A Home With Intentions

By Regina Viqueira Rossi, written for Home & Garden NJ

Every memory, every thought, and every movement has given something to your home. The loving words shared by a friend on your porch can come back to you when you need them most. The image of your niece helping you plant your herbs can appear in your garden as you glimpse upon it. Even the things in our home can carry their own energy into your life. 

A mother and daughter gently unpack an eclectic assortment of pottery, describing the moments that made the final designs. Making is a way of life for Wall, NJ local, Rachel Weiss of Watershed Pottery. Her studio is a happy place, and her ceramic wares carry that same happiness wherever they go. 

Mugs and dishes which look like they could belong to a Woodland faerie playhouse as you fill them with a warm hibiscus tea or a cool gazpacho. A symphony of soft colors mix and match across the table, allowing you to escape into an enchanting daydream.  A surprising watercolor glaze effect at the bottom of the bowl can make your meal a satisfying artistic experience. Or, a birdbath wine stopper can bring whimsical charm into your romantic evening.

Even the sense of touch is significant in styling the home.

You can feel the artist’s hand as you graze your fingers across the surface of the hand-thrown ceramic. Can that moment of connection ignite your own creativity? A table set with handmade pieces is a loving touch that your guests will feel, or maybe the display is just a gift to yourself, to fall in love with the moments that are yours alone. 

Manasquan, NJ local, Vera Solowej of @Flowergardenparty knows something about creating a special space for one’s self.  She brought her artwork to us with a story about her Intentions Garden at home, a place she created for people and bustling butterflies alike to enjoy. 

However, a garden need not remain outside.

This idea brought us together, and blossomed into a garden of canvases in the studio. Her work is a surprising layering of colors and textures–florals with an edge. Her gentle voice can be heard in the soft touches of lace stenciling, reminding us to count our blessings or find gratitude for each day. Allow the idea of garden to flourish in every aspect of your life and home. 

Across a room, flowers on canvases speak to the floral curls and swirls found on the pottery. Perhaps it is the fragrance of candles that carry their messages to each other. Local artist and maker, Rachel Ingrid of Allenwood, NJ, hand pours natural candles that can complete your dinner party, or special moment at home. With each pour, she offers a loving intention.

You can feel this in the warm glow and vibrant scent of her candles.

A sprinkling of Eucalyptus and Spearmint tea lights can flow across your dinner table to create a bright atmosphere for your meal, and a cleansing breath between courses. Someone described Ingrid’s painting “Womb of Hope” as a tree that feels like it is reaching out to hug you. In this time of distancing and change, perhaps it is the candlelight or artwork in our home that can offer these embraces. 

With Intentions Holistic Studio, offers a safe and loving space for the community to raise vibrations. In their inaugural exhibition, enjoy artwork by Nikki Daviau, Rachel Ingrid, Vera Solowej, and Eileen Sweeney. In the shop, find gifts by Whimsical Witch, Tennessee Hippie, Watershed Pottery, Rachel Ingrid, and more. Join them for meditations, art classes, tarot readings, and other offerings to heal, create, and connect.

Read the article on Home & Garden NJ here: https://homeandgardennj.com/2021/02/15/a-home-with-intentions-home-and-garden-nj/