John's Foreword

I am no stranger to the appeal of the humble object, so when my good friend Karin gave me a linen apron with a beautifully embroidered anchor on the front, I was pleased. You don’t often see this level of workmanship on an everyday item. The label was intriguing: “Coral & Tusk.” Who were they? Karin let me know Stephanie, the designer, was a lovely person full of creative idea, and arranged for us to meet.

I’ve traveled near and far to seek out interesting things for my shops, but Coral & Tusk found me. Some time after the apron, Stephanie came to meet me in my shop. She was of course delightful and charming and full of creative energy. She handed me her very large, very homemade-looking book of designs and I looked through, I realized that I’d never quite seen anything like them before. Every image was so evocative and filled with joy. The texture of the thread and stitches felt very alluring, and different. It was (product) love at first sight, and I made a new friend at that moment. I placed a large order without a second thought.

Something special happens when a person discovers Coral & Tusk. There’s a pause, a closer look, followed by – always – a smile. A sort of magic awakens a feeling like nostalgia but without the longing. The expressions and clothing of the animals and their intricate homes and surroundings feel new and familiar, like something you may have imagined or wished for as a child. Perhaps that’s the magic. There’s a joyful connection to your own, simpler, past self in every image.

Rarely do I find products and objects that both awaken one’s inner child and speak to a high taste level. This is a fine line to walk as an artist and designer and Coral & Tusk does both. It’s a pleasure to have in my shop and witness the happiness it brings to everyone. Stephanie doesn’t realize how charming she is, but anyone who looks through the book will be captivated, as I was the day we met in my back room so long ago. It’s a vibrant and impressive body of work, stories told in thread no less. Open it to any page and enjoy.