BEAUTIFUL BUNNY BUSINESS
APRIL 2022
As Passover and Easter are upon us, I have one more story to share regarding my double take on the holidays using the same palette and many of the same materials. A particularly delightful part of this creative process was a memory from years ago when I was travelling with some Target colleagues to Paris for the Fall occurrence of the home show, Maison&Objet. Aside from the show, we would go shopping in Paris and see what was new, different or sparked our imagination.
On a trip to Le Bon Marché, the famous French department store founded in 1838, I rounded a display and saw the most gorgeous embroidery. It took my breath away. Not only did this collection of silk velvet cushion extravaganza grab my attention, but there was a menagerie of embroidered silk velvet animals. I fell in love.
At the time I did not know what to do with one of these animals, but this spring they came to life in the most wonderful way- thanks to their creator, Anke Drechsel. Anke was born in Germany to a family of artistic people. In the last year or so I found some of her cushions at a favorite haunt Isles Studio. I was so excited to find them so close to my home! I recalled those amazing animals and decided to reach out to Anke directly for my Easter 2022 concept.
Anke is kind and was so generous to hop on board by providing six miraculous velvet bunnies for my Bunny Business Easter Table. You see the magic that they bring in these photos. Every day they have been up in the Inspirational Parlor in my studio, they have made me smile. They are historic and of the moment all at the same time.
CURIO CABINET: DESIGNING EMBROIDERY
I got to know Anke better during the process of designing this tablescape. Let me share some more about her. When she studied textile design there were no computers and she had to work and draw everything by hand. Over time, she worked closely with embroidery masters to learn what is possible and it excited her! She really enjoys the process from the drawing to the finished embroidery.
She treats her inspiration like cooking, adding a bit of this and that. For her, it was sometimes like adding more salt or sometimes less. From that point on she mastered her craft over the years. She did not look at trends, per se, but was happy find that while exhibiting at shows like Maison&Objet where she realized that she was not far off from where other great design was happening.
Anke’s work was a fantastic inspiration for how nature showed up on the Easter tablescape. Dried and live blooms pull out the color in her embroidery. I carried those little bunnies with me all around the studio to choose the perfect botanicals.
I like that Anke is very down to earth and does not see herself as an artist, just as someone who is very open for everything around her and absorbs light, feelings and impressions. To her, inspiration can come from all sides- nature, architecture, history and so on.
Like me, she really enjoys working with people from all over the world. She told me that she considers herself really lucky to work with such beautiful clients over so many years and all over the world. It brings her so much joy.
Anke, thank you for being so lovely and playing such an important role in my early spring 2022 storytelling. You are simply wonderful! To those who celebrate Easter, both of us wish you the happiest of holidays and hope that they are memory filled.