieces?

- Everywhere, on the net or newspapers, or nature. I have my favorite flea markets and shops I pay regular visits to. I also get a lot of inspiration from the Japanese and Finnish form language.

- What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on?

- Strangely enough, I’ve enjoyed all my styling assignments, but there is one which I liked a lot; that was to create a hundred giveaways out of recycled materials. I love making something new out of things already discarded by others.

- Do you remember the day you decided to start blogging?

- It took me a while to decide - I was afraid it would destroy my creativity. I was so wrong. I’m glad I started.

- What’s the secret of being a popular blogger?

- Well thanks for the question! I’m not trying to be popular, trends change rapidly and I like to show what’s coming next. I want to be true to the inner feeling every time I show something on the blog, because that’s the first and foremost thing for me as an interior stylist or an interior blogger. If I showed something that somebody else wants or asks me to, but I myself am not convinced, I would not be honest to myself. I’m glad that blog readers who think like me have found my blog and like what I do.

- What are other blogs you admire?

- There are many of them. I enjoy blogs that are true and follow their own style. Here is a selection of my best blog-friends: http://frydogdesign.blogspot.com/ http://vosgesparis.blogspot.com/ http://lottaagaton.blogspot.com/ http://emmas.blogg.se/ http://www.timeoftheaquarius.com/

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- If you had to choose... ...white or black? ...white. ...dots or stripes? ...stripes. ...winter or spring? ...spring. ...wood or linen? ...wood. ... a photo or a painting? ... a photo.

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Nina

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Nina Holst

Founder of home decoration community www.stylizimo.com

Blog Gallery

Photography: Nina Holst

- Could you call your current home your dream home?

- No, unfortunately not. My dream home is bigger, has better views and is more contemporary. I do love our little house though, and I am happy living here while planning and dreaming of the next.

- How would you describe your home?

- Our home is white with hints of black and grey, and to add a personal touch I have included some handmade creations around the house.

- What, to you, are the most important elements of home?

- I need to feel “at home” and relaxed in my own home. It has to be cozy, practical, and airy.

- I see a lot of light and white paint. What are the benefits of white?

- I like to redecorate quite often, and white is a color that matches everything. It’s also a great color if you want an airier and lighter look in a small space.

- Where do you find the furniture and beautiful décor pieces?

- I love to buy second hand; so much of the furniture is bought used from online marketplaces. I also love going to flea markets and I have been lucky to find some unique and beautiful furniture there. Lastly, you will find me in designer stores drooling over some timeless design pieces or walking around IKEA to pick up something nice and functional.

- Do you have a favorite spot in your home?

- My favorite spot has to be my home office. The room has a lot of light, which helps me keep inspired and gives me the energy to keep working for hours.

- What does your kitchen look like?

- It’s white with cherry brown cabinets. It was quite new when we bought the house a year ago, but it’s not really my style, so I’m dreaming of a new one. A white one… Ha ha.

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- Do you like spending time in the kitchen?

What’s your favorite dish?

- Not really, at least not in the kitchen we have now. It’s too small and does not have enough work space. My favorite dish is definitely homemade pizza! It is always delicious and reminds me of weekends.

- What kind of housework you dislike the most?

- Definitely changing the bed. I can do everything else, as long as I don’t have to change the bed. We have a nice agreement there.

- What kinds of flowers grow in your house?

- That depends on the season. I love almost every flower, so I always have lots. They give me such joy!

- What does your wardrobe look like? And how would you describe your own style?

- My style actually matches my home, and it is mostly black, white, and grey there too. I like to mix classic and sexy I guess. Not much pink and lace in this closet, I’m afraid.

- Do you decorate your home with your paintings? What inspires you in creative work?

- I used to, but not at the moment. I have sold them all and I haven’t painted in a while. I hope to find some time soon to pick the brush up again, as I find the hobby very relaxing and fun.

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- Describe a perfect weekend morning.

- Waking up early to a sunny day, then having a long, delicious breakfast with my fiancĂŠ.

