I expected to see Moroccan design influences during my trip to Arizona. The desert climate is perfect for tile, cement/adobe houses, and water fountains. A pleasant surprise was an unplanned trip to Mission San Xavier del Bac on the Tohono O’odham Indian reservation. Built in 1777, this active Catholic church has been called the Sistine chapel of the United States. I had never heard of it before. It was beautiful and well-worth the visit.

Moroccan pattern in a Catholic church

The sign on the door of Chipotle read “Easter or Equinox, either way we’re closed.” It seemed a good summary of the day. On Easter morning my two year old daughter found her basket, decorated with flowers and filled with chocolate eggs and marshmallow chicks. Once she was high on a sugar buzz, I had to take her out of the house. We went to the national zoo in Washington, DC. I found myself surrounding by archetypal shapes. She played with park benches, birds, berries, and rocks. I snapped photos of hexagon tile pavers, storm drains, and sewers. Neither one of us gave much attention to the animals and we both had fun.

Photos from the National Zoo

I got an e-mail from an artist who is constructing Islamic patterns and was wondering about the use of a grid. Since there are only three regular tessellations; square, hexagon, and triangle, I think each of those grid types would be useful as a base for constructing complex patterns. I found some free downloadable grid papers online. Scroll down the page and you’ll find triangles, hexagons, and even octagons, all which should be very useful for learning how to construct zillij patterns. Some writers state zillij designs are constructed through circles, but I am confident there are more straight forward grids underlying them. Let me know how it works out for you if you try them.

Some tips on creating Islamic patterns

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I made the following painting on canvas with acrylic paint. Instead of tracing the design on the canvas, I used gloss medium to adhere a paper template to the canvas and then added the paint color on top. It took a long time to get the hues where I wanted them, but I am happy with the end result. The painting is 48 x 24 inches (120×240 cm). It is currently hanging over my fireplace, where it makes a nice impact. It is relaxing to look at. The pattern continues off the canvas.

Interested in purchasing? I am selling it for $550 USD through Google Checkout.

You can contact me at sarah@moroccandesign.com with any questions.

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I took a picture of this donkey in Fes in 2000. My inspiration is the color of the bottles and the texture of the wall. It is an original 11×14 inch (28×36 cm) acrylic painting on canvas. I used some light molding paste to add texture.

You can buy this original painting through Google Checkout for $150 USD.

If you have any questions, email me directly at sarah@moroccandesign.com.

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I came across a door in the medina in Marrakesh that a stylized version of the word love etched into the ancient wood. I’m consistently amazed at the type of architecture that falls prey to graffiti in Morocco; ancient zillij, old doorways, marble columns. In this case, with the door in a state of disrepair, and I found the graffiti oddly endearing.

Painting is 20×20 inches (51×51 cm), acrylic paint on canvas.

Selling original for $250 through Google Checkout.

You can contact me with any questions at sarah@moroccandesign.com.

As I research the underlying archetypes and philosophies of Moroccan art and design, I’ve begun to suspect the West has a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to Islamic achievements in art. Islam isn’t commonly credited with having Art, with a capital A. Rather, Islamic art is labeled as decoration or ornamentation. This is probably because 1) the Islamic empire established sophisticated art forms by the 11th century, several hundred years before the Renaissance, which gave European civilizations a political motivation to claim the influence as their own; and 2) Islamic artists don’t do paintings.

Universal Symbolism and Islam's Contributions to Art

I have found mysefl neck deep in Pythagorean theory, which is interesting since Pythagoras didn’t write anything. I got here by researching the origins of zillij. I’m researching connections between astronomy, Pythagoras, Sufism, and Islamic ornamentation.

Resources: Pythagoras, Sufism, and Geometric Art

You may know that bessara is a fava bean soup eaten in Morocco, particularly in the north. And, you may notice that is a picture of orange lentils on the right, not fava beans. But, bear with me.

Fake Bessara Recipe

On a recent trip to Oued Laou, a city on the Mediterranean north of Chefchaouen, I saw the opportunity fueling Morocco’s real estate and tourism development efforts. Sheep grazed in an empty lot next to the town’s hotel, enjoying a water front view along with me and my traveling companion. The hotel staff said business had picked-up since they had been featured in the most recent Lonely Planet guide. They seemed nervous about the increased attention, but we were the hotel’s only visitors.

Real estate development in Morocco

A brief look the places I can’t afford to stay at in Morocco, and a few I can. Luckily, I am able to appreciate good design through photos.

Do you know of a Moroccan hotel that exemplifies good Moroccan design? Leave a comment and include a link to photos. Then we can all live together in a virtual Moroccan wonderland. Thanks.

Places I can't afford to stay at in Morocco

Roof line at Casa Hassan, Chefchaouen, Morocco.

Driving through the Washington, DC, suburbs, it’s easy to feel the wonder has been stripped from the world. Gas is 3.699 per gallon. A bright red sign in shop windows advertises 50% off spring merchandise. People on the side of the street hold signs reading “Closeout: Leather Living Furniture. Everything Must Go!” or “Vietnam Veteran. Homeless. Please Help. God Bless.” Talk radio transmits news and events in far off places. I sit passively behind the wheel of my car, surrounded by steel.

Remember the Art of Geometry

In December 2007 I went to visit a friend who is living in Morocco for the year. She had already done the obligatory tour of Fes and Marrakesh with a friend. She had already seen Essaouria, Asillah, Tangier, and the Sahara. So, the problem arose as to where we should go together. One city stuck in our minds: Chefchaouen.

Road trip from Rabat to Chefchaouen and Oued Laou.

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This painting I created by cropping a photo of a zillij mosaic installation. I created a paper template which I adhered to a canvas using gloss medium. I built up the color on top using it to create a center focus. Getting the colors “right” was key. The painting is 18×24 inches (46×60cm).

You can purchase for $150 USD through Google Checkout.

If you have any questions, email me directly at sarah@moroccandesign.com.

Fashion has been trying to integrate Moroccan style into clothing for years. I recollect a quilted skirt in a zillij pattern years ago that never made it off the runway into mainstream. Recently, Tracy Reese created a zillij-inspired handbag that I think I have to buy. It is a much better version of Morocco than the Furla bag I saw a few springs ago, which featured an unfortunate zillij print.

Anthropologie has picked up the effort to bring Moroccan style to fashion with it’s 2008 spring catalog titled “Escape to Morocco.” I brought the catalog to a recent family dinner to get the opinion of my husband and two brother-in-laws. “The tall brunette got more attention than the blond in Morocco” was the opinion of the oldest. “Why did they do her hair that way? It is really unflattering” was the opinion of the cover model given by the youngest. My sister in-law questioned “Are you looking at the girls or the clothes?” My view: ladies, none of the feature outfits are appropriate for a tour of the medina in Fes.

More Moroccan Style?