VisuaLingual

By Sean Fisher on December 27, 2007 12:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What's the deal?

Maya Drozdz moved to Cincinnati only a year and a half ago, but she is already hard at work celebrating her adopted neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine. After producing a coffee-table style book highlighting images from her first Cincinnati residence - a commune hidden away in OTR - she is now at work producing a line of functional art that owes as much to cartography as it does to color. Through her Etsy site (a website that helps artists and crafters sell their works), Maya is rolling out a line of homegoods that draw inspiration from the geography of Cincinnati. The aim, Maya says, is to help to give objects we use everyday "a sense of place."

The site is small now, with only three items for sale, but the vision behind the line is easy to see. Goods like the Vine Street coaster set (pictured above) should appeal to anyone with OTR pride, Cincy pride, or just a good eye for design. Taken on their own, each coaster looks like a piece of abstract geometric art, but as a set, the coasters lay out the geography and recall the history of Over-the-Rhine's primary roadway. Figuring out the intersections and parcels of the piece leads to a great "I know that place!" moment.

This type of practical, place-making design rules the VisuaLingual line, something Drozdz takes pride in. "I am a designer," she states, "I don't like things that are just decorative. I like things that are functional and beautiful."

Perfect for?

Design-savvy home/apartment/condo owners.

Where to find it?

Maya's website, visualingual.etsy.com. However, she hopes to place her VisuaLingal goods in local shops soon.

How much?

$14-$36

::VisuaLingual