- You have a lovely blog dedicated to interior design and decor. How did you start blogging?

Where do you find inspiration for your posts?

- Thank you! I started blogging when I moved to Los Angeles in 2009. At that time I had a personal blog where I wrote about our life there, but after a year I started writing more and more about interior design and decided to make a blog to complement the decorating community Stylizimo.com that I was working on. I have always been passionate about decorating and interior design, so it came kind of naturally.

I find inspiration for my posts in magazines, things I see in stores, etc. but most ideas just pop up in my head. Usually, I blog about things I’ve made or ways I have decorated my home.

- What are your 3 favorite blogs?

Decor8, Bright Bazaar, Funkytime.

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Coffee with muses

Ludovico de Luigi

Svedutist Living and creating in Venice, Italy

www.ludovicodeluigi.it

Photography: Milda BENDORAITYTE

The artist and his Venice Milda bendoraityte

Opening the door into Ludovico de Luigi’s home, I felt as though I was entering a space where time had stopped still. Things, paintings, books, photographs, hats, and jackets seemed frozen, as if put down a century ago and never since moved; blended together, they forged the unique aura of the home.

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Ludovico de Luigi is a renowned Italian artist painting surrealist apocalyptic visions of his hometown, Venice. Here, he was born and raised and has lived and worked for many years. Like many Venetians, he is in love with his city and has always remained faithful to it.

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“…Venice is unique, nowhere in the world is like her. I have traveled a lot, worked in many cities all over the globe, but I’ve always come home to Venice. It is the only place I can feel an organic part of the city. The sounds and smells of it weave together in concord. The interior spaces of the houses merge with the exterior. The city touches all of my senses. Venetian houses have thin walls; when the weather changes, I feel it with my skin. The sounds of boats, gulls, bells, and passers-by find their way into the house. I always feel like a living part of the city. As I paint in my studio I hear people talking in the street. Sometimes I think I’m lucky those aren’t my thoughts! You say I’ve fallen in love with Venice?

Far from it! It is she that fell in love with me! We live loving each other, in harmonious symbiosis.

The artist and his city… llamas’ valley

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I found the house I live in more than thirty years ago. I was looking for a space for my work. When I stepped inside, I felt as if I’d always lived here. The house is large and spacious for Venice, and full of light. I immediately felt this space was different, steeped in mystery. With all these large and small spaces and secret nooks, this was the ideal home for creativity. I was a young artist then, with little money and lots of ideas. I never dreamt I’d spend my life here, but life turned out as it did, and I am still here, in this house I was enchanted with at first sight. I now feel that my soul is entwined with the soul of the house. We are one.

This is the house my sons grew up in, I had so many adventures here, met so many people. My home became a workshop and gallery, visited by llamas’ valley

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guests from all corners of the Earth. Travelers to Venice are always in search of a real Venetian, a magical person privileged to be staying permanently amidst this beauty created over the centuries by people living here. Each of them has left a part behind. All of the old bricks, paving stones, palace marbles are soaked with the spirits of the people who used to live here. Sometimes I feel their presence as I walk down the street. Many vastly talented personalities have lived and created here. The famous Venetian composer and violinist Albinoni was born, grew up, and died in San Barnaba Street, where I live now. In the evening, when the day’s bustle settles down and I get my thoughts together to create, I feel the spirit of this renowned Venetian. I listen to his music as I paint, and I feel that it was born here, nurtured by the intimate, inimitable, unique beauty…”

If, when in Venice, you hear loud music in San Barnaba Street, know that you’re close to Ludovico de Luigi’s workshop. If you’re curious, be sure to pay him a visit.

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Sabina GrinceviCiute

Architect One of the interior designers of Steponas Apartment Vilnius, Lithuania

Contact: sabina@andrebaldi.lt Website Other authors of Steponas Apartment: Andre Baldisiute, Julija Jureviciene Contact: info@andrebaldi.lt Website Photography: Robertas RIABOVAS

- What do you personally like most about the - What were some of your odd, untraditional design of Steponas Apartment? ideas?

