Entryway Reveal: Gaar Marrakesh
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Culture Maker: Weaver Savannah Jubic
Savannah Jubic is a weaver and installation artist based in Chicago. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Jubic is a creative programming assistant at Johalla Projects in Chicago and teaches weaving to the elderly. Jubic volunteers with a group called Committed Knitters teaching knitting and crochet at Cook County Jail on the weekends.
Savannah and I were both in school at the same time, while I was recieving my Master's degree she was an undergraduate student. I knew her to be from the other tribe; that is, I was in the print tribe of the Fiber Department and she was a weaver. Both very different skill sets, students tend to move towards one camp rather than dive into both crafts. I knew she was a devoted artist because weaving takes so much patience and commitment and I would see her in the studio all the time.
It was only later, once we were both out of school that I was looking to enlist the help of an accomplished weaver to make a custom border for my stair runner at the Lake Forest Showhouse. Savannah was recommended to me by several colleagues and I was happy to meet her again and hire her to make the staircase shine.
Last May, Relativity Textiles was invited to be at part of the Lake Forest Showhouse, one of the remaining showcases for interior designers in the suburbs of Chicago. It was an incredible experience full of great connections and networking. Our space turned out beautifully with many thanks to my collaborator Claire Staszak from Centered by Design. It has always been important to me to support the robust community of local artists in makers in what we do at RT, and the Lake Forest Showhouse was no exception. Our Arabian Nights wallpaper in Parchment was designed specifically for this showcase. Featured in our space was also a rare antique Iranian runner sourced online, Unimode Woodworking created the fabulous mirrored doors, It’s Oksana created the draperies, Stark Carpet generously donated the sisal carpet for the staircase.
We asked Savannah to give us a little bit of an in-depth interview about her process and inspiration. Read on for her answers.
Inspiration Hunting: Marrakesh, Morocco
The New Blush
Some of you may know that the names of the colorways of the second collection mainly are drawn from cities in Morocco. As it is my second home, and exists on the bucket list of many people, Morocco serves as an endless inspiration stream for me. Colors especially stick out in my mind. Though none of these colors hit the Pantone Color of the Year chord, they're verging on trendy but in an accidental way. Take this warm clay color for example. It's not flesh or blush, it's not terracotta or paprika, but it's own unique hue that belongs only in this place. Marrakesh. It's always been the color of the year here.
I first went to Morocco in 2002 and fell in love with this vibrant city. It's been a place of mystery and magic for me ever since. This bustling tourist hub has an interesting history but is also like a magnet, pulling me near, all the time. I've been back several times for textiles buying trips and with groups of Americans learning about Moroccan culture. I like to explain it as the city that never sleeps. We typically start with an exercise called the "Five Senses of Jama'a Al Fna", which means that you'll see, smell, taste, hear and (be) touch(ed) in the crowded plaza all within minutes of arriving!
