tapio wirkkala jewelry

Be sure to check Hopea in the coming week for these rare, stunning Tapio Wirkkala pendants.

Have a great long weekend!

A few pieces of inspiration on this blustery, pre-Fall Wednesday.

1/ Georg Jensen Demask “Plaid” Wool Throws. Rustic and luxurious stuff! (Via.)

2/ Home ceramics with an edge from Tine K Home. (Via.)

3/ An Anton Michelsen ring designed by Knud V. Andersen. Gold-plated silver, Denmark c. 1965. Coming soon to Hopea.

vancouver island

I’ve just returned from a lovely two weeks on Vancouver Island (my native home). It’s the first time I’ve been on the island in the summer time for a few years and was utterly relaxing. Fresh food, great company, beautiful weather, amazing nature – what more could you ask for? Here’s a few of my Instagrams that I snapped during the trip.

reindeer moss

One of my favourite Finnish jewelry motifs comes from designer Hannu Ikonen. “Renmoosblüte” or Reindeer moss, is traditionally used in funerary wreaths in the Nordic countries however there is a certain joy in Ikonen’s interpretation.  The pieces are so vivacious and sculptural – not to mention how they age to perfection.

1 / Necklace (Sold)

2/ Ring (165) – on Hopea

3/ Earrings (90) – on Etsy

4/ Bracelet – coming soon on Hopea

arita 1616

The link between the Scandinavian and Japanese design aesthetic, though not something new, is beginning to become more widely known. Curators Juli and John at Mjölk opened my eyes to the amazing correlation last year when I visited and displayed Hopea’s collection at their Toronto store. I was particularly struck by the similarities of Japanese pottery and woodwork with the craft of Nordic countries.

The minimalism, attention to detail and overall craftsmanship of Arita Japan pottery is a fantastic example. The pottery studio at Arita, established in 1616, is built in to the very history of the small island town itself. The pieces are made from crushed stone and the forms are graceful and modern.

(Thanks to Jess at Not-Static for sharing this amazing find!)

Some new arrivals coming soon to Hopea – all from Finland!

1/ Tapio Wirkkala earrings. Finland, 1971.

2/ Jorma Laine necklace. Finland, c. 1975

3/ Kaunis Koru ring. Finland, c. 1960.

sprue candelabras

I’m loving these candelabras by design firm Fort Standard. They’ve taken the “sprue” which is normally used to direct the flow of molten metal in the casting process and transformed them into bronze sculptures. The unfinished, raw look of the metal is rustic yet refined.

via Mocoloco.