"3D Eye Chart Pillow"

Heather Lins

"I find inspiration in examining the ordinary and re-imagining it. A battered yard stick becomes a collection of table linens and a friend's turn of phrase becomes a collection of pillows. People often smile when they see my pieces. I think it is the mixture of recognition and surprise, of seeing something familiar as if for the first time.

Heather Lins' inspiration comes from examining the ordinary. Her collections are based on vintage typography, eye charts, and conversation bubbles--images that are instantly identifiable but unexpected when found loafing on the sofa or adorning the dining room table. Each design is a balance of artisan production techniques, modern design, and wit.

"I am a word nerd. I often think of the titles for my collections first and then realize the designs. It is like coming up with captions and then creating the pictures to go with them," Lins states.

Trained as a graphic designer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lins turned off her computer and got her hands dirty in the screen-printing studio. Heather Lins Home was born. All pieces are screen-printed by hand with water based inks on natural fibers.