I distinctly remember the day that I found Lucky Fish, it was a bright summer day (just building the story!) and I walked into 'A detacher' in NYC (on mott street, another favorite store!) and there it was...a tunic printed with the lion print and also some funny panties...it was all great! and I had to have them...and I really wanted to know more, already curious, then one day I walked into Tracey Feith (on Mulberry Street) and they had kids t-shirts...I didn't even HAVE kids a the time, but I knew when I did I would want them to wear these t-shirts, and I bought two! I 'heard' she had a studio on White Street...but it was still very illusive...'who was this Lucky Fish?'
Well I am here to break her story, the creative guru behind Lucky Fish and these wonderful prints is Jann Cheifitz, she is from South Africa and Capetown educated. We went around NYC a few weeks ago and she gave me a mini-education on the amazing artists of South Africa, it was fascinating. I really consider Jann an artist and one of these days we are going to get her to make some of her prints into more art than wearable art...and I can't wait to see how she will execute this, so let's stay tuned. but in the meantime we can wear her work each day and aren't we 'lucky' for that!
Just about 13 years ago she made her way to New York City with her family and ended up in Brooklyn, she printed in a few crazy places, garages, what have you and where ever she could... she has always used this medium to convey her very unique form of art. what I like about her is that she isn't after the fashion and I promise you she is never in a frenzy, she is sincerely into the creativity of it all and the message of South African inspired art, and that is that. when I first started working with Jann, I used to order things and I really didn't have any idea of what was going to arrive, but it was always, ALWAYS, right on the money!Thank you Jann and keep surprising us with more of your wonderful work!
you can see her work here at nonchalant mom...
visit her website here
