Pattern Pulp

Doors Throughout Morocco




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I was recently telling a friend about my travels throughout Morocco, and she said that her father used to buy old Moroccan doors and ship them to America. The endeavor sounded equally arduous and enterprising.

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All throughout the country, multicolored patterned doors fill the streets. There are engravings, paintings and metal work that nod to the rich cultural roots.

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Here are a few snaps from Fez, Essaouira and Marrakesh. Compared to their textiles, the designs are tame, but on their own, they stand as incredible works of functional art.

 

May 27, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Grids & Motifs




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Grids, motifs and colorways have been finding their way into my social feed as of late. While the theme’s not necessarily a new concept, the minimalist and spatial approach feels quite current. A few favorites weave color, illustration and narrative into an organized grid.

Julia Dault’s Toronto exhibition, Color Me Badd showcases color and form in a highly graphic and flat way. The colors are bright and the shapes are abstract. Next up, is a snapshot I took while in Marrakesh of a Berber rug. While it’s old, it feels on trend for what interior stores are stocking these days.

Then there’s a snapshot by Lesley Morphy from the Canal Street station. I’m forever in a rush when I go left at this visual fork in the road, as it’s the subway stop closest to my office – but always wonder about the story behind the icons – does anyone know?

And the glue that holds this all together, is Vivienne Westwood’s latest commercial print ad. The sticker laden stall compliments the art world, just as it mimics real life.

 

May 14, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Colors & Summer Brights




1Summer_BrightsSummer’s arrived – especially in Manhattan where the temps are teetering on 90 degrees Farenheit. In acknowledgment and celebration of the season change, I thought I’d share some snaps from the past few weeks.

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It’s been a bit of a travel forecasting whirlwind, and interestingly, it seems like the global color palettes are on the same page. The rose floral clutch is from Selfridges, while the mega leaf was spotted during a wedding weekend celebration in Tulum, Mexico. It truly feels like the Mara Hoffman of plants. I inserted myself in the mix- since the orange and pink play was unexpected, but extremely characteristic of the vibrancy throughout Morocco. That said, this dress is a Balinese print. This was a brief roadside coffee break, enroute to Marrakesh. Hay Design has created a pop up shop at Liberty London, and unsurprisingly, the patterns were fabulous. Here are a few tote bags from their spring collection. The geometric paper is from Pentreath & Hall, an interiors store just off Lambs Conduit Street in London. The folds make the 2D/3D graphics truly pop.

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In putting this together, I thought I’d make a quick print that embodied all of the above, incorporating the colors and mood from each image. I don’t usually share my designs on the blog, but figured it’d be useful to illustrate the meaning behind concept and creation.

 

May 13, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Spotting Ceramic Tiles in Morocco




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This post seems so obvious, I almost second guessed adding it to the reel, but tiling is and always has been integral to Moroccan culture that it would be crazy not to share some of the patterns and mosaic work from my travels around the country. The colors shifted from vibrant to subdued and were dispersed with care and geometric precision depending on location.

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The storefronts, restaurants, houses of prayer and general architecture were a maze of intersecting patterns. Merged with cement and clay, these glazed geometric formations told stories of each location. Jewish stars covered the old synagogue in Marrakesh while abstract landscapes covered shops along the High Atlas Mountains.

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While in Fez, I visited a workshop that documented the ancient technique – vats of clay would be baked in the sun then turned into long slabs. They’d then be scored and cut by local craftsmen, then glazed and placed into patterned formations. Bowls and table wear would be painted, while walls would be laid and spackled. The entire process was as beautiful as it was laborious- something that almost feels nostalgic with today’s design and construction methods.

 

May 6, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Vibrance & Inspiration from Morocco




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Pattern Pulp’s been kind of quiet as of late. There’s been a lot going on – some things have been really exciting, and all consuming in the work arena, while others have been difficult, and simply put, a pause on life.

Today I’m back, and sharing a glimpse of recent travels. My beloved grandmother passed away nearly three weeks ago, and while this post isn’t necessarily about her, she was eager to hear about a trip to Morocco that was planned awhile ago. She wanted to see all of the curious inspirations and hear about the culture, the food, the birds and the music. After we laid her to rest, my husband and I decided that it was important to still go- that it would hopefully serve as a distraction, a transition and a reflective period while we mourned her loss. We joined good friends and took off in somewhat of a daze, with an itinerary that was loose but linear.

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The mornings and evenings were sad and reflective times, but the days were shiny and full of color and delight. We traveled from Casablanca to Fez to the Sahara Desert then Marrakesh and ended in Essaouira. It was an absolute whirlwind, one that felt appropriate and extremely inspiring. I’ll post more specifically over the coming days, but here’s a little overview of our travels – more to come soon.

 

May 4, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Tracking Repetitive + Awesome.
On Instagram.