Coming from a background studying Fine Arts, Sculpture and Printmaking, Emma Cleine started Lumiere Art + Co in 2011 as an experimental solo project, while taking a break from teaching. Emma craved to be making art without committing to an exhibition or traditional body of work, and decided to approach her practice in a new way, with a focus on affordability for an everyday market. And so Lumiere Art + Co, a high quality, lighthearted collection of art and textiles was born!
In the last couple of years, Emma has shifted her production from making every item herself (!) to looking overseas to international manufacturers. These days, Lumiere Art + Co is created by artisanal makers across Delhi, Jaipur, and Melbourne – a change that has been instrumental to Emma’s business. ‘The scope of skills and history of technique accessible in India to me is like heaven’, she tells, ‘the fabrics and techniques I can use are more easily accessible than in Australia.’
This latest range, ‘Windows’, is a sunny collection of textiles bedding, cushions, and mats featuring graphic prints in earthy palettes, with accents of bright blues and pastel pinks. ‘We all need a little window of beauty of hope, we need something to bring meaning to our day’, Emma enthuses, ‘Windows offers that relief’. Emma’s favourite piece in the collection is the Darling Quilt – a double-sided heirloom quilt, with tobacco-colored velvet on one side and a mix of plum and burgundy poppy florals on the reverse.
Alongside the Lumiere Art + Co collection, Emma runs printmaking and painting workshops from her studio on the Mornington Peninsula. Inspired by the idea of building a real community alongside her brand, Emma finds equal joy in sharing her skills and empowering people to make something themselves.
