Self-taught, self-described quilter extraordinaire Jenna Valoe creates textiles with the hope of helping people celebrate their homes and the lives they live in them at her shop Rain & the River. She’s inspired by other cultures, the city of Milwaukee that surrounds her, and the ways color and shapes blend together. Jenna’s work itself is primarily improvisational, which I find ballsy and bold! I love her modern take on such an heirloom quality craft.
Lina Rennell is a brand with a heavy focus on original print work that then adorns high casual women’s wear and textiles. So yeah, art for your body! Woohoo! Launched in 2009 by Angelina Rennell, a new collection is released once or twice a year by the northern California native and each one seems completely in touch with the current trends in the art and fashion worlds. (You can find Lina Rennell online at Beklina if you’d like to make a purchase!)
This morning I’m happy to be starting a new monthly feature, highlighting the goods of a few makers I’m currently carrying in The Marketplace! You might remember that a few months ago I opened a shop through Great.ly and have been keeping it stocked with the best of the best art and design ever since. I’m so happy to be able to share the work of the creators I love and now to be able to give you a fast and easy way to bring them into your own home.
One of the first pieces I added to the shop was this set of four Raindrop Napkins by Hallie Gray. Each one measures a generous 19 x 19″ and is hand-block printed with non-toxic AZO-free dyes. I’m looking forward to using them at dinner parties this fall and socking a few sets away for hostess gifts this holiday season!
I’ve been using this Expandable Pop Market Tote made by Orchid Sage for just about everything – the market, the lake, and more. Its leather handles and waxed canvas body make it feel nearly indestructible and I especially like the expandable side pockets that give me extra space for things like snacks and/or the dogs’ leashes.
The latest addition to my jewelry collection is this sweet brass cuff with cord from Meredith Peck. I’ve found it goes with just about everything and is great for layering with other pieces, it’s also large enough that I’ll be putting it over sleeves come cooler weather. The addition of the thin Chinese knotting cord takes this piece from average to extra special.
I’ve been a longtime fan of this artist, so it’s always nice to see her work gracing the “shelves” of my shop. Twenty-One by Lisa Krannichfeld is in her typical style of portraits of watercolored beauties, and for now this one is gracing my mantel alongside a boastful mermaid. (I think suspect they have some interesting conversations when I’m not looking.)
This week on Design Crush:
An Instagram Moving Sale for Oklahoma City locals – there are still a few pieces left!
We’re giving away 2 copies of Lisa Congdon’s book – Art, Inc. – all about making your art your full time job.
Take a peek at these 10 August DIYs that are almost too good to be true.
Dreamy blurry paintings from Philip Barlow.
The new school year means a fresh start and new notebooks to me! Steven Quinn has managed to create the only clown art I will ever endorse.
There’s color and then there’s COLOR. Boo + Boo Factory does the latter so right.
Beautiful woodworked pieces for the kitchen and home by Ariele Alasko.
Colorful, geometric, hand-strung Sputnik Lamps.
A dishware pattern – Unsealed – created with the idea of showing off the porcelain in mind.
The Unsealed line of dinnerware is basically the stuff designers’ dreams are made of. Created with the thought of highlighting the porcelain instead of hiding it, the pattern is made by repeating simple shapes such as triangles or dots into solid fabric-like work of art. Designed by etc.etc. for Rosenthal, you can make it yours here.
Behold, the magic of wood and cotton thread in the hands of Julie Lansom. Each of her Sputnik Lamps is handmade in Julie’s Paris studio and varies from the others depending on the geometric shape of the form and which colors she opts for.
I always know I’ve found something especially lovely when my breath catches a bit in my chest, just like it did when I first saw the woodwork of Ariele Alasko. Though Ariele creates everything from headboards to tables with her hands, I’m especially pulled in by her kitchen goods and it would appear everyone else is as well because Ariele’s shop is entirely sold out at the moment.
When it comes to fashion there’s wearing color and then there’s wearing COLOR. Chicago’s Boo + Boo Factory has the all caps version down pat. Not only are the color selections bold and mesmerizing, but the textures of the leather take every piece to a new level of stylish interest. Adding one of their necklaces to the plainest of plain outfits might just be the most fun accessorizing ever!
I’m usually indifferent to clowns, but when it comes to clown art I’m firmly in the No Thank You category. It’s usually tacky and awful and the stuff childhood nightmares are made of. But Steven Quinn‘s take on the genre – Clown Face – involves found black and white photos and spray painted stencils, which lands firmly in the “cool art” category.
You know that scene in You’ve Got Mail where Tom Hank’s character tells Meg Ryan’s that if he knew her address he would send her a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils? That’s exactly how the beginning of the school year makes me feel, even though I’m no longer a student and don’t have kids. There’s just something in the air that to me signifies a fresh start, maybe even more than New Year’s does. I still troll the school supplies section as soon as it hits the big box stores, but I hold myself to one purchase. Usually a new notebook.
