Couple makes carpets regarded as artwork

When people buy carpets, they are usually careful about the colours and patterns they choose, but carpets are not usually regarded as art. However, that is not the way that American painters Brad Davis and Janis Provisor see carpets, who design them to look like watercolour paintings.

Davis and Provisor founded Fort Street Studio 25 years ago to produce vividly coloured carpets. The pair are celebrating the anniversary of their studio by publishing a book, “Tale of Warp and Weft”, which tells their story. The book is set to be released on April 13th.

Before the COVID-19 restrictions, the artists travelled to work with carpet weavers in Thailand, Nepal and India, who wove their intricate designs into carpets. The couple don’t follow carpet design trends, and say they tend to be inspired by high fashion houses. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, they commented:

“Fashion moves so quickly and there’s so much creativity involved, particularly in the couturier lines. They’re so imaginative. There’s an enormous font of inspiration.”

Provisor is a collector of Belgian designer Dries van Noten’s shawls, which she says inspires her designs.

For their own home, they have designed a carpet that has gold dashes and layers of pink made to resemble brush strokes.

Carpets in Cheshire, North Wales and Wrexham homes may have not been chosen for their artistic merit, but with a wide choice of carpet colours and patterns, homeowners are certain to find a carpet to complement their decor.