NSS & ICFF

Now that the National Stationary Show and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Jacob Javits Center are over, I thought it would be nice to write about some of my favorite artists and designers whose work really stood out.

Of course there were the usual suspects...Snow & Graham, Elum, and Hello! Lucky. They showed beautiful new work, but the following few booths were the ones I found truly inspiring and memorable:

L2 Design Collective displayed their collection of hand silk screened cards and journals made by artists, designers, and illustrators. Love the artistic diversity and attitude of their work.

Tenth & Grant showed some amazing work from their guest artists. Love that you can submit your work and if accepted, they print your art or design to be part of their line of "creative artisan goods".

Hammerpress had their array of fun letterpress cards and prints, but my favorite was their alphabet series in that bold font and striking color. (photo: Design Sponge)

Screech Owl Design showed witty hand drawn cards, as well as, an awesome bench that one of the artists built. The unique style of the illustrations really stood out amongst the rest. (first photo: Design Sponge)

Peculiar Pair Press had their beautiful arrangement of letterpress cards and stationary. I particularly love the aesthetics of their work with their decorative details and interesting compositions.

Thomas Paul is always eye catching with his bright colors and graphic images, but I find him inspiring because of how simple and versatile his designs are. Not only does he make stationary, he makes great pieces to liven up your home. He also had a booth at ICFF.

Speaking of ICFF, practically everything was fabulous. I was in awe of all the things I am not capable of creating, let alone, ever have. As much as I would love to talk about all the wonderful things I saw, I wouldn't even know where to begin. Instead, I'm going to mention a couple designers that stood out and are more familiar to me and my work...wallpaper.

Flavor Paper was one of my favorites simply because of their eccentric and sassy imagery. Fusing contemporary icons with traditional patterns, each wallpaper roll is hand printed.
(third photo: Design Sponge)

Miss Print had a wonderful display of their modern wallpapers. Loved how they framed them to look like art. (photo: Design Sponge)

Check out Design Sponge for more coverage on NSS & ICFF. There are still lots of great designers and artists to be seen...

Hope everyone had a happy Memorial Day weekend!

Poppytalk Handmade

I'm excited to be part of Poppytalk Handmade's showcase (May 12th - June 6th), which features paper goods and affordable art this month to coincide with the National Stationary Show. This is a wonderfully curated site that allows independent artists and designers to present their work, as well as, discover new talent. Check it out...I've purchased a thing or two from my fellow participants. Also, see their blog for more!

Beginnings of a Print

As an artist, it's really important for me to have a balance between making art and designing cards and stationary. Whether it's for art or design, I always refer to a few of my favorite books for inspiration:

* Matisse: His Art and Textiles
* Alexander Girard Designs for Herman Miller
* Marimekko
* Louise Bourgeouis
* Juan Usle
* Hokusai
* Papier Fantaisie
* The World of Ornament
* Plants and Their Application to Ornament
* French Style and Decoration
* The Papered Wall

With lots of ideas in mind, I've been experimenting and trying to focus on what my next art print will be. I've been working on a series of gouache paintings, which are essential to my process. It's therapeutic in its spontaneity, which is hard to come by with a medium as technical as printmaking. With these paintings, I hope to capture the looseness of strokes, the boldness of color and composition, and the fluidity of movement in a silk screen print...bridging the best of both applications.

Progress to follow...