Brief Essay: written by Lauren Gallow

 "My house is pretty empty; only what I need is in it." —Georgia O'Keeffe

We have many reasons for selecting the things that surround us in the gloriously personal universe we call “home.” Here, in our private quarters, away from watchful eyes and free from the weight of the world, we get to choose which items to place in arm’s reach and what artifacts to use in animating our daily private lives. Whatever our relationship to “home,” it’s often objects that bring color and comfort to our domestic worlds.

As years have passed and pandemics have waxed and waned, the articles of domesticity have taken on new meaning. Quarantining, working from home, or simply seeking refuge, it’s likely that most of us have spent more time at home over the last few years than ever before. As we’ve found ourselves housebound, new essentials have emerged – those objects and tools for living that today we wake up to find are absolutely necessary for shoring up the scaffolding of our daily existence.

Small or large, soft or hard, commanding or slight, functional or simply nice to look at, these new essentials are the things we cannot live without. Not because they’re life-and-death, but because they speak to our souls in a way that reminds us we’re human. Each of us is capable of experiencing joy and satisfaction, and although there is plenty just outside our doors or even in the next room that might steal those emotions away, inside these four walls, with our personal objects d’art, we are alive and we are ourselves. These are the new essentials for a life well lived at home.

 Requirements:

-Must fit within design brief theme (as outlined in above essay)

-Must be an object for the home

-Size constraints: no larger than 48”x48”x48”

-Must be a new design (not previously exhibited)

-Selected final designs must be available for purchase (can be OOAK, or an edition of less than 12)

-Studio must be US-based

Deadlines:

6/30          Submissions due

7/7            Selections made

8/25          Pieces due to arrive in Seattle

9/22-9/25  Exhibition on view in Seattle

Partners:This exhibition is a collaboration between JOIN Design, Maria Bianco, Lauren Gallow and Amanda Ringstad.

Venue:

Selected designs will be presented in Seattle, WA at Bianco Gallery September 22nd-25th. *Designers do not need to be present in order to participate.

Fees:

There is a $25 submission fee per entry*. Please feel free to submit multiple designs.*There is no submission fee for JOIN Members.

If you are selected to participate, each designer will be required to pay an estimated exhibition fee of $250-$300.00** to cover exhibition costs. **Exact fee will be determined by the number of selected works.

 Shipping:

Each accepted designer will cover costs of shipping their work to Seattle, WA (must be received by 8/25) in order to be photographed prior to the exhibition. *In the case that the work does not sell during the length of the exhibition, return shipping will also be at the participants expense.

Commission:

If you are selected to participate, you will receive 60% sales commission if your object sells during the exhibition. The remaining 40% will be split among the partners to cover exhibition fees. JOIN Design will be handling all sales transactions (in-person and online via digital catalog)

Photography:

Amanda Ringstad will be photographing all works. As a participant, you will receive access to these images for personal promotional usage. JOIN Design and collaborators will be handling exhibition promotion and all press releases.

About JOIN:

JOIN Design is a 14 year collective dedicated to supporting creative entrepreneurs. Our community provides transparent mentorship through a sharing of resources. Through guidance and partnership we facilitate a safe space for your creative and financial growth. Together we create a collaborative alliance that instills a dedication to independent US design.JOIN has partnered, collaborated, and exhibited with Poketo, SF MOMA, IDS Vancouver, ICFF, Sight Unseen and currently has 60+ members nationwide.

About Maria Bianco:Maria Bianco is an owner, artist agent, manager, producer and founder of Bianco Artists (est. 2011), an independent creative company representing a refined roster of commercial artists working in a range of creative practices. Her agency has produced acclaimed work for some of the world’s leading companies, brands and designers. These include Design Within Reach, Herman Miller, Nordstrom, Gray Matters, HAY, Bower, Muji, Microsoft, Nike, Calvin Klein, Eileen Fisher, adidas, Airbnb, Disney, Amazon, Meta, Oscar Healthcare, Uniqlo, and MoMA. 

About Lauren Gallow:Lauren Gallow is a design journalist and editor based in Seattle, Washington. She writes about art, architecture, and design with bylines in Architectural Digest, Interior Design, Dwell, Metropolis, Cereal, Luxe, and more. Lauren is also the Editorial Chair of Pacific Northwest design platform ARCADE, a Seattle-based non-profit founded in 1981 that produces a biannual publication focusing on the designed environment, and she contributes regularly to The Seattle Times and Northwest regional titles GRAY and Luxe.

About Amanda Ringstad:Amanda Ringstad approaches still photography with careful consideration and playful precision. With a sculpture and fine arts background, Ringstad holds a BFA from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In 2017, Ringstad was selected to be in PDN’s 30 2017 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch. She was also selected for American Photography Winners 31. Her clients have included: Apple, Google, Metropolis, T Magazine, Nordstrom, W Magazine, and GQ.