ABOUT
MOTIVATED BY THE DESIRE TO ELEVATE ORDINARY OBJECTS AND FAMILIAR FORMS INTO UNEXPECTED DELIGHTS, ERIKA INVESTIGATES THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OBJECT, SCALE, AND USER. HER AESTHETIC FUSES SCULPTURAL FORMS WITH UTILITARIAN FUNCTIONALITY. WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF PRODUCT AND PROCESS, SHE HAS A HANDS-ON APPROACH TO DESIGN. THE WORKSHOP BECOMES THE SOURCE AND SITE OF HER CREATIVE ENERGY; BOTH LIBRARY AND LABORATORY. USING RESEARCH, INTUITION, EXPERIENCE, AND EXPERIMENT, ERIKA PURPOSEFULLY CHALLENGES LIMITATIONS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE METHODS AND OBJECTS.
BORN IN MICHIGAN, ERIKA IS THE FOUNDER OF ERIKA CROSS STUDIO. SHE RECEIVED AN MFA IN DESIGN PRODUCTS FROM THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART IN 2014. PRIOR TO THAT SHE STUDIED SIMULTANEOUSLY AT TWO UNIVERSITIES, EARNING A BFA IN ART AND DESIGN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IN 2011, AND A BS IN INTERIOR DESIGN AT EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN 2012.
AWARDS
2023 ISFD INNOVATION + DESIGN AWARD
2023 BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE - GOLD AWARD
2022 WANTEDDESIGN - BEST OF LAUNCH PAD FOR FURNITURE
2022 ISFD INNOVATION + DESIGN AWARD
2022 ISFD PINNACLE AWARDS - DESIGNER/MAKER FINALIST
2022 NYCxDESIGN AWARD RESIDENTIAL SIDE TABLE - HONOREE
2022 NYCxDESIGN AWARD STORAGE - HONOREE
2021 NYCXDESIGN AWARD TABLETOP - HONOREE
2021 HIGH POINT MARKET INNOVATION + DESIGN AWARD - FINALIST
2020 NYCXDESIGN AWARD - BEST IN SHOW
2020 DEZEEN AWARDS - LONGLIST
2020 HIGH POINT MARKET INNOVATION + DESIGN AWARD - FINALIST
2019 ICFF STUDIO AWARD - SHORTLIST
2018 LEXUS DESIGN AWARD - FINALIST
2015 DESIGNBOOM DARE TO DREAM DESIGN AWARDS - FINALIST
2014 CORE77 DESIGN AWARDS - STUDENT FURNITURE & LIGHTING
2014 THIERRY MUGLER/IFF DESIGN COMPETITION - FINALIST
2013 FURNITURE SOCIETY ICFF AWARD
2012 NICHE AWARDS - FINALIST
2011 ASFD STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION RECIPIENT
2010 ASFD JASON PHILLIPS AWARD
2010 IFDA RUTH CLARK FURNITURE DESIGN AWARD
2010 BRIGHTON ART GUILD NORMA GREY AWARD
NOTABLE EXHIBITIONS
2023 ISOLA DESIGN GALLERY - MILAN, ITALY
2023 ISFD INNOVATION + DESIGN - HIGHT POINT, NC
2022 ICFF/WANTED DESIGN LAUNCHPAD - NYC
2022 LAKE COMO DESIGN FESTIVAL (LCDF) - COMO, ITALY
2022 ISDF INNOVATION + DESIGN EXHIBITION - HIGH POINT, NC
2022 EE FORD HOUSE - CRAFT IN THE DIGITAL AGE - DETROIT, MI
2022 BRIGHTON ART GUILD OUR TOWN EXHIBITION - BRIGHTON, MI
2021 ISDF INNOVATION + DESIGN - HIGH POINT, NC
2020 ICFF/WANTEDDESIGN - COVID19 CANCELLATION
2020 ISDF INNOVATION + DESIGN - COVID19 CANCELLATION
2018 ANN ARBOR ART CENTER WORKS IN PROGRESS EXHIBITION
2018 BRIGHTON ART GUILD OUR TOWN EXHIBITION
2017 ARCHELLO HOW IT'S MADE EXHIBITION - TORONTO
2017 WORLD DESIGN SUMMIT - MONTREAL
2015 MOOD EXPO - BRUSSELS
2013 ICFF WITH THE FURNITURE SOCIETY - NYC
2013 ICFF WITH DIS - NYC
2011 GRAND RAPIDS SITE LAB
2010 BRIGHTON ART GUILD