in conversation with gina nadal of woven memories

hello again, long time no see - i’ve accidentally become a bit of a recluse recently, apologies. in the midst of all the usual busy things though (with new lookbooks and festive market preparations…), i do want to bring you some great posts to read about so i thought it’s time to have a brand new design conversation with someone truly brilliant – i’ve brought you here gina nadal of woven memories, who i first met last year at the CLOTH market in dalkeith. the geometric patterns on display with a computer screen really caught my attention and i had so many questions, so i thought why not have this fascinating conversation right now. so come sit down with us as we delve into process, materials and inspiration with gina!

photography by roxana alison

ZITA: hello gina! i’m very excited to speak to you today, so first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

GINA: hi zita, it's nice to speak with you. i’m a handweaver based in manchester, originally from barcelona. i moved to manchester in 2015 to pursue an MA in fashion graphics. during my master's programme, i developed the concept of "woven memories," which combines weaving and digital coding for three primary reasons. firstly, to celebrate the shared history of both techniques. secondly, to produce on-demand and reduce waste, challenging mass-production practices. thirdly, to create products that establish an emotional bond before they are made.

while there are numerous studies on the emotional connection people have with objects during or after ownership, there is limited research on how to design this emotional bond during the pre-ownership phase. this was my primary goal during my MA. by bridging these three areas, i encouraged people to use an online interface to write messages. the text was then transformed into abstract patterns by using binary code, which i wove into scarves.

following my MA, i secured a PhD scholarship to further research this area and contribute to knowledge. in 2022, upon graduating from my PhD, i decided to transition into a full-time venture and adapt my research into a business model. customers can now design their patterns by writing messages, and woven memories' online tool translates them into abstract patterns, which I then weave in my studio.

ZITA: what an amazing journey. i first encountered your designs at the CLOTH market in Dalkeith - as a pattern designer myself, your moving, animated display on your computer screen immediately caught my eyes. could you please explain a little bit about your fascinating process?

GINA: woven memories studio specialises in personalised handwoven homeware and fashion accessories. to personalise these items, the customer plays an active role in the process, becoming a co-designer of the final product. as mentioned earlier, customers can use woven memories' online tool and are encouraged to type a message. this message can be personal, contain the lyrics of their favourite song, or even a poem. while typing, the pattern is generated in real-time by translating the letters into patterns using binary code. once the customer is satisfied with the text, they can further personalise the design by selecting colours, adjusting the pattern repetition, or applying mirroring.

i believe these products are perfect as gifts for celebrating special occasions like birthdays and christmas, as well as for commemorating loved ones who are no longer with us.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: oh yes, it is very giftable and i love the idea of translating words into the language of weaving. that makes me wonder, do sentences always come out as a workable weave or are there ones that work less than others?

GINA: certainly, some sentences result in more visually appealing patterns due to the way they stand out. for instance, the other day, i was experimenting with the online tool and wrote 'i love you' in different languages; armenian and punjabi produced patterns i particularly liked. however, i do have two favourite quotes. one is a quote from ada lovelace that encapsulates my research and the concepts behind woven memories: 'the analytical engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves.' another quote from victoria mitchells states, 'textile becomes a kind of speaking and for language a kind of making,' which i believe reflects what my products achieve—they convey messages on their own, and language brings them to life.

ZITA: that’s really beautiful, and i absolutely love the play with all the different languages! but did you ever encounter “bugs” in the process or find that certain sentences don’t make a good cloth? or do you ever find that you have to tweak the results in order to make it more aesthetically pleasing?

GINA: i haven't come across a sentence that doesn't work on the fabric, as each carries a meaningful message. sometimes, customers may only want one or two words, and in such cases, i suggest repeating the pattern to create more movement and variation. while i wouldn't say i need to alter designs, there are times when customers choose two colours, and i might suggest variations in colour or hue if i believe their initial choice may not work well.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: as someone whose work integrates programming and computer systems at such a level, i feel i have to ask you, what’s your take on the latest developments in machine learning? it seems all the rage now, do you see it as a threat or do you see yourself in the future using it as a tool to create ever more complex patterns? i mean, are there even any limitations to a two-dimensional woven pattern?

GINA: i don't believe AI is inherently a threat. it's simply another new tool, but we must exercise caution in how we use it. we still have much to learn about AI and its short- and long-term consequences. only time will tell. however, i do believe that, in order for the field of weaving to progress, weavers and designers should explore the potential of AI and see what it can bring to us. i'm eager to see what other creators will develop with AI. certainly, i'll be experimenting with it, and whether or not i ultimately incorporate it into my work remains to be seen. However, i think it has the potential to expand my horizons and foster greater creativity.

to be honest, weavers have historically been early adopters of the latest technology, even dating back to the 19th century with the industrial revolution, which began by mechanising textile production.

ZITA: that makes perfect sense in the historical context of weaving indeed. now, having discussed the hyper-customisable patterns you can make from your client’s memories and words, i’d like to ask you about your own collections, which are very beautiful. were they made using the same way or did you use a more conventional design process to create these? where do you go for inspiration for your own collections?

GINA: when we met at CLOTH, i was showcasing two distinct collections: the "LOLI" collection, inspired by a particular individual, and the "RETRO" collection, which drew inspiration from nature (though interestingly, many remarked that the colours and patterns resembled vintage london public transportation fabric). the creative process for these collections differs from my usual approach, as i employed my small loom and 8-shaft tabletop loom, in contrast to my 32-shaft dobby loom. this shift in equipment imposes certain restrictions, but it's precisely these limitations that i find so appealing when weaving with my 8-shaft loom.

i continue to work in blocks, as I believe this defines my distinctive style. weaving offers an array of infinite possibilities and techniques, but there's never enough time to master them all. consequently, i made the deliberate choice to focus on one style and excel in it while remaining open to ongoing learning and exploration.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: serious food for thought here, perhaps i need to learn making such choices too… anyway, i also want to talk a bit about sustainability as the textile industry in general doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to that but in your work, you seem to be very conscious – design for durability and zero-waste principles seem to be all over your work. do you find them important for your work? do you see a demand for these from customers too?

GINA: absolutely, sustainability holds a crucial place in woven memories' core values. from the inception of the woven memories concept during my MA, sustainability has been an integral part of the vision. weaving on-demand is a central practice, avoiding mass production and significantly reducing the waste often associated with fast fashion. i believed that if I were to establish a business from the ground up, it should adhere to sustainable principles right from day one, and this commitment drives me to keep learning and improving.

continual research and exploration open doors to new opportunities for minimising our impact on this beautiful planet we call home. reducing waste is a priority, but i also embrace recycling, such as repurposing yarn from other mills after their production, effectively preventing it from ending up in landfills. this practice aligns with the ethos of 'rescuing yarn,' as advocated by shiv textiles. additionally, i recycle materials from previous projects to craft new items for our zero-waste collection. even with threads that can't be repurposed, i store them until they find a new home. just last week, i shipped my first box to sandra junele, a textile artist known for recycling threads to create stunning wall hangings—her work is definitely worth exploring.

i'm doing my utmost to minimise the negative environmental impact of my studio. while i make an effort to use locally made packaging materials with a focus on recycled materials, the next challenge i aim to address is packaging and shipping to further reduce our ecological footprint.

ZITA: it’s very inspiring to see so many textile practitioners making all these efforts, love it! now, there are some questions i ask from everyone – i want you to recommend me a book or an artist whose work is worth checking out!

GINA: that’s a great question! i can offer both a book recommendation and introduce you to an artist.

for a captivating read, i suggest ‘the fabric of civilization: how textiles made the world’ by virginia postrel. this book brilliantly combines the realms of textiles and history, making it a fascinating choice, especially if you share an interest in both subjects.

when it comes to an artist who seamlessly merges music, digital coding, and weaving, you might find the work of beatwoven intriguing. her innovative approach and unique fusion of these elements have made her a significant influence in my own work. exploring her creations could provide valuable inspiration and insights for your own projects.

photography by lauralaura studio

ZITA: fantastic, i will definitely check them out. and lastly, but most importantly, what are you working on at the moment? where can we see your work now and where will see you next?

GINA: i’ll have a busy schedule for the next few months, i’ll be in the london design fair during london design week in september, followed by the great northern contemporary craft fair in manchester in october, and concluding with handmade in chelsea in london in early november. hopefully, i’ll meet new makers, lovely people and see you there!

ZITA: oh i’d love to come to some of those! thank you so much for your time.

GINA: thank you for this lovely time with you.

-

links:

woven memories website

woven memories on instagram

london museum of transportation - the moquette project

shiv textiles website

sandra junele on instagram

the fabric of civilization: how textiles made the world - virginia postrel’s website

beatwoven website

london design fair website

great northern contemporary craft fair

handmade chelsea

in conversation with emmy palmer glass artist

as you may have read before on our socials, zitozza will be on TV soon (i really do hope i can share more information about it even sooner…) and having met so many talented makers from far-away disciplines was really an eye-opening experience - it was only natural to decide to give my design conversation series another boost with all these inspiring people. today we’re going somewhere i’ve always admired but knew very little about - glass! i’m bringing you today emmy palmer, whose colourful and tactile blown glass really caught my eye, and i became really curious about techniques and inspirations.

