ABOUT
Our work at Weki Anchi (wee-kee ahn-chee) Design Studio is rooted in tradition keeping and the preservation & production of material culture. We combine Southern American and West African visual art styles with contemporary design aesthetics, to assert a refreshing take on contemporary interior objects, wall art + modern homeware. A blend of alluring boldness and elevated earthiness, our limited edition and small batch offerings bring a grounded goodness to every space they inhabit.
Weki Anchi means ‘Heavy Quilt’ in the Chata language.
While pursuing her BFA at University of Illinois, Gholar used her ethnography classes to dive deeper into her maternal legacy of quiltmaking which was passed down to her from her grandmother, and great grandmother. While researching quilting patterns of her families native region in Central Mississippi, Gholar drew many parallels between quilts made by the West African-Missisippian and Choctaw nation matriarchs. A firm believer of the bloom where you are planted philosophy, our name was given to honor the place she calls home and to preserve the legacy of indigenous tangible culture and aesthetics.
Lamiah Gholar
Founder + Lead designer
Formally trained in painting + sculpture from age 9 through her undergraduate BFA studies at University of Illinois, she is currently using her studio practice to dive into botanical study from an artistic perspective.
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Each piece within the Weki Anchi collection is meticulously crafted by the artist in her personal and community studio; some pieces taking weeks or months to fully complete.
Mission
Understanding that the look and feel of any dwelling and the obiects within it can affect ones behavior and mood, our mission is to shape spaces with timeless designs inspired by flora, fauna and the natural world.
Vision
We aspire to convey the sense of passion we feel about our craft through our work each day. We hope to challenge and inspire generations of people through design born of diversity, innovation, collaboration,
and layered complexity.
