Made in California: modern designs in felt, fabric scraps, even flour-sack cloth
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A few rug and textile makers for your holiday shopping consideration:
Peace Industry rugs aren’t actually made in California, but the designs — and the spirit — take flight from a shop in San Francisco’s bleak-turned-chic Hayes Valley neighborhood. That’s where Melina and Dodd Raissnia have built a link from the West Coast to their fair-trade workshop in Iran. The result is artwork for the floor, pictured above, made of 100% felted lamb’s wool that’s not woven but rather pressed — an ancient technique applied to distinctly contemporary designs.
A California-based artist who goes by Lukas What What makes hand-screened patches sold for $5 apiece at Monkeyhouse Toys in Silver Lake. The textile scraps have simple motifs such as clothespins, tea bags and a flaming chair (seen at right). They can be sewn onto clothes or simply framed like tiny pieces of retro art. Monkeyhouse owner Mayra Baligad says Mr. What What sells the patches to finance his world travels. “Last year,” she says, “he was in Indonesia touring with a traveling circus.” (323) 662-3437.
Atwater Village felt artist Tanya Aguiniga’s designs include modern rugs and classic folding chairs sheathed in soft, hand-felted wool. At the more affordable end of the spectrum: felted mockingbirds, robins and chickadees that roost in different colors, above ($36 each). To see Aguiniga’s felt rug design or read about two more local textile artisans, click to the jump.
Above: Aguiniga’s Non-Pareil rug.
Michael Wells can lasso some western spirit into your kitchen with flour-sack towels screen-printed with fictional ads touting Cowboy Coffee and Mountain Mama Grits, Bison Feeds and Best Friend Dog Food. The retro designs, below, are kitschy amusements, available on T-shirts, aprons and pillowcases if you don’t like the kitchen towels. (The flour-sack material is surprisingly soft.) The towels are $8 each, sold at the Studio City farmers market on Sunday or through www.cattleheadquarters.com.
From her Humble Designs studio in Costa Mesa, Kristie Thinnes designs and prints textiles that look modern and fresh.
Pillow covers ($20 to $38 apiece) feature simple silhouettes of foxes, wild horses and bears arranged in ways that create a more abstract pattern when viewed from afar. You’ll see the horses in the design at left.
Her colorful printed tea towels ($12 each or $38 for sets of four) are groovy too.
-- Lisa Boone, Craig Nakano and David A. Keeps
Photos courtesy of Peace Industry, Tanya Aguiniga, Cattle Headquarters and Humble.
