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Ragna Ragnarsdottir Design
Our darling designer Ragna Ragnarsdottir, based in Philadelphia, brings you imaginative products as she experiments with objects and materials. Her inspiration is drawn from the graphical language of landscapes as she turns them into dreamlike patterns. For her, good design is not only about aesthetics and function but the story behind how the object is made is also important. We are ever so proud of working with her for her experiments are such good and unique stories to tell.
We hope you enjoy her rare approach to patterns and materials and turn them into surreal and one-of-a-kind products.
4 things you didn't know about Ragna:
Her story:
Hi, I’m Ragna Ragnarsdottir, an Icelandic designer who runs her studio in the USA. I make objects and furniture experimenting with processes that result in imaginative products.
The process about her unique technique:
A few years ago, I started playing around with latex, exploring how I could manipulate it in various shapes. In the beginning, I was attaching it to tables, trying to find interesting shapes. From that, I made wooden frames that I attached the latex in a solid position for casting objects. By coloring and pouring layers of resin in the latex mold, I created a graphical language of landscapes that have been dominant in my work ever since. All of the materials I use at the moment are such as resin, silicone, latex, and wood don't need high-tech machinery so I can produce everything in my studio.
What she thinks about design and its engagement with political or environmental issues of the world:
Yes, of course, always. I believe it's a part of the designer's duty to make sure that all of the product is made in an ethical environment. It's also our challenge to make sure we live as small a footprint as possible. This can be complex when working for big design production companies as they take care of all the production, we still can't turn a blind eye and should be aware of what we are supporting. For me, good design is not only about aesthetics and function, but the story and/or process behind how the object is made is also just as important. And I think slowly, but inevitably users are starting to pay more attention and have more knowledge of what it means when objects are handmade or locally made versus made in mass production on the other side of the globe and the impact it brings.
If the sky is the limit, what is next for her:
Continuing growing as a designer. There are so many materials that I want to explore and can't wait to put my hands on them. As long as I keep challenging myself, get the opportunities to work on new projects, and manage to make them something that someone desires, my passion and drive for creating will continue.