Inside Claudia Pearson's Brooklyn Studio
When you live in Brooklyn, it's important to have a lot of plants to catch some green during winter months. And here at Tattly, we believe it's just as important to actually wear your greens to add a little cheer to a New York palette.
Enter artist Claudia Pearson and our first collaboration of the decade! This London-born and Brooklyn-based artist and illustrator designs textiles and home goods for her own product line, as well as for West Elm and Crate and Barrel (though she got her start with her signature tea towels right down the street from us at Brooklyn Flea!) Her beautiful illustrations have also been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Elle Magazine to name a few, as well as in her own books like Tribal Alphabet.
Last week she warmly welcomed us to take a peek into her bright Brooklyn studio to introduce her two first-ever Tattly: the Pilea Plant and Calathea Plant. These designs are near and dear to our plant-loving hearts, and we couldn't be more thrilled to have a few words with Claudia on our blog today! Read on...
London vs. Brooklyn: Where do you consider “home” and how does it impact your art?
Essentially both. I'll always be a Londoner and when I visit, I feel like it's in my bones. Walking around the city I feel a deep connection to people, architecture, food and culture, which I miss and crave from Brooklyn.
However, Brooklyn has been home for 25 years, half of my life, and this definitely has had more of an impact on my art. The brownstone neighborhood that I live in has played a role in much of my illustrations, as has the local farmers market I visit every Saturday. I also find nature in the city as much as possible and this pops up all over my work.
We love your Bloom line! Are you a big plant person? Any favorite types?
I'm a huge plant person and my home will resemble a jungle one of these days. I'd say I'm loving my pilea plant right now and she's growing babies so that's exciting.
My monstera was the only plant that survived a fire last year that sadly wiped out my entire plant family. She's growing back stronger than ever so I'd have to put her at the top.
Your prints first appeared at Brooklyn Flea, a funky artisan center not too far from Tattly HQ. Any funny memories or anecdotes from early in your career?
The Brooklyn Flea was a wonderful place to launch my product line but putting up with the weather when we sold outdoors from Spring to Fall was a huge challenge. I remember a day when a summer storm swept through and the tent we were under tried to blow away. We tied it down and huddled under for over an hour attempting to keep ourselves and the products out of the rain.
Do you have any special Instagram feeds or artist websites that have been inspiring you lately?
Always inspired by my dear friend Lisa Congdon. Also, ceramicist Hilton Carter who is a plant don.
Thank you, Claudia! Visit her website to learn more!