- I love the light in the apartment and the way - Probably the most unusual solution was to the spaces share it with each other. It’s very light build lofts where the sloping roof created somewhat here even when it’s overcast outside. unpleasant, disproportionately tall spaces. Replacing the usual mezzanine with lofts enabled us not - What is special and interesting about the only to create cozier, more pleasant spaces and apartment? separate zones at different levels, but also to let in - Once again, the light. It travels through the en- more light through skylights. Not to mention the tire house by the glass windows, from one space additional storage room for toys, luggage, or to another, creating an image of a particularly light skis… and airy apartment with unusual second-floor spaces which “see a lot of sky”.

- What is the color scheme of the home?

Probably the most interesting transformation - We created a well-lit white space, filled with compared to what was here before is the appear- color by the presence of the five creative and bright ance out of nowhere of a boy’s room, a cozy little personalities inhabiting it. children’s bathroom, and a very spacious first floor, uncluttered with too many walls and passages.

- Where did you look for furniture and other décor elements?

- What did the owners ask for in the house?

- Some items were purchased at IKEA; others - This had to be the new Old Town home of a were owned and brought in by the owners, yet othyoung urban family moving from their own house. ers still await their turn. We didn’t want to create We wanted the scale down in space not to be felt artificial coziness by matching and combining bedphysically. The first time we saw the apartment, it spreads or tableware colors. We aimed to build seemed irrationally planned, so we suggested a pleasant, bright, and rational spaces for the owners radical layout change, getting rid of hallways and to populate with items and details which hold meanmerging spaces. The owners liked the idea and gave ing for them. us a lot of freedom, trusting in our decisions.

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Residents:

Beata, Gediminas, Jonas, Elze, Marija

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y r a n i Cul games and s e i r o t s

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EglE AleksandraviCiUtE

Food writer Editor-in-Chief of a food magazine Freelance food photographer Always with a fork, pen, or camera in hand

Blog

Photography: Robertas Riabovas

- How did this special great love for food come into your life?

- Honestly, I always said I wouldn’t be one to cook for my husband. But then one night I just up and started baking pies. And I realized it was great fun. I was and still am very interested in healthy eating and food combining. Gradually, I was overcome by the desire to taste, combine, and try things, and the sense of being able to cook something delicious, interesting, and different once I start experimenting. This changed my outlook on cooking.

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Bon appétit

- Are you still interested in healthy eating?

- I’m quite curious about it, though I’ve never combined food on purpose. I just naturally lean towards healthy food: quality produce, lots of vegetables, fruit, and grains. I gave up meat ten years ago.

- You do, however, cook meat dishes.

- Yes, that’s an interesting issue. My man eats meat, so I have to cook plenty of it. He does the tasting for me…

- How did you start writing your foodie blog, “ aidim aik tel ” (The Playground)?

- I started it four years ago, after a long period of reading many food blogs. I had always liked photography but I wasn’t doing any myself. The office job I had then was killing me. I needed self-expression. Writing had always been fun to me. Besides, as I was reading those other blogs, I kept thinking I could do that, maybe even better. So, one Sunday morning the blog was born. Of course, I went through all the stages most bloggers experience.

At first you think you have so much to say that you cook endlessly, every day. Then you start developing preferences: modern dishes, or simple ones, or maybe baking. You realize not all recipes are worth publishing – if you want to share, you better only share good things. As someone said, your blog is only as good as your latest entry. In the beginning, I wrote for myself. There were quite a few personal things in there. There still are. But I, for one, enjoy reading about other people’s lives. To me, a blog is like a journal. Although now I write in it rather rarely. Of course, I regret that.

- Where did you learn photography?

- First I had two plain point-and-shoots, but when it got more serious for me with food photography, I realized that was no good. So I told the Mister: “I’m blogging, I need a good camera!” And one appeared, but with the proviso that I would

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learn photography. I started out shooting what looked good to me, then took some online classes, and finally I enrolled in R. Zolubas’ photography school. I’d really love to learn the real deal. Food photography in particular, I’m not that interested in shooting people and places.

