Collection by Karen Gearhart-Jensen
Pattern Design
In 1956, Alexander Girard was commissioned by Georg Jensen to design seven table settings for an exhibition in New York. The Millers used the Carolus Magnus pattern at their house in Columbus, Indiana. The motifs in these four porcelain plates represent the Pinwheel, Patera 1, Patera 2, and Hexagon designs.
Set of two kitchen tea towels, radish pattern, by Lotta Kühlhorn, Available at fromSthlm.com
Lappuliisa
Created in 2010 by designer Maija Louekari, Lappuliisa is but one of Louekari's many designs. In her other patterns, she often expresses a focus on urban and rural landscapes. "When I began an Marimekko, I knew very little about textile printing. I've learned a lot from the people at Marimekko's artwork studio over the years—especially what you can and can't do with textile print design," she says. It was when she was learning to use the technique of overlapping colors to create new shades that she developed Lappuliisa. "The design came to me after seeing old pot holders at flea markets," she recalls. "Traditional potholders can be incredibly colorful as people used leftover yarn to knit or crochet them."
Ginkgo
This delicate pattern was designed by Kristina Isola, daughter of Maija Isola, in 2008. Kristina learned the craft at her mother's knee, watching as Maija sketched textile patterns. "My mother taught me to be methodical and to plan my work beforehand," recalls Kristina. "I also learned that you don't have to see work as a necessary evil. It can be enjoyable." Today Kristina works her own daughter, Emma, continuing the Isola family legacy within Marimekko. The pair have recently created new colorways for Maija Isola's Mehilaispesa (which means "bee hive" in Finnish) pattern from 1961.