The Eskayel Collection by Elte is a new twenty-piece heirloom rug collection derived from contemporary art, and inspired by nature.
Jamie Metrick, Owner and Head of Product for Elte embarked on a creative journey with Shanan Campanaro, Artist and Founder of Brooklyn-based textile design studio, Eskayel.
The collection translates the works of Campanaro’s watercolour art onto floor-covering mediums. The result is a dramatic collection of hand-woven pieces, that combines contemporary art with old-world weaving techniques made in Jaipur.
“I have always felt very connected with the ocean, and the water element is part of my process when painting – I love the unpredictability of it and the mistakes that end up being happy accidents. You don’t know what colours will bleed into other colours or what shapes will form. I want people to feel a sense of nature when bringing these organic forms into their home,” says Campanaro.
Knowing craft and technique would be integral to faithfully translate the design into hundreds of thousands of hand-tied knots, Elte partnered with master artisans in Jaipur for expertise in this level of intricate detail.
“We had to find a maker who could appreciate the detail. We chose to partner with master artisans in Jaipur, who specialize in old-world Persian craftsmanship to balance out the modern design,” says Metrick.
All rugs in this collection are hand-knotted and hand-dyed in yarn dyeing techniques to accomplish the artist’s signature shadowing and blending of colour. Body and texture are added to the designs through hand-cutting and carving techniques.
“I’m passionate about making things with creative people, searching out the most talented artisans in the world and connecting them with talented textile designers to create something outstanding. I love the history of rugs and that they can last for generations,” says Metrick.
