Alli Coate

What a gray day it is. I’m packing up some pretty things to send out to an Etsy customer, but wanted to take just a quick moment to post a thank-you to Adam of Twenty2wo magazine for sending me a copy of the latest issue. Design for Mankind just released #5, too, and it’s beautiful! Well done, dear Erin!

Hooray! I have been chosen as the illustrator for Natalie Chanin’s next book, “Alabama Studio Style”. Natalie’s first book, “Alabama Stitch Book,” is so beautiful and inspiring. It is full of gorgeous photography and interesting projects. I love her philosophy of making and am so honored to be connected with her.

Hi friends,
My little mac mini bit the dust a couple weeks ago. Fortunately I had my most important files backed up, and am now broadcasting live from my first ever laptop! In the downtime, the second issue of Twenty2wo magazine was released, in which I am a featured artist. You can download a PDF version or purchase a printed copy from MagCloud. Thanks, Adam!

Here’s to taking time to breathe sweet air and spend time with amazing friends! I’m remembering the necessity of refueling and knowing that I am part of something bigger than just me. I must remind myself that as much as I love my work, rest is vital.

So I’m taking time to just “be”, and trying to tie the loose ends of some straggling projects. Saying goodbye, learning new… happy days.

(I’ve been posting pages from a journal page series from last fall- don’t worry, I’m not falling apart!)

I’m super-busy, but I still wanted to drop a post here to share a couple exciting news-es:

• The adorably hip LMNOP Magazine has featured me in Issue Four. LMNOP is a free quarterly PDF magazine for hip, stylish parents and their children.
• I’m a finalist in Etsy’s Handmade Kids Challenge- in two categories! Vote for me and enter yourself to win some sweet prizes. My Tree Stump Stool is in the furniture category, and the Happy Day banner is in home decor.

I got my first try at styling for a real-life photo shoot last month! Christine had her house featured on Design*Sponge, and I was lucky enough to get to contribute to the project. It was truly so much fun to play and experiment with these little vignettes. More photos here.

This illustration accompanies an article  about the physiological differences between men and women. The drawings inside the profiles are from diagrams of two different machines, implying that despite the similarities, the elements that compose the brain and body are assembled and function differently.

I love the ability cut paper has to communicate an idea simply and quickly! It requires a paring down to only the essential elements.

Two of my best-ever-friends, Chris Tolles and Henrik Soderstrom, studied furniture at RISD. I once dreamed of being a furniture major, but have witnessed enough close calls with band saws and several glue-ups-from-hell to cure me. Luckily, though, Chris and Henrik were kind enough to include me in some of their projects. (They know I’m game for some free manual labor every now and then.)

Chris designed this gorgeous chair as part of his degree project called “honesty”. The seat is two layers of thick wool felt sewn onto a birch frame. I assisted Chris with developing a technique to get the threads through all those layers. I had learned a technique in Bolivia for sewing through shoe leather, and we adapted it for use on this project.

Henrik and I collaborated on this leaning shelf made of steel rod. He was looking for a way to use string to create semi-solid surfaces for each shelf.

I designed this wrapping pattern and applied it to all three shelf surfaces. We had a great time combining these materials, and have since began work on more sculptural pieces.