Stop by John Derian‘s Manhattan shop and be transported to 18th-century Florence.

Based in New York City, John Derian is an American decoupage artist. Inspired by an early obsession with printed matter, Derian dove into decoupage, the art of cutting and pasting paper. Since 1989, he and a small studio of artisans have been creating glass plates, trays, bowls, and other decorative home items with an ever-expanding portfolio of 18th and 19th-century prints. Outside of decoupage, Derian expanded into ephemera such as postcards, gift tags, and tote bags, to complement his decoupage line. In 2016, Derian published “The John Derian Picture Book,” a compilation of over 300 beloved 18th and 19th-century images from his archive. Featuring a foreword by Anna Wintour, the book quickly became a New York Times Best Seller.

Derian’s iconic imagery adorns multiple collaborations, such as the Designers Guild’s textile collection, Todd Synder’s summer apparel line, Cisco Brothers’ elegant, sustainable furniture, and Astier de Villatte ceramics. His work has also received attention from Elle Decor, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and more. Derian’s ephemera, ceramic, and furniture collaborations, as well as an assortment of vintage and antique imports, bed and table linens, stationery, plate ware, lightning, and original artwork by Hugo Guinness, are all available at his Manhattan retail shops and online.

You can check out more of Derian’s work here on Creatively and @hellocreatively on Instagram.

What is the first creative project you remember?

Drawing a tree, cutting it out, turning it into a stencil, then stipple painting the image on a mirror.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Old world charm. 😉

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

I love my continued collaboration with Astier de Villatte in Paris. Putting my imagery on their white ceramics has been rewarding in many ways.

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with or something you’re taught?

Born with. We are all creative in different ways. School can help direct it.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring creatives?

Believe in what you do.

What’s the last dream you had?

Stephen, my boyfriend, was making traditional Armenian sweet bread but adding too much mahlab.

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

That it was “joyous.”

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