Rug Collection Honors Artists with Disabilities
Haerfest (pronounced “harvest”) is a coffee company whose mission is to impact lives and create positive change. The company was inspired by the founder, Toby Foreman’s brother, Ethan, who had an intellectual disability. Toby watched Ethan work alongside him at Diedrich Coffee in Irvine, CA for years and was inspired to found a coffee company that employed those often overlooked in the workforce.
Haerfest Coffee was born over 20 years ago, and in that time, they represent a capable, competent, and compassionate mission to use the company to help others.
So, what does a coffee company have to do with Rugs.com?
The Haerfest Collection follows the same mission as the coffee company: to honor artists with disabilities and provide them with an opportunity to design some truly beautiful rugs! Each rug in this collection has been designed by an individual artist with a disability. Below we will introduce you to a few of these rugs and hopefully inspire you with their story and help you choose one of these incredible rugs to feature in your home.
The artist who designed the Ethiopia style in our Haerfest Collection is Justine Maloney. She was born in Rota, Spain, while her family was stationed overseas. Her physical and mental disabilities became apparent early in her development. As Justine progressed through special education, her knack for artistic expression could not be ignored. After attending a church-sponsored arts event, she discovered a life-long passion for creating art.
Justine’s smile is her signature, and her enthusiasm and love of life is represented in her artwork. “Blots of Color” is what she calls her design for the Ethiopia rug from Rugs.com. This rug comes in rectangle, round, and runner shape, is low-pile, and comes in a variety of sizes.
This rug is:
- Easy to clean
- Stain-resistant
- Shed-free
- Soft
Just like Justine’s smile, this rug will light up any room you feature it in from the entryway to the living room.
The Breakfast Blend rugs were designed by artist George B. When George was asked what his art means to him, he replied, “You show people how you feel inside.” George’s artwork, “Morning Sky” was chosen to be featured in the Haerfest Rug collection. This rug is multicolor and features flowing lines and unique patterns, unlike any other rug, found on Rugs.com. George is confident in his work and it shows in this collection.
- Stain-resistant
- Easy to clean
- Low-pile
- Durable
- Shed-free
- Soft
You can use the “See in My Room” feature on the product page to upload a picture of the room you intend to feature this rug and see how it will look!
Uganda is a Haerfest Rug inspired by the work of artist Angelo “LA” Smith II. Angelo is an impressive and inspiring man who does not let Spina Bifida limit him. He enjoys using different mediums to create art: acrylic, watercolor, paper beads, as well as clay. Angelo’s artwork “LA Unplugged” was chosen to represent this rug style for its ability to transport your senses.
This rug is multicolor and features intricate shapes and patterns that will highlight the decor of any room in your home. It comes in rectangle, round, or runner shapes and in many different sizes. This rug is easy to clean, shed-free, and stain-resistant, so it is suitable for high-traffic areas of your home including the kitchen.
Purchase one of these inspired rugs today
Rugs.com is the largest marketplace of rugs online and we pride ourselves on delivering best-in-class customer service, fast shipping, and free returns. But we are most proud of this collection, the Haerfest Collection because it represents an underserved group of artists and gives them a voice in our store.
If you would like to own one of these inspiring rugs that will bring a smile to your face every time you walk into the room in your home where it is featured, check out the collection page here on Rugs.com