Whether you are an entry-level or a hardcore Eames fan, you will enjoy the new documentary film “Eames: The Architect and the Painter” by filmmakers Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey. This fascinating documentary covers the career of Charles and Ray Eames, including the insightful personal account behind the designs and the nature of the collaboration of two of  America’s most important designers (design pioneers). Narrated by James Franco, this is the first film dedicated to the couple since their deaths.

Eames: The Architect and the Painter

I sometimes find documentary films rather boring, but there is never a dull moment in this 84-minute film filled with a wide array of archival materials and interviews with individuals who had close proximity with Charles and Ray Eames. It is very well-crafted in presenting how the couple defined postwar modernist aesthetic through not only with their furniture designs but also with their other projects such as films and exhibitions.

In addition, the film reveals more intimate and emotional side of the couple’s lives which remained very private while they were alive. If you ask me about what I think of including Charles’s love affair in the film – I’d say “that’s a little TMI.” All these years, I sort of “romanticized” about the couple’s relationship – their partnership seemed so perfect in work and life. However, what I have learned about the couple in this film doesn’t change anything about how I admire them – actually I see them as more “real people” than just the “design legend.”

If you are fairly new to the world of Charles and Ray Eames, “Eames: The Architect and the Painter” will give you a wealth of information well beyond their furniture design. If you are a big Eames fan like me, this film will let you fall in love with the Eameses all over again for sure!

Now playing at selected theatres – find playdates here.

Filmmakers – Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey
Studio – First Run Features
Run Time – 84 minutes
Language – English
Format – Digital
Year – 2011
Genre – Documentary

Will be available on DVD on December 13th, 2011. Preorder available at First Run Features and many other retailers:

Starting viewpoint

The film starts with an image of a couple having a picnic by the lakeside in Chicago. A scene is settled upon a man laying on a blanket one meter away, which is the starting viewpoint. This viewpoint slowly zooms out at a rate of one power of ten every ten seconds, taking the viewer on a journey into the edge of universe (100 millions light years out). Then the viewer is taking back to the picnic at the lakefront. The journey ends in a single proton of a carbon atom inside the man’s hand.

A single proton of a carbon atom

So what does “Powers of Ten” film teach us? At first, the film seems to be about math and science. The film has been shown to people in science classes, scientific museums, science related exhibits and events. To me, it’s a little more than that. It teaches me to expand my horizon and always view things from different scale and perspective, not just one or my own.

Powers of Ten

Powers of Ten Day (10/10/10) is approaching. The Eames Office celebrates Powers of Ten Day every October 10th. This year’s cerebration includes the online streaming of Powers of Ten. They also urge you to choose Powers of Ten related theme to celebrate and send pictures to them. Check out the Eames Office website and their Powers of Ten website for more information.

Limited Edition Eames Hang-It-All

Those who ever wanted the Hang-It-All in different color scheme, here is a good news. On August 15, 2010, Eames Hang-It-All is available with black welded-steel frame and solid walnut balls for $249. This edition of Hang-It-All is a part of “Herman Miller Select,” a once-a-year limited edition release. The Select Edition Walnut Hang-It-All will be available in limited quantities, until early 2011. So, grab it before it’s too late!

Multi-Colored Eames Hang-It-All

Hang-It-All (multi-color and/or limited) Available at:

Office Designs

Smart Furniture (Free Shipping on All Herman Miller Furniture)

Highbrow Furniture

Hive Modern

Design Within Reach

and many other online retailers!

Specs:

• 36, 1.75″ (4.5 cm) square Alphabet Blocks (20 for the house, 16 for the studio)
• House 8.75″ x 3.5″ x 3.5″ (22 cm x 8.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
• Studio 7″ x 3.5″ x 3.5″ (17.8 cm x 8.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
• Made in the USA with replenishable Michigan-grown, kiln-dried basswood
• Printed with non-toxic, lead-free, child-safe inks

Aqua Sky Armchair with Eiffel Legs

The Eames molded plastic chairs were first introduced in 1948. They were the first industrially mass produced one-piece plastic chairs. Originally, the shells were made with fiberglass-infused plastic. Today’s Eames molded plastic chairs are manufactured with more environmentally friendly materials, 100% recyclable polypropylene. The chairs are even more environmentally friendly now that they are made in the United States to reduce their manufacturing carbon footprint.

