Au Retour Journal

I am super excited to announce that Au Retour will be participating in the upcoming BKLYN Designs May 8–10, 2015 Brooklyn Expo Center, in Greenpoint.  I'm even more excited to say that I will be showing our new, forthcoming 2015 collection alongside the super talented Kate Casey of Peg Woodworking and Matthew Ward of Matthew Ward Studio.  We are just starting to discuss our booth design, but it will be so much fun to see how Matthew's ceramics, Kate's furniture with these gorgeous woven surfaces and my printed textiles play together.  Check out the BKLYN Designs website for details on registration and how to attend.

AND!  New Collection is on the WAY!!  These last few weeks I have been hunkered down working through our next collection which will debut in early April.  Here's a little sneak peak of the oversize copies I was working with to proof how the repeats will lay out.....more details soon!

Well, I have to be honest, I haven't actually been super recently to Alisa's studio.  Between the cold I've been battling and the windchill temps here in Brooklyn hovering at or well below zero degrees, I have barley been leaving the house for the last week except to travel down the street to the studio.

But, within the lovely world of the interweb, where CAN'T we go?  So let's check out some of Brooklyn based artist, Alisa Ochoa's beautiful work.

Alisa Ochoa, Extruder (Duo Blend), 2012, Silkscreen print on paper, 11 x 14 inches

I love her use of pop, color and pattern, but also her references to the body and human form.

You can view more of her work on her website: www.alisaochoa.com

Last year I was in Amsterdam - I had never been before.  It's a fantastic city with so much to do and see and so many interesting, quirky shops.  Some friends and I had a great time wandering around for a day with no map or plan, just soaking up the vibes and wandering in anywhere we thought looked interesting.  Completely by accident, we went to an earth-shatteringly good bookstore Architectura & Natura - which carries (and publishes) books about Architecture, Design, Landscape Architecture and so forth.  If you go to Amsterdam - I can't recommend it enough, I could have spent a thousand dollars and filled a suitcase with books while there.

One of the books I did walk away with was Islamic Geometric Design by Eric Broug. 

What really caught my eye about the book is that it's written for designers or artists who want to really dive into how geometric patterns and motifs are constructed in Islamic Art and Architecture.

It's been a great way for me to stretch my brain and explore constructing motifs in a different way.  Next, I'll be working on incorporating some of my experiments from the book with my existing forays into block printing - which is a way that I fool around and develop designs quite a bit.  Check back for pictures and more on those experiments, but until then, let's enjoy some images from Eric's book.....

 

Enameled Earthenware fragment from Konya, Turkey

Upper section of the mihrab in the complex of Mamluk Emirs Salar and Sanjar, Cairo Egypt

Wooden Panel Ceiling of the sabil-kuttab of 'Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda in Cairo, Egypt

 

Complex of Sultan Barquq in Cairo, Egypt

Qil'a-i Kuhna Mosque in Delhi, India

Segment on the portal of the khanqah of the shrine complex of 'Abd al-Samad in Natanz, Iran

I'm in the studio working on a new collection of fabrics and pillows to debut in March.  Here are a few images floating through my radar as I'm working...

Ellsworth Kelly, Pink and Orange from the series Line Form Color, 1951, Image via MoMA

Sheila Hicks, Weaving.  Image via post over on Rational Beauty's Blog.

Unknown maker, Thanjavur, India (made mid 19th century). Woven cotton and silk.  Image via V & A Museum Collection.

Wassily Kandinsky - Flowing (Coulant), 1931

Michel Parmentier, Peinture n°10 1965

Chris Ofili: Night and Day at the New Museum, New York

I've been trying to fend off the "cabin" fever that sets in for me during the cold winter months with trying to get out and see some art.  When I am hunkered down in the studio as much as I have been lately, I really have to force myself to get out periodically.  I really loved Chris Ofili's show currently up at the New Museum.

The first major, solo, museum exhibition of the British born painter fills three floors.  Pictures really can't do the paintings or the installation justice, the fourth and third floors are totally transformed with a wall painting and flat color/carpeting as you can see from the top two images below.  The color palettes, richly layered surfaces, disparate imagery and inspiration make the show a kind of psychedelic journey that felt really refreshing. I especially loved a huge wall of gorgeously saturated watercolor portraits - the last image is one of the seventy-four (74!) from that wall.  The show closes February 1st.

“Chris Ofili: Night and Day,” 2014. Exhibition view - 3rd Floor: New Museum. All artworks © Chris Ofili. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London. Photo: Maris Hutchinson/EPW

“Chris Ofili: Night and Day,” 2014. Exhibition view - Fourth Floor: New Museum. All artworks © Chris Ofili. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London.

“Chris Ofili: Night and Day,” 2014. Exhibition view - 2nd Floor: New Museum. All artworks © Chris Ofili. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London. Photo: Maris Hutchinson/EPW

Chris Ofili, Afronirvana, 2002. Oil, acrylic, polyester resin, aluminum foil, glitter, map pins, and elephant dung on canvas, 108 × 144 in. Courtesy the artist, David Zwirner, New York/London, and Victoria Miro, London

 

Happy New Year!  After a little break traveling and visiting family and friends, I am excited to get back in the studio, for new adventures in 2015 and a new collection I am working to debut soon!  With that in mind, in the coming weeks I will be posting little sneak peaks into what I've been working on and looking at lately.

A friend recently introduced me to the work of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906 – 1978).  The forms, details and use of materials in his work are particularly gorgeous - I think I am going to need to visit some of his work to make sure it's as beautiful in person.

Brion Cemetery, Carlo Scarpa

 

Brion Cemetery, Carlo Scarpa.  Image credit Olivier Amsellem

Brion Cemetery, Carlo Scarpa. Image credit Andrea Osti

Banca Popolare di Verona, Carlo Scarpa

Olivetti Showroom, Carlo Scarpa. Image credit ORCH_chemollo

Olivetti Showroom, Carlo Scarpa.

Olivetti Showroom, Carlo Scarpa. Image credit Andrea Osti.

 Olivetti Showroom, Carlo Scarpa. Image credit Andrea Osti.

A few lovely things/not things I wish a magical guy in a red suit would deliver to me this holiday.

1.) NinaZ Clog Boots

These clogs would be great for the nasty NY winter weather, they would look great with the sweatpants and ink splattered jeans I wear to the studio everyday and NinaZ are our studio neighbors on the next block! Yes!

2.) Pajamas from Steven Alan

I just want to curl up in bed and sleep for the rest of the winter.

 

3.)  A Gift Certificate to the Textile Art Center

I harbor loose ideas about using all my scraps from pillows and such to make crochet rag rugs - mostly for me, but maybe also for my moms.  And, I need a class to learn this - sometimes it's better than watching YouTube Videos.

4.) A Quilt from Counterpane

They are so, so beautiful!

 

5.) A ceramic piece from Matthew Ward

He is a friend from school and I love what he has been making.

6.) Necklace from Crusoe Jewelry

I met Maya of Crusoe Jewelry at the Renegade Craft Fair this last fall - her nautical inspired pieces are really elegant and lovely.

7.) A massage (not pictured)

When you spend as much time screen printing and hunched over a sewing machine as I do, you really need some help with those knots in your back.

 

xoxo,

Emily