Spotlight: The Colourful World of Atelier Lamis
Founder of textile atelier, Atelier Lamis, US-based Palestinian creative Lamis Kanaan talks about her passion for all things colour, creativity and carpets.
An exhibition for Atelier Lamis showcasing her large-scale works. Image courtesy of atelierlamis.com, 2024.
“It all happens in action really; I don’t sketch the design first or think about the colours, whenever I create art it feels intuitive. That’s why I’m telling you that it’s my medium,” says textile designer Lamis Kanaan and founder of Atelier Lamis. The US-based artist - who is currently in the process of moving from Florida to San Francisco (“I’m hoping that it will be more eccentric and feel more creative there”) - hasn’t been designing her lively, large-scale carpets for long. Kanaan admits that it was only when she started seeing the carpet-making and tufting trend going viral on TikTok that she decided to purchase a starter kit for $350. “I always knew I was an artist but I never found my medium until around two years ago. I was using tufting almost as a paintbrush.” The decision to further explore the art of textile design, and in particular carpet-making, also happened at a time where the designer felt creatively burnt-out. “I was fatigued from work,” she reflects on her 10-year-long career in interior design, “I felt like I really needed another creative outlet.”
An interior design graduate, the Jordanian-born Palestinian creative’s passion and eye for colour grew from a project designing a boutique hotel, Hotel Haya. “I started to explore the power of colour and textiles further and learnt how to bring colour impactfully into an interior space. Colour for me is a new venture, and from it, I decided to start transitioning into making art and textiles.” A year ago, the artist went back to Jordan to meet people involved in traditional textile-making and weaving - an important cultural aspect of the Levant region. “I felt like I was at a crossroads where I wanted to tap into my heritage, but at the same time, have my own distinct and modern take.” Reflecting on the contemporary designs emerging from Jordan - most notably, using fresh and bold colour combinations to create traditional geometric tatreez (embroidery) - the designer decided to combine that with her own approach. “I wanted to celebrate my culture and heritage. I also wanted to celebrate myself as an artist from the Levant, but I wanted to take it to the next level. The difference with my work is that I stepped away from using traditional patterns, whilst still honouring the traditional Middle Eastern techniques such as hand-weaving or hand-knotting.” As a result, Atelier Lamis creates large-scale carpets with abstracted and individual designs featuring eclectic shapes organised into vivid and striking colours. “Until you actually see them in person, it’s hard to explain the impact that they have. The smaller-scale designs that I started out doing just didn’t translate well in terms of the style of colour-blocking that I use.”
Close up of Kanaan’s design, featuring her colour-blocking technique.
“I’ve always wondered where my love of colour and textiles came from, and it wasn’t until very recently that I remembered my grandma who I spent a lot of time with growing up.” Raised in Jordan, Kanaan spent a lot of time with both her grandmother and her grandmother’s adopted sister, both of which crocheted and created blankets, and sometimes even large scale designs. “All of a sudden I just had this visual of my grandma crocheting, so I called my mum and was like ‘what’s up with this crocheting and where are all the blankets’. My mum found some and the colour combinations were super interesting. They were kind of like my designs. I don’t follow colour theory because I find it too restricting, and honestly, we just don’t vibe. So I think really really deep in my subconscious is where my love of textiles and colour comes from.”
Colour continues to be a staple in Kanaan’s latest project, Her Name is Palestine, which she plans to continue as a series. The atelier-founder reveals that this is her most overtly heritage-related design. The psychedelic design of the rug features bold lines in black and white alongside a myriad of eclectic colours (Kanaan’s signature style), creating an outline reminiscent of the shape of Palestine. “It’s so important, especially now, to see the impact and importance of creating art. One thing I did for Her Name is Palestine is to connect with the grandson of Naji Al-Ali. What we’re thinking is for me to create another design with Handala.” (Editor’s Note: Naji Al-Ali was a renowned Palestinian cartoonist who most famously drew Handala: a representation of Al-Ali at the age of ten, when he was forced to leave Palestine, representing his promise that he would not grow up until he returned to his homeland). Kanaan’s aim for the project is to auction the designs to raise money for Palestinian aid. “I also want to make Her Name is Palestine merch, so I want to have the designs printed onto hats and bags and use them to fundraise too.”
Collaboration with Form43 in Florida, and Kanaan’s first venture into clothing. Image courtesy of @atelierlamis on Instagram, 2024.
Part of the artist’s aspirations for Atelier Lamis is to expand it into a lifestyle brand that covers all things soft furnishings, furniture and even fashion. Currently, Kanaan is in the process of starting a collaboration with a fashion designer, whose mother also happens to be an embroiderer in Ramallah, Palestine. “I’m not a fashion gal,” Kanaan says jokingly, “so I’m going to let the fashion gal do her thing, but I want to design the textile pattern and give her ideas for the styles that I’m after.” The designer proceeds to show me an early design of a high-waisted, wide-leg black trouser in which the front is left blank, representing where the textile design would ideally be. “Oh, you want textiles,” she wittingly says, before picking up two more small-scale hand-embroidered designs: one being a replica of her carpet designs, another, a series of stitched squares in shades of green, blue, pink and orange, to name a few. “I’m also designing upholstery for a stool, so these hand-stitched designs are what will form the edging and main body.”
“It’s been a very important and pivotal time,” Kanaan summarises on her current creative intentions, “there’s been a huge shift for me as a Palestinian who’s living in the US.” In a similar vein to her designs, Lamis Kanaan comes across as a very bright, colourful and positive person. Despite the on-going bombardment, the artist seems more determined and proud to weave her heritage into her work. “Now, I’m definitely more vocal about my heritage and where I’m from. The situation has pushed me to embrace my heritage more and to be in the creative space.”
Find Lamis Kanaan’s designs at atelierlamis.com
Close up of an Atelier Lamis design. Image courtesy of atelierlamis.com, 2024.