- How would you describe your photography style? What would you never do as a photographer?

- I really dislike kitsch. I care about beautiful crockery, though I’m not allowed to buy any more, because we have nowhere left to put it… I now buy single plates, glasses, and forks. In terms of photography it’s best to have white or black tableware, monochrome. Poor quality is very visible in photos.

The mood must be attractive, so that it’s a pleasure to look at. I also like extremes – it must all be either very clean or very crowded. I haven’t been able to find the golden mean, but then I haven’t really been looking.

- Let’s talk food! What was the most extreme thing you’ve eaten?

- I wasn’t even interested in food back then, but this dish just stayed with me. Some Swedish exchange students brought fermented herring to our school. The stench was indescribable. Utter horror.

- What was the loveliest place in the world where you’ve eaten?

- Places from our recent holiday spring to mind.

We took a spontaneous trip to the Canary Islands.

It’s a total paradise! So much simple fresh food in the little towns, everything cooked to perfection,

Food photo shoot: ceramics, textile, and other home accessories “Mano lietuviški namai” My Lithuanian Home

www.mlnshop.com

not overdone. It’s important to me that the real taste of food not be drowned out by spices and sauces. Good food is good by itself. Italy, with its cheeses, is also a contender. I haven’t much of a sweet tooth, but when I first tasted macarons in Belgium (they were Pierre Hermé creations) – well, the taste was something else. I’ve never had anything as delicious since.

- What are your favorite spices?

- The herbs: rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, and mint. Also, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika.

- What do you always have in your fridge?

- Cheese. At the moment there’s mozzarella, feta, blue cheese, brie, and yellow cheese. My favorite kinds are probably good feta and mozzarella. I also love goat cheese. There are also always beets in my refrigerator, because I like making beet salads. Salad leaves are normally in there, and canned peppers, though these are somebody else’s weakness. We also usually have homemade yoghurt and eggs.

- What are your favorite books?

- I especially enjoy interesting cookbooks with the authors’ memories, like Tessa Kira’s Falling Cloudberries. The following may not have been my favorites, but they were delicious reads: A Thousand Days in Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segnit Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - How did the blog change your life?

- New jobs have found me through the blog, but what I treasure most are the new acquaintances and friendships. Writing the blog expanded my horizons. Not just the theory – I now understand more about food culture, history. It’s nice to be read, to know that I’ve touched people, when someone says they liked it or they tried my recipes.

- Your favorite blogs?

Traveler’s Lunchbox Nordljus Orangette Sprouted Kitchen Sunday Suppers à la mode* My New Roots Emiko Davies Cook Your Dream La Buena Vida Chantelle Grady Food Thru a Lens V.K.Rees Photography Chasing Delicious The Yellow House Ruth Reichl - Which photographers’ work inspires you?

Ditte Isager Eric Wolfinger Mikkel Vang Chris Court Line Klein Stuart Ovenden

- What fun things do you see in your future?

- I used to have these common thoughts of my own bakery or restaurant, but this probably won’t happen. I prefer writing and photographing food.

Studying food culture and communication in Italy is a dream of mine. I can probably see myself best in publishing or photography.

- In other words, you want to tell others about food?

- Very well said! llamas’ valley

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Bon appĂŠtit

Chocolate pistachio slice Crust 100 g plain chocolate biscuits 45 g butter, at room temperature

Chocolate filling 400 g dark chocolate (72%), chopped 185 ml double cream 100 g chopped roasted pistachio kernels 100 g plain chocolate biscuits, lightly crushed 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur (optional) Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until finely crushed. Using fingertips mix the butter with the crushed biscuits until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Firmly press the mixture into a 32 x 7.5 cm rectangular fluted loose-bottomed tart tin lined with non-stick baking paper or plastic wrap. Smooth over with the back of a spoon.

