This is a beautiful guest post written by Jaimee Schwartz, Creative Designer at Lotus + Lilac Design Studio, for the Lotus + Lilac H A B I T A T journal. I hope you enjoy!
Wake up at 5:30am. Coffee. Morning. Kids. Work. CREATE. Activities. Dinner. Bed. Repeat.
What is the formulaic thread that ties our daily lives together? Routine. It's the key to success so they say, and they are right. This sort of repetition in action is the basis of all our lives, and whether we like to admit it or not, we like routine. It creates a structural framework for our lives and makes us happy and healthy. At L + L we are advocates of balance in art and design and believe that this stems from routine and repetition-and, there's proof!
In biophilic art and design, the naturally occurring patterns in leaves and trees for example are proven to reduce stress and create a calming effect. Now take that same pattern and create an illustration, a digital design, or even a wall in a home. Patterns found in nature have a very positive effect on the mind and body and we always continue to look for new ways to interpret the meaning behind pattern and its importance at L + L Design Studio.
In our Moroccan my World primary bedroom project, our founder Jessica installed a handmade amate paper over a painted wall creating a negative space collage within a niche. This collaged technique created a bridge between the darker wallpaper accent behind the bed and the remaining painted walls.
The stunning repetition of form allows for texture, form and light to marry and become one cohesive work of installed art. Layers of botanicals and found objects with the handmade collaged wallcovering make this bedroom a work of art we can get cozy in.
Collage-it's a cut and a paste, its a visual exploration of putting together repeated elements to create a work of art. Without repetition of shape and color, you may not be able to achieve balance, an essential function to the success of this medium. Jaimee created 'Lost in the Woods' with the intent of repeating the vertical trees in the same shape and scale to create a sense of depth without getting 'Lost'. Using design as her guide, this collage illustration was created with pattern + repetition and relates directly to the importance of biophilic principles in art and design.
Now go blast 'Roxanne,' get in the spirit of repetition. Take a walk in the woods and notice the patterns in the tree bark. Take a photo. Create a drawing. Make a collage. Exhale.