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Friday Five With Alexander Jowett of Atelier Nomade

Alexander Jowett is an artist, designer, and owner of Atelier Nomade, an art and design studio that likens itself to a contemporary version of a trading post with a focus on sustainable products, including vintage and antique Moroccan rugs. Jowett creates many of the designs while simultaneously managing an art practice with galleries in Toronto, Vancouver, and New York where his art, which has been shown across Canada and the United States, is sold. Jowett also sells internationally and he is represented by Alison Milne gallery in Toronto and Elan Fine Art in Vancouver. Today he’s joining us for Friday Five.

Photo by Alexander Jowett

1. The Little Prince by Antoine du Saint-Exupery
I have read this book in three languages, and also have the pop-up version which I read to my daughter India. I also have a tattoo of the boa constrictor who swallowed an elephant (drawing from the book) on my left wrist. I got the tattoo on my daughter’s first birthday in honor of her, as a reminder of how children see the world so differently from adults, and as a reminder to always keep an open mind and eyes to how others see the world.

Photo via Wikipedia

2. Pentax 6×7 Film Camera
I am an artist and photographer, in addition to doing design and collecting vintage textiles. I have two of these medium format film cameras and enjoy using this camera more than any other. It is a nice reminder to slow things down and really consider the whole scene or moment, which is so contrary to what digital photography has become. I mostly only ever shoot B&W with the Pentax 67 though. Is a bit like a canon going off when you click the shutter, but getting the film back is always more fun than simply looking at a screen.

Photo courtesy of The Aga Khan Museum

3. The Aga Khan Museum, Toronto
Whilst I don’t get there too often, as it is a bit out of the way, the Aga Khan Museum is such a great addition to the landscape of Toronto. It can be seen elegantly rising out of the hillside where it sits by all the motorists driving the Don Valley Parkway, but it is even more calming and elegant inside. Quite the opposite of the somewhat manic feeling of the ROM, with its confusing layout and not entirely user-friendly crystal addition. The Aga Khan is a true cultural gem in Toronto.

Photo by Alexander Jowett

4. Homemade Bread
Ever since being regularly given homemade bread, made with ancient grains, flours, and so on, I find it difficult to bring myself around to buying store made bread. So I am now starting to make my own homemade bread and am looking forward to what I call the monk’s diet: a large slice of heavy homemade bread, some cheese, and a hearty soup. Great for dinner or lunch.

Photo by Alexander Jowett

5. The Ocean
So much of my life has revolved and evolved around the ocean that any list seems incomplete without mentioning it. The ocean was the focus of my travels and sports experience (surfing and windsurfing) and nowadays it is a large part of the artworks I produce. It is such a pervasive part of the world and is proven to create calming and well-being simply by being near it. The Blue Mind is a great book that furthers these ideas of Ocean-related well-being!

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.