New Product: Sunburst Art Block Series

Posted on March 15 2021

Photo by Esteban Cortez

A year ago, we were nervously settling into what we thought would be a few weeks disruption of normal life. Looking back at the start of the pandemic, it is hard to believe we ever believed life would return to normal with a few weeks pause.

This week, a full year later, I am home and waiting for another big change in my life- the arrival of our baby.



In honor of this strange anniversary, I wanted to share a little backstory on our Sunburst Collection... This new collection started with the desire to spark joy, which is a different design process and outcome than any of my other product lines. This design was heavily influenced by a year spent at home, trying to create delight in small pleasures and finding new ways to feel inspired within our pandemic reality.

Much of the last year was punctuated by fear, by loss, the unknown, and so much waiting. Finding small pleasures in cooking, looking at old photographs and listening to our records became not just a way to pass the time, but to cope, find beauty and create small moments of joy. 

I’ve always enjoyed walking as a means to relax and connect with nature in the city, but when walks became virtually the only safe form of travel and adventure last year, my neighborhood walks took on a new and much more significant role in my weekly routine. These walks forced me to get out and look for new inspiration, and see our neighborhood with new eyes.


I started seeing something new I hadn’t noticed in the 12 years I’ve lived in San Francisco. Hidden in the architecture- at rooflines, above doorways, in metalwork and carved in wood, I started seeing sunbursts everywhere. Some were simple minimal suggestions and others, more ornate and massive golden carvings. Sunbursts became my Waldo, and for weeks I was on the hunt. Where would I find the next one?

European Sunburst and Fanlight motifs are prolific in the architecture of San Francisco neighborhoods, and have historical significance in many cities and art around the world. The sunburst gives me a feeling of hope, and each new one I discover in the city creates that small pleasure in seeing things with new eyes. 

I started sketching this design, and playing around with different versions in wood- cut out stencil, engraved and eventually, hand-painted gold fill. 


My design work traditionally starts with utility- I want to solve problems and simplify by creating products that add beautiful order and utility to the home. This collection feels a little lighter, less serious, and more open-ended. The sunburst feels like a fresh start, and the incorporation of a metallic sunburst design in this new collection is my way of sharing that feeling with you. 

The Sunburst Art Block series is designed to be versatile in the home, to display inspirational art and media beyond records alone. Two sizes, one for tabletop and one smaller for desktop allow for more display possibilities to help you recharge, feel hopeful, and feel inspired by the art, photos and prints you love.

The Sunburst Art Block, $85 - For records, art and larger format media


The Sunburst Art Block Mini, $44 For 45s, photos and small format prints