Java Shell Chair with Dowel Legs

Charles and Ray Eames’ clean, simple, and enduring design have been loved by many since they were first introduced more than 60 years ago. Good design is timeless – The Eames molded plastic chairs perfectly fit in the category.

Available at:

The exhibition features 100 rare images chosen from archival images. The exhibition will run from February 4, 2010 to March 4, 2010 at the Smart Furniture Studio in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On February 4th, 2010 at 6PM (EST), Smart Furniture will host an opening reception for the exhibit. Eames Demetrios, Director of the Eames Office and grandson of Charles and Ray Eames will give a presentation at this reception. In order to join the opening reception, RSVP by emailing giftedeye@smartfurniture.com with the number of guests planning to attend. Visit Smart Furniture website or contact Karen Liwanpo (423) 822-2266 for more information.

Event Summary:
What: The Gifted Eye of Charles Eames: A Portfolio of 100 Images
When: February 4th, 2010 to March 4th, 2010 (opening reception is on February 4th, 2010 at 6PM, featuring Eames Demitrios)
Where: Smart Furniture Studio, 313 Manufacturers Road, Suite 107, Chattanooga, TN 37405
More Information: Contact Karen Liwanpo (423) 822-2266

An Eames Primer by Eames Demetrios

If you are in Tulsa, Oklahoma area, be sure to join the Philbrook Museum of Art’s “3rd Thursday” speaker series event on January 21, 2010. This series of 3rd Thursday will be joined by Eames Demetrios, a filmmaker, director of The Eames Office, author of An Eames Primerand a member of the Eames family. As most of you have already known, he is a grandson of iconic mid century modern designers, Charles and Ray Eames.

Demetrios dedicates his efforts in communicating, preserving, and extending the work of the Eameses. At this event, Eames Demetrios will provide a personal look at the designers, their process, philosophy and influence on the design world in a discussion on design vs. style. He will also be sharing a few treasures from the Eames family archive.

The event is presented in partnership with Art Directors Club of Tulsa and in conjunction with Modern Tulsa, an organization of the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture.

Event Schedule:

Date: January 21, 2010
Place: Philbrook Museum of Art (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Patti Johnson Wilson Hall
Times: 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
5:30 pm: Tickets available from the Admission desk (no advance reservations)
5:30-6:30 pm: Cash bar available and photographer on site for your chance to be a part of the museum’s new ad campaign
6:30-7:30 pm: Lecture begins in Auditorium, Live simulcast near Restaurant
7:30-8 pm: Free posters designed by Eames Demetrios will be available for signing

At Herman Miller, Girard successfully introduced a new concept in textile design with his vibrant color palette and playful patterns inspired by traditional folk art he cherished. In early 1950s, fabrics were merely functional, but they tended to be dull and plain. His textile designs complemented the furniture designs of his fellow mid century modern designers, Charles Eames and George Nelson. Girard’s work at Herman Miller continued until 1975, designing hundreds of fabrics as a result. He also developed a seating collection for the company between 1967 and 1968. Originals from this collection are rare and highly desirable among many collectors today.

Apart from Herman Miller, Girard designed three restaurants in 1960’s: the La Fonda del Sol restaurant, in New York City; the L’Etoile Restaurant, also in New York City; and the Compound Restaurant, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also contributed in a design project of Braniff Airlines in mid 1960’s, totally redesigning everything from the condiment packets to the planes themselves. During 1960’s, Girard and his wife Susan moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico where he founded the Girard Foundation to manage more than 100,000 pieces of his folk art collection. This enormous collection was donated to the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe in 1978 and recognized as the world’s largest folk art collection today.