Place the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over low heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir the crushed biscuits and roasted nuts into the melted chocolate mixture. Pour the chocolate mixture over the base and smooth the top. Place the slice in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm to the touch. Carefully remove from the tin and slice to serve.

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Photography: Egle ALEKSANDRAVICIUTE

Bon appétit

Dark Chocolate Brownie Cake with Raspberry Goat Cheese Swirl Brownie cake 230 g bittersweet chocolate (50%), chopped 60 g dark chocolate (72% cocoa), chopped 180 g unsalted butter, cut into chunks 125 ml milk 350 g sugar 1 vanilla bean 4 large eggs 1 cup flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt

Raspberries 400 g raspberries, fresh or frozen, lightly mashed 2 tablespoons sugar

Raspberry Goat Cheese Swirl 230 chevre (soft goat cheese), room temperature 100 g cream cheese, at room temperature 30 g unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 egg 50 g sugar Preheat the oven to 180 ºC and lightly grease 24 cm diameter round cake pan (or a 32.5 x 23 cm baking pan, if making regular shaped brownies) with butter. Place lightly mashed raspberries in a bowl, stir in the sugar, mix until well combined and set aside.

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the beans into a small bowl, stir in the sugar, set aside. Melt the chocolate and butter until smooth in a double boiler over low heat. When the chocolate is completely melted, remove from the heat, than whisk in the milk, and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla flavored sugar.

Add the eggs one by one. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt and fold in until just combined. Fold in about

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half of the raspberries and spread this brownie batter in the prepared pan.

In the bowl with a heavy whisk beat the goat cheese with the cream cheese, butter, egg and sugar until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the other half of the raspberries and their juices.

Drop the goat cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter in spoonfuls, then swirl it through the batter with a knife. Bake for 30 minutes or until just barely set. The top will be just turning light brown. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Store at room temperature, well-covered. These spectacular cakes taste even better when you let them rest overnight.

Adapted from The Kitchen.

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Photography: Egle ALEKSANDRAVICIUTE

Bon appétit

Goat cheese truffles 200 g dark chocolate (72% cocoa) 200 g chevre (soft goat cheese), at room temperature ½ tsp smoked paprika pepper, or more, to taste 40 g plain chocolate biscuits 40 g unsalted butter, at room temperature pinch of sea salt dark cocoa powder, for dusting Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until finely crushed. Using fingertips mix the butter with the crushed biscuits until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in chevre until fully combined. Let cool for about 5 minutes, stir in biscuit breadcrumbs, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt. Refrigerate the mixture for 1–2 hours or until firm. Remove from the fridge and allow to stand for 5–10 minutes or until softened slightly. Roll 2 teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls. Toss the truffles in the cocoa to coat and enjoy!

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Photography: Egle ALEKSANDRAVICIUTE

Bon appétit

Cantucci with hazelnut and cocoa nibs Traditionally these biscuits have always been made with unpeeled almonds. I’ve jazzed it up with roasted hazelnuts and cocoa nibs to which I’m kind of addicted at the moment. Best served with a cup of freshly made coffee, tea or a glass of wine (e.g. vin santo) and dipped in for maximum flavor.

250 g flour, plus extra for dusting 250 g caster (superfine) sugar 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 100 g roasted hazelnuts 50 g cocoa nibs pinch of salt Preheat oven to 160 °C. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a mound on a work surface and make a well in a centre. Break 1 egg into the well and add an extra egg yolk. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients with your fingers. Add roasted hazelnuts and mix well.