ZITA: hello emmy, first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

EMMY: hello zita! throughout my life making anything is where my joy has been, although i never saw my creativity as a career choice until i was in my twenties. this is when i started my journey into applied arts by doing a national diploma in design crafts. i enjoyed trying out a broad range of material practices and learned so many techniques. also during this time i took part in a taster course with a local glass blower...creating my first wobbly glass blobs ignited something in me that has never quenched. in 2004 i moved on to do a foundation degree in applied arts at arts university plymouth (formally plymouth college of art and design). i entered that course very determined to combine large scale metals and blown glass but my learning journey and exploration into what makes me, me, took a slightly different direction, but i'll tell you more about that later. i specialised in bown glass in my second year and followed my foundation with a BA (HONS) applied arts. i was lucky enough during my last year to be awarded  a scholarship with teign valley glass studios and have continued a professional relationship with them ever since.

ZITA: large scale metals and blown glass? that sounds awesome, but i do notice you’re doing something different! the very first thing that caught my eye about your work is your use of texture and shadows. i love your use of knitted textiles, i think that’s really unique. can you explain a little bit about your process, what gave you idea for these pieces, and how you work your cloth into the glass?

EMMY: knitting is a huge part of my life not only in my creative practice.  i see knitting as a real form of self care, it has gotten me through some really tough times in my life. i love to find new techniques and stitch combinations. you're right playing with light and the shadows is something i love to do. glass bends light in similar ways to water and i love to exploit its refractive qualities. when i moved to plymouth for university, i was so inspired by living by the sea for the first time in my life.

ZITA: i know exactly how that feels, having moved to scotland from a landlocked country… i love glass but i know so little about it - apologies for some of the more stupid questions about materials, but how did you even find out what was possible with this technique? is there anything you have to be really careful with? For instance, can you use anything for knitting, wouldn’t it melt or burn away from the hot temperatures? 

EMMY: my knitted work started from very humble beginnings and was a real experimental journey. initially i was combining the glass and knitting by creating cosies for the outside of the glass using different materials. this led me to purposely finding ways of burning those textiles away in the hot glass process to leave residual patterns. somewhere amongst this i started experimenting with oxides and different metals. you're right though, combining glass that in its molten state is 1500 degrees centigrade and metals with a lower melting temperature can be tricky. i had varying results with different types and gauges of wire. my mum has a little collection of wobbly pieces that beautifully illustrate my journey to refining my technique of encasing knitted wire into blown glass. i also use my open lace knits as templates to create some of my work so it appears as if knitting is suspended in the blown glass when in fact the original piece of textile is no longer present. i secretly love how these pieces often baffle people.

ZITA: that’s so clever! i also love the metal bits and i do have a thing for industrial influences – i think my favourite bits from your collection is the ‘del mar’ series, it’s the metallic wires that i’m really drawn to. can you share a little bit about how they were made and what inspired them?

EMMY: knitting and crochet are skills that have been passed on through the women in my family from generation to generation. when i think of my little nanna (who was my mum's grandmother) i see her in her arm chair with a hook in hand and the crochet blanket she is masterfully creating at the speed of light draped over her lap. my foundation degree really made me explore what made me, me, and what i wanted to share with the world. i realised back then how knitting and crochet was actually really fundamental to my creative practice. i also found myself living by the sea for the first time and i was obsessed with the water.

the barbican in plymouth, where all the fishing vessels are docked, with the reels of fishing nets and piles of lobster pots led me to some extensive research into fishermen sweaters. my del mar series was born out of this time in my life. the knitted wire is completely encased between the layers of blown glass and i cut and polish them once cold so that you see a cross section through the piece. it took me a long time to find the right metal and a knitting technique that didn't restrict the glass bubble but stretched with it to a certain extent. they were a real labour of love and were born out of a new and exciting time in my life, so for this reason they are still my favourite pieces to make! 

ZITA: theirs is a real success story i think! so is that where you usually go for inspiration? do you have a specific place that can get you in the “zone”, or do you just let ideas find you spontaneously?

EMMY: i'm really in love with plymouth and its surrounding areas, it really is the most beautiful place to live. as a family we spend a lot of time in nature. we have so much around us to choose from and i consider ourselves very lucky and privileged. we live right next to a woodland nature reserve that leads us to the banks of the river tamar. it's a five minute drive to be on dartmoor and only a few minutes more in the other direction to be at the sea. like many of us these days i document a lot of this with snap shots of views and interesting things i see. we live a holiday style life and spend most of the spring and summer months out and about with sand between our toes so i am never short of inspiration. sometimes i find my ideas by accident, i make something and i think of how it could be improved or tweaked and this leads to other ideas.

ZITA: if you were a textile designer, this would be the bit where i’d ask about sourcing sustainable materials but i know so little about glass. what would you say are the biggest challenges of turning your ideas into these fabulous pieces? how has glass blowing been changing?

EMMY: glass blowing has essentially been done in the same way since the romans. the basic equipment and techniques are all the same but the fuel has changed. most studios run on gas and this is becoming economically difficult and unsustainable for the future. very recently glass studios all over the country have been closing down or temporarily shutting down their furnaces due to the rising cost in fuel and with this the idea of glass blowing being a dying craft is seeming all too real. fortunately, with technological advancements there are some great electrical alternatives being produced and in fact the furnace at teign valley glass studios where i work is electric and most recently they have been trialling a prototype glory hole which is the heat chamber that we use to keep a piece warm and workable.

ZITA:  i met you at the filming of our new TV show, and for all of us it’s been quite an intensive journey with the help of a mentor. how did you find this process? can you share a little bit about how you have developed your work and maybe about some of the new pieces? (no spoilers, please!)

EMMY: it really has been such exciting times and it was a joy to meet such amazing creative individuals like yourself. the show gave me the kick up the bum that i needed at just the right time. i think we all must have done a year's worth of work within a few months. i definitely felt a tad frazzled at times but hugely empowered by the end of filming. my mentor was a real task master but he is a real inspiration and made the whole process really positive. the show hasn't even aired yet but has already given my business a massive boost. i've already worked on and sent bespoke samples to a retailer and received my first big order!

ZITA:  that’s really exciting, congrats. i hope to see your work shared widely! have you got any new ideas you’re working on, or experimenting with, that might turn into your next collection?

EMMY: yes definitely! i have so many exciting ideas that i've been sitting on, i am determined to put a little more time aside to play with colour combinations to expand my KOPO (knit one purl one) range. i'm quite a colourful person and i use a huge amount of colour in the clothing that i knit and wear. i would love to bring some more of that into my creative practice.

ZITA: and now the question i ask from everyone - can you recommend a book? or an artist or a maker whose work is worth looking into? something that keeps you thinking or help us see the world the way you do?  

EMMY: richard glass is an aptly named glass blower/designer that i have the pleasure of working with over many years. he is an under celebrated glass maker who designs and makes a huge variety of glass that is sold internationally. his work is often sculptural, colourful and very much inspired by our local surroundings. i love to see him making his ‘waves’, the process is so dynamic and the results are beautiful. richard runs teign valley glass studios where i produce my work and he has been so supportive throughout my glass career and especially since i started back in september last year. not only is he a great glass maker but he is also actively working on sustainability in glass blowing by exploring electrical options. he is also launching his own range of glass blowing irons. he'd be the last person to shout about his own achievements but is definitely an artist to look into.

ZITA: i will do that, thanks for the recommendation! and lastly but most importantly, where can we see your work now, and where will catch you next?

EMMY: There are a few places i can't share because i'd hate to spoil the TV show for you. i have had some busy and exciting times recently. my work is already stocked by a number of wonderful galleries and retailers i will soon have a list of these on my website but you’ll also get to see me with my work at a few places this year and I’ve already planned ahead into 2023! i’ve been working with a wonderful mother and daughter team georgie and tara rowse at curator & maker. i've had the pleasure of making bespoke sets of nutcracker inspired baubles for their christmas pop up 2022. this opens on november 23rd until december. i’ve been making some lovely gift size items for the ‘present makers’ exhibition at the thelma hulbert gallery, honiton. this runs from 12th nov to 24th december.

you’ll find me and my work at modern makers collective’s yattendon winter market 19th & 20th november.

i’m looking forward to 2023 in march where amongst other things you will find my work at the affordable art fair in battersea with BANG blackstone art next generation. and also me and my work at crafts festival cheltenham town hall 10th-12th march.

ZITA: that’s fantastic, thanks a lot!

EMMY: any time!

