Tonight at SummerHouse@57 in Mill Valley, John Robshaw is on hand to sign his new book, "John Robshaw Prints: Textiles, Block Printing, Global Inspiration, and Interiors," which he wrote with Elizabeth Garnsey. A combination autobiography and travelog, the book offers a close-up look at hand-blocked textile production. Robshaw earned a fine arts degree at Pratt and studied traditional block printing in China; after journeying to India to find natural indigo dye for his paintings, he fell in love with the local fabric-making traditions.
Interested in meeting the master of exotic color and pattern? Robshaw will be at Summerhouse@57 in Mill Valley this evening from 6 to 8 pm (57 Throckmorton Street) to sign books; local restaurateur Mitchell Rosenthal will be preparing Indian food, and wine will be served. For more information, go to SummerHouse@57; to see more of his work, go to John Robshaw Textiles.
Above: John spends several months a year producing his designs in small workshops in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, and elsewhere. One of his homes away from home is the town of Sanganer, a suburb of Jaipur. "My travels have introduced me to dozens of indigenous printing techniques," he writes. "Block printing became my teacher and my muse, and my temperamental mistress. If my personality were an art form, I would be block printing."
Above: A car slipcovered in samples of John Robshaw patterns.
Above: A showroom bedroom that John designed in collaboration with LA decorator Peter Dunham. "Peter requested many yards of expensive fabric," writes John, "so, being the thrifty fellow I am, I decided to patch up a wall with prints I already had."
Above: John Robshaw Prints: Textiles, Block Printing, Global Inspiration, and Interiors is $26.40 at Amazon.