OL CUT AND LOOP PILE MADE IN NEPAL
FEATURED ARTIST D 11
M.B: I DO BOTH. CERTAIN TRIPS I AM ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE SOME HANDICRAFTS. FOR EXAMPLE IN GHANA I HAD A CHANCE TO CARVE MY OWN MASK; IT DIDN’T COME OUT AS NICE AS THE MASTER CARVERS:-). IN OTHER PLACES I AM ONLY AN OBSERVER AND ADMIRER OF THE CRAFT. H: WHICH PLACES HAVE IMPRESSED AND INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST AND WHY? M.B: INDIA BECAUSE IT HAS A NEVER ENDING SOURCE OF INSPIRATION; THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE AND LEARN. SENEGAL AND GHANA BECAUSE OF ART IS INCORPORATED INTO EVERY ASPECT OF THE CULTURE. THE CARIBBEAN BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY OF PEOPLE INHABITING THE ISLANDS AND THE BEAUTY OF THE SURROUNDINGS. H: MANY TIMES WHILE MY STUDIES I HEARD “STAY TRUE TO YOUR ROOTS AND YOU CANNOT GO WRONG”. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO STAY TRUE TO YOUR ROOTS WHILE DESIGNING? M.B: I LOVE THE DESIGN PROCESS SO I CONTINUE TO FIND PEOPLE, PLACES OR THINGS THAT INSPIRE ME TO CREATE AND I CREATE FROM MY SOUL. FOR ME IT MEANS THAT I AM PUTTING MY SOUL INTO MY WORK; IT MEANS THAT I AM TRULY EXPRESSING MYSELF AND LIVING MY LIFE BASED ON MY PASSION. H: OUR MAGAZINE’S THEME THIS TIME IS COLORS AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE ALSO IN YOUR WORK. COULD YOU DESCRIBE A BIT YOUR DESIGN PROCESS - ARE COLORS THE STARTING POINT OF EVERYTHING OR DO YOU FIRST THINK OF MOTIFS, TEXTURES..? M.B: I ALWAYS START WITH A SKETCH, REVERTING TO MY FINE ARTS/ILLUSTRATION BACKGROUND AND TRAINING. I CREATE A MOTIF, PLAY WITH THE REPEAT AND THEN COLOR AND TEXTURE ARE USUALLY LAST. H: HOW DID YOU END UP SPECIALIZING IN CARPET DESIGN?
www.maleneb.com
M.B: I STUDIED TEXTILE DESIGN AT FIT IN NEW YORK CITY. AFTER GRADUATION, I WORKED AS THE DESIGN DIRECTOR FOR AFRITEX, DESIGNING AFRICAN PRINT FABRICS. LATER, I WORKED FOR NOURISON RUGS,