-

links:

emmy palmer’s website

emmy palmer on instagram

teign valley glass studios

richard glass at 45 southside gallery

curator & maker on instagram

thelma hulbert gallery, honiton

the modern maker’s collective

affordable airt fair

crafts festival cheltenham town hall

in conversation with jessica clements of JESS ANNE

my oh my, it’s been a while since we had a good, deep design conversation hasn’t it! the talent of course has always been there and shining, but we now finally had the time as well, to meet some and explore their fabulous work. i’m very excited to introduce jessica clements of JESS ANNE today. she is a woven textile designer whose gorgeous works, with incredibly bold and bright colourways caught my eye immediately, and we’ve gone into process, materials and inspiration to bring her vibrant textiles closer to you.

ZITA: hi jess! first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

JESS: of course! so hello everyone my name is jessica, i’m 26 years old and live in broadstairs in kent and i’m the founder of JESS ANNE! i started my brand in 2019, just before the pandemic and i really wanted to create a brand that explores woven cloth featuring bright colours that spark joy!

ZITA: and it’s working i think! the first thing that really catches the eye about your work i think are your vibrant colourways! i just love the high contrasts and the neons so much. could you share a little bit about the thoughts that go into putting your wonderful schemes together?

JESS: it’s hard to explain but typically i don’t have a source of inspiration as such, it’s more of a feeling that i have. when i look at colours i don’t tend to think of trends or “what’s in”. i tend to think do they spark anything within me, do these colours remind me of a pleasant memory or place, or do they make me feel like if i wore those colours, i would feel confident? pretty? bold? i just sense my way through the colour choices rather then trying to have an elaborate explanation behind them. if the colours feel right, it feels right! obviously, every individual will have different tastes or opinions on style, however, the colours i choose express who i am as a designer and just as a human being!

ZITA: as a fellow pattern lover, i find weaving – and your particularly geometric patterns fascinating, i guess weaving is very “mathematical”. can you explain a little bit about the process of designing your patterns? what does it look like when one of your colourful patterns come together – is it a long chain of trials and errors, or do you nail it most of the time?

JESS: so, weaving is definitely not for those who don’t enjoy maths. weaving is one of those processes where accuracy and maths is everything and could make or break a pattern or even the physical cloth. when i begin my design process i always start with the colours (obvs!). from there, i tend to experiment with whatever i feel like i need to personally conquer as a weaver who is always trying to progress. as i’ve said before i’m not too driven by trend or styles, but much rather just expressing who i am as a designer and where i am in my personal development as a young creative. the geometric patterns was a real test for me! however it was one I wanted to conquer and prove that i can push my limits (and my own confidence!). when developing a design, the maths has to be spot on, and the maths can shift/change depending on the types of yarns and patterns chosen. i experiment with smaller samples first, writing every calculation to make sure I have the right amount of yarn ends and that i’m using the correct size of equipment such as the reed for the cloth i desire.

it’s definitely a trial and error thing! i wish i could say i nailed it on the head every time but that wouldn’t be true. sometimes yarns do not want to cooperate, even if you double checked every calculation and detail. sometimes, even the smallest of details overlooked can dramatically change the look and feel of the cloth. however, once the sample is nailed and its something that i feel proud to put my name too, i would then expand on this sample to create a range of products!

ZITA: what a fascinating process. i find the abstract nature of your work very interesting – i particularly love your woven artworks, it’s like you deconstructed your own craft into something else, something a bit more abstract, they feel quite architectural to me but also remind me of op-art a little bit. can you share a few thoughts about these pieces?

JESS: oh the card windings! i love these little pieces. when studying, we were taught that these card windings were used initially as just a development stage, to try out colourways and warp patterns. however, I started to expand on these using different shapes of card and found they deserved to be mini pieces of art in their own right! carefully hand wrapping card with desired colours in any order?! who wouldn’t?! i think the woven structure will always have an element of being architecturally inspired because the typical woven form relies so heavily on being constructed in a way that it will structurally hold together! not only do they help inform the woven cloth designs but they create such dynamic little studies that are interesting enough to want to hang on the wall!

ZITA: i think they work brilliantly, i really love them. now, let’s talk materials! what kind of materials do you work with – do you mix them often, or do you stick to one or two that works? what works?

JESS: oh good one. i’m a typical creature of habit, however as i’ve been designing, i’ve been trying my hardest to break free from my comfort zones. i tend to weave mainly with lambswool, however, in my most recent collection i have really been trying to expand on my products and offer lighter alternatives to the heavier & warmer wools and been experimenting with cotton/linen blends. i tend to use cottons for my card windings and happen to find myself using these now in my newer designs as a supplementary yarn. i’m hoping the more i evolve as a designer, the more i will be adventurous and try more yarns! eek!

ZITA: have you found that sustainability and ethical sourcing has become more of a point with your customers as well as in your supply chain? how do you find this – have you always worked with such materials?

JESS: i think by now most consumers are concerned with the environment, as they should be! it’s so important for people to realise the impact the textile industry has on the environment, and this should definitely be more integrated into our buying habits. as an independent designer and so early on in my journey, i handweave all of my designs, eliminating the risk of buying into any sort of sub par factory conditions or any sort of exploitation (although, it’s of my understanding now these regulations are in place and finally the textile world is shifting into a much more ethical way of producing). the yarns i order are from smaller independent shops in the UK, who also do their own background investigations into where they source their yarns. the company that i purchase my lambswool from and the cottons are very transparent in their processes which makes the selection process much easier. it’s so difficult to navigate through the world of industry, however, i remain conscious of my purchases and in the future when i have built up my brand, i strive to be a designer who is part of the ever so important sustainability movement.

ZITA: i think it’s growing really quite fast, nearly all designers i know are now considering this. i got to know you as a fellow participant of a new TV Show and you’ve also been through some thorough mentoring and an intensive development process i guess! how has it been for you in the last few months? without any spoilers, can you share a little bit about how you have developed your work and maybe about some of the new pieces?

JESS: so the show really helped me become who I am today in just a short amount of time! the mentoring was pretty intense to say the least and it was difficult at times to break old habits and ways of thinking, but it was exactly what I needed to tap in to the potential for my woven designs! before filming i lacked confidence and found my development of designing was very slow, as i was always very nervous of trying new patterns/yarn in case they didn’t work out (yes, i am one of those people that if i don’t nail it first time, i get very frustrated!) however the mentoring on the show really helped me overcome that fear and removed the barrier between me as a designer and creating much more statement designs. the designs that will feature in the show really came from a place of needing to push my own boundaries rather then a specific source of inspiration. i view this collection as a natural progression from my previous broadstairs project and i think there something really lovely about my projects linking this way.

ZITA: this is very exciting and i can’t wait to see al this progress on TV soon. development is an interesting process, have you found any new sources of inspiration? where do you normally go to or look to? have you found it’s changed lately?

JESS: i think my design process and sources of inspiration changes almost constantly. as my practice and skills develop and as i continue to design, i find my inspiration shifts so frequently that’s its hard to even keep up with myself! i was inspired mostly by nature and my surroundings in my home town, however i found that more recently my work is more inspired by my own feelings and the feeling i wanted to provoke in people if they were to wear my design. i’m starting to really explore how fabric design and colour combinations can provoke different emotions.  

ZITA: fascinating! and where do you want to see your work most? what’s your dearest ambition, where do you want to take your work next?

JESS: i would absolutely adore to see my brand grow and eventually develop into a fashion brand. the dream has always been to see my fabrics on garments such as beautiful, tailored suits and dresses and feature in glossy magazines (i think most designers have this day dream!), TV, instagram… and just generally see my work being used by all over the world! the sky is the limit!

ZITA: yeah, you go girl! and now the question i ask from everyone - can you recommend a book? or an artist or a maker whose work is worth looking into? something or someone that keeps you thinking forward?

JESS: oh my goodness there’s so many artists and designers that inspire me from across the board i couldn’t possibly narrow It down! there’s so many amazing weavers out there such as margo selby, ptolemy mann, rita parniczky, theo rooden… the list is endless! i think any of these artist would be good start if you wanted to understand more about woven design and what is possible!

ZITA: and lastly but most importantly, where can we see your work next?

JESS: so as i’m typing this i have no current exhibitions or markets coming up, however my products are available through my website and i welcome emails or instagram DMs enquiring to commission or purchase. i’m currently still in the process of re-branding and re developing my website and i’m communicating with smaller retailers about becoming stockists. exciting! ahh!

ZITA: sounds like you have a lot on your plate, but i’m sure it will work out. thanks so much for talking with me!

