Designer Spotlight: Vera Neumann

Vera Neumann has been a favorite inspiration of mine since my early days of collecting vintage. Vera's known for her bold and cheerful palette and carefree and expressive illustrations that were used on thousands of items produced during the mid to late 20th century. As an illustrator and collector myself, I was first drawn to her work through finding it on things such as scarves and table linens at thrift shops and flea markets. 

Vera's first label debuted in 1942, and her work continued to appear on products — "everything from wallpaper, bedding, and tablecloths, to dresses, blouses and of course her signature scarves, signed like a painting with a cursive "Vera" "(Seid, Susan, 2010, p. 10) Her artwork flourished in the 60s and could be found in homes across america.

Susan Seid, President of The Vera Company and author of Vera the Art and Life of an Icon, describes the visionary commercial artist, "...Vera—the innovator of cross-licensing and one of the most successful female entrepreneurs of her time— had a radical philosophy: fine art should be accessible to everyone, not just a select few. She believed that artwork should not be relegated to walls. Rather, people should surround themselves with art—wear it, eat off it, and sleep under it. And why not? Great art endures. It lifts your spirit and makes you feel better. Vera's art certainly does. It is bright, happy and inspirational."

Credit:

Vera the Art and Life of an Icon.