The most recent issue of the award-winning Mohawk Maker is about to be released, and this is one issue you don’t want to miss! It focuses on the concept of Character, which has so many meanings: a role in a play; a moral or ethical quality; and a collection of features and traits that make up our individual natures. The term also refers to the spirit of a brand, and this edition touches on many that are pushing that very envelope in regards to creativity and ethics.
To support this concept, the issue is printed on Mohawk Loop, featuring extremely high PCW recycled papers to support sustainable design and demonstrating how using responsible paper can add character to printed projects. Short sheets add extra pop and more than a few surprises to the reading experience.
The cover features art by Maija Louekari — and if her work looks familiar to you, it’s because it’s the basis of many a Marimekko design. The first story examines eyewear retailer Warby Parker with a fabulous juxtaposition of Citrus Green paper next to a fluorescent orange and aqua illustration of oversized eyeglasses.
Next up is “Capturing the Individual,” in which the street fashion photography of Acielle — who blogs at Style du Monde — comes alive in print. It’s the first of several instances of white ink printed on Mohawk Loop Urban Gray, and the effect is fabulous (as are the portraits).
Next up is “Defining Sustainability: It’s more than just recycling.” True sustainability means choosing raw materials with care, harvesting them with minimal impact and transforming them into products that matter. The sustainability circle of Loop is gorgeously depicted, followed by snapshot profiles of companies approaching this in their own distinctive manner. Don’t miss Bottling Nature, a profile of Juniper Ridge, which lovingly harvests ingredients from forests to create Wilderness Perfume.
In “The Hard Way,” four distinctly different makers share why craftsmanship is the lifeblood of their business. Perry A. Price, the American Craft Council’s Director of Education, writes, “The advantage of the handmade, I believe, is empathy. It is a means to connect the maker and the recipient, to humanize each through the eyes of the other. Who does not feel an unbidden surge of respect for the maker in the presence of an incredible object? What maker pours themselves into their craft without a care of thought for those who might enjoy it? The object persists, but what endure are the makers.”
The spread opens to reveal a pull-out keepsake poster designed by Tad Carpenter Creative, printed on Mohawk Loop Smooth, Birch.
Next up, “Sourcing Originality” focuses on Minted and their distinctive process of involving creatives and customers in the process to become a go-to source for well-designed goods. The result is a curated merchandise mix that both sets the aesthetic bar high and decreases the usual distance between the consumer and the product. And, the camaraderie within the community of designers for many of them is “like going to design school without the tuition,” explains CEO and Founder Miriam Naficy. 
Yes another can’t-miss feature is “By Hand,” examining the phenomenon that in an age of e-manufacturing and i-tools, handmade goods remain highly in demand. The piece features Mt Washington Pottery, Shelter Publications, Thornwillow Press and Rifle Paper. Anna Bond’s Herbs & Spices is accompanied by another half-sheet with white ink printed on Mohawk Loop Urban Gray.
Finally, the issue closes with Champions of Craft, full of fresh, passionate approaches to artisanal objects and acts of creation. This round-up includes vivid imagery and compelling inspiration from Tartine Bakery, award-winning bread and pastries, San Francisco; Broken Homme, American-made footwear and leather goods, Los Angeles; Greenwich House Pottery, helping individuals through art education, New York; Jack Lenor Larsen, textile designer, creator and collector, New York; Brendan Ravenhill Studio, furniture, lighting and product design, Los Angeles; cover model Maija Louekari, textile designer and illustrator, Helsinki, Finland; Greg Klassen Furniture, contemporary fine furniture, Lynden, WA; Julia Turner, award-winning jewelry-maker and artist, San Francisco; and Gray Area Foundation, applying art and technology to create positive social impact, San Francisco.
My favorite short sheet closes the issue and contrasts work from Greg Klassen Furniture with the cover art. Gorgeous!
Best of all, the issue is completely free! To view it online (up soon) go here, and to sign up to receive your own issues of the Mohawk Maker Quarterly, go here!
