Colour Wheel

Paul Klee GIFTBEEREN 1920

Colour Wheel’s image, Giftbeeren, is a joyful combination of vibrant colour and bold then delicate shapes, veering between the abstract and the figurative.

In Klee’s “Creative Credo” (1920), he states, “Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible". With Giftbeeren Klee jolts us into consideration of the common, poisonberry, supplanting a naturalistic green backdrop with red-vermillion (a colour intrinsically connected to green - its opposite - in Klee’s colour theory system). This imbues the painting with vitality and life. The colour of blood and fire gives the subject a mystic, super-real quality which also increases the physicality of the berries for us. Klee gives the scene a warm, beating pulse we want to reach out and touch.

Paul Klee thought that there were many other realities man could experience, but fundamentally, all was connected and unified in a 'oneness'. He saw nature as an expression of this oneness. Like William Wordsworth, writer of the words on Colour Wheel, he saw communion with Nature, loving her, as a way to the sublime - to harmony and truth. 

William Wordsworth 'Tintern Abbey' 1860

“Nature never did betray the heart that loved her”

The artist for Colour Wheel, Paul Klee, believed that nature was a way for man to reach other realities and to connect to a universal oneness, encompassing all things.

The words of Colour Wheel are from a poem which describes the realization that access to a sublime, deeper truth spring from experiences of nature. 

Tintern Abbey was written by Wordsworth after a walking tour with his sister. In it he describes his experiences of the countryside surrounding the banks of the River Wye, which grows into a portrayal of his overall philosophy.

The poem is probably the most celebrated meditation on the self, the pastoral, and the growing of wisdom over time, to be found in all of English literature. It’s a quintessential work of Romanticism.

We can see an explicit crossover of the philosophies of the artist and writer of Colour Wheel. Its artist, Paul Klee, stated in his work “Creative Credo” (1920);

‘Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible’

Nature would be an inherent part of this ‘making visible’ as Klee believed that all art, including abstract, should spring from nature.

Wordsworth states that the landscapes he’s experienced have given him even more than restoration and inspirational nourishment of the soul;

To them I may have owed another gift,

Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood,

In which the burthen of the mystery,

In which the heavy and the weary weight

Of all this unintelligible world,

Is lightened...

...While with an eye made quiet by the power

Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,

We see into the life of things. 

Like Paul Klee’s experience of nature and art, Wordsworth's experiences of nature enables him to look beyond surface appearance and gain insight into a deeper level of existence.

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We will only ever make products that are positive for people and our planet.

⦁ We use recycled nylon for stitch, zip and bond strength. The rest is plastic-free.

⦁ Everyone involved in making an ART WRD is paid properly for their skill and expertise.

⦁ Our tannery follows an ancient process using only non-toxic plant-based tannins.

⦁ We only use leather that is a by-product of the highest standard of welfare for food production.

Our traditional methods give the leather an unmistakable warm and brilliant shade that becomes more intense with daily use and the passing of time.

Our pioneering printing lasts a lifetime

In Nottingham, England we work with leather printing pioneers. Utilizing their specialist procedures, artworks are re-created like a tattoo, with ink absorbing deeper into the leather, resulting in unparalleled colour vibrancy, image quality and colour durability.

Our wallets are crafted by highly-skilled, passionate people

Just across the Nottinghamshire Wolds in Melton Mowbray our wallets are handcrafted in small batches using traditional methods. This, along with the natural variation in these artisan products, means each one is unique. Expertly made to the very highest quality they are double-stitched at pressure points and fully leather lined. 

In short, ART WRD wallets are made to inspire you and be loved for a lifetime.

Collector Wallet size

⦁ Wallets are 11.5 x 8cm 

⦁ 100% leather outer, 100% leather lining