déco is short for décoratifs. art deco was a combination of modern style, fine craftsmanship and rich materials, representing luxury, glamour and exuberance. seeing as the paint i used in this print has metal powder in it as a colorant, it seems appropriate to name these prints after the Arts Décoratifs style. why déco tulipe? Art Déco first appeared in France.

here’s a little fact for you, Art Déco is one of the first international styles! my favorite bit of history though, is this: in 1875, furniture designers, textile, jewelers, glass-workers, and other craftmen were officially given the same rights of authorship as artists by the French government. okay, I gave you two facts. as a craftsperson, I often find myself competing with “fine artists”, which seems a little outdated.

these silvery-lilac colored tulips with golden stems look like they belong on a textile motif, or made of iron as part of a glamorous gate design. These bold colors printed on black paper remind me of black tulips, covered with dew, shimmering in the spring sun.

déco tulipe are hand-cut stamps printed with oil based inks on lokta paper. They have deckled edges and measure about 5” x 8”. Lokta paper is handmade in Nepal from fibrous inner bark of high elevation evergreen shrubs. It is a non wood forested product harvested from protected areas as it grows wild and regenerates to a fully grown plant in 5-7 years. Most lokta paper is made by women as men are moving to rural areas to find work.

déco tulipe is an edition of 8. each one is titled, numbered and signed, in silver ink, on the bottom of the print.