The Two Bandits Boot Riders

by CH Contributor

by Stephanie Miles

Searching for ways to make their wardrobes more versatile, New York City jewelry designers Erica Chan and Tamar Wider created a collection of footwear accessories and soon began peddling the goods under the label The Two Bandits. The newest addition to the collection, Riders, a line of adjustable leather and chain boot harnesses worn at the base of any boot, createa a whole new style.

Chan and Wider create each pair of Riders boot straps from black, brown or camel-colored fine leather and brass or steel chains. The entirely adjustable strap works with nearly any type of boot, no matter the heel height or width, adding new dimension to last season's purchase or an alternative look for a new favorite.

Riders boot straps are available in a variety of leather and chain combinations, and can be purchased online from $35 for individual straps to $70 for a pair.

Yvonne Jacquette: The Complete Woodcuts, 1987-2009

by CH Contributor

by Ariston Anderson

Known for oil paintings offering aerial perspectives of New York City, over the past 22 years accomplished artist Yvonne Jacquette has also lent her talent of capturing compelling cityscapes to the art form of woodcuts. Building a collection that now includes 18 woodcuts, a retrospective of her work is currently on view at the Mary Ryan Gallery in Chelsea.

Once assuming a studio in the World Trade Center, Jacquette's dedication to portraying landscapes taken from high vantage points is revealed in scenes of the New York City skyline—from the architectural expanse of bridge cables to the stark emptiness of office windows at night. Any urban enthusiast can relate to the collection of woodcut prints. The compositions include enough details to easily navigate the city's portrait, yet provide a general sense of the magnitude any metropolis maintains.

The Complete Woodcuts, 1987-2009
Through 28 November 2009
Mary Ryan Gallery
527 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001 map
tel. +1 212 397 0669

Architizer

by Jacob Resneck

An entirely ubiquitous medium, it can be difficult to remain current on the progress surrounding the transglobal field of architecture. Architizer, a new website, aims to bring unification to the discipline by tracking daily innovations and linking architects, firms and clients around the globe.

Created by architects at the Manhattan firm HollwichKushner, Architizer simulates the style of a social networking site, focusing on the projects and people working within the industry.

”I would say it is a nice hybrid between LinkedIn, Facebook and a dating site,” quips architect Marc Kushner, one of the site's founders. “It is a professional site with a sense of voyeurism in seeing projects that the architecture press has ignored. You get to look at sexy images and see the team that designed it, from the intern to the project architect.”

The site allows users to create their own profiles, post their work and even track the progress of others in virtual real time. Kushner explains that while the site revolves around a specialized profession it's not designed exclusively for the people working within the field, though it does include an interactive job board and a list of open competitions for professional architects.

While the interface can be a bit overwhelming for the uninitiated, the site is a useful clearing house for some of the most exciting projects happening around the world. “We envision that Architizer will be come the largest database of architectural projects and design globally,” Hollwich told Cool Hunting. “Tourists can plan an archi-tour on our interactive map, developers can find architects in their region and projects they like, students can get inspired, and clients can show off about their own homes and buildings.”

Launched today, the site is still realizing its full potential. Once achieved, Architizer should become an invaluable resource for those working in the industry and those who just enjoy knowing about what is going on in the neighborhood and beyond.

Front Frame Collection

by Brian Fichtner

The Front frame collection by the Valencia-based odosdesign makes a colorful splash into an otherwise tepid market of decorative frames for the home. The current collection consists of four unique designs—Quick, Legs, Meccano and Layer—each characterized by vibrant hues and a unique shape that marries function with ornament.

Inspired by the rising market in affordable art, Front aims the collection at a more youthful, less serious collector, who might view paintings not as individual islands amidst a gallery white sea but as archipelagos of an interior world. While the frames seem unified by a boundless jubilance, the Legs model stands out (or leans rather) for its clever simplicity. The rather cute Quick frame, so named for its ease of mounting with no need for a level, will likely spawn a series of knock-offs the world over.

Still very new to market, the Front collection is largely available in Spain and a few other European countries. North American customers and aspiring dealers can contact Front sales manager Rafael Rodriguez by emailing r.rodriguez [at] moldurasgoya [dot] com for further information.

Golden Orb Spider Silk

by Karen Day

Spun from the silk of millions of golden orb spiders found in Madagascar, the 11-foot long tapestry currently on view at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC represents a uniquely remarkable example of a rigorous, formerly obsolete weaving technique and the stubborn vision of a couple of enterprising men.

The project—orchestrated by British textile expert Simon Peers and American fashion designer Nicholas Godley—spanned four years, involving 70 dedicated collectors who retrieved the female spiders from telephone wires around the capital city of Antananarivo during the rainy season.

The undertaking involved first twisting together 96 to 960 individual spider silk filaments to make each thread and then weaving them together on a loom, a painstakingly laborious process resulting in a "stronger than steel" fabric.

via Fast Company

Spider Silk
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York City, NY 10024 map
tel. +1 212 769 5100