After retiring from the design industry, many of Girard’s designs fell into disuse. Partnering with the Estate of Alexander Girard, a company called máXimo reintroduced Girard’s designs in 2000. Products available today include fabrics, cushions, wooden dolls, toys and carpet tiles. Girard’s unique, colorful and charming designs remain fresh and vibrant and are still cherished by many people today.

Eames Hang-It-All

A husband and wife team, Charles (1907 – 1978) and Ray (1912 – 1988) Eames are among the most influential designers of American design history. Together, they contributed in furniture design, architecture, film, art, exhibits, and graphic design.

Charles Eames studied architecture at Washington University for two years. Many sources claim that he was dismissed from the University for supporting Frank Lloyd Wright and modern architecture. In 1930, he started his own architectural office in his hometown St. Louis, Missouri. In 1938, he and his family (wife Catherine and daughter Lucia, they divorced in 1941) moved to Michigan, to study at Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he later became head of the industrial design department. Ray studied abstract painting with Hanns Hofmann in New York before beginning her studies at Cranbrook Academy of Art. At Cranbrook, Ray assisted Charles and Eero Saarinen’s design project for “Organic Design in Home Furnishings” competition at the Museum of Modern Art.

Eames Fiberglass Chair

Charles and Ray married in 1941 and settled in California where they continued to develop many innovative products using molding plywood. During World War II, they developed designs for splints and stretchers for the U.S. Navy. The production of their molded plywood furniture collection, featuring dining tables, dining chairs, lounge chairs, occasional tables, and a screen began shortly after the war ended in 1946, first by Evans Products Company and then by Herman Miller, Inc.. Various designs of their molded plywood furniture have remained in production to this day. They also designed furniture with other materials such as chairs using molded fiberglass, cast aluminum, and bent/welded wire mesh. Regardless of the style and material, their furniture was always sophisticated, yet simple and functional. Their design focused on improving ordinary people’s quality of life by fulfilling their needs.

Eames Plywood Elephant

Though Charles and Ray Eames are well known for their furniture design, they also devoted their time in other areas such as architecture, films, and exhibits. In 1949, they participated in the Case Study House Program sponsored by a magazine called “Arts and Architecture” and designed and built their own house known as the “Eames House.” They have also produced more than 100 short films, such as “Powers of Ten.” They also designed showrooms and toys for children. Regardless the form of design, Charles and Ray Eames successfully proved that good design can make the world more interesting and improve people’s quality of life as well.

Sarrinen Tulip Table & Chairs - photo by m.bibelot

Eero Saarinen (1910 – 1961), a Finnish-born architect and furniture designer, studied sculpture in France and architecture at Yale University. He came to the United States in 1923 at age thirteen with his father, Eliel Saarinen. His father was a prominent Finnish architect who came to teach architecture at the University of Michigan. His father also taught at Cranbrook Academy of Art where he later became the director of the academy.

Kresge Auditrium at MIT

After studying at Yale, Saarinen joined his father’s practice. He opened his own practice after his father’s death in 1950. Saarinen’s architectural accomplishments include General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan; the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; the Kresge Auditorium and chapel at MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts; the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport; and the main terminal of Dulles International Airport.

Like many other architects during this era, Saarinen also designed furniture. He collaborated on various furniture projects with his long time friend Charles Eames. The first recognition of his furniture design came in 1940. A molded plywood chair with complex curves he and Charles Eames designed won a competition called “Organic Design in Home Furnishings” held at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. Later Saarinen joined Knoll Associates and designed various pieces such as the “Grasshopper” lounge chair and ottoman; the “Womb” chair, ottoman and settee; “Tulip” tables and chairs and a series of office chairs. His designs, especially the “Womb” chairs and ottoman and the “Tulip” collection became iconic in mid century modern furniture design and have remained the same to this day.