The story and process behind our Parable Collection, as told by its artist: Jessica Hiemstra.

The animals I painted for this collection are animals I grew up with: horses, garter snakes and birds, both wild and tame. I chased frogs, collected eggs and wandered in nature my whole childhood (and I continue to be a compulsive wanderer and nature enthusiast to this day). For those familiar with my collaborations with AD (Eric & Eloise!), you’ll notice that animals pop up in so many of my designs; I love animals, and connect deeply with their spaces. My reverence for the wild is vital to all of my paintings.

Fun fact: when I first sat down to draw the birds, snakes and plants in this collection, I made them up and I painted with my left hand to start (I usually use my right). I wanted a quality of line that was both bold and tentative. I let my imagination touch the world of story, of allegory and folklore. I wanted this dishware to feel familiar and connect with the  dreamer in whomever is using the plate, or serving a guest from a bowl. I wanted these dishes to feel like collected and loved treasure.

I am a fan of folk art. A folk artist has to have an unwieldy heart and imagination; a folk artist is someone who feels so compelled to express themselves that they do so despite having no training. I have no formal art training; I started painting when I was 3-years-old, and I’ve learned by practicing, taking risks and admiring and translating the work of other artists – by enjoying, being moved and responding to a vast body of exceptional work that is already in the world.

Picasso is famously quoted as saying that “good artists copy and great artists steal.” He’s full of you-know-what. In my opinion, it’s jazz. Great artists acknowledge where they’ve drawn inspiration. They take the same notes and do some Miles Davis with it. They riff. Great artists riff. I try to riff. So along with making some animals up, this collection also began with inspiration from other artists, specifically a mural by LA-based artist, Abel Macius’ powerful and playful painting in the Proper Hotel in LA, an eclectic space dreamed up by designer Kelly Wearstler. The painting draws from Macius’ Mexican heritage and is a detailed and bold tapestry of plants and animals that envelope you as you enter the reception area. I also looked to the style and intensity of folk artist Bill Traylor, and the tender yet playful paintings of animals by American artists Cindy Derby and Carson Ellis. I’m also fond of the joy and pattern in traditional Italian dishware. It’s quite a jambalaya of influences; and I’m proud of the result–The Parable Collection.

Finally, I wanted to create something where the plates felt like they’d been in the family for 50 years. But they aren’t locked away – they are the kind of dishes that come out every day – and are made special by their history and their use; the special salad bowl or the jug that always has a slice of lemon in it in summer. I wanted to create a collection where every piece had its own story –- even the vase on the table with a bouquet picked from your garden.

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