Grotta & Co., a silk-screen studio run by Laura Goldstein, is located on the second floor of the Marshall Building in the Historic Third Ward. The name belonged to a business run by Goldstein's mother, grandfather and great-grandfather and harkens back to 1890, when the company made collars and cuffs for women's clothing in the grand era of the department store-a period that ushered in the ever-popular button-down shirt on New York's Fifth Avenue.
Goldstein's family eventually relocated to Milwaukee, where she received an MFA in surface design from UW-Milwaukee. In 2000, she resurrected the family business by beginning to fashion hand-printed scarves and wraps, the contemporary women's collar, along with accessories for the home that allow for both ready-made and custom pieces.
While every length of material, which includes silk, silk taffeta, linen and cotton, starts immaculately white, Goldstein and her studio assistant Grady Owens (BFA, Rhode Island School of Design) prepare fabric dyes before silk-screening the designs over the eventual shimmering, jewel-colored fabric.
"The beauty of printing by hand is that the dyed colors seep into the cloth," Goldstein says, "the silk-screened pigment sits on the surface…so the subtle contrasts can be observed against the sheen of silk."
Each piece she produces is constructed entirely in Milwaukee using dyes and inks that are water-soluble and environmentally friendly.
With her silk-screen designs accumulated over a lifetime of collecting pictures, letters, papers and pages from books, Goldstein draws from more than 180 images that she layers, collages and tweaks to produce her elegant pieces. By first creating a fine-art fabric picture that she will sell, the research and design involved with this artwork influences her final products. While her items may be purchased at the studio, Grotta & Co. also sells wholesale to national boutiques, interior designers and the Artful Home catalog.
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Goldstein's past experience as a specialist in the toy market reflects what she calls the "play value" of each piece, which becomes double printed in multiple colors on both sides and portrays a sense of intellectual wit, often with an ironic twist. Goldstein's art hints at a narrative that viewers imagine through their own experiences and perceptions.
An "Annual Big Sale" at Grotta & Co. features samples, discontinued pieces, imperfects and odds or ends. This year's sale on her sophisticated designs occurs Saturday, April 18, starting at 9 a.m.
For further information, visit www.grottaco.com or call (414) 273-8066.
