Let's Chat: Surface + Form, A Collaboration with Lauren of Rider Ceramics & Chris Romolini Tattoo

Let's Chat is our blog series, which features creative businesses and events. In this installment, we're excited to introduce you to SURFACE + FORM, a collaborative exhibition between Chris Romolini and Lauren Rider. The exhibition will feature a curation of stunning blue and white porcelain vessels that have been hand-painted, glazed, and thrown by Rider and decorated with traditional tattoo-inspired designs by Romolini. Rider Ceramics, located next door to the Minimal Chaos showroom, is known for its luxuriously functional home pieces that feature high contrast line work on curved, hand-thrown forms. Romolini, who specializes in classic tattoo imagery in the traditional, Japanese, and black and grey style, has been exploring a 3-dimensional outlet for his drawing, which led him to Lauren.

SURFACE + FORM

Let's Chat about a special event in the Minimal Chaos showroom! We're excited to host our Bok Building neighbors, Chris Romolini and Lauren Rider, for their collaborative exhibition and reception, "SURFACE + FORM". This event is a departure from our usual Let's Chat series, but we can't wait to share this unique collaboration with you.

Bok Community

Rider Ceramics, located just next door to our showroom in the Bok Building's Retail Corridor, creates stunning and intricate porcelain vessels with meticulous attention to detail and form. Her pieces feature Mother of Pearl and 22 Karat gold lusters, wax resist, and high-contrast line work that accentuates the curved, hand-thrown forms. We're particularly fond of her speckled stoneware plates, which we love to style in our rug shots. They're subtle in design, yet so rich in color and texture that we can't resist.

Romolini, a tattoo artist who specializes in traditional, Japanese, and black and grey styles, recently became interested in exploring drawing on 3-dimensional forms, which led him to introduce himself to Lauren. Romolni began by purchasing some unglazed porcelain vessels from Rider and painting them with his traditional tattoo-inspired designs. This year, the two have taken their collaboration to the next level.

Bringing it all together

For "SURFACE + FORM", Rider throws a series of one-of-a-kind vessels, often two-part pieces, which Romolini then hand-paints with deep, varied blue designs. Rider adds her touch to the pieces, often with high-contrast line work or other detailing and firing processes, before final glazing and firing. The result is a stunning collection of blue and white functional art objects. The Cobalt and eggshell colored vessels reference the ancient history and rich blue tones of blue and white China, but with sleek modern vessel designs. Romolini's traditional tattoo work, also inspired by ancient eastern craft, looks right at home on these collection-worthy pieces.

Let's Chat in Person

We invite you to join us at the Minimal Chaos showroom on Saturday, May 6th from 6-9PM for the Surface and Form exhibit and reception. You'll have the opportunity to meet both artists, chat about the work in person, and even purchase one of these unique pieces for your own home. All of the pieces in the collection will be for sale, and we'll be heading to the BOK Rooftop bar afterward for drinks. We're thrilled to collaborate and uplift our neighbors, and we hope you'll join us in supporting our small business and maker friends. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content leading up to the event.