East ForkThe Henri Matisse Collection
Introducing The Matisse Collection:
In an ode to Henri Matisse, the great-grandfather of our CEO and Founder, Alex Matisse, East Fork’s iconic dinnerware creates a new canvas for some of Matisse’s most recognizable works; a celebration of a family legacy of bringing beauty into the world with passion, creativity and steadfast determination.
Through meticulous collaboration with Les Héritiers Matisse, we present the works with as much integrity and fidelity to the originals as possible; a painstaking process that took over two years to ensure every splatter of ink was captured and the blue was as close of a match to the original gouache as could be.
The Collection
The Matisse Collection is the intersection of our iconic ceramic forms and some of Henri Matisse’s most loved and celebrated works. On our mugs, plates and platters we feature a range of cut-outs and aquatints, selected from Matisse’s body of work. Offered as functional collectibles, we invite you to use and cherish these pieces in your home for years to come.
Pre-order the collection on Friday, April 25th at 11am ET.
Side Plates
Matisse’s aquatint portraits grace our Side Plates in a distillation of fluid lines and emotional resonance.
Dinner Plates
The Dinner Plate provides the perfect backdrop for Matisse’s series Nu bleu, I-IV, a synthesis of color and the human form.
Cake Plates
Echoing images from the natural world, elements from La Perruche et la sirène find a new home on our Cake Plates.
Serving Platter
Le Platane unfurls across the Serving Platter’s generous proportions.
The Mug
Femmes et singes curves around the belly of The Mug in a graceful ribbon of blue.
In the Studiowith
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was one of the most influential and versatile artists of the 20th century, celebrated for his innovative use of color, line and form. His work spanned over six decades, showcasing an extraordinary breadth and depth across a variety of mediums. Matisse’s art evolved dramatically over time, moving through multiple phases from Impressionism to Modernism. The artwork selected for The Matisse Collection was mostly created toward the later years of his life, when he turned to papier découpé (paper cut-outs), creating some of his most iconic works despite declining health. This technique, which he called “painting with scissors,” allowed him to explore bold forms and pure color. His work from this period is masterful in its simplicity and dynamism, embodying Matisse’s lifelong pursuit of movement and joy in art.
In the Factorywith East Fork
All of our pottery is made in our factory in Asheville, North Carolina. From claymaking, to forming, to glazing and firing, we’re committed to bringing you beautiful, enduring objects for the home, all while using our business to contribute to a more joyful and equitable world.
Arts Meets FunctionDecorating the Collection
The decaling process begins by creating a silk screen of the shape, which is then transferred onto paper using colored ceramic pigments. A coating is applied to help the decal adhere, and the sheet is dipped in water to slide the transfer onto the fired ware. It’s then fired again at a low temperature, leaving a permanent, crisp image.
