My passion and approach to design

I think about what makes for good and satisfying design a lot of the time. And although I have never been to art school it is the essence of my being to produce, beautiful objects that enhance everyday life. I have found that the quest to develop designs with my designers is one of the most constant joys in my life. I can loose myself  totally when thinking about a design concept and that is an absolute joy. 

I have a desire to make things every day, I love watching fabrics being printed and sewn. Sometimes I wonder why this gives me joy. Perhaps in the same way that we can listen to a piece of music over and over, and just knowing and anticipating  the conclusion of the song or music gives joy, in the same way an product that is made over and again gives joy.

Good design to me has I believe has to be functional, and resonate emotionally and even create affection of sorts. Beauty with individual has to be part of the equation. I would like to think of my products as have meaning and being  memorable. I do not aim to produce pretty objects. Every object I make has a story, and I do feel an emotional connection to every design. I thought of my father when searching for sayings and expressions in Yiddish for the Yiddish range. The Yiddish resonates with so many people, they recall grandparents and a feeling of Yiddishkeit at home

I love the Hebrew letters, they have an energy and strength and a natural graphic beauty, that I felt need to be celebrated. I have played with the Hebrew letters, which are familiar, but put them on new objects such as dish towels  cushions, on a vase and a plate, or a note book. I find it curious that not many Israeli designers have wanted to create objects with the Hebrew alphabet.

I recall falling in love with the shape of the fig leaf, we then designed one. But it had to be a fig leaf from Israel not Italy. So we added the verse from Micha. Each will sit under his fig tree.

 During this period of corona when we have spent more time at home, and I felt nostalgic to times gone by. We produced a fabulous design called Nostalgic Jerusalem with Shlomi Gur

I also thought of wonderful trips I had taken to exotic place, I produced a new Challah cover with Jen Klor as designer.based on wall hangings we say in Bukhara.

There is a risk involved in every design,it is exposing yourself. Will anyone buy? What happens if they don't buy?

In some ways I feel a charlatan, as it is not my hand that draws, usually I have a concept that then I approach a designer whom I feel is most suited to the task. We discuss the idea and then a draft is produce, I then have input and it may go back and forth a few times.

Design to me must have an Aha or WOW factor- the unexpected. A new way of viewing the world, a new construction of the familiar, or a leap into the New. Usually it is this combination of familiar and new that creates the AHA factor.

During this period we go out less, I find I think and enjoy the small pleasure and the constant creativity a real comfort and solace.