Patisserie by Shayna Leib

Great American Cake-Off

American glass and ceramics artist Shayna Leib is, very unfortunately, allergic to a long list of food ingredients which makes it impossible for her to indulge in cakes and desserts.  Whilst other people in a similar situation might be resigned to a life of rice-cakes or perhaps start a self-help group, she poured her sweet longings into hand-crafting a series of glass and porcelain dessert sculptures which would put even the most perfectionist patissier to shame.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the images are of real gateaux or eclairs but they are in fact ingenious creations by the artist using a whole range of techniques from glassblowing, hot-sculpting and casting to ceramic hand-building and throwing.  That's why the mirror glaze looks so perfect and the chocolate ganache so impossibly glossy.

According to the artist the objective was therapeutic, "a re-training of the mind to look at dessert as form rather than food".  However, to non-allergy-sufferers (or mere gluttons), these stunningly beautiful sculptures serve more as a paean to our desires, and perhaps tools of torture upon realising the unattainability of such desires.

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Shayna Leib

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Product Inspiration

Become a master of make-believe with the basketball-shaped NBA lounge chair from Lento, the wavy-paper-like Softer Than Steel bench from Desalto and the Bordbar trolleys, with storage cleverly incorporated into airplane trolleys.

 

For beautifully crafted lighting that mimics real objects try the Raindrop suspension light from LZF, the Twee. T suspension light from Casamania and the Flash light from Qeeboo.

   

 

Add a dash of humour with surrealistic accessories such as the Dish of Desire bird feeding table from Frederik Roije, the Fish Design resin bowl from Corsi and the photo-realistic marble tiles wallpaper from NLXL.