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| "Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by." Carl Sandburg Photography by Denise Blasor |
HANDS touch, hold, caress. They communicate through signs,
twirl and dance. Hands prepare meals, they create objects.
Things made by hands can be simple or sophisticated but
either way it takes time and effort, which is what confers
handmade objects a value that even in this day and age, when
people are beholden to more machines than one can count, is
still appreciated. No machine-made thing can ever have the
same allure as something crafted by hand.
There is dignity in working with one's hands, in making things
by hand that have a practical use yet also possess aesthetic appeal.
Things that we can use in our daily life or that delight our senses.
At a recent design fair at the Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary
Art in San Juan, handmade objects ruled. Here are a few that
caught our attention.
That intriguing blue bag packed with purchases is made out of
mesh plastic, a modern take on the fisherman's net tote bags so
popular at one time. It is one of several bag designs sold under
the label Creando H.A.I.; the acronym stands for handmade
by Aida Iturregui.
How much can it carry? "They can fit a lot," assured Iturregui
who makes the bags in several colors and sizes priced between
$5 and $25, for the larger model. Check Creando HAI on
Facebook.
Annabelle, a mother of two girls & a dog, takes the
turns it into a one-of-a-kind
baby garment with whimsical
appliques of recycled fabrics,
felt and thread. She combines
imaginative designs with
superior sewing skills
to create truly delightful
pieces for babies. Check
Apipita on Facebook &
http://etsy.com/shop/apipita/
The elegant abstractions of Gloria Florit invite the eye to
lose itself within colorful labyrinths. Her canvases are
intricate landscapes, lively and restful in equal measure.
One clever touch: embedded in each painting is a small
piece of wood in the shape of a geometric element,
a play on the concept of reality or maybe a way to
assert the link between reality and illusion.
Florit, whose art education included studies at New
York University, has exhibited widely and is
represented by Pamil Fine Art ( 787.756.6831).
Artist Arialys Cruzado Ríos started Alterfolio in 2011
as "creative explorations in book binding." She
produces gorgeous notebooks whose covers are
original silkscreen art or photographs. Beautifully
made, these notebooks are the kind of object you
will fall in love with at first sight.
Available at Libreria Libros AC Barra & Bistro
on Ponce de León Ave. at Stop 21, Concalma
in old San Juan, La Chiwinha in Río Piedras,
Mozaik in Condado and the Museum of Art
in Ponce. Cruzado also holds regular bookbinding
workshops. For dates, check her website
at www.alterfolio.com/
☛ A SIMPLE TIP:
A warm glass of water with half a lemon boosts your
immune system to fight colds, aids digestion and even
helps you lose weight by keeping hunger cravings at bay.
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| Photography by Denise Blasor It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another… Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anyone to realize you! Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute? "Our Town," by Thornton Wilder |
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