I'm so excited to share today's SoOh Spotlight. I've been following VisuaLingual's blog for some time now and it's been a great way to learn more about their sense of design and the city of Cincinnati. They have a keen eye for great visuals in the city and many of their items are a reflection of the rich culture and history in Cincinnati. I admire how Maya and Michael are able to communicate so much through their beautiful visuals and I am inspired by their whole creative process. They show us that Southern Ohio can be a very inspiring place and once you've read about their work and life here, you'll feel inspired too.
VisuaLingual is a two-person design/print studio. We create thought-provoking objects that celebrate places for the people who care about them. Our offerings include seed bombs, prints, and home accessories. We design and produce everything in our live/work loft.
What is your process when you create items for your shop?
We spend a lot of time walking around our neighborhood, just observing details and taking photos. We think about the urban environment and try to visualize aspects of it in ways that communicate and celebrate the city. We collaborate on every project, so each of us has a lot of ideas that we constantly bounce off each other.
How much of what you sell is influenced by the Southern Ohio area?
Our work is very much inspired by place. Since we currently live in Cincinnati, that's our most frequent muse right now. We love the 19th century architecture in Over-the-Rhine, our neighborhood. Cincinnati's influence on our work isn't always apparent to other people, but it's definitely always a starting point for us.
For instance, our neighborhood's abandoned plots of land were the initial inspiration for our seed bombs, but our thinking quickly expanded to include similar inner-city neighborhoods in other cities, as well as the general need to add more green space and natural beauty to places.
What part of Southern Ohio do you live in and how long have you been here?
For the past five years, we've been living in Over-the-Rhine, just north of downtown Cincinnati. Michael is from Indianapolis, and Maya is from Brooklyn, and we lived in Boston for a few years before we moved here. Having experienced different cities gives us a different perspective on Cincinnati.
I really enjoy your blog and you seem very interested in the history of cities. What is some of the most interesting history you've learned about Cincinnati?
Cincinnati really boomed during the 19th century, so there are many impressive buildings from that era, in our neighborhood and beyond. Many of its cultural institutions date back to those boom years, when the city was nicknamed the "Paris of the West." Nowadays, Cincinnati is a mid-sized city that happens to have more art, music and theater than you might expect in a city of its size. During the middle of the 20th century, it was a hotbed of Modernism, and there are many interesting examples of Modern architecture in the area. The University of Cincinnati campus features some impressive buildings by contemporary architects as well. You can see some of our favorite Cincinnati buildings in our guest post on Hatch.
What are your top 3 favorite places to eat in Southern Ohio?
We're big fans of BBQ Revue in Madisonville. Great ribs and awesome mac'n'cheese!
Emanu in Pleasant Ridge is an amazing Ethiopian restaurant.
Our favorite "old school" place to eat is Price Hill Chili on the West side.
What are your top 3 favorite go to events in Southern Ohio?
The OTR/Gateway Summer Celebration is a really fun event in our neighborhood, with bands, food, and local art and design vendors. It's a day-long, block party-type event that takes place each May.
The Northside 4th of July Parade is a unique, inclusive parade that really celebrates many of Cincinnati's quirks and charms. It's a great community event.
The Crafty Supermarket takes places twice a year and includes tons of artists, designers and crafters from the Cincinnati area and beyond, plus a good selection of locally made food and beverages.
What are your top 3 favorite places to shop/thrift in Southern Ohio?
MiCA 12/v in Over-the-Rhine is an independently-owned store that showcases some of the best local designers as well as work from all over the world. Of course, we're biased because our work is available there!
The Ohio Book Store in downtown Cincinnati is amazing -- it's five floors of many hard-to-find books on all kinds of topics. The store has also published a bunch of books on the history of Cincinnati, so it's a great resource for us.
Mainly Art in Madisonville carries a wide range of mostly Modern furniture and accessories. It's a really inspiring store with lots of eye candy.
Anything else you would like to share about yourself, your shop or Southern Ohio?
For more of what we love about Cincinnati, we recommend checking out the Cincinnati Design Guide on Design*Sponge, and also our studio blog, visualingual.wordpress.com, where we chronicle many of the amazing things about Cincinnati that inspire us and our work.
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Thank-you again to Maya and Michael. It's really great to read a perspective on the area from people who have transplanted here and made Southern Ohio their home. Their positive view of the city is invigorating and refreshing to read at their blog and see through their items. Be sure to checkout their blog and shop to be inspired and find great items for your home!
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