With floured hands, split the dough mixture into three equal parts and shape into long rolls, 2-3 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Put the rolls on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and brush the tops of the biscuits. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cut into 3-4 cm pieces at an angle. When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

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Photography: Egle ALEKSANDRAVICIUTE

Bon appétit

Double Dark Chocolate Granola 500 g rolled oats 100 g almonds 20 g almond flakes 100 g unsweetened coconut 1 ½ - 2 tablespoon dark cocoa powder ¾ teaspoon cinnamon 60 ml grape seed oil 180 ml liquid honey 100 g dark chocolate (72% cocoa) Preheat oven to 160 °C degrees. Line one rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey and oil. Combine oats, almonds, almond flakes, coconut, cocoa powder and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss with the honey mixture until evenly moistened. Spread the mixture on a parchment paper.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring twice until oats are evenly browned. Remove from oven cool completely on baking sheet before adding chopped chocolate. Store in airtight container or bags.

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Photography: Egle ALEKSANDRAVICIUTE

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AgnE KuzmickaitE

Fashion designer Best upcoming designer award at Createurope: The Fashion Academy Award (2008)

www.agnekuzmickaite.com Photography: www.fotopastele.lt

- You used to design for adults. This is your first collection for children. What do you usually think about when designing for grown-ups, and what thoughts did you put into the children’s collection?

- As I was creating collections for adults before I would usually concentrate on the idea of the collection, new shapes, and conceptuality, but lately I’ve been looking for the best proportion of beauty and functionality. These things are relevant in children’s design as well.

- Where are the butterflies and horses from?

Books, children’s drawings, dreams?

- I won’t tell you where exactly, but I discovered the shape of the butterfly when I wanted to create a 3D appliqué. The butterfly’s wings were a great match for the idea of a flapping appliqué.

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- The collection is marked with narrow stripes.

Is this merely a pleasant pattern, or does it symbolize something?

- I chose stripes quite spontaneously, but then I did want my appliquéd butterflies and horses to shine in a new way, and the patterned background worked well for this.

- Incidentally, nobody has mentioned the name of the collection!

- These collections are untitled.

- Where and at what time of day were the sketches for the collection born?

- Actually, since the birth of my baby daughter I haven’t had much time for quiet sketching, so usually the idea is born in my head, then I explain the details to the designers and seamstresses and make test garments.

- What fabrics are these lovely little outfits made of?

- The clothes are made of natural fabrics: cotton, cotton spandex, and cotton rayon blends.

- Did you follow any fashion trends in creating this collection, or did you fully rely on your designer mom intuition?

- I trusted just my intuition.

- Is it difficult to create clothes for boys with the eyes of a little girl blinking next to you?

- Ideas for girls come naturally, of course, but boys’ designs are also born easily. When I design for children I don’t try to inject many meanings into the clothes, I just want them to be beautiful and comfortable.

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- What emotions has your daughter Leonarda brought into your life, besides great love?

- My daughter gave meaning to everything. Every day has become important. She taught me to live in the here and now, enjoying each minute.

- Is it true that with the birth of a child the desire to create becomes stronger than ever?

- I wouldn’t say that. On the contrary, when your child is born, you see there are more important things than creating, although that remains very important.

- Your favorite colors this spring?

- Powder blue and pink.

- What do you read before bed?

- My daughter doesn’t leave me much time to read…

- Music that melts your heart?

- Brian Ferry.

- The most beautiful time of the day? Why? - There’s no particular time I like – this depends on many circumstances.

- Your next travel destination?

- We’re just back from London.

- A newly discovered place?

- Jalta Cafe in Vilnius, although it’s been open for a while.

- What made you smile most recently?

- My baby girl’s laughter always makes me happy. llamas’ valley

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Stop!

Look.

Think...

Diarist

Elena Nuez

Industrial designer Lives in Madrid, Spain

Photo blog

- Imagine that you have to make the most important presentation ever about yourself. What would you say?

- Let’s leave this question for the end, I find taking pictures much easier than speaking about myself.

- Most of your photographs are about shapes and colors. Why are these so important to you?

- Perhaps a professional bias. I’m an industrial designer – my job consists of creating forms, adding colors, and finding the perfect balance between them.

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- You seem to be inspired by simple everyday things that surround us. Is there a magical way you see things?

- It’s like a game; I like finding the beauty (or magic as you call it) that hides in every thing. Who said that a twisted and rusty nail couldn’t be nice?

