We're thrilled to begin to introduce you to the masters behind the work - the artisans who are just as important a piece of us as their works of art we showcase. Jenny Maidment is a maker in Seattle who builds and paints objects of clay; we invite you to take a peek behind the scenes of Maidment Ceramics.

For Jenny, line and color play dual importance with form. Perhaps that’s why the individuality of each of her pieces is so emphasized, whether it’s a repeat of an established art form or a “one-off art object.” She organically hand forms and paints, no two exactly alike, ever. They're abstract and versatile and oh, to have an object that there is only one of in the world… how existential an investment!

Jenny isn’t a production studio. She's Jenny - small-batch artist who’s worked closely with us to establish a group of pieces that fit Hello Crisp both functionally and aesthetically. We communicated our basic preferences and she sent us a sample to touch. She said, “there is nothing like actually holding a piece to determine your resonance with it.” Her words, patience and care throughout our collaboration were refreshing.

And while yes, finding something that speaks to you is tougher when you cannot physically touch it, we could. We did. We held the cylinder vase and felt its bold presence become a focal point. We admired the detail of the black and white lined, the elegant simplicity of the gold stripe, the pure uniqueness of the faceted. Our appreciation grew and we discovered what made sense for us, as a representative of Jenny's work, as a brand of our own.

There was a point at which we weren’t sure what level we’d be able to reach with some vendors - if the personal connection and store-specific tailoring was really just a dream for our line. And then we spoke to Jenny, who helped turn that skepticism into trust and became one of our very first.