Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Neutral Flat Lay/Photo: Heather Talbert Photography
Relativity Textiles was founded on the premise of exposing people to foreign cultures by way of wallpaper—Erin Minckley’s way of paying homage to the craftsmen and women of the world. The Chicago-based artist creates wallpapers, the majority of which are screen-printed by hand, featuring patterns that have a cultural significance and heritage. Inspiration stems from her travels across the world. “My art has always focused on inclusivity, global cultures and belonging,” she says. “The designs all have historical origins from around the world, inspired by different ways of making cloth—printing, dyeing, weaving.”
Relativity Textiles. Arabian Nights Wallpaper in Marrakesh
What sets them apart? “We are an artist-owned business—we think of the wallpaper and fabric as art,” says Minckley. “I looked at the wallpaper industry and found that there were many copy-and-paste methods; like a brand would take a pattern from another culture, name it ‘Shangri-La’ and call it their own. My work intends to end this cultural appropriation and actually pay homage to hundreds of years of artisans and craftspeople who rarely get the spotlight. Each pattern is based on a different country’s textile traditions.”
Relativity Textiles: Alebrijes Wallpaper in Black
A good example is their top-selling pattern, Peacock Gold. “I have been making paintings for years and have even done site-specific murals with this motif. The repetitive shape of the feather and the pop of color was inspired by looking at photos of birds. The peacock is a symbol of the East, and is one of the most common images or icons in Middle Eastern art, architecture and design,” says Minckley, who has a fascination with all things foreign, especially the Middle East (she double-majored in Middle Eastern Studies and Art and learned to speak Arabic fluently). “That region of the world is the starting point for geometry, art, architecture, poetry, astronomy, religion, the list goes on… What we don’t see in our everyday media are examples of Middle Eastern culture as a place of beauty, inspiration, the mythical or magical qualities, the rich cultural heritage, the compassionate and humble people. I would like to reacquaint folks with images of other places that you want to fall in love with.”
Relativity Textiles. Peacock Wallpaper in Gold
“The wallpaper is a bridge to cultural appreciation and exchange or understanding—that has always been my goal, though it seems rather poetic: my art is a way to connect you to a place you might not ever be able to visit or that might be misunderstood,” she says. “Someone gets to own my work in their home, albeit decorating the walls of their powder room. But, their purchase didn’t go to a huge company—it supported one artist, as if you’d purchased an original painting. That is a unique microcosm that helps people connect to all artists across history and cultures around the globe, by way of wallpaper. It also brings diverse narratives into the design vernacular because we are channeling the world’s makers.”
Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Roll Shots, Wallpaper Mockup, Charlotte/Photo: Heather Talbert Photography
Looking for ways to provide opportunities for creatives to elevate their work, Minckley, who has expanded her practice beyond wallpaper to include fabrics, art prints and rugs, recently launched Relativity Collective. “It’s no longer just about me and my drawings,” she says. “Now, we can include many different styles of art, and empower several female entrepreneurs. My goal is to help smaller makers become financially independent by helping them develop successful product lines. This also allows my brand to have breadth that wasn’t possible with just one artist—what interior designers seek is variety and inspiration from fresh new voices all the time.”
Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Bavette Velvet Texture/Photo: Erin Minckley
A natural evolution to expanding her practice and broadening the world’s exposure to thought-provoking art starts with René Romero Schuler. Creating powerful works that depict femininity, strength and resilience, while paying extra attention to capturing soul, spiritual essence and inner beauty, Schuler begins every painting session with “a little mental and emotional check-in,” as she calls it. “I tap into where I am in my soul, and I start mixing a color. I’ve always said that I see emotions in color, so this part is very fluid for me. That color will always be the background color in the piece I’m working on,” she says. “Then, as I work, I can see in my mind what the shape and tenor of the figure will be. She emerges from the background in a way that aligns with my energy; strong, elegant, or confident; childlike, demure, or hesitant—there’s always a sense of ‘there, but not there,’ which is my way of conveying that we are all but spiritual beings, and that the physical aspects of who we are are temporal.”
Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Roll Shot/Photo: Heather Talbert Photography
To her, art-making is a healing process—one that helps restore and maintain emotional balance and well-being. “Creating these works continues to feed my soul every single day, because I am able to create the yin to my yang,” she says “I keep in constant balance by creating what I often call my alter egos. The abstract figurative artist taps into autobiographical elements blurring the line between strength and vulnerability. She transforms trauma into hope and joy, she seeks to reframe the narrative around femininity and the misconceptions that surround it and she ultimately creates pieces that are deeply personal yet have the ability to universally connect people to place and to one another. These textiles are a fun way to bring my imagery into a more decorative realm with patterns derived from my paintings, and made into beautiful, supple wall coverings and fabrics,” she says of her collaboration with Relativity Textiles. “My early career was in decorative painting, creating murals, faux finishes and trompe l’œil works—transforming entire spaces with color and texture. I believe that by getting involved in the creation of these textiles, I am touching back to my roots.
Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Eponymous/Photo: Erin Minckley
“I see these elements that we are creating as elegant, luxurious and whimsical. Most of these first nine patterns are based on my very feminine works, so I see them as feminine accents to the spaces they will occupy. We also brought in the Eponymous pattern, based on my first horse painting, and I’ve seen that installed in even more ways than I could have thought of, like a back bar-whiskey lounge, a home theater, a study-library. There’s also the Flutter pattern, based on one of my butterfly paintings—I can see this one in a baby’s room, a breakfast nook, a kitchen, a bath, wherever! The fabrics are great because they can be utilized in upholstery, draperies, pillows and other accent pieces,” she says. Additional wallcovering designs from the collection include: Bavette, CharlotteHannah,Juju, LeetaMarigold, and Nadia—all inspired by art pieces from Schuler. They are also available as fabrics. “I’m really excited to see these textiles in ways beyond my imagination,” says Schuler. “Sometimes I feel like my scope is a bit limited as just a painter—hearing and seeing the ideas that emerge from the creative minds of interior designers just totally blows my mind. As they say, the sky’s the limit!” Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Leeta/Photo: Erin Minckley
When asked about the Relativity Textiles collaboration, Schuler can hardly contain her enthusiasm: “What inspires me in this life? Women who really truly want to help other women to succeed! This is Erin! She is a true expert in her field,” she says, adding: “The greatest part about working with her is her knowledge, expertise and sheer motivation to further the brands and careers of other artists. Simply extraordinary!” Minckley matches that energy: “Upon meeting René, I admired her for her regal posture, her accomplished acumen and her kindness,” she says. “The prolific nature of her painting practice is truly awe inspiring. She has made a name for herself over decades of creating beauty and enriching many peoples’ lives by adding her work to their collection.” For Minckley nothing is more exciting than empowering an artist to share their talent with the world. “She is now one and the same with my own art, and I stand by her designs as if they were my own,” she says about Schuler. “I want her textiles to be hugely successful!”
The Schuler collection is available online via the Relativity Textiles website. Launch party: April 14, 4pm-7pm at Luxury Bed Collection. RSVP here to attend.
Greek-born Vasia Rigou is a journalist, editor and multimedia content producer largely on the subjects of visual art, culture, architecture and design. She currently serves as an Editor at Newcity, Chicago’s leading culture publication, as Writer and Copy Editor at the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) HQ, and regularly contributes to international architecture and design magazines OnOffice and ICON. She has experience creating content for brands and building conference speeches and influential TEDx talks. Simply put: she’s fascinated by finding out the great stories behind the people, places and objects that surround us, and by sharing those stories with the world. When she’s not writing about art or looking at art—wine in hand—she makes lists for pretty much everything, drinks immense amounts of coffee and takes cross-country road trips every chance she gets.
Relativity Textiles and René Romero Schuler. Leeta/Photo: Erin Minckley
