#HASHTAG: ERIN MINCKLEY

Local author, artist, and mother, ERIN MINCKLEY founded Relativity Textiles in 2015 with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. The company began with wallpaper but today is “not just for walls anymore,” as it offers fabrics, wallpapers, and rugs. With an MFA in Fiber and Materials Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and 10 years of experience working in the manufacturing industry, this triple threat uses her research and printing know-how to design globally inspired motifs with cultural narratives that span the globe. Her drawings and hand-painted artworks are the basis for each design. Connecting homeowners to foreign cultures by way of wallpaper motivates Minckley to pay homage to the craftsmen and women of the world. The wallpapers used are almost all screen printed by hand, but when printed digitally use the best paper substrates on the market in an effort to be durable and also eco-friendly. Minckley recently partnered with Highland Park’s Elizabeth Mollen of Stone Textile Studio to launch a new collection under Relativity Collective. Minckley sets aside her paint brushes to share how she stays current in a busy world. relativitytextiles.com.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

I am reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin because an old friend sent it to me in the mail full of his Post-it notes. It’s always good to keep my mind motivated toward creativity and expansion. It reminds me that even though I am using art in my career, there are other more personal ways to use my imagination. Life is full of opportunities to envision something and create what you want. That is what I am all about.

#ON MY MOBILE

I am following real estate these days because I am in the market for a home for myself and my two sons. I continuously scroll for the right fit for us. The housing market is up and down but I’ve been patiently waiting for many years to become a homeowner. My guilty pleasure is checking out all the pictures online and imagining what wallpaper I would use to spruce up each room. I also follow authors like Mel Robbins and Mark Manson. Their witty videos on YouTube (Manson) and Audible series of mini-stories (Robbins) are uplifting and humorous and a perfect way to start my day with a pep talk. I like to pretend they are my friends and we are FaceTiming in real life.

#IN MY EARBUDS

For music, I listen to a lot of girl bands. I recently saw First Aid Kit at the Salt Shed, and I learned of the band Joseph last year when they opened for The Shins. I love hearing a woman belt out a tune from the bottom of her heart. What courage!