Maxwell Tielman

Category: Writing

  • Blackcreek Mercantile

    Blackcreek Mercantile

    The Kingston, New York studio of Blackcreek Mercantile. Written and photographed for Design*Sponge.

    —

    On a drizzly November morning last week, I found myself standing in the Kingston, NY studio of Joshua Vogel, learning way more about bees than I ever thought humanly possible. Joshua, a wildly talented woodworker—and apparently quite the loquacious fellow—has just finished telling me about propolis, the bee-produced material that is a key ingredient in his company Blackcreek Mercantile’s cutting board oil. Did you know that this wondrous, naturally anti-bacterial varnish is the only thing aside from honey and wax that honeybees produce? Did you know that, in the winter, bees will form a massive huddle and vibrate in unison to keep warm? I certainly didn’t. Although I’m meant to be snapping photographs of the space, I can’t help but feel momentarily transfixed. Joshua’s obvious passion for everything he does is quite clear—and it’s infectious.

    It’s this passion that led Vogel to create his two businesses—Blackcreek Mercantile and his fine art branch, Joshua Vogel. It’s also what led him to pen a do-it-yourself handbook on the art and history of hand-carved spoons, due out next fall from Chronicle Books. At his Midtown Kingston studio, housed in a former pajama factory, this passion is a guiding and energizing force. With a rambunctious and gung-ho team that includes woodworker Dan Votke, apprentice Max Friedman, and Josh’s partner, Kelly Zaneto, the atmosphere here is one of warmth, vitality, and conviviality. When I arrive, music is playing, coffee is brewing, wood is being turned, and Josh and Kelly’s daughter, Violet, is playing merrily in the office with studio assistant Rachel Silverbloom. If it was cold and dreary outside, one would never know.

    This is to say nothing of Joshua’s actual work which is, simply put, absolutely stunning. Wonderful examples of lovingly handcrafted woodwork, Josh’s sculptures and design objects are beautiful both to look at and to hold. From elegantly carved spoons to luxurious black cutting boards, the boundary between art and functionality is practically non-existent. These are the sort of objects that one will want to use and display.

    With the holidays just around the corner, Josh’s studio is producing at full-force, so we are thrilled that we were able to sneak in for a behind-the-scenes peek. We hope you enjoy the visit as much as we did!

    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Blackcreek Mercantile, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
  • Design Icons

    Design Icons

    A recurring illustrated series highlighting icons from design history.

    Concept, art direction, research, and writing for Design*Sponge.

    Illustrated by Libby VanderPloeg.

    Full category page here.

    Design: Wonder Bread

    Date: 1921

    Country of Origin: United States

    Manufacturer: Taggart Baking Company

    Background: You know the phrase “the best thing since sliced bread?” Well, as it so happens, the exact date of this world-changing invention is in relatively recent history. Introduced by Wonder Bread in 1929, the concept of pre-sliced bread encapsulated many of the ideals of the time. The late 20s and early 30s saw the introduction of Modernism to America, largely through the over-the-top ornamentalism of the Art Deco and Moderne movements—it wasn’t so much about functionality, but the novel and the superficially futuristic. Scientific and industrial advances had captured the nation’s imagination, something that created a thirst for products that embodied these ideas—even if that product was bread, pre-sliced. Since then, Wonder Bread has become part of the the American canon, the embodiment of the American impulse for wild innovation and an icon of our Atomic Age. In 1939, Wonder Bread took part in New York City’s World’s Fair, an event that showcased similarly futuristic productions, from advances in agricultural technology to the latest and greatest in automobiles. Although it may not seem this way today—indeed, we have long-since abandoned the fluffy white goodness of Wonder Bread for healthier options—Wonder Bread (and its mythology) fit in perfectly.

    Design:  Carlton Cabinet

    Designer: Ettore Sottsass

    Date: 1981

    Movement:  Postmodernism

    Country of Origin: Italy

    Manufacturer: Memphis

    Materials & Construction: Wood, plastic laminate

    Background: While the garish colors, irregular forms, and shamelessly commonplace materials featured in this cabinet might come off as distasteful and ostentatious to some, this was in many ways the whole point. Ettore Sottsass, the object’s designer, was the founder and primary maker of the Italy-based Memphis Design Group, a collective that adopted many of the Postmodernist impulses of the early 1980s. Eschewing the perceived banality and false objectivity of Modernism, the Memphis group sought to dismantle the notion that design should be (or even could be) purely functional. In stark opposition to the “less is more” and “form follows function” dictums of Modernism, Sottsass and his cohorts subscribed much more to architect Robert Venturi’s notion that “less is a bore,” giving priority to emotion, humor, and symbolism rather than any utopian ideal. Although many designers and critics found Memphis design ugly and overly novel, others saw its blatant disregard for rules as liberating—a welcome breath of fresh air in a design world that had for too long been dominated by rigidity and precision.

