OK. Let's imagine a designer company with Frank Lloyd Wright and Joanna Gaines as managing partners. Sounds pretty "out there" doesn't it? Well that's where I went with the creation of my new line of Friendship Bells. The Friendship bells combine the best of the warm family-oriented tradition of "The Call that Dinner is Being Served" with an out-of-the-ordinary modernist style of functional artwork.
I have to admit that I am a fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Partly because they have managed to change what was basically a mundane topic, recycled for decades by home improvement shows like This Old House, and made the process fun, exciting, and somewhat sexy. Fixer Upper was a game-changer for this genre of cable TV. And as Joanna & Chip evolved with the show, so did Joanna's design sensibilities. She has become the vanguard of the Farmhouse Style movement and was an inspiration for my Friendship Bell concept.
By combining rustic industrial or farmhouse style with modern colors and design, I decided to take an age-old tradition and merge it with an unexpected art experience of contemporary design and bright colors, resulting in artwork that both contrasts and complements the surrounding environment. I wanted to make these bells feel like they fit anywhere… inside or outdoors, on your front porch, in a public bar, on a farm, or on a boat.
Take a look at Friendship Bells and let me know what you think.
Three brilliant colors offered so far… and more to come. WOW, I'm having fun.
Marc