-

Links:

JESS ANNE website

JESS ANNE instagram

‘make it at market’ (BBC media centre website)

margo selby website

ptolemy mann (crafts council website)

rita parniczky (saatchi art website)

theo rooden website

guest post for support the makers!

hello readers! it’s been a while, but i have been blogging, i promise. just not here, but over there at the support the makers, whose network i joined earlier this year, and decided to introduce myself in a short blog post, in which i share a little bit about my background, my motivations and what really is behind the zitozza brand. go have a read for yourselves here!

unfortunately, my participation in their 1st may market at bellfield, portobello (the one announced in the march newsletter), had to be cancelled again - at least not due to covid, but for a much more exciting reason which i will be able to share later! however, it’s still worth a visit so please do go and support the line-up of talented makers from all over the UK.

i’m sure i will be there at some point with other of their markets (a pop-up shop in london is also in the works now - more of that later!)

i will have more exciting news and markets to announce soon, and until then, please keep an eye on the blog, our instagram and of course the newsletter!

in conversation with matt maurer of mr.m ideas studio - designer of arnie.m

good morning december, how did we get here again? i can’t quite believe how fast this month has gone again but with all the busy festive preparations, i hope there is a little time left for inspiring stories and interesting conversations - and i really did bring a good one for you this time, as i managed to get a few words in with matt maurer, designer of the smart and sustainable home office system of arnie.m, featured in our post about interior trends at the start of this year.

photo by paul moffat photography

ZITA: hi matt! first things first, can you say a few words about yourself – what you do and how you got there?

MATT: i’m the founder and creative director of mr.m ideas studio. mr.m specialises in brand identity, visual communication, digital design and environments. with over 50 design awards and 20 years’ experience i collaborate with creative people in many fields to make great ideas happen.

my journey before arriving at mr.m was studying graphic design at university and spending my earlier professional career working for some of the most renowned design agencies in manchester.

ZITA: and about your product - would you say that developing arnie.m was a long-held dream of yours, or was it something that evolved over time? can you give a little insight into the birth of your business?

MATT: birth is the key word! my studio is based at our small home and when we found out my wife, angela was expecting we also knew that we were presented with a spatial challenge.

life and work need to be in balance especially within the home environment. the limited space presented a challenge but that is what led us to thinking about creating a workspace that could accommodate all my design paraphernalia, yet still be compact enough to shut up shop of a working day and become an attractive piece of domestic furniture.

so, with the help of friends and contacts in the creative and craft industries in and around manchester, we took our design ideas and skilfully translated them into a for-real form – a workspace.

we were swept away as new parents when arnie arrived but once we started to get our heads around everything including sleep deprivation, we began to see how the workspace really helped. when friends and family complimented on the complete ‘office’ it led us to start out on our adventure. it took just under two years of developing and tweaking to turn our workspace in what it is today — arnie.m. (we had to name it after the little man who inspired the idea!)

photo by paul moffat photography

ZITA: how lovely - and impressive! i actually discovered your furniture in search of home office trends which obviously blew up since 2020 and the pandemic. how has this experience been so far for getting your range known?

MATT: we only truly launched arnie.m at the end of december / january 2021, we are very much still in our infancy. we want arnie.m to be a family adventure for angela, myself and arnie plus the amazing network of skilled people who are part of a wider, very support arnie.m family. i have to say we are still finding our feet but the response and support we have received has been amazing! the highlight for us has been getting arnie.m featured in variety of well-known/high end publications which has raised our profile.

ZITA: modular design systems in general are a smart way of working but there’s also a lot of play in it for your clients. can you expand a little bit about the possibilities or how your furniture can be built up? are there any limitations to your systems or can it be theoretically expanded to huge environments (e.g. contract?)

MATT: we know creating your perfect working environment is personal, so by making arnie.m modular makes it adaptable. arnie.m starts with a frame, and you basically hang the units that best meet your needs on the sturdy (yet elegantly formed) frame. currently arnie.m has a range of different modular units which include a desk unit to several storage and display unit options, this gives you the flexibility to create your very own arnie.m

each arnie.m is handcrafted with pride and attention to detail, we only make to order. this means with the support a small but talented collective we can customise and be creative with the modular design if required, individual unit designs, sizes, even colour can all be considered. this way of working gives arnie.m the flexibility to work in different ways and look at opportunities in different environments.

photo by paul moffat photography

ZITA: that’s really clever! i think handmade processes always allow a lot of custom tweaks indeed. can you tell a little bit more about the material choice? how important are sustainable qualities for you with regards to both materials used and your working processes?

MATT: we are not, nor do we want to be a mass-producer, having to use cheaper materials like mdf. we love ply it’s basically a ‘green’ product, its beautiful, durable and long lasting. we designed arnie.m to be easily reconfigured to meet your needs over a lifetime, individual hand-made, built to last in natural birch plywood that is FSC certified.

arnie.m has some clearly defined ambitions which focus around sustainability. we want to grow arnie.m carefully for everyone’s benefit, as mentioned we are a family not a vast global corporation. we want to support our small collective. we use only what we need in materials and packaging, avoiding waste and keep production local. by building a sustainable business we want our boy arnie to benefit from the work he’s inspired.

photo by paul moffat photography

ZITA: this is very inspiring! i love plywood in general, i even print with it - it’s so universal. and beautiful too. what were the aesthetic driving principles of your product? do you follow any particular design school or style, or was it purely driven by function?

MATT: function was at the heart of the idea. simply our brief was to create a practical, adaptable and functioning workspace within a small space, that could also be aesthetically pleasing.

ZITA: it makes perfect sense! and now a question i ask from everyone - can you recommend a book, or another designer, artist or a maker whose work is worth looking into?

MATT: angela was the really driving force for developing the workspace into arnie.m but we were inspired by the books produced by the do book co we highly recommend taking a look at them.

ZITA: i definitely will, thank you! and last, but not least, where can we see your products at the moment? and what next for arnie.m? are you looking to grow your range?  

MATT: you can view arnie.m on our website but we also currently have one arnie.m displayed in a house by urban splash show home in new Islington in manchester.

next year we look to continue to build the arnie.m brand. we are also going to explore adding new units designs to our range. and most importantly enjoy the adventure!

-

links:

arnie.m

mr.m ideas studio

house by urban splash

paul moffat photography

the do book co

in conversation with ciara mcinnes

happy autumn! we’re back to work, back to school, back to looking ahead and also back to talking to people so i’m really pleased to announce tha after a long hiatus, t the design conversation series is continuing with a new arist! ciara mcinnes is an architect and fine artist based in glasgow. i discovered her fabulous prints on instagram during lockdown when i was craving to see beautiful buildings - some of them are the exact same buildings i’m also fascinated by, such as the netherdale stadium of peter womersley – so i was really keen to know more about the background about these beautiful works.

ZITA: hello ciara! first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

CIARA: hi there, thank you so much for having me! i'm an architect and fine art printmaker based in the west end of glasgow. i work in the medium of lino print, combining traditional handprinting techniques with contemporary, urban subject matters. inspired by the city, street art and general urban chaos, my work typically documents lost landscapes, urban spaces and historic buildings.

ZITA: i can see your architectural background  - it comes across beautifully on your urban prints. i’m always glad to find other people who also see the beauty too in the things that often get a bad press. could you share a little bit about what inspires you about these landscapes?

CIARA: for me, the built environment is so inspiring, constantly changing and evolving. i love to document the city in my work, taking tiny snapshots of a place in time, knowing that it will never look exactly the same again. the light will be different, the graffiti will change, it will eventually be lost for good and exist only in print.

in architecture, it has always been the case that the styles of the previous generation are undervalued because they are seen as dated but not yet historic. In glasgow, there has been a huge cull of brutalist architecture in recent decades, a style that is only now starting to gain recognition. i'm really drawn to document these buildings in particular because of they represent an important era in history, when architects and designers were tearing up the rule book.

ZITA: that’s fascinating. i do love that era too, and the ideas they represent! do you have a favourite place, a city or a building you go like regularly going back to? Or do you continuously look for something new?

CIARA: i am always on the lookout for somewhere new, i love to travel. at the start of 2020 i visited mexico city which was such a vibrant and energetic city. the architecture is so diverse from pre-hispanic to cutting edge contemporary and everything in between, it's somewhere I'd love to go back to.

ZITA: that must have been beautiful. you mentioned brutalism before, but is there a particular school of architecture or style you’re attracted to more than others?

CIARA: i'm a fan of minimalist, contemporary architecture. there's a few places really leading the field such as scandinavia and japan but it's not something we have really embraced in scotland yet. there's an architectural practice called SANAA who create some truly breathtaking work.

ZITA: thanks for the tip, i will make sure to check it out. so what is the next cityscape or building you’re turning into a print? can you tell anything about any work in progress?

CIARA: i'm currently working on pair of prints that explore the temple gasworks in the north of glasgow. the structures of the old gasholders are still in place and create these skeletal figures in the landscape which you can see for miles around. i'm going to be integrating some more natural imagery in the prints which is a new direction for my work so i’m excited to see the finished pieces.

ZITA: sounds really exciting, i’ll be looking forward to seeing the finished prints. i’m also interested in your technique. your prints are very photographic! how are you working them into your prints? can you explain a little bit about your process as well?

