Jan Plecháč and Henry Wielgus

The prolific Czech design duo on influences, inspirations and combining function with form

Having met while studying at The Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague several years ago, Jan Plech and Henry Wielgus now work together on various kinds of projects including furniture, lighting, product and interior design. But being in the heart of Europe doesn’t mean it’s all easy breezy, “Prague is a really nice cityeverybody wants to travel herebut for design business it’s not …

Interview: Aaron De La Cruz

The San Francisco-based artist on his new Ace Hotel mural and embracing imperfections

by Eva Glettner Prolific artist Aaron De La Cruz was initially inspired to paint because he idolized his older brother. His now-signature style—which bounces from design, graffiti to illustration—is highly stylized and technical, blending influences from Mayan art to modern street stylings. While meticulously created, surprisingly, his large-scale murals are painted entirely freehand. The artist’s black and white silkscreened art graces the walls of Ace …

Studio Visit: Amelie Mancini

The French-born, Brooklyn-based artist on her process, Left Field Cards and her love of baseball

by Eva Glettner The multi-talented Amelie Mancini is a Brooklyn-based French artist who works with a variety of mediumsfrom wood to linen to woolto create her playful, colorful artworks. Her fascination with baseball, born from the first game she ever attended (between the Mets and the Phillies, back in 2007), led to the creation of Left Field Cards; a site dedicated to her homemade baseball …