Artist Jen Hewett begins her mornings with a walk. On these sun-dappled strolls, she clears her head and pays attention to the small changes on her daily route: how the light shifts with the season, what new botanicals have flourished, and other note-worthy nature musings. This is all in service of her craft: drawings, prints, and block carvings that look as visually rich as the AM-air feels refreshing.
It’s these saturated surface designs that have us simply smitten and feature on her new only-at-Anthro collection – a very special one for Jen, at that.
With a recent move from the San Francisco Bay Area to the East Coast's Hudson Valley, Jen's scenery and studio have entirely changed. Yet, it is Golden Gate Park that remains as the source inspiration for this exclusive collaboration. In a way, this new collection of block-printed accents and cheery home décor serve as an unexpected tribute of her lifelong "Californian" title.
Meet the Artist:
Jen Hewett
Introducing an only-at-Anthro collaboration with the artist and printmaker.
At the start of her artistic career, Jen established a project: 52 weeks of printmaking with the goal of exploring all types of media. She landed on block- and screen-printing as her main forms of expression. "The moment I pulled my first print, I thought: 'This is what I want to do for a living.'"
"All of the prints in this collection were either part of my Print, Pattern, Sew project or from my book of the same name," says Jen. "In 2015, I designed and carved a different block every month, printed continuous fabric yardage by hand using that block, and sewed a garment using the fabric."
Through this exploration, Jen found that linoleum, a soft and easy-to-carve medium, was ideal for quickly simplifying her drawings into blocks. After carving, she plays with color and tests prints until she achieves a visually layered and tactile composition.
"All of the prints in this collection were either part of my Print, Pattern, Sew project or from my book of the same name," says Jen. "In 2015, I designed and carved a different block every month, printed continuous fabric yardage by hand using that block, and sewed a garment using the fabric."
Through this exploration, Jen found that linoleum, a soft and easy-to-carve medium, was ideal for quickly simplifying her drawings into blocks. After carving, she plays with color and tests prints until she achieves a visually layered and tactile composition.
Every print she makes, and each one featured in the collection, is a physical labor of love. For instance, a yellow flower motif – as seen on a kitchen apron, percale sheet set, and a rosewood folding chair’s upholstery – is derived from a wood block-print she created during a journey to Jaipur, India.
"For me, this collaboration is super exciting because I'm able to offer such a broad range of products that is otherwise not possible for me to do right now. It's a new venue for my designs to live," says Jen.
"For me, this collaboration is super exciting because I'm able to offer such a broad range of products that is otherwise not possible for me to do right now. It's a new venue for my designs to live," says Jen.
An instant fave in the collection? A cloud-mountain landscape – seen above on the Blockprinted Serenity Quilt. Its dreamy, undulating peaks also make a welcome appearance on the Formation Rug, where it's rendered through tufts and hand-weavings into a palliative floorcovering. "It's soothing because it's evenly spaced out. There's a lot of breathing room that provides a sense of calm, and there is really something heirloom-worthy and beautiful about it."
Celebrate Jen Hewett's artistry through block-prints in your own home. Shop the full collaboration here.
Celebrate Jen Hewett's artistry through block-prints in your own home. Shop the full collaboration here.