In Conversation with Christina Gliha - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with Christina Gliha

For some people, creativity is more than an ordinary habit—it’s everything. Illustrator Christina Gliha has always been committed to her creative dreams, so much so that she transformed her life in service of them. Last year, she sold her house in Toronto and everything she owned to pursue her art full-time—in Paris.

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In Conversation with Joanna Rosado - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with Joanna Rosado

Disco Tea, a small but mighty puzzle from our latest collection, embodies this notion—and Joanna Rosado, the talented artist behind the puzzle, firmly believes that the little things inspire intentional living. "The message of this illustration is my discovery that there is always something fun, interesting, and colorful in simple everyday activities," Rosado explained. "Having a cup of tea in the coziness of your home can be as enjoyable and exciting as a sparkly disco night. We just need to pay attention to the now and appreciate each moment."

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In Conversation with Patti Blau - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with Patti Blau

For Patti Blau, visual storytelling and style have always been worthwhile details. While Blau's inspirations vary, her work is heavily influenced by an enduring love of fashion and vintage. "I'm drawn to mid-century style because of the iconic shapes and designs, but I'm also a fan of technology," she noted. "I like to combine them, and I work digitally." This duality proved helpful for Blau when crafting the artwork for one of our new puzzles, Sunny Afternoon—a welcome scene amid the chaos of modern living.

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Mother’s Day with Casa de Suna - Ordinary Habit

Mother’s Day with Casa de Suna

What makes a home filled with heart? Family, of course, but there is also something to be said about the rituals that keep loved ones together and engaged in the present moment. Our friends at Casa de Suna (which means “House of Daughters”) understand this sentiment.

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In Conversation With Lucila Perini - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation With Lucila Perini

Bright colors are a mainstay in Lucila Perini's work and add liveliness to scenes that often depict interactions between people and the planet. Take Water Lily Girls, for instance, a vibrant 100-piece puzzle from our latest collection.

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In Conversation with Ilya Milstein - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with Ilya Milstein

It's easy for our team to become so absorbed in something—a classic novel, a delicious meal, an exhilarating conversation—that we lose ourselves entirely. This idea was certainly the case upon discovering Ilya Milstein's art. The self-taught illustrator's work demands attention at the highest level—though perhaps demand is too harsh a word. Rather than obligated, we often feel inspired to unearth the motivations behind Milstein's penchant for detail: Why did he choose to use that palette? To place that line or add that shadow? To render that moment on the page?

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In Conversation with Elana Gabrielle - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with Elana Gabrielle

Art imitates life—and encourages us to look at the world more closely. Take Elana Gabrielle's attentive approach, for instance. From linen goods to prints to stationery, there is a clear through-line in the artist's work: details from natural landscapes remain front and center. Unsurprisingly, Gabrielle's earthen elements seamlessly translated into our new Summer Garden Matching Cards.

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In Conversation with Manuja Waldia - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with Manuja Waldia

It's hard to look away from Manuja Waldia's art. Awash in eye-catching colors, her work captures both the vitality and gentleness of ordinary life. Take Troublemakers, which features a vibrant gathering of women over tea—or A Fruity Bunch, a communal scene that delights the senses. When asked about the latter's creation, Waldia explained that she "wanted to create a picture of abundance, a safe space of leisure, enterprise, self and selfless care for the marginalized."

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In Conversation: Frankie Penwill - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation: Frankie Penwill

Nature is a balm for Frankie Penwill who created the art for our Vase of Flowers Puzzle. Take one look at the London-based artist's work, and you'll notice a stunning array of foliage and florals. Composition aside, her palette—filled with burnt oranges, muted greens, and soft purples—soothes and surprises us time and time again.

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The Extraordinary Women of Ordinary Habit - Ordinary Habit

The Extraordinary Women of Ordinary Habit

With the arrival of Women's History Month, we can't help but think about the individuals who've brought our vision for everyday play to life, namely our artist partners. "It's been one of the most rewarding parts of starting this business," Echo reflected. "Getting to know the people behind the artwork and learning more about their processes has been amazing."

In honor of International Women's Day, we're celebrating a handful of extraordinary women who've left an indelible mark on our brand—and sharing more about the women who inspire their creative practice. Read on for anecdotes, memories, and musings from our global artist community.

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Getting To Know Artist Ojima Abalaka - Ordinary Habit

Getting To Know Artist Ojima Abalaka

The artist behind our Birthday Bash puzzle: Based in Nigeria, Ojima Abalaka’s work explores rest, people and identity in the context of everyday life. We were drawn to her bold lines, and joyful expression of the scenes that she creates. Her artwork Birthday Bash can be found on our 100 piece puzzle.  