You try to find that harmony between light, shade, shape, color, looking for it from all angles, and when you suddenly see it, that is the only magic.

- How would you describe your own creations?

- Complicated question. I would say that they are creative exercises; the technique of my photo-

graphy is not very sophisticated, but the fact that they are everyday items taken out of their environment makes them different. I learn every day and I’m always thinking of new ideas. The process is very enjoyable. I had the most fun with ACID (because I was painting and taking pictures at the same time) and LEAVES (because I couldn’t stop painting those leaves).

ted taking pictures of details because they served as inspiration for my paintings. The macros really helped me understand the structures of textile designs, and I’ve always liked mixing drawings with photography for the presentations of my designs. The first thing that will be published is a wallpaper design based on photos. The idea came from here.

- Where else can we find your works?

- You won’t find my photography anywhere because I haven’t been selling it until now, but seeing the success I might have to reconsider, don’t you think? Photography is a hobby for me. I star-

- What other forms of art do you like?

- Painting in the broadest sense of the word.

Abstract painting impresses me in particular, as it can transmit either a simple line, a color, or a shape. llamas’ valley

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I started taking pictures of details because they served as inspiration for my paintings

- What do you find beautiful in life?

- Ha ha... This depends on the day. Generally everything seems nice to me, or almost everything – the magic lies in the crystal through which you look!

- What other artists do you admire?

- There are so many of them, but lately I’ve been following the work of: Ikenaga Yasunari, Vàlerie Buess, Susannah Blaxill, Hengki Koentjoro, Kim Duck Young, Georgg Kantioler.

- What’s your ordinary day like?

- Ordinary days do not exist; mine are all different because I hate routine. Today, for example, I didn’t wake up too early, because I drove over 1,000 km yesterday and felt tired. At noon I had a meeting at Samsonite, two hours later I picked up my mother and we ate together, then I read thousands of emails and answered these questions while reviewing photos of the latest trip and thinking of a new post for Bicocalors, and talking, talking, talking on

the phone to catch up on the latest developments, friends, family, work, work, work...

- Where on Earth would you like to live if not Spain?

- Probably in Italy, I lived there for three years after the college and fell in love with Italy, its design, art, the landscapes, the food, and of course the people!

- Tell us a few sentences about your home.

- The word that defines it best is “alegre” (happy), because it has a lot of light (very important to me), and I enjoy good views of a large park in the centre of Madrid. The dominant color is white, but there are more colors and wood, it’s full of memories: stones and sand from different beaches, books, drawings and paintings. And it is also the place where I work, so it’s a little chaotic, but in order.

And I love the feeling I get when I return from a trip – it’s so comfortable! llamas’ valley

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- Are you inspired by food and gourmet products? What are your favorite dishes?

- Of course, it’s an ART when someone like Jamie Oliver cooks. I love cooking and eating equally, I certainly like exotic mixtures with sweet and savory curry, always pasta, gazpacho in summer...

But I hate mushrooms and soup.

- What kind of music inspires you at the moment?

- Right now, for example, I’m listening to Miles Davis.

- What books and magazines do you like reading?

- Normally I read a lot of decor and fashion magazines, but now I prefer to read them online. Books are different: I read everything that falls into my hands. Now I’m with The Heretic by Miguel Delibes.

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- Did blogging change your life in any way?

- Absolutely! I share photos with all these people who devote a minute of their time every day to leave a comment. I love those kind words and the fact that my photos have served as inspiration for many. If the blog teaches people to see things in a different way, then it not only has changed my life, but it also makes me happy!

- And finally, 5 of your favorite blogs!

- This is so difficult because there are so many talents! Every day I discover new ones. Here are some I always like to read: http://artpropelled.blogspot.com.es/ http://andreajoseph24.blogspot.com.es/ http://mechantdesign.blogspot.com.es/ http://hassinen.blogspot.com.es/ http://color-sepia.blogspot.com.es/

Find more: http://bicocacolors.blogspot.com/

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