Wordy Wednesdays

On Wednesdays, we look at artist/designer statements or About pages and discuss the vocabulary they use to describe their work. Today we’ll look at the About page of Bower Studios, a company that specializes in furniture, lighting, accessories, and interior design.


Here is the text from their About page, in italics.

Bower is a New York City–based studio with a multidisciplinary approach to contemporary furniture and product design. With a focus on mirrors, they explore perceptions of depth, light and self. The company also offers unique collections of furniture, lighting and accessories, as well as artist collaborations, design partnerships and interior design.

Through a free–thinking, experimental process, Bower aims to bring unexpected objects and environments into people’s lives, with reflections taking center stage. Of all the things we surround ourselves with every day, the mirror is most closely related to our consciousness—a humble technology for understanding ourselves. This defining spirit of discovery is present throughout their collections and is passed on to those who engage with a Bower design. 

(At the bottom of the page, they also explain that a bower is a kind of bird that decorates its house in a very beautiful way.)

Now my comments:

Although this About page is short, it includes a lot of useful information. It begins with an introduction and explanation of the company’s approach to design and what they focus on, or what makes them unique. In the second paragraph, they describe their process and their goals, using a mirror as a metaphor. This is a clever way to share their design vision and promote their product at the same time. The additional explanation of the bowerbird helps to share their inspiration.

Now, let’s look at the words they use. In the first paragraph, we see that they are based (located) in NYC, and that they have a multidisciplinary approach. Multi means many and a discipline is an area of study. So they are saying their approach combines different areas of design. Next, they begin talking about mirrors which are a major part of their design focus. A perception is a way you see or think about something. When they say self, they mean yourself. So they are saying that they use mirrors to affect the way you see the depth or space in a room, the light, and yourself. (People commonly use mirrors to create the feeling of more space in a small room.) To collaborate means to work with someone on something, so they are telling us that they sometimes work together with artists or other designers.

In the second paragraph, they describe their process as free–thinking and experimental. Free thinking means just what it sounds like – they think freely to find their own ideas and don’t follow other people’s designs. Experimental means a similar thing, they experiment, or try new things. In this situation, aim means to try to do something, so Bower is trying to bring unexpected objects and environments into people’s lives. They use the phrase taking center stage, which means it is the most important part of the design, like the most important actor is at the center of a stage. So because they use a lot of mirrors in their designs, the reflections from those mirrors are the most important part of their design.

Next, they talk about how a mirror is most closely related to our consciousness. Consciousness means being awake and able to understand what is happening around you, and related to means like or similar to. In this situation, humble means simple, so they are saying a mirror is like our ability to understand ourselves. Defining means showing your true self, so they are saying that the spirit, or feeling, of discovery is what defines their brand. To be present means it is there, you can notice it, and the phrase passed on means it is given to others. To engage with a Bower design means someone who experiences one of their designs, so they are saying that the spirit of their brand is passed on to everyone who sees or experiences it.

A metaphor is a very powerful way to share complex ideas and messages with your audience. A good language coach can explain English metaphors, similes, and idioms, and help you to use them correctly in your writing. This kind of language can be a great way to engage with your audience and share your artistic vision.

At Artglish, we help artists and designers to write a statement or About page that best describes their work. We focus on choosing the best vocabulary and language to help you share your work with others. If you want to learn more, click here to join The Studio and try some free ways to improve your English, or check out our Lessons page to learn how Artglish can help you succeed.


To see the Bower Studios About page, click the link below:

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