This is from Sarah my intern- written a few months ago (so my bad for not getting this out sooner). For her first task I asked her to write a story on something eco-minded. This is what she wrote:

This is day two of my internship with Anna of deux fm. As a recent art school graduate I am in heaven – sitting in the deux fm studio, surrounded by fabric swatches, push pins, and tiny hand printed labels reminding me of sustainable design, fair trade and to think eco chic.

The other day I opened my inbox to an email from my ever-eager stepmother who is always on the lookout for new up and coming artists/designers. She shares her finds with me weekly and since this last artist shares deux fm’s mission for sustainable design, I would like to share her with you.

Her name is Claude Bouchard and she is an interdisciplinary wonder dabbling in all mediums. Being a painter/printmaker/designer myself, I often find it a challenge being prolific in all mediums, so I applaud those who do it flawlessly.

Claude has mastered all aspects of her craft from her soft whimsical children’s toys to her ephemeral oil paintings. She also has an intriguing collection of wrinkled white table linens. I’m somewhat confused as to whether this is an installation piece or meant for a real life Sunday dinner, but I do know that it would be welcome in my kitchen as a fun and unconventional table covering and a definite conversation starter.

It’s Claude’s skirt collection that really catches my eye though. They’re made of umbrella fabric which has had its wire armature removed. Brilliant. Though we’ve seen discarded umbrellas being reused before on Season One of Project Runway, Claude is making the design accessible to the public, putting theory into practice. Check out her Waterlilies skirt from 2008. Even the knobs from the end of the wires are still intact; a small detail left to remember the fabrics’ past life. Love.

Besides recycling discarded umbrellas, Claude incorporates used fabrics, rags, neckties and labels from second hand clothing into her other work. Sustainability meets chic. Good on you, Claude. Keep it up!

Check her out!