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Friday Five with Shanan Campanaro of Eskayel

Shanan Campanaro is the artist and designer behind the Brooklyn-based home furnishings brand, Eskayel, which she founded in 2008. After graduating with a BFA degree from Central St. Martins of London, Campanaro began her career as a graphic designer in the fashion world all while continuing to pursue fine art on the side. Having won five major grants in a row from NYFA (New York Foundation for the Arts) allowed her to exhibit her work around the United States and then globally. Along the way, her focus landed more on watercolors and digital manipulation of her work, all leading her to where she is today. Concentrating on eco-friendly wall coverings and made-to-order fabrics with mesmerizing imagery and ethereal patterns, Eskayel continues to evolve its breathtaking line of unique goods. In this week’s Friday Five, Campanaro dives into what keeps her visual appetite stimulated.

Credit Noboyuki Takahashi

Credit Noboyuki Takahashi

1. Water
From water colors, to pool water reflecting light, the ocean, drinking water, surfing, diving – basically, I am obsessed with water. And, I am an Aquarius. Most recently, the book Nyodo Blue with photographs of the Nyodo River by Nobuyuki Takahashi has been inspiring me. We posted our favorite photographs on our blog and the book is available at Saturdays in NYC.

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2. The artist Rop Van Mierlo
Recently, I have been drawn to the watercolor work of Rop Van Mierlo, who I discovered via his book, WILD ANIMALS.

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3. Travel and the natural world
We got married in Gili Meno, Indonesia, this past February, and have been there several times before that. I think it is one of my favorite places on the planet because of the colors of the sunset, the sunrise, the sea, and the sand. I can see them whenever I close my eyes, and they are my favorite colors. Traveling, and the natural world are where I draw most of my inspiration from. Most of my paintings are of plants or animals from travels.

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4. Textiles
Woven, Ikat, Batik, embroidery, mud cloth. Often, my hand painted patterns are inspired from woven types of patterns from different indigenous cultures I have visited.

5. Georgia O’Keeffe
For me, the inspiration comes more from her life and her way of living more than from her artwork, though I love a ton of her work. I am most impressed by her independence, her actual homes, and daily practices, and her age. She lived an incredibly long time, incredibly well, and so beautifully. I hope to be as beautiful as she was in her old age, when I am old. I have a huge appreciation for natural beauty and aging.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.