Personalize With Prints

I spend two days a week in my cSPACE studio, reinvigorating my energy with creative practice. Three doors down, talented surface designer Natalie Gerber is doing the same. She regularly takes a quick break from screen printing or business building so we can connect in one studio or the other over the challenges of being an entrepreneur, the ebb and flow of creativity, the hunt for raw material resources, or how to inspire desire for products with soul.

I feel very lucky to have met Natalie and deeply respect her process and the beauty of her product. For this reason I am very excited to share that all of her handprinted textiles are available as options for our Bluff Pocket Blazer! To celebrate this opportunity for clients to create an even more personalized piece, I asked Natalie to reiterate a few of the ideas we have explored in recent chats. Read all about it below, then let me know if one of her many gorgeous prints catches your eye for a custom jacket!

Creatives often pursue their craft out of love, rather than practicality. For you, what aspects of being a creative entrepreneur keep you inspired when difficulties arise?

The rewards in following a creative path are endless and I find so many in every aspect of my business.  This could be simply mixing pigments and getting my hands dirty, or seeing the pure joy my clients feel from the finished work they have had custom made. 

The amount of time and energy that goes into fine craft is often underestimated. As a result, makers must stand firm on the value of their work and the value of handmade products. In your opinion, why should people care and what is special about the handmade nature of your products?

I believe it is important to invest in that which inspires joy in your life. For me that means finding joy and balance in as much as possible from my personal health to the things around me, and the two are very much intertwined. 

Finely-crafted, locally handmade goods are important to me, along with supporting my local economy and playing a small part in sustaining its healthy future.

I also feel like part of improving the perceived value of fine craft is education, which is a big part of your business model. Do you have any upcoming workshops to share with my readers? 

This fall we’re offering an intimate workshop experience in the studio.  Participants can join me for a weekend intensive, to expand their knowledge of screen printed textiles.  With hands on demonstrations and problem solving throughout the course, they will print two meters of organic cotton/linen and work through the steps from repeat pattern development to screen prep, colour mixing, registration, and finally printing. At the end of this course they will have a better understanding of the process and materials for printing on cloth and have their own micro textile collection for future projects.

What a special experience! Speaking of textile collections, are there any prints in yours that you think would well suit the Bluff Pocket Blazer? Why?
1) ORI: Line is a clean linear print that would be flattering on the body.  I’d love to see this printed top to bottom rather than side to side.  I believe it would add to the elegant fitted silhouette of the blazer.
2) FLORALZ: Cranz is a print that I’m launching for Spring 2022. It would be incredible as a feature print that wraps around the bottom hem and cuffs of the blazer.  A challenge that I believe would be worth the investment of time.

To get started creating a blazer from her beautiful fabrics, click here.

You can see more of Natalie’s work on her website, Instagram, or Facebook.

Photos: Elyse Bouvier, Hero Images, Natalie Gerber, Ken Heinbecker