Morris & Essex

Morris & Essex products are all designed by me, Eliza Jane Curtis. I hand-print most of my products; others are produced in collaboration with other talented crafters and carefully chosen makers. My designs are inspired by vintage ephemera, nature and fantasy, geometry, folk art and traditional patterns and textures from around the world. I use organic, natural and non-toxic materials as much as possible. I work out of a farmhouse studio in the small historic district of Limington, Maine. I use a variety of techniques, old and new: silkscreen, letterpress, linocut block-printing, hand-cut stamps, paper, scissors and glue, and the computer. Morris & Essex began around 1998 as a series of hand-printed birds on thrift-shop t-shirts, made in the silkscreen studio at Parsons School of Design. Over the years, Morris & Essex productions have evolved and moved with me from Manhattan to Brooklyn, NY to Buenos Aires, Argentina and now to rural Maine. I love creating a world filled with pattern and color, turning my designs into useful products that serve a need and make someone happy, and that last for years and years. I believe that the things we use everyday are important and valuable; rather than contributing to a culture of disposable goods, I hope to produce durable, meaningful items that last beyond the first impression. I hope that the pleasure I take in designing and making is evident in the finished products.