July is World Watercolor Month! Capture mountain vistas, seaside scenery, or still lifes of summer fruits with the beautiful palettes from Choosing Keeping, a Japanese alternative to standard European watercolors made by a 100-year-old paint manufacturer. Handmade French sketchbooks by Elam are perfect for painting. They are made with acid-free paper from the Fabriano company, which has been in operation since the 13th century.
Seagoers and landlubbers agree: our deep-sea decoupage collection is to dive for. From small seashells to tall ships, there is a vast collection of designs, all handmade in our New York City studio.
Whether you’re on a warm beach or in a cool pool, we have a sizzling selection of summertime items in stock. Beach towels and robes in plush cotton from Autumn Sonata are designed with stripes reminiscent of 1920s beach umbrellas. Lisa Corti’s colorful, hand-block printed cotton panels are easy to pack and spread on the sand. Amish sun hats, handcrafted from cornhusks, provide stylish sun protection (or rustic wall décor), and printed cotton tote bags designed by John always come in handy.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. For a special edition of Austen’s novel "Pride and Prejudice," Barbara Heller has compiled a collection of nineteen letters written by characters in the book. The letters have been lovingly recreated by a team of calligraphers and inserted at the appropriate places in the story. In collaboration with John, five of these letters have been transformed into decoupage trays. Explore the collection here.
Whether you’re packing a basket or setting a table, we have fresh ideas for dining al fresco. Our melamine plates and trays are ready for the great outdoors. So are hand-blown glass hurricane lamps that La Soufflerie has made especially for John. Lisa Corti’s tablecloths, trays, placemats, and napkins are lively additions to the table, outside or in.
John’s early obsession with printed matter ultimately led him to decoupage, the art of cutting and pasting paper. Since 1989, he and a small studio of artisans in New York City have been creating glass plates, trays, bowls, and other decorative home items with imagery from his vast and ever-expanding collection of 18th and 19th century prints.
This month, we explore what’s in John’s studio drawers with a large 19th-century lithograph capturing the Port of Provincetown from Long Point, a view rendered in detail by F. Kimball Rogers in 1877.
In celebration of John Derian Company’s 30th anniversary, we’ve partnered with Save Khaki United to create a special edition tee honoring our journey and shared values of craftsmanship.
