about
Drawing pictures of animals was one of Don Carney’s favorite childhood pastimes, and he found much of his inspiration in the wooded areas around his New England home. Birds, deer, snakes and insects were the subjects of his earliest artworks and they continue to be inspiration for his ink drawings today as seen in the September 2018 issue of American Harper's Bazaar. For this Fall Fashion issue, Don was commissioned to create four ink drawings to complement extravagant jewelry by Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany and Cartier. For this special assignment, Don of course turned to his favorite subjects and now an alligator, a horse and a bird are bejeweled in the finest of precious gems.
Don studied illustration and painting at the Art Institute of Boston before moving to New York City, where his artistic talent landed him jobs sketching women’s accessories, including jewelry and shoes for fashion design clients. After a few years in New York, Don met his partner John Ross, and together they founded PATCH NYC with a small collection of hand-detailed accessories including handbags, scarves and crochet hats made by John’s mom. Bergdorf Goodman ordered the collection, followed by Barneys New York, and soon orders came in from Japan, London, Paris and Dubai. Today, PATCH NYC has evolved into a design studio creating collections of fashion accessories and home decor sold to specialty retailers worldwide.
As well as designing under the PATCH NYC label, Don designed exclusive PATCH NYC collections for Target, Astier de Villatte, West Elm, Miriam Haskell, Monoprix France, Antoinette Poisson and, most recently, Fragonard Perfumery. Many of the designs for these collaborations incorporate Don’s original artwork created with fine tip brushes and India ink. These ink drawings with their intricate line work have become a PATCH NYC signature.
In addition to his work at PATCH NYC, Don was the Head Designer and Creative Director of Miriam Haskell for over six years. At Miriam Haskell Don was tasked with updating one of the oldest American costume jewelry houses to appeal to specialty retailers and fashion editors. Don’s jewelry designs for Miriam Haskell were contemporary while staying true to the heritage of the brand and his work was featured in Vogue, Elle, W and sold worldwide. During his time as Creative Director of Miriam Haskell, Don also developed exclusive jewelry collections for Barneys New York and runway jewelry inspired by Great Expectations for the clothing brand Marchesa.
For art inquiries and collaboration projects please contact Don at doncarneyart@gmail.com
