The Curated Cupboard:
Māya’s philosophy of collecting.
The Curated Cupboard
A Cupboard Full of Textile Stories
This is a space of quiet discovery, a collection that speaks through colour, tradition, and time. The Curated Cupboard is a signature Māya experience and much more than a textile collection that we showcase at our home studio—it is an evolving archive of visual narratives and textile stories. Each textile is part of a larger story of hand-printed crafts and the practise of heritage craft techniques.
With this one-of-a-kind experience, we explore materiality, imperfection, and the rhythm of the handprinted and handmade crafts. We offer collectors a free test print and buying experience.
This one of a kind Berlin Block Print Block Shop and Craft experience is live. You can book your in-studio experience here.
The First Collection:
NATŪRA – Natural Narratives, Bagru
A collaboration shaped by explorations of patterns, pigments, and prints, printed in Bagru.
NATŪRA Natural Narratives, Bagru is a limited-edition capsule collection shaped by the raw beauty of natural colours and the raw authenticity of handcrafted textiles. We worked with blocks found in the Mud and Water and Medatwal family archives.
– Techniques: Bagru & Dabu Mud Printing
– Dyes we worked with: Indigo, pomegranate, madder, iron deposits (Kashish), harda (myrobalan) and fermented iron
– Forms: Wearable and functional pieces designed to live and travel with
– Edition: 10 prints per colour way – No reprints. No restocks.
I worked in the Mud and Water workshops and with the blocks. I printed the first sample prints that can be viewed in my studio. My work in the field is important for me. This gives me a deeper understanding of the craft and the textiles' printing process. Hand block printing production is not easy, and my fieldwork also helps me understand the workers' challenges.
These pieces are not available online. Intentionally offline in our home studio experience.
Some images of our first small batch prints we created in collaboration with Mud and Water Bagru and Bagru Printing Workshop. With our first collection, we worked with two techniques in the print process. We explored Bagru and Dabu mud printing with the Medatwal family-run operation in Bagru. All the work was printed in their workshops and stitched in the local community.
In my print explorations as an artist and printmaker, I work mainly with resit print techniques. I have experimented with batik in Malaysia, canting in Indonesia and Dabu mudprinting in India. I have also learned the Bagru tradition of printing with natural dyes and inks.
I love painting and printing with mud. In the above examples hand block printing techniques are combined with natural dyes. These are Dabu mud prints designs from the Mud and Water and Medatwal family archive that we worked with to create our prints for our first small collection.
The woodblock print technique in the sample textiles seen above is Bagru printing. For the designs we used harda, madder and fermented iron obtained from recycled horse shoes. We also created only one lotus designs, in two colour ways. The other is in black. We worked with found blocks from the Mud and Water and Medatwal archive This can be viewed in our home studio or at the Block Print Berlin workshops. Only 10 prints in each size is available. We only do small batch printing.
Accessing The Collection
To experience these textiles, you must engage with them—we are creating a tactile experience and want to share the stories of the craft through touch and provide an explanation of the process.
- Workshops – The collection is accessible during our Spring and Summer Print Weekends, allowing participants to explore its craftsmanship firsthand.
- Private Studio Appointments – By invitation or booking request only. It is an intimate setting for collectors and textile enthusiasts.
A Māya Textile Atelier Experience Rooted in Craft
For those drawn to process, we offer more than just a viewing and a chance to purchase work from our collection:
– Free test print sessions with the viewing - Immerse yourself in block printing in our home studio. We will give a demo of the crafts, and you can test the print on our print table. This experience is ONLY available by booking.
– You give yourself a creative pause during this session – Enjoy self-service tea, coffee, and mineral water—a moment to linger, observe, and reflect.
Limited appointments available, for more information get in contact with design (at) ateliermaya.eu.
A Thought on Art, Craft, and Nature
Māya is a dialogue between heritage and modernity, between tradition and timeless design.
The Curated Cupboard is not a retail concept—it is a philosophy of collecting.
Our work is for those who seek depth over display.
For those who value rarity over repetition.
For those who understand that craft is not a commodity but an experience.