It’s always a pleasure to jump beyond the coastal design scene to inspect what’s going on in the midwest. While casually scrolling through design*sponge’s highlights a few months back, I nearly flipped when I stumbled upon Amy Soczka’s paper cut out displays for Urban Outfitters. Paper has become a popular retail material as of late, as it’s affordability and versatility is incomparable. Soczka’s creations tap this trend while setting new creative standards. Her intricate handwork and artistic eye crosses multiple mediums and platforms, ranging from printed greeting cards and homegoods to commercial collaborative ventures. Check out our Q+A for a glimpse into Amy’s daily routine.
Geoff McFetridge
Geoff McFetridge is a true design pioneer, not to mention a wicked multi-tasker. “He is part of a new generation of designers who are eager to leap the old divides between image and product, design and art, the flat page and the moving image,” says Paul Thompson, director of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Patten Pulp caught up with McFetridge to talk about his design process, as well as Pottok, the wallpaper company that he founded with his wife Sarah. Pottock marries McFetridge’s unique pattern skills with environmentally-friendly papers and water-based inks. The abstract and breathtaking results have papered walls from The Montalban Theater in Hollywood to the well-known Colette boutique in Paris. Check out our Q+A for a glimpse into the mind of this skateboarding wunderkind.
Julia Rothman
Julia Rothman is one of the most talented and original pattern designers in today’s marketplace. I had the pleasure of catching up with her at “Design by the Book,” a collaborative event hosted by The New York Public Library and Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge. Rothman has a the ability to beautify ordinary objects, using her unique style of illustration and layout to create whimsical repeats. Her work has been featured in countless publications and dons home goods of every variety. Check out our Q+A for a glimpse into her daily routine.
Åsa Dahlbäc
Åsa Dahlbäck is as calculated as she is original, particularly when it comes to pattern making. Born and trained in Sweden, Dahlbäck brings her design expertise and knack for reinterpretation to Lula, a multi-disciplinary art and design studio based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Her patterns are often nature-inspired and possess a graphic flair that incorporates relevant iconography. “The patterns are built from what I find characteristic for the different (local) provinces,” a consistent theme throughout much of Dahlbäck’s portfolio. Check out our Q+A for a glimpse into her daily design routine.