  • Milkweed Barn

    Milkweed Barn

    The Bovina, New York home of Bill Hovard, founder of Hudson Made. Photographed and written for Design*Sponge.

    Originally published as “A Rural 1800s Barn Becomes a Modern Home”

    —

    After spending several years living within the concrete confines of Manhattan, designer Bill Hovard began to get the itch that befalls many a longterm New Yorker—the desire to uproot to greener, quieter pastures. In 2002, Bill began his search by drawing a 90-mile radius around the city and eventually followed the country’s siren call to the quiet town of South Kortright, NY. Nestled deep within the Catskills, South Kortright features breathtaking mountain views, hillsides filled with grazing livestock, and the zen-like comfort that can only be found when one travels beyond the realm of cellphone reception. Although Bill had originally envisioned settling in a Federal-style farmhouse, his path led him to a derelict, but charming, 19th century barn. Despite its disrepair, the structure was solid and featured hand-hewn, old-growth post and beam construction, a bluestone  foundation, and dazzling natural surroundings. “It was love at first sight,” Bill says.

    Once he settled on the location for his country retreat, it was time to get to work. Over the course of eight years, Bill renovated the barn into a beautiful, comfortable, and fully-functional living space. “It was important to strike a balance between old new” Bill notes, “and no attempt was made to hide or mask renovations or additions. Ultimately, it was preserving the past and creating a dynamic space with 21st century amenities.” For Bill, this meant sourcing materials that were regional and appropriate to the home: locally quarried bluestone, repurposed oak fixtures salvaged from other structures, and milled cherrywood for the floors and cabinetry. Filled in with antique and Modernist furniture, the home is a balanced, timeless mixture of Bill’s tastes and regional flavor.

    Today, Bill has vacated the city permanently to focus full-time on Hudson Made, a lifestyle brand that features artisanal wares from regional artists and makers. “In late August, the western field on the property is in full bloom with milkweed and offers nourishment to monarch butterfly on their migration South,” Bill says. “This is how the property was suitably named. ‘Milkweed Barn’ has subsequently gone from weekend retreat to full-time residence. It is now home.”

    Upstate New York Farmhouse, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Upstate New York Farmhouse, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Upstate New York Farmhouse, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Upstate New York Farmhouse, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Upstate New York Farmhouse, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
    Upstate New York Farmhouse, photographed by Maxwell Tielman
  • Washi Tape Picture Frames

    Washi Tape Picture Frames

    DIY picture frames, made from tape. Concepted, styled, photographed, and written for Design*Sponge.

    —

    When I moved into my dorm room for my freshman year of college, the first thing I did was unpack a gigantic envelope filled with magazine clippings. I had spent the entire summer going through various fashion magazines, cutting out pages with an X-Acto knife and saving them so that in the near future, I could wallpaper my entire dorm with them. I made a point of arriving early on move-in day so that I could stake out my space in the room and begin what amounted to an extreme makeover. It goes without saying that, upon finding me knee-deep in fashion photos with hands blue from sticky tac, my new roommate was none too pleased. I could tell that he, a quiet skater dude who brought just a single poster with him, was horrified by my shameless takeover of the wall space. At the time, I was quite convinced that I was something of a fashionista and could not be swayed from the belief that my decorating antics were at the absolute pinnacle of taste. In retrospect, I could have toned it down a bit.

    When I moved into my first apartment a year and a half later, I had mostly abandoned this style of decorating. Instead, I was determined to make my new living space as adult as possible. After all, this was a real apartment. Equipped with cheap frames from the dollar store, I arranged several of my own photographs on my bedroom walls. Even if they weren’t expensive custom frames, they made me feel infinitely more grown up.

    Indeed, there is something inherently sophisticated about hanging picture frames on one’s walls. Perhaps it’s because they lend a space some semblance of intent, rather than the feeling that random bits have been thrown together. Unfortunately, many rentals and dorms restrict frame use because of rules forbidding nails or tacks. Additionally, frames can be cumbersome to move and ones that aren’t from the dollar store can be quite costly.

    As a cheap, easy and surprisingly chic alternative, consider framing magazine clippings, photographs and postcards with different colored tapes. The supplies travel lightly, can be changed frequently and can be purchased for very little.