Ivory Coast & New York
Textile and Garment Studio
Mayafrica is a business started in the Ivory Coast. One business woman looks to create an exchange between the USA and her native Ivory Coast by creating education and business opportunities through the development of unique textile goods.
The future of this exchange looks to empower women through development of a technical trade in textiles. It also looks to assign funds to develop and support educational settings in the Ivory Coast.
Currently, products are available in New York City at artist fairs and upon specific request. Please contact me if you have interest in goods or a collaboration with Mayafrica.
Lopez Reyes Family
Los Olivos, Lima, Peru
Reversed Painted Glass Workshop
The Lopez Reyes family business has been making traditional Peruvian Reversed Painted Glass products for 17 years. Brothers, Fernando and Adrian design and produce products that are examples of the utmost skill. However, their designs risk becoming outdated both in production methods and aesthetics.
When I entered this workshop I lived and worked as family. My designs are directly inspired from existing products and patterns. I looked to freshen pattern and form. Firstly, since Adrian suffers chronic headaches from his labor of love in the woodshop, the tray was re-designed for ease of production. By changing the handle, I reduced machine work for less work noise stress. The floral pattern was simplified in color. A stripe theme was introduced, through blocking, so just one screen could be used for the entire product line.
I hope the workshop continues to do what they love and love what they do.
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Sales Point, Home Goods Workshop and Aid Office
Statis is a project developed with Emmaus Europe in the Netherlands. Emmaus has a business model similar to the Salvation Army in the USA. It sells donated, gently used goods to gain income which it can turn over to contribute to the community. In this case, they are looking specifically to support refugees who find themselves looking for a home in the Netherlands. Support is needed in the form of work, shelter and introduction in to the community.
The title Statis stems from the refugees looking for a legal 'status' in Europe and unfortunate tendency for the general public to view the refugees as a 'statistic' rather than humans in need.
Statis is a workshop that pairs designers with refugees in a dynamic collaboration. A general aesthetic was created which can be translated to various furniture and home products. Each side is exercising material handling, team building and design thinking. The pieces are then regarded at a higher design standard and price-point.
Construction speaks about traveling crates which relates to the movement of the refugees from one home to another. It also allows for a use of graphics within the panels. Participants engage their thoughts and expectations in a graphic workshop that produces graphic stickers to be placed on the furniture pieces they create.
This workshop welcomes refugees into the community and makes them active participants in their search for a more stable living situation. Lifelong friends are made in these moments.