CIARA: i always start a print by creating a master pen drawing which i then trace using carbon paper onto the lino block. i will usually combine elements from several photos or images into a final composition, all with a little artistic license. i often make little tweaks at the carving stage too, with a lot of natural elements freehanded as I go. the prints evolve through the printing process so i never fully know what the print will look like until the very end.

ZITA: that is really interesting! and your colour scheme is very minimalist and together with your ukiyo-e inspired technique, it reminds me a bit Japanese influences. it is very consistent throughout your work and it works to a wonderful effect – could you tell more about this? do you have a process of deciding about the colours in your prints? 

CIARA: japanese printmaking is certainly an inspiration, particularly the dedication to craftsmanship and technique. my colour palette is typically very tonal which allows me to focus on the form of the print, then I create focal points by picking out details in metallic. i typically mix my inks with extender to create a more translucent effect, i love how this gives the prints an almost watercolour like finish. 

ZITA: it does! the results are really beautiful. and now the questions i ask from everyone - can you recommend a book or an artist or a maker whose work is worth looking into? something that keeps you going?

CIARA: i recently discovered an artist called claas gutsche who's based in berlin, a fellow lino cutter, his work is so precise and his technique is definitely something to aspire to. in a totally different direction i’ve always loved the work of a painter called maurice utrillo who was a contemporary of the impressionists but worked in quite a different style. he has a really fascinating story, using painting as a form of therapy. he painted the world around him, focusing on the built environment and often unloved corners of paris.  i only recently found out that the kelvingrove museum holds one of his pieces but it's currently in remote storage. 

ZITA: sounds like someone you would have loved to met! i will be definitely checking them out. and lastly but most importantly, where can we see your work next?

CIARA: well, i do have a few exhibitions on the horizon but sadly i’m sworn to silence until the official announcements! all i can say for now is that i have an upcoming show in a glasgow gallery this autumn, which will feature some specially created pieces. i'll also be popping up at a few art and design fairs across glasgow later this year, so keep your eyes peeled!

ZITA: very mysterious! i will keep an eye on your social media! thanks a lot for your time.

-

links:

ciara mcinnes website

ciara mcinnes instagram

SANAA

claas gutsche

maurice utrillo (on artnet)

in conversation with janice reid of HAYM

here we are in another month - and i’m bringing you another exciting entrepreneurial journey to read about. this one is a little bit special, as zitozza has a brand new stockist in scotland - HAYM, located on the high street of carnoustie, and i had a chance to have a lovely chat with the inspiring businesswoman behind it - janice reid. as i’m always on the hunt for new treasures, i feel really hopeful about the opening of new places, especially after such a hiatus. i think there’s a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings about local businesses supporting each-other - with everything that’s been behind us this past year, i wanted to learn more about janice’s journey and get a serving or two of the positivity!

ZITA: hi janice! can you say a few words about yourself – what you do and how you got there?

JANICE: ok, well my name is janice reid but my maiden name was hay which is part of the reason my new shop is called HAYM. i have lived most of my life in carnoustie but was born in dundee and went to university there where i studied architecture. I went on to work as an architect for almost 20 years, laterally becoming an associate with trail architects and i really loved my job and those who I worked with. my decision to change careers was based on my family situation.

ZITA: i see! has the shop been a long-held dream or something that developed through time? did you find it difficult to make the decision to go for it and open?

JANICE: i have wanted to open my own shop for some time now but always thought it was a bit of a pipe dream but many things influenced my decision to bite the bullet and just go for it. I had been off work on maternity following the birth of my 2nd daughter then after a short spell back at work i was furloughed due to covid. times have been so tough for so many because of the pandemic, there has been so many lives lost and so many people have found themselves in financial hardship but if anything positive can come out of such an awful situation it is that it makes you think that life is short and you should do what makes you happy. it made me reassess my life and gave me the drive and ambition to just go for it. I feel with my design background it is not such a huge leap more of a natural progression in a different direction.

ZITA: what a brilliant attitude! and it resonates a lot – zitozza came out of a similar situation. i do wonder, how has your background in architecture influenced your buying decisions, when it comes to finding stock for your shop? are you going for a particular style or feel – and if you do, where does it come from? where do you look for your curatorial inspirations?

JANICE: i have really just chosen what i like, there is no particular style, if i like it, i will sell it, but that said once all the stock is pulled together certain trends do emerge, there is a lot of monochrome and sharp lines which I guess comes from my architectural background. i am also drawn towards designers like yourself, align jewellery, hannah muir, steph liddle and jld designs who all have obvious architectural influences in their work.

ZITA: brilliant. i’ll certainly look for something for my new studio perhaps… obviously this whole period hasn’t been great for retail but people have also been getting more supportive for the values independent businesses represent. have you found it quite a supportive environment so far?

JANICE: i have found the industry to be hugely supportive and have really loved how nice everyone is and how happy they are to help. i have come from quite a harsh environment so that has been so refreshing. my customers have also been super supportive, i have had a huge amount of positive feedback and am being told on the whole that people want to shop local, support local businesses and local artists. there are lots of other lovely shops in carnoustie which makes shopping on the high street a positive experience and a destination visit. there is always the odd one that tells me i ‘must be mad and who gives up a career like architecture to go into retail during a pandemic!?’ i just ignore them!

ZITA: it’s great hearing this buzz around local business. how is HAYM going to stand out?

JANICE: so, we have great plans for HAYM, we have started with the bricks and mortar store and will concentrate on that initially, we offer a carefully curated selection of gorgeous homewares and lifestyle products and have a letterbox gifting which we will be promoting more shortly. once restrictions allow we will also be providing evening workshops including lampshade making and candle making to name a few. once these services are fully established we will be then be taking HAYM online.

ZITA:  how brilliant! when it comes to customer attitudes, apart from style (obviously), environmental and ethical responsibility has also been becoming a stronger deciding factor, with regards to textiles especially. has this been important to you throughout your selection? If this was a guiding principle, was it difficult to source these products?

JANICE: this is very important to me. i wanted to keep as many scottish suppliers as possible, not only is this important for local tourism, it supports local businesses and reduces the impact on the environment through reducing transportation. i have also tried to work with designers who are eco-conscious when both designing and making and who are committed to sustainability, where possible using materials which are reusable, recyclable or biodegradable. this has not been difficult, i have found that more and more companies are practicing green procurement, this involves sourcing goods and services that are produced and supplied in a sustainable fashion and sourcing from local suppliers rather than those located far away. we also provide 100% recyclable paper bags and environmentally friendly recycled packaging.

ZITA: amazing. ultimately, what do you hope shoppers will find at HAYM – and return for years for?

JANICE: i hope they will find a friendly, comfortable environment to browse and shop in. i want them to find unique, quality, beautiful pieces for themselves and for others. i want to be that ‘go to’ place for gorgeous gifts.

ZITA: one more thing - can you recommend a book or an artist or a maker whose work is worth looking into? something that keeps you going? this could be an inspiring read or someone else whose product you might stock. I ask this question from everyone, i love getting inspired by everyone else’s influences.

JANICE: the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse by charlie mackesy.

this book is just beautiful in every sense of the word.

ZITA: wonderful, thanks a lot!

JANICE: thank you.

-

HAYM is open since 1st may 2021, at 41 high street, carnoustie, dd7 6ag.
open tues - fri 9:30am - 5:30pm, sat 9am - 4pm.

links:

HAYM (website)

HAYM (on instagram)

align jewellery

hannah muir

steph liddle

JLD designs

in conversation with alison carrie of jist jute

happy after-easter celebrations everyone, we’ve made it. this is april, and we have just survived 25%, the first quarter of 2021. i have a real gem to celebrate that with. i’m bringing you another inspiring design conversation, this time with alison carrie, the pair of hands behind jist jute and the brains behind “if these wa’s cuid talk” - a brand new book about the last of dundee’s jute mills still standing, their history and their current relationship with the city. i find it such a great experience to meet other people who are also obsessed with jute and feel a special connection to this material and in (and around) dundee this has an extra significance. we had a virtual cuppa to discuss why we love the cloth - and why it matters working with it in the city of dundee. let’s dive into this discovery! (no pun intended)

ZITA: hi alison! so first of all, tell me a little bit about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

ALISON: hello! well… my name is alison carrie, and i am a self-taught textile worker, a local history buff, an accidental author and dundee’s first self-proclaimed “jute baroness” who runs “jist jute” - but mostly i just claim to be “a wee wifey that does stuff”. i make all sorts of things from this wonderful natural plant fibre, including bags, jewellery, eco-scrubbies. my mum is retired now, and she enjoys botanically dying jute twine with foraged scottish ingredients including raspberries, onions, blueberries and oak galls. she also creates our crocheted exfoliating mitts and our surprisingly realistic faux cacti!

i also enjoy exploring and celebrating the local history and connections with jute. a few years back i started a small project, for my own curiosity really, which snowballed and eventually resulted in a full-blown book! not what i had in mind when i set-out… “jist jute” spawned from this project, as a fund-raiser to help get the money together to print a number of copies to share with anyone who might be interested.

