I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Hunt Slonem launch party and book signing honoring Hunt Slonem in the Lee Jofa showroom in the D & D Building in NYC.  It was a memorable event and a true pleasure to meet an artist I have long admired.  The collection is beyond dreamy.  Enjoy!

I know I will have those bunnies on my walls very soon!

 

Groundworks is thrilled to introduce an exclusive collection of vibrantly colored and visually stunning fabrics, wallpapers, and carpets designed by Hunt Slonem, a world-renowned artist best known for his Neo-Expressionist paintings of exotic animals and tropical plant life.

Slonem’s inspiration for his frequent subjects, as well as his vibrant color palette, can be traced to childhood visits to Hawaii and Nicaragua. His empathy for nature can be seen through both his home and studio which house hundreds of birds, both in and out of cages. For the Groundworks’ collection, several of his most popular themes and iconic works have been translated into prints, embroideries, weaves, wallpapers and carpets.

Vibrant and varied species of birds, butterflies, rabbits, tropical leaves and orchids are all utilized in creating dynamic patterns in this art-meets-design collection. His paintings are layered with thick brushstrokes of vivid color, and are often cut into in a cross-hatched pattern, adding texture to the overall surface of the painting. This technique has been replicated in the fabric collection through intricate jacquard weaving and digital printing techniques, resulting in a look that is graphically stunning.

Slonem’s spiritual connection to his recurring themes elevates the simple paintings to something more significant. To Slonem, repetition is divinity. Just like the act of repeating a phrase creates a mantra, the object is elevated and the act of repeating these forms becomes an act of worship. The process of painting is sacred to Slonem, and as a result, his body of work represents so much more than what’s painted on the canvas.

This is Groundworks’ first artist collaboration. To shop the collection, visit your local Lee Jofa showroom or www.leejofa.com.

PRINTS

Bayou Casino

Bayou Casino is styled after Slonem’s signature parrot series, which he paints using dozens of live parrots as models in his studio. The fabric, which is digitally printed on 100 percent linen, was named in honor of Slonem’s plantations on the bayous of Louisiana.

Catelayas 2

As a child in Hawaii, Slonem collected orchids, and his passion and respect for the flower continues to this day, including this fragrant, tropical variety. The fabric is digitally printed on 100 percent linen to capture the nuances and explosive color of Slonem’s orchids, which are presented against a subtle backdrop of Guardian monkeys.

WEAVES AND EMBROIDERIES

Fritillery

The butterfly motif, a recurring subject for Slonem, is represented in Fritillery through layers of embroidery, woven to mimic his signature cross hatch technique. The butterflies in this series are based on the specimens Slonem studied and collected as a boy and now paints from memory.

Guardians

The Guardians is a series of paintings that feature the eyes and mouths of monkeys, repeated in rows across the canvas using simple brushstrokes to create a recurring pattern. In the fabric application, Guardians is a jacquard velvet with cut and loop pile, offered in eight saturated hues with a subtle hint of metallic.

Monsterra

Monsterra is one of Hunt’s most beloved leaf forms. Surrounded by Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterflies, this pattern has a dynamic and exotic motif. It is digitally printed on linen and the butterflies are applied with viscose embroidery, adding dimension and texture.

Star of India

Star of India describes a type of tortoise that was a former pet of the artist. The name also describes a famous sapphire that is one of the largest in the world. The Maharani, or Princess, of Cooch Behar, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, carried around a jeweled tortoise for luck. The fabric application is digitally printed on linen with a combination of viscose velvet applique and viscose embroidered shells.

WALLPAPERS

Bunny Wall

Born in the year of the rabbit, according to the Chinese zodiac calendar, Slonem has been painting bunnies for more than 30 years. Bunny Wall is a tromp l’oeil wallpaper that recreates the walls of Slonem’s studio, where his paintings hang salon-style, framed in authentic 19th century portrait frames which are hand selected by Slonem. It is also available in a smaller scale, called Bunny Wall Small.

Finches

Slonem has kept pet finches since he was a boy and has had as many as 90 varieties over the years. This pattern specifically references “After Boston, ” painted in 2008. Available in a range of cheeky colors, the digitally printed wallpaper is whimsical and colorful.

Hutch

Hutch references a work of monumental scale by the same name, painted in 2009. The wallpaper version offers a seamless series of bunnies, unframed and multiplied, on solid and metallic backgrounds. The repetition of bunnies across the canvas represents luck, abundance, and the gentle traits represented by the rabbit.

CARPETS

The carpet options are fully customizable, and woven to order by artisans in Thailand from wool, silk, artificial silk or combinations. All Eyes and Plan represent the Guardians series of monkey eyes. Hop Along, a limited edition pattern, mimics the look of Hutch, with large scale bunnies grouped together. The enhanced stippling effect of the design creates a beautifully textured heirloom-quality carpet. All three designs have the option to feature the artist’s signature hand-tufted into the corner of the carpet, making each carpet a one-of-a-kind collector’s item.

Fabric: Fritillery in Multi – GWF-3402-953

Wallpaper: Hutch in Gold GWP-3410-8; Hyde Park Sofa H4607-7,  Fabric: Adele Solid in Natural – 2012127-116;

Pillows left to right: Bayou Casino in Cobalt/Citrus – GWF-3407-522, Guardians in Pea – GWF-3403-23,

Star Of India in Multi – GWF-3400-437, Guardians in Orange – GWF-3403-12, Catelayas 2 in Pink/Yellow – GWF-3406-740,

Guardians in Cobalt – GWF-3403-50, Fritillery in Multi – GWF-3402-953;

Carpet: All Eyes-Neutrals; Artwork Courtesy of Hunt Slonem

Clockwise from top: Plan – Taupe/Grey, Plan – Neutral, Plan – Grey, All Eyes – Neutral

Wallpapers left to right: Hutch in Gold – GWP-3413-40, Bunny Wall in Black – GWP-3410-8; Dalton Chair H4503-20,

Fabric: Guardians in Taupe – GWF-3403-611; Pillow: Fritillery in Multi – GWF-3402-953;

Carpet: All Eyes-Neutrals; Artwork Courtesy of Hunt Slonem

For gift ideas shop all my Holiday Gift Guides directly from my website home page.  Go check out the drop drown menu for lots more guides.  I will continually be adding items so check back often.

Happy Shopping and thank you for following along my daily musings.

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