Dutch folks of the 17th century went through a serious blue-and-white phase.
This craze was centered around ceramics produced in the city of Delft, hence the name Delftware.
This iconic earthenware is the inspiration for my latest collection, designed for the North Carolina Museum of Art’s newest exhibition, Dutch Art in a Global Age.
This collection invites you to wear a small (and cheerful!) slice of history, sampling the brushwork of actual Delftware pieces.
The color palette stays true to the gorgeous cobalt and white. And the gold accents are a nod to the Dutch Golden Age, a period of immense wealth and prosperity.
For those with a taste for the bold, the collection takes an edgier turn...
I reimagined the quaint Dutch scene (above) as large-scale statement earrings.
And engraved the same traditional artwork into neon pink acrylic. I deconstructed the concept of pottery and included ceramic beads.
With this design, I wanted to amplify the contrast between modern and traditional. The fanciful brushwork (sampled from a Delftware plate) contrasts with the stark geometry. The neon pink in unexpected but complimentary.
These bad boys have their own blog. I explain the meaning behind the Dutch words and flower-crowned skull.
This collection gives traditional Delftware a playful spin. It pays homage to Dutch tradition while still offering something new.
It shows how the past never stops giving us inspiration for the future.
Learn more about Dutch art at the museum!