Mother Nature . . . First Place in Design Creation!

 Have you noticed the resurgence of Geometric shapes trending in?  It is the influence of Nature fanned by our awareness and concern for the environment.  Many of the designs appear to be plucked directly from historic, architectural elements seen in cathedrals and castles.  But guess who inspired the Gothic and Renaissance artists, artisans and architects?  That's right . . . Mother Nature.  This puts the consumer in touch with nature. 

 Throughout history man has been fascinated by Nature which has always held great mysteries.  The philosophers saw our lives as paralleling Nature's cycle of life.  Stonehenge is homage to Nature's wisdom of the seasons.  The moon's cycles guided early man's sowing and harvesting of crops. There's been continual intrigue as to how a bee hive is created, how a spider spins its web or what pigments color a butterfly's wings.   

 Six hundred years ago artists had only Nature as their artistic influence.  Canopies of trees were inspiration for gothic cathedrals.  Acanthus leaves, representing long life, decorated columns and borders.  Three-leafed and four-leafed plants were the influence for Trefoils and Quatrefoils whose shapes are seen as cathedral windows.  The hexagonal shape of a beehive is probably Nature's most popular motif, seen in tile patterns.  Nature's geometrics present an organized order.

 The mountains of Tuscany were the influence of Bargello patterns which appeared in the 1400's in weavings and furniture upholstery.  Today, it is that same zig-zag or flame pattern which has become iconic for the Missoni fashion house. 

 Art of the Middle Ages was flat, without perspective.  It wasn't until the 1400's that Italian artists in Florence discovered how to draw the receding lines they saw in Nature, referred to as the "vanishing point."  This discovery led artists to realize that color tones and shadows are also altered with distance. 

 Let's face it . . . there's little that is truly new.  Throughout history designers have chosen and adapted the best design elements of each era.  Those elements that have withstood the tests of time have become today's classics.  Renaissance artists and architects were influenced by Greek and Roman temples and statuary.  Re-invented today they can appear quite contemporary.  Historical architecturals are chameleons, seamlessly adapting to their new environment and appearing quite au courant. 

 Geometric patterns are recycling.  Influenced by Missoni's multi-colored chevrons, flame-stitch and Bargello are scaling up in home décor.  Stripes will be strong for the next two years.  Look for multi-colored, variable-sized stripes.  Ginghams, checks and plaids are trending in, also circles and ovals.  Drawing upon the influences of nature are Go Home, Madeline Weinrib Tibetan Carpets, Rose Tarlow, Vagabond and Creative Co-Op.

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