Xinyi Ye

Leslie Lewis Sigler in her studio. Courtesy of Leslie Lewis Sigler, Commerce Gallery and Margaret Austin Photo Each of California-based artist Leslie Lewis Sigler’s carefully rendered arrangement carries stories of kinship and memory, with everyday objects becoming literal and symbolic family members that commemorate different chapters of life. Her exploration of heirlooms began with a collection of silver she inherited after a family member passed away.

Ron Arad. Courtesy of Opera Gallery “What happens if you have a ping-pong table that is not straight, that has a curve?” Designer Ron Arad never runs out of ideas that push through existing forms, shapes and concepts. “I never follow instructions. If you can have a career that doesn’t rely on you following conventions or instructions, you are very lucky. And I consider myself lucky,” he tells Observer.

Renée Levin. Courtesy Renée Levin What makes a flower petal, a pearl or a seashell special? On the canvases of Renée Levin, who paints their details writ large, the formation of these objects becomes a kind of miracle. Her go-to motif—extremely detailed objects set against plain backgrounds—is a way of exploring and sharing that miracle. As cliché as it might sound, Levin tells Observer, she has felt a profound connection to nature since childhood.