FROM AN IDEA TO AN ENTIRE COLLECTION OF GOODS, THIS DYNAMIC DUO MAKES THEIR MARK
Story by Lauren Cooper
Photos provided by Anabela Carneiro
Anabela Carneiro and Geoff Piersol are the creative minds behind Fieldguided – a line of hand-made and artistic goods. Drawing on personal inspirations from their various interests in art, design, fashion, music, and literature, this remarkable duo has created a diverse line of goods (including scarves, calendars and tote bags) that are hand-printed using natural materials to appeal to a wide variety of tastes.
We spoke to Carneiro about the label’s beginnings, their blog, and their new collection.
Why did you decide to have your own line?
It was a pretty casual decision, really, that feels as though it just happened. It wasn’t planned at all! I made things and people seemed to like them, and asked if they could buy them, so I let them.
What appeals to you about handmade items?
At its best, it’s a time-honoured tradition, as with Hermès and their bags: [they are] all made by the same highly skilled craftsperson [and the bag] is treated with respect. I’m not saying that I am in that league at all, but I think it is pretty cool to know that an item was made by hand, by a person, who isn’t under pressure to create a certain number of pieces in a short period of time.
What material do you like to work best with?
Natural materials are always the best.
How do you reflect your inspirations through your work?
I like to think that I absorb all my inspirations and that they naturally just flow through to create a consistent aesthetic. At least that’s what I hope!
I noticed on your blog that you have a huge soft spot for cats. How does your love for cats translate into your work?
Occasionally we’ll release a cat-related item (our “Mini Meow” tote and [our] 2012 calendar). I’d love to have a whole line of products featuring cats! I just love those guys.
What is your favorite camera to use on a daily basis and why?
My favourite camera is my Canon A-1, a film camera. I just feel comfortable with it and most of the time it produces beautiful images. It’s a bit heavy to carry around with me on a daily basis, so I end up using my phone most often.
Tell me about the new collection, “Light as a Feather”.
I had been collecting antique stereoview cards for a while now and thought they would make pretty cool large-scale prints. I also love silk scarves, so it seemed like a good way to combine the two.
What are you currently working on?
To be honest things are a little slower than usual because I’m getting married in just over a month and it’s all I can think about! The line has had to take a bit of a back seat for now.
What is your favorite piece that you have created and why?
I really love the “Blame it on my wild heart” tote that we made for shop-summerland.com. It’s so simple, but it’s one that I love to use myself more than any of our other items. I also wear the “Venus” scarf a lot.
Do you have an ideal customer? Who is she/he? Tell me about him or her.
I feel pretty lucky because all of the customers that I’ve met and interacted with have been really cool, really smart, and super stylish. Very laid back and lovely.
What sort of feedback do you get from your customers?
People seem to really respond to the packaging, which is nice because I try to make it as pretty as I can.
How often do you update your blog?
I wish I could update it two or three times a week, but these days I’m lucky if I can get one post in a week. I have so many things on the go that posting original content can be a huge challenge.
Where did the name Fieldguided come from?
I had a sticky note on my computer to remind me to get some field guides from the library before a cottage trip, and on the day that I tried to sign up for a Gmail account and found that my name was already taken, it just popped into my head.