ZITA: yeah i want to ask about that first. obviously the big project is your book right now – can you tell me a little a bit about its journey? what made you write it?

ALISON: as i touched on earlier, it really just came about by accident! i’d been through a pretty traumatic few years, and as a result was what some folk might describe as “chronically unemployed”. that is to say, i am that person who never gets the job, never gets the interview, is constantly at the job-centre trying their best but never getting anywhere. i was so angry at the system and depressed at being made to feel less than useless. i started walking to try and calm, and to get exercise. i always took my best buddy (ziggy the border collie) with me, and some days we’d cover 12-15 miles, just trekking round the city. i’d always noticed these big buildings in dundee, and had no idea what they were. at first i recognised a pattern in their style; large windows, certain roof-styles, geographic locations… and i wanted to know more. despite being brought-up 15 miles away from dundee, i had never heard about the jute industry, or even what jute was. how crazy is that? why are we not being taught about our local history? why are we taught about kings and queens and ancient battles which, to be honest, means nothing to many of us.

so i wanted to know more, and of course i visited verdant works jute museum, but still i was unable to find out quite what i wanted to know about, which was the buildings themselves. everything else seemed to have been documented; the people, the process, the machinery, the plant and harvesting, the uses… but not the huge industrial buildings - monuments, almost? - that still remain. why are they still here, when we don’t even work jute any more? if only they could tell me their history themselves. and, once you learn how to “read” a building, they do begin to give-up their own stories… hence “if these wa’s cuid talk” was to become the title of my ‘accidental’ book.

ZITA: did you find it difficult to access the city’s history or the bits that interested you? i can imagine it must have been a huge but interesting research work.

ALISON: yes and no. at first, i just used the usual sources, the libraries, internet, city archives etc. later i started to access social media, and joined several dundee history groups to gain information and memories from local people who used to eat, sleep and breathe jute. this gave me direct access to people who worked in all sectors of the jute industry; from the various apprentices, to spinners, weavers, carders… even dockers and the folk who would work in the offices. everyone’s memories are/were important, and helped me to piece together a picture of how things operated within living memory. once i built up this core of info, i resorted back to just being a bit nosey! if i was out walking, and i happened upon a mill where there were building works happening, i would just ask a worker if it was possible to get some photos inside. they’d then get the foreman, i’d sort of talk my way into it, and next thing you know i’d have an appointment to come back on a saturday afternoon and take (supervised) photos...as long as i brought my own safety boots and hard hat.

when i got braver, i contacted hillcrest housing association about access to one of their larger buildings. their wonderful “upper dens” has been converted into 70+ flats, but i actually wanted into their basement… they were wonderfully helpful, and allowed me supervised access to the basement area, to see the pillars and the oil-stained wheel-pit for the huge steam engines which would have powered the mill. whilst there, i was allowed to tour the rest of the building. then they asked if i’d like to see others! we took a whole day to tour their 8 former-mill buildings scattered through dundee, which was absolutely fantastic!

ZITA: how cool! it's great how helpful everyone was to share these spaces. and was there anything that you particularly loved discovering, or something that really shocked or surprised you about any particular place in dundee that you discovered while researching?

ALISON: what surprised me? hmmm….having volunteered as a machine operator at verdant works, tales of accidents, explosions and deaths didn’t surprise me at all. it was the really random little discoveries that i am surprised by. for example, a couple of the mills had ponds in the basement area… one still reportedly has a small rowing boat in it!

ZITA: fascinating! i haven’t read your book yet - i’m sorry, i missed the pre-orders but i totally want a signed copy when i can buy again please! - but have you set yourself a writing style, have you discovered your own oice while doing this? do you plan to write more?

ALISON: you haven’t got one yet?! shame on you…. haha! since the book happened kind of organically, i just wrote it in the style which comes most naturally to me. i write in the same way i speak; it’s really just a text version of how i would speak to visitors to the museum. i try to be clear and friendly, just like having a chat, rather than a lecture. i am always mindful that despite what i’ve learned, i will never class myself as some kind of expert. i try not to use unnecessary technical language, as i found that quite off-putting when i was researching. sometimes it felt like you needed to be an architect to understand descriptions in the sources i’ve used! i try to keep it interesting, accurate, but understandable. i am aware that not everyone reading it will be local to the area so where i have used local words or terms, i have added a wee glossary at the back to try and help clarify things.

ZITA: i can't wait to read it. you must find it quite inspiring using jute in dundee as a maker - is your material choice of jute related to your dundee research? can you tell a little bit about your accessories as well?

ALISON: yes it feels pretty good to be bringing scottish jute working back to dundee in some sort of form. “jist jute” was initially set-up as a temporary idea, to raise the funds to get my book printed. i was just making some simple jewellery from jute (earrings and bracelets) and my very first stall was within the overgate shopping centre! a friend who does weaving was talked into weaving jute “live” during the day so that shoppers could come over and watch it happening, and talk about the process. i was asked on the application for what my business name was, and i was like "i have no idea what to call it?! it’s jist jute…” it means “just jute” in english, but the locals pronounce just as jist. and so “jist jute” was born.

we have since grown our range of items, to include: loop/drop/stud earrings, mens cufflinks, necklaces, knitted necklaces, bracelets, botanically dyed twine, soap-savers, lavender bags, eco-scrubbies, shopping bags, faux cacti, exfoliating mitts, amongst other things. the list changes and alters as time goes on, and depending what is in demand at any given time. throughout 2020 coronavirus crisis, we completely changed tact (literally overnight), and worked hard for almost 8 months supplying cotton facemasks to both individuals and local businesses, in quantities of 1-300 pieces. we also supplied local foodbanks with a number of simple “soap savers” to help struggling families to make their precious soap go a little further during the early pandemic panic-buying.

ZITA: this is amazing. i love this. and not only jute is environmentally friendlier but some of your stuff is also made of recycled materials aren’t they – do you find it hard to market sustainable goods or do you think the attitudes have changed a bit more in favour now?

ALISON: yes you are correct! not only is jute environmentally friendly and incredibly sustainable, but i also try to recycle it when i can. i have to be honest with you, i didn’t initially start using recycled because of environmental benefits, but because i’m a bit “mean” - scots for tight-fisted or someone who doesn’t like spending money. i felt it was silly to purchase brand new hessian from fabric stores, when i could source jute fabric for free from local coffee roasters. it was only later when i was trying to work out how i could be a bit greener that i discovered the amazing journey that jute sacks undertake before they reach me, that i realised these sacks need rescuing! for example, the jute is harvested, processed and woven in india. it may then go to kenya to be printed and filled with coffee beans, before being shipped to london coffee roasters. then i would buy 20+ empty sacks online, and they’d be shipped to dundee. once i’d made my recycled bags etc, they may be bought by anyone around the world...some have gone out to the US and australia. the amount of travelling these sacks do in their lifetime is astounding!

i have now moved over to using 100% recycled jute in my textile products, and only ever using locally produce nutscene twine for my bold & colourful bracelets and earrings. on a small scale, i haven’t found it too hard to market sustainable goods. at craft markets etc, you can get a good chat with customers and let them get touchy-feely with your product (or, at least, pre-covid). it's really just about being friendly, having a natter and gaining their trust.

what i do find difficult is persuading other businesses to stock our stuff. i have approached lots of local “refillery” type stores, and either they already stock a big chain brand which you see in all the shops on every high street, or they knock you back saying that they have “a similar product” (usually referring to hemp, which is certainly not the same thing as jute). this makes me especially sad when these tayside-based eco-stores go on about green businesses and supporting local, and save small businesses… yet won’t support other small businesses with a very unique local connection. what’s with that? i make a real effort to now source my sacks locally, for perth (where i live) or dundee (where “jist jute” is now based). i always mention my sources, because it’s important to both me and them. i believe it’s important to work together and to support small businesses. even more so now than ever. as small businesses, we are battling against big brands, against the high street chains, against cheap imports, against brexit… the last thing we need is to be fighting with each other!

on that note, i get sacks from unorthodox roasters in kinross and the bean store in perth. my recycled cotton is generally sourced from either charity shops, or my landlords, scrapantics. sometimes i use waxed cotton, which is always ‘end of line’ or small-batch experimental stuff from halley stevensons in dundee, who make the waxed cotton for barbour jackets. our botanical dyes are homemade from free and foraged fruit & veg.

ZITA: thanks so much for sharing that. i do think that local businesses can achieve s lot more by working together! now, i know we have discussed your exciting book already, but i ask this question from everyone - can you recommend a book, or someone else whose work is worth looking into?

