Evolutionary Endeavours...

Every so often, we stubble across a new designer that gets us very excited, and we want to work with them immediately! So today's graduate showcase is of Duncan of Jordanstone Textile graduate 

Claire Corstorphine.

Claire specialises in digitally printed textiles, which enables her to manipulate her photographs, and vintage finds to create an explosion of colour, and quirky imagery in her range of silk scarves.

For her graduate collection entitled 'Molluscs, Microbes and Mutants', she took inspiration from Darwin symbolism to create her own hybrid of the natural world. 

Although she presents a palette of bright zingy colours, on peeling back the layers of silk, a darker undertone of progressive natural selection is revealed, and her patterns show an abstraction of the core of life itself, fragility and strength seem then, to work in harmony...

All things bright and beautiful...

Jessie G has been on board with us for the last couple of months, but we thought we would do a bit of an official introduction...

Jess works as an interior designer in London, but ever since being given her first silk screen as a child, she has been addicted to the process and the wide-range of results that can be achieved.

She takes inspiration from her travels around the capital, and her trips a bit further afield too. Her bright, and bold graphic approach tunes into a style akin to mid-century modern, and her pieces whether a print or cushion wouldn't look out of place on a G-Plan sideboard or Ercol daybed!

Most weekends you will find her brightening up a Designer-Maker Market in London with a kaleidoscope of colourful wares from greetings cards to poppy prints, she brightens our day and will brighten a room in any home too...

Find some of her beautiful prints at our shop...here...

Animal Magic...

We might be heading off to places in the sun, but we still keep a look out for any talent that catches our eye, it's been a long time, and we are excited to get back to showcasing one such designer.

Julia Kisselmann is a designer who graduated last year from the University of Bedfordshire in Illustration. Her work leans towards nature, with a hand-drawn aesthetic, and a bold use of colour and scale.

We particularly like pieces from her Transmutation collection, where animals themselves cross-over into nature, and the exploration of flora and fauna become intertwined.

With the creation of her brand, and business in mind, her creativity doesn't wane, and its great to see a range of strong products being built around a true talent...

Pause for Thought...

What's lovely about researching and showcasing different designers, is discovering their inspirational connections, and how they translate them into their chosen specialism...

Today, that unexpected collaboration comes in the form of Liva Cabule and Emma Walker...

Liva, graduated this Summer from The University of Bedfordshire in Illustration. She has always had an interested in a variety of artist styles and genres, but her real passion lies in screen print and creating hand-made books.   

One such book, The Fairy and the Seed, takes inspiration from Jack and the Beanstalk to explore the moral tale that warns of the dangers of GM plants, which she displayed at the recent Emerge exhibition as part of London Design Festival. 

As well as creating her own books, Liva was awarded second prize at the Penguin Design Awards in the Puffin Children's Book Category, for her illustrated design of James and the Giant Peach...

Moving from one 2D specialism to another, Emma Walker's photography is a continual exploration into the relationship between the Human and the Natural World.

A recent graduate from Arts University College Bournemouth, Emma's work investigates the concepts of beauty that surrounds the subject of nature, with an edge of sublime and surrealism.

"...the beauty of nature is but only a small facet of this fascination...the diversity, the state of being unrestrained from thought...however subtly they may be visualised..." says Emma, about her inspiration.

We have a selection from both Liva and Emma's recent collections available...just hit Shop to explore some more...

A State of Mind...

We are delving into the world of fine art for the first time, & we're very excited about showcasing work by Emily Cooper, a graduate from Bath School of Art & Design.

Her work was on show as part of the Free Range exhibition a few weeks ago, & we were really in awe of the sheer scale of these almost photographic representations. She describes her work as 'placing painting at the summit of experience...with its validation of strong emotion as an aesthetic source...'
We agree & for us, Emily has managed to capture a moody, forlorn landscape in a completely mesmeric way...

A Bird's Eye View...

We start the week with a quick mention of one of our previous postings, Emma Walker. We showcased her beautiful work back in April in the post A Natural Photographer & she was kind enough to invite us to her degree show 'Paradalia' for Arts University College at Bournemouth, at Free Range last week.

It was lovely to see her work up close, & have chosen one of her other projects to showcase today, called Ave, along with the work of fellow graduate Sophie Mullins.

Sophie's unusual collection depicts a collage of found pieces taking inspiration from memory, fragmentation, absence & loss. We like the fact from a distance this pieces appear quite abstract, & then up close have a soft, patchwork effect, like looking over fields from the air, delicate & impactful...

Home Sweet Home...

Next up from our round-up of best bits from New Designers is Surface Designer Rachel Powell. Her stand, under the name of 'House of Hermit' featured her own wallpaper clad house, upholstered chair in her own fabric, as well as light shades & cushions to boot. It's clear she draws on inspiration from mid-century design, which we love, mixed with motifs derived from nature, from living on a farm...she certainly ticks all the boxes for domestic bliss...

Humble beginnings...

Our round-up of best bits from New Designers begins with the buzz around graduate Elizabeth Humble, who was featuring her work in the 'One Year On' area at New Designers. After a busy year, her return was duly noted by winning the One Year On Award, a mere twelve months after winning the prestigious Goldsmiths' Company Award. Some truly beautiful, beautiful work, Elizabeth takes inspiration from the rugged landscape of the west coast of Scotland, to create these fragile structures...

A Natural Photographer...

With the sun shining outside and Summer literally around the corner, it seems fitting to showcase these stunning photographs by graduate photographer Emma Walker from the collection, 'An Assemblage of Improbable Flowers'
http://www.ekwalker.com/