11,500,000 square feet of exhibition space,  2000 vendors representing 100 countries, and 180 buildings in 4 days…

See what caught my eye at High Point Market.

Every spring and fall, the design industry makes its bi-annual pilgrimage to High Point Furniture Market. This year marked my 25th trip to the furniture mecca and this market certainly did not disappoint!  My first stop is always 214 Modern Vintage, a collection of great dealers with incredible eyes for everything from fine art and lighting to mid century furnishings and accessories. I could linger here for hours and it is always inspiring to see the authentic pieces in person before heading out into the world of furniture market interpreting these designs.

Natural Curiosities blew my mind at this market! All of their introductions looked incredible in the new exhibition space complete with its own “ArtBar” where you could watch the artists at work on site. These silkscreens from the Planetary are created by mixing colors during the screening process, resulting in abstract, blended forms. The simple shape and coloration evoke the image of distant planets and no two are alike allowing the viewer to create their own unique universe.

Natural Curiosities also introduced a gorgeous furniture line consisting of luxe shapes in stunning colors to complement their art collection. Specimen art has always been a specialty for this company.  The past few collections have been exploring the power and journey of flight with various compilations of feathers. This work entitled “Daedelus” is made of 3000 hand painted feathers that are gathered into a unified form, creating maximum impact. They describe the shape as “a shield and channels the intrinsic magic and awe of nature.” According to Greek mythology, Daedelus built the labyrinth for King Minos and then was imprisoned in a tower to prevent his knowledge of the labyrinth from spreading to the public. His only way to escape was in the air so he fabricated his own set of wings.  He also created a pair for his son Icarus, but warned him not to fly too high because the heat of the son would melt the wax on their wings, nor too low because the sea would soak their feathers.

This beautiful specimen circle is made of naturally colored magnificent pink shells…

Taken from French textile designs, the Pignier series is a mix of botanicals, patterns and handwritten details.

Athens based artist Carol John’s work brilliantly adorned the new Hickory Chair showroom. Her work expresses her love of color, language and pop graphics. It was a such a pleasant surprise to meet the artist in person…she is just as delightful as her paintings!

Trowbridge Gallery featured a gorgeous collection of vintage Gudri jackets using 1930s Parisian designs. Each handmade work is one of a kind and floated in a shadow box frame.

Alexis Walter’s space sang with all of her ethereal new paintings.  Her pastel palette of abstract works and smaller watercolors possess her distinctive look layered, tactile, and beyond extraordinary.

A new find this market was the handmade works by Crystal Brooke McCann. Known as a “creative visonary extraordinaire,” her collection includes hand painted silks and leathers, hides, as well as hand made paper and furnishings.  This paper mural is 11 feet long and the delicate detail is divine.

Hunt Slonem debuted his wallpaper and fabric collection at the new Kravet showroom. Using multiplicity as a motif, Slonem has created an iconic body of work that is sought after around the globe. The much anitcipated collection will allow everyone to have a little piece of the world of this enigmatic artist.

For the neutralists, the work of Carol Benson-Cobb was breathtaking. According to the artist, her work “reflects a feeling created within a color palette with an emphasis on the way the colors touch, layer and affect one another…My intentions are never to fully define a scene but to lead viewers in the use of their imagination and own life experiences to fill in the gaps.” In the work below, she has taken a detail from one of her original paintings and book matched and repeated the pattern.

Trowbridge Gallery used the power of scale to take a fingerprint, an everyday yet unique image, and elevated it to a work of abstract art in metallic inks.

This series from Thom Felicia’s collection for Soicher Marin perfectly illustrates his design aesthetic…”classic simplicity with an unexpected, modern flair.” 12 different abstract sketches would make a great graphic punch on any gallery wall.

Please contact the design studio if you are interested in design services or any of the works seen here…Please check back this week for more High Point Highlights on trends, lighting, accessories and furnishings.

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