ALISON: a good book if you would like to read more about dundee's jute mills is mark watson's “jute & flax mills in dundee”, which turned out to be a bit of a bible for me! it is not generally easy to find, and went out of print circa. 1990 (when i was a mere 6 years old!). due to its age, it now holds a wealth of info about many mills which were around at the time but are now no longer with us. it is a bit more technical in its terminology, and a very different style from my own book, but still worth a look if “if these wa’s cuid talk” gets you hooked...

ZITA: and what are your new projects – apart from your book, what else can we expect to see from you this year and where?

ALISON: oooh... i wish i knew! all along i have let things just happen organically, as the best laid plans often go astray. i find if i make plans i get incredibly stressed when they go askew, and i make myself unwell over it.

a year ago i was asked where i wanted to be in 5 years time (at that point i was a struggling stall holder). i jokingly said “dundee’s first jute baroness, with a business in an old dundee jute mill, and maybe 5 staff… and now i’m based in anchor mill, my book is about to come out, i have “bricks & mortar” stockists for my products and i’m really wishing i had an extra set of hands! but i have 4 more years to achieve that, right?!

i keep thinking back to how it all started… being bored, angry and “on the dole”. i know i’m not the only one who feels like that. i know dundee has had a tough time of it, and there are many people in the same position as me. signing-on, queuing for jobs that we all know don’t exist, being made to feel worthless and useless… and through no fault of their own. i want to find out how we can help each other more. i want to expand my business further, and employ local people to help out. it gives me extra hands, them a source of money and most importantly, a sense of wellbeing and worth. i started this because i didn’t have a job, i know how they feel and what having a purpose would mean to these folk. i just need to work out how to do that. i don’t think my current studio is quite large enough to work safely (distanced) just now, but maybe now is the time to look into my options for the future.

i’ve had so many people ask me if i’ll do another book, too. in my head, i have the plans for another two...but whether i have the time to actually do it now that “jist jute” itself has grown arms and legs, i’m not really sure. maybe when i get a few staff under me, i can delegate and get back to pen & paper?!

ZITA: amazing! good luck with your plans and thanks a lot for your time!

ALISON: thanks!

-

“if these wa’s cuid talk” is available from 10th april from the jist jute etsy shop and facebook page (£23, free UK postage) and from selected stockists: coorie scotland (broughty ferry) and scrapantics (dundee)

further links:

hillcrest housing

unorthodox roasters

the bean store

halley stevensons

in conversation with louise kirby

time flies - it's march now, how did that happen? nevermind, in the quest for constant inspiration i'm pleased to announce that my series of design conversations continues and this time i had a virtual cup of coffee with louise kirby, dundee-based surface pattern designer, illustrator and artist, whose work you might see in and around the city as well as on cards and smaller products. she is a multidisciplinary talent whose work is fabulously colourful and warm and i was really keen to know a little more about her work and inspirations.

ZITA: first of all, thank you for accepting my invitation, i'm really happy to have you here as i'm really impressed with your work. could you tell a little bit about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

LOUISE: hi! i'm louise kirby, a local designer, i'm based in dundee and i've got a studio in dundee at wasps studios. i create bespoke print and patterns that ultimately captures a sense of place - within in all my work i like to bring out the positives and bring really meaningful and unique imagery that relates to the local spaces or briefs that i'm working on. my work is on quite a range of different things and i apply it to really small scale things as well as larger, public art, mural types of works as well. but in everything i do has this playfulness to it. my background is in textile design so my work has this kind of playful textile influence to it - i try and capture a sense of place with it but also the particularities of the brief i'm working towards. and how i got there..?

ZITA: yes! please tell a little bit about your journey too.

LOUISE: i studied printed textiles at duncan of jordanstone (DJCAD), but i graduated in 1999 so it was over 20 years ago now. i absolutely loved printed textiles and i was completely on fire. from when i started my first block, when i first discovered printed textiles i just absolutely loved it. as soon as i graduated i went to london and worked for a fashion design studio where i was coming up with print ideas but it was following trends and very much fashion related. i really liked working at that fast pace and constantly changing briefs, that we had to constantly come up with new ideas. then i moved back to scotland and just continued freelancing for the same design studio. then i took a little bit of time out and went travelling for a year - which i really recommend to everyone! i was really lucky, when i was in australia i decided to approach one of the design studios so i ended up doing some work for them too, john kaldor fabricmaker ltd. in sydney. i was only doing it for a couple of months but it was a great experience - and the design studio knew my work because they bought my designs before just through the fashion industry.

ZITA: wow!

LOUISE: when i came back i really wanted to just work out what i'm doing and where i'm going, so i decided i wanted to create my own label then. i created printed scarves on silk and wool, hand screen printed or monoprinted, and i would make them myself. this was really high-end, gallery type stuff and i did some shows with that, but i didn't just want to keep making things, and i did another "big review" about where i'm going and what i'm doing, and i got a little bursary to do some research and self development. i was always kind of worried about just making things and keep adding stuff to the world - i didn't just want to do that. i guess what i'm good at is coming up with ideas and working towards briefs, and i wanted to be able to apply that. and that's when i was starting working on more of these illustration type things and different briefs, and also seeing my work helped me think about how patterns can be applied not just onto textiles but murals and different scales. with most of my designs, i guess i really wanted to be purposeful, to be doing a job that improves space, i guess making a difference, in a way.

ZITA: that's really fascinating, and your journey is fascinating! you know it's funny because i took quite the opposite way. ok, i didn't start from illustration but from graphic design, it was more typography and logos, but then it was from that i discovered pattern, and printed textiles. whereas you started with that and then expanded. it's really interesting to see. i really love what you say about the sense of place and it is quite literal in some of your work when you do the murals. i'm really interested in those projects! i'm researching a lot about new towns such as glenrothes and i love the concept of a town artist. when you talk about improving a place and making a difference, i always think about those so i'm really wondering how these projects found you, and where we can see them in your work?

LOUISE: i guess when i come across a brief like that, i always think about, what is meaningful and unique about that particular place and focus on bringing out all those positives. how i found them... i guess it's either through open calls or you just see the commissions advertised, or maybe i've worked with people before and they know my work. an example of this is the scrapantics mural that was an open call for artists, which is on concertina doors - it's three or four metres tall and i had to use scaffolding. for me, thinking about the sense of place was about what that shop was about. scrapantics is a reusables store, a bit of an aladdin's cave of lots of different things. so i used my patterns and layering, that kind of juxtaposition of my style as a metaphor of what's inside that store, that kind of clashing and mixing things together and bring that out to the street, and just bringing some joy into the street.

ZITA: beautiful!

LOUISE: other commissions i've worked on was the tayside healthcare trust, i worked on three different sheltered housing units, within their corridors to help improve the space and it involved lots of consultations with the tenants there. what's really important is that it's never about me just coming along and decide "hey this is what i'm gonna do", i think it's really important that i get it right for whoever's using that space. i always do the research then arrange consultations to try and really understand and get a bit deeper into what's important to the people. then i develop ideas - then i'll keep going backwards and forwards in order to come up with design solutions that fits the site-specific requirements of the space and works for all the people who will use it. i've only been really recently getting into public art, and i've done some of the wild in art trails - which are really fun to do! because they are so accessible and they're outside, it encourages families to get out and about. i really like the wild in art trail so i've done a few.

ZITA: this is super fascinating. i really admire these types of work - i've never done them myself but i love it. i love it when people adapt and colour in their built environment. it's really interesting to see how that works and responds to people.

LOUISE: yes when i was physically there and painting the scrapantics mural, people were stopping in the street and someone actually came up to me like "wow you're responsible for actually bringing some joy to the street?!" so it does make a difference! there were three commissioned by scrapantics and the whole area around it actually feels more vibrant and more - it kind of reflects the area i think, by just adding some murals to the street.

ZITA: i love that you told this story, that people stopped and talked to you. i love it when a place creates conversation in the community. this is really cool! having started from fashion though, and with printed scarves and the like, do you find it difficult to work to such different scales? i know that you do cards as well and then you say that you worked on a 3 or 4 metre tall mural... is there a lot of change in your process to adapt to that?

LOUISE: not really. i mean i love the challenge of working to a huge scale. the biggest thing i've ever done was ten metres by four metres, and I did an A4 or A3 sketch. it's still the same process, i guess i have to think about the shapes and the scales it's going to go on, how it's going to look or how it's going to be worn, so you're always just considering the end product, i guess. but it's the same process of research, development, testing ideas, playing, drawing skills, colour... all that kind of work. it's still the same process. i find it quite easy to move from one to the other actually. i guess the challenge gets me quite excited, in a way of "oh i've never done this before!". i tried to once put my designs on aeroplanes.

ZITA: really? wow, what was that like?

LOUISE: it was part of a competition, quite a long time ago now, and i got to the top ten selected designers to put my designs on british airways aeroplanes, but the idea of even just doing that brief helped me visualise the scale, like "oh wow, what could it look like?", what kind of scale it needed to be, how it would work from a distance and just understanding of how it would be seen by different people.