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In Conversation with: <br>Priscilla Weidlein - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with:
Priscilla Weidlein

Priscilla Weidlein is an artist whose eye is trained on the sort of visual tangents that keep her audience open to wonder. Like the eccentric splendor of a bedroom occupied by dogs wearing sweaters. Or the leafy warmth of a home where plants and art rule. Her work is abundant, itemized, patterned. 

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In Conversation with: <br> Amber Vittoria - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with:
Amber Vittoria

The women who occupy artist Amber Vittoria’s world take up space. Their forms are undisguised, alive, and moving. They hold your attention with a vibrancy that is unafraid, pushing the female form into something more fanciful. Color, rubbery limbs, big noses, bizarre and lovely postures, tiny heads, heeled boots that seem to appear from tangled and ballooning bodies—all of it is loud and hyperbolic, fantastic in its total disregard for moderation. Vittoria’s work appeals to our imagination, and also, how tired we are, how delicious it is to see potential and extent not expressed as achievement or goals, but with…roundness and Matisse-blues, and bodies that bring to mind, of all things, liquorice and watermelons and CMYK. 

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In Conversation with: <br>Christina Hart - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with:
Christina Hart

From a chorus of cactuses to a wreath-like illustration on a thank you card, the artist Christina Hart is always considering how lovely it is to give and receive, applying whimsy and a warm sense of humor to the very necessary act (especially now) of keeping in touch.

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In Conversation with: Shawna X - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with: Shawna X

The artist Shawna X creates worlds that are graphic, immediate, psychedelic. Her pieces move and seem committed to the ways in which visual commentary (illustrations in magazines, murals on walls) can push us to reconsider how we live and who we are. Shawna X delivers a sense of navigation with each or her works, as though beyond the work itself is something subterranean and pounding. Identity, technology, the body, are all recurring themes, but more so, is a deep understanding that as humans, we’re never far from our next emotional encounter. 

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In Conversation with: Holly Jolley - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with: Holly Jolley

What is it about Holly Jolley’s work that makes us want to wear a hat? Or take a 2pm nap in a patch of sun? Or journey to the forest, just outside the city, where the stars make themselves known. 

Jolley’s work, which often features cats, brings about the feeling of a cat. A cat’s energy in the room. How its gracefulness arrives with quirk, some attitude, solitude. Her characters are eccentric; up to something. They display a sense of comic regality. Who is that woman wearing extra large sunglasses? Where is she going in that extra large coat? Why are rosy cheeks and barrettes twin accessories? What is it about a fuzzy sweater that lets you know this woman writes letters to her friends? What is it about references like E.T., or school uniforms, or cereal boxes, that knock us free of adult panic—that remind us to find a book, a quiet spot, a windowsill. Jolley’s work seems to say, “Look up!” Seems to suggest the possibility of getting weird or resting one’s eyes, because the work will always be there, so for now, take a break. Enjoy the cat who’s wearing a crown—that cat is certainly enjoying his cup of tea.

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In Conversation with: Marleigh Culver - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with: Marleigh Culver

Zoning out to artist Marleigh Culver’s work comes easy. Her palette is alert to opposites, cool purples, and playful neutrals. She’s got a thing for shades of clay. Her pieces bring to mind a vacation’s memories; the way we’re more prone to look up (blue) and experience true restfulness under a shady tree (green, so much green). Culver’s shapes are open to interpretation and always in the mood for fun. Blobs—beautiful blobs—that bump into each other and contemplative Matisse-like petals that give life to a dreary day. Culver’s work is peaceful, up to its own thing, and isn’t that nice?

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In Conversation with: Bodil Jane - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with: Bodil Jane

Dutch artist, Bodil Jane, is known for illustrating everyday life with an attention to color and curiosities, and mostly, with a flair and quickness for detail—the crease on a pant leg, the shape of a fruit sticker, the thorn on a cactus. Her work is attracted to the art of paying attention and finding a particular note that draws you in. Like the rippled pattern on a seashell or the houseplant that looks especially alive in a purple pot, and now, all that matters is finding a purple pot for your plants. Hers is a world that feels familiar but twisted towards the imaginary. 

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In Conversation with: Echo and Tre - Ordinary Habit

In Conversation with: Echo and Tre

Interview by Durga Chew-Bose

Here is a list of satisfying stuff. Clean sheets and come summer, the miracle of a cool breeze; the movie ending when it should; socks that don’t slide down; pouring hot coffee over ice cubes; steam when you need it most on your face; a quiet room in a crowded house; a good stretch; a good (much-needed) big, fat laugh; the last puzzle piece, fitting where it should, just so.

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