COLLABORATIVE COLLECTIONS

The creators of Peg Norriss, Chandra Johnson and Barrie Benson, sit down with us to talk about their love of art and design and what drove them to unify the two in this way.

words LIZA CARRASQUILLO photos courtesy PEG NORRISS by LYDIA BITTNER-BAIRD or SCHUMACHER

Art and interior design have always been linked. From the gallery sculpture on display in the living room to the kid’s latest masterpiece taped to the fridge, there’s always some form of art to be found in a home. For some, that link is stronger than others, causing them to design whole rooms or living spaces with a particular piece of art in mind.

Chandra Johnson and Barrie Benson, both longtime friends and colleagues, wanted to make it easier for art and design lovers to blend their two worlds together. That’s why they founded Peg Norriss—a venture that works with artists to create capsule collections based on their work. The products they create—wallpaper being their largest seller—is all distributed through Schumacher. To find out more about their process and the driving force behind their collaboration, we asked them both a few questions.

What would you say is your mission at Peg Norriss?

Our mission is to support artists both creatively and financially. Our collections are a way to take their existing work and reimagine it, creating an additional revenue stream for them.

Why is both the creative and financial support of these artists so important to you?

When we started Peg Norriss, we knew we wanted there to be a charitable aspect to it. We both understood that these artists have spent their whole lives creating their path with art, applying for grants to help support their craft, so we saw this as a way to support them and allow their existing artwork to create profits while they are able to move onto future projects.

What’s the story behind the name Peg Norriss?

Our business was named after our two grandmothers, who were both forces of nature and very strong female influences in our life. Their respective styles, grit and grace have inspired us throughout life.

What do each of you bring to the business?

Johnson: As a designer, Barrie can envision how a piece of art might translate as a wallpaper in the interior design world. She has a pulse on the design landscape and what might be missing in the market.

Benson: As a gallerist, Chandra has strong relationships with the artists we partner with. She works as a champion for them, and she also has a great eye for design. Together, we work to identify artists, select artwork and work with the team at Schumacher to create our wallpaper and fabric collections.

What’s the process like to produce a capsule collection?

Benson: We first identify the artist and gauge their interest. Often, that step is all about timing. We try to make it a minimal time commitment for the artist and allow their depth of involvement to be voluntary.

Johnson: The next step is to identify past artwork or explore possible new artwork that Barrie and her team can see working in the interiors market. We then create and present concepts to Schumacher. We can’t share specifics right now, but we’re working on a few new collections that we’re very excited about. Stay tuned!