ZITA: that's really interesting. your work is quite multidisciplinary - i love it that you went from scarves to aeroplanes and you take the same approach! is there an easy switch from project to project? how do you even start?

LOUISE: so i guess i'm just starting with a sketch of what the shape needs to be, if it needs to be a card or an aeroplane or a mural or whatever, i'm understanding proportions first. then i guess i just throw myself in! and i'm always learning, all through my creative career, i always find myself googling things and watching youtube videos if i need to, so definitely there is always a learning process. and that's exciting! and it helps develop my work as well, pushes me further and makes me think. it's important to use the brain! but yeah i do find it fairly easy to switch between scales and briefs.

ZITA: and does inspiration find you spontaneously or do you have to go after it a lot?

LOUISE: i'm always out and about so i'm always looking and noticing things, and it might be something really simple, like stripes, or lines or something that i can make connections with. or it might be some metaphors, something i can find meaning in and play with the ideas. it generally happens when i'm out, i have my phone with me to record little bits. my phone is full of something like 23.000 photos or something. obviously if there is a brief and a specific project, i will go out and look for inspiration that's relevant to the project. but generally i just love being outside and noticing texture and surface and lines, stuff like that. just stopping and looking closely at something.

ZITA: that's the creative way of seeing i guess! what is it in specifics you're discovering when you're out though?

LOUISE: i love looking at different textures or surfaces together, in close-up, i like that kind of juxtaposition of colour and pattern that sit together and layer up. going for a walk i think is one of the best things to do. if you tried find inspiration forcefully, it might not always be the best.

ZITA: i agree with that.

LOUISE: i guess finding your own things as well is really important. to find your own inspiration. the stuff you're taught at art college of using your own work and not using someone else's photos etc. to find what's important to you and your practice.

ZITA: that comes from your own eye i guess. apart from developing your own language, your output, you must develop your own eye, your input as well. to train your eye to see what you're really looking for. talking about others and inspiration from them though, here's the bit i'm always going to ask from everyone - can you recommend a book or another designer who might be worth looking up?

LOUISE: i think the whole series of the austin kleon books are really good, the show your work!, steal like an artist, he's got about five of them i think. and they're short reads and pictorial as well so they're really good, motivational little books. the simon sinek stuff, relating to finding your "why" as well, i've read that recently. as for artists... i'm going to recommend you someone from dundee, her name is nicola wiltshire and she paints on patterned fabric. her work is really interesting and she uses really really interesting colour combinations. some of her recent work has been about landscape and places - and some of it is more like portraiture or still life.

ZITA: that's cool, i will definitely check her work out. the simon sinek book has actually been on my list for a while as well. good recommendations, thank you!

LOUISE: listen to the ted talk first, there is a ted talk. there's a whole process to go through, it's really worth it. you're about to look back on your life and find the things that are really important, to find out what ultimately is driving you. and it's not always what you think it might be!

ZITA: ooh that sounds interesting, i look forward to getting into that! and to finish this conversation with even more useful information, where can we see your work, what can we expect to see from you this year?

LOUISE: you can see my work in dundee and the dundee delights collection that i create, which is a range of greetings cards, prints and products. currently only really available on my etsy shop as most of the stockists are closed. out and about you can see my stuff, i guess the scrapantics mural is one and you can also see my penguin from the maggies penguin parade in jute cafe bar in dca (dundee contemporary arts.) as for what's to come later... i'm working on an amazing project just now, it's called spaces for people. it's quite exciting and i'm getting to do all the things that i wanted to do! it's about improving space for people in an area and we're creating temporary interventions to try some ideas out. but i'm not going to say too much about it because it's not out there in the public yet!

ZITA: oh that sounds super exciting though i wish i could ask you more about that.

LOUISE: i know! and i've got more of the wild in art sculptures as well - i've already created the lighthouse trail so the lighthouse trail is going to happen this year, but that's going to be in the aberdeen - shetland - moray - orkney areas. and i've just been told that i'm getting to do another one! but i cannot tell you what that is yet.

ZITA: amazing news! very exciting.

LOUISE: i'm also doing a project with dundee rep theatre, i got one of the micro-commissions, to create a piece of theatre. something completely different for me! i'm collaborating with a drama artist called amy hall gibson, and we're creating a piece of children's theatre called "dundee delight dice". this is based on what i do, highlighting all the positives about dundee but bringing it to life. using a giant "story-cube" type idea. that is going to be coming out later this year as well. we're having to adapt it because it's not necessarily going to be in the same format that we pitched originally due to the circumstances just now. but this is quite exciting, because i really like seeing my work in a new context and it's making me think about how my designs can work in different ways as well. and who knows what else! i will keep applying for things and see what happens.

ZITA: this is very exciting. and what a journey! from fashion through murals and aeroplanes and now children's theatre. this is an amazing creative journey and just really shows how a particular way of seeing and working and applying patterns and colours can be applied to so many things. thank you so much for sharing with me.

LOUISE: it's been great!

-

links:

louise kirby’s website

louise kirby etsy shop

scrapantics

wild in art

nicola wiltshire

dundee rep theatre

in conversation with kate mclaughlin of align jewellery

hello february! we are well into the grind of 2021 now - and for an extra dose of creative stimulant i decided on a new series of blog posts. as you know i’m constantly looking for new things to look at, read and new people to know about so i figured you might feel the same after a busy january. therefore i am happy to publish the first in a series of conversations with designers, makers or craftspeople of all disciplines whose values or inspirations i share. my first virtual guest is kate mclaughlin, architect-turned-jeweller of align jewellery.

ZITA: hi! first of all, tell me a little bit about yourself, what you do and how you got there?

KATE: hi! i'm kate, and i'm a jeweller but my background is in architecture. i create architecturally influenced jewellery that is quite minimal, bold and uncompromising in its linear and geometric qualities. i studied architecture - i went straight from school to edinburgh college of art so it was very much "art school architecture" and we were really taught how to design over many many years and this is so deeply ingrained now. we were taught a kind of design process and we were just doing it over and over and over again to the point where i can't not do it.

ZITA: i think i know what you mean!

KATE: and after i studied architecture i went into practice and i realised that commercial architecture wasn't for me and my jewellery hobby kind of took over unintentionally, in a series of happy accidents. i didn't consciously decide to quit one and do the other but one faded in and one faded out. but that "drilling in of a design process" of being really critical, and analytical, and questioning everything - i couldn't make anything in any other way. when i explain to people that i was an architect, they always immediately understand, i guess it makes sense, aesthetically. but i think my process is also very influenced. and some of the tools i use came with me too: occasionally i think the easiest way to do it would be a CAD drawing. sometimes i still think of things as "plan, elevation, section", and i look at the different sides and draw an elevation of a piece of jewellery. i'm fairly sure that regular jewellers don't think like that or use those terms even! so there are layers of how it is architectural. does this make sense?

ZITA: yes, it totally does! and i like how you describe your work on your website and social media, that you call it "wearable architecture" and to me as well it signals that you haven't really shifted from that mindset. or was that not an easy shift? you talk about a gradual change, of one fading in and one fading out. did you find it easy?

KATE: the architect in me will always be there, it’s just how i earn money shifted, one eased in and one eased out. but actually, part of it was really really hard because i spent so long aspiring to be, and in a way fighting for architecture, that it's really, really hard to give up and walk away from all of that. actually, i still do a little bit of practice and a very little consultancy work for a local practice as well. part of it is keeping my hand in, but part of it is a comfort blanket thing... my last ten years strand back to my previous life!

ZITA: i understand that!

KATE: as for "the how easy it is" thing - i did, at one point, in my jewellery tried not to do architecture. at the time i think i was in a huff with it. i thought “nah, don't want to do that anymore”, i’d just turn my back on it and do something completely different. so what i was going to do was freeform and floaty and natural, and i made these things that were all organic and petal-like, and i didn't know how to make them into a piece of jewellery. so i made a box, to put the things in, and by the end of finishing the jewellery, i had kept the box and ditched the organic freeform things and had this really really geometric cage thing. so at that point i thought, oh, okay, so it's not a choice!

ZITA: wow! that's exactly what i was trying to get at, whether you can change your mindset or not. but you explained about your training how that's so deeply ingrained so i was wondering if it's even possible to get rid of that.

KATE: yeah i'm sure it's possible, i believe people and brains have the ability to re-learn but i don't know i if i want to re-learn badly enough to put in that effort.

ZITA: i can relate to that! and is there a particular style or school of architecture that you're inspired by or is it more about the space? is there anything very particular you look out for or have a "trained eye" for - or is it just space and form that really catches you?

KATE: i don't like subscribing to a particular school - what i really appriecate and notice are small parts. i’d never say "that's my favourite building" or style, but there are details. either really little, like a window surround, that little. or a specific view, or it's often about how different things meet. how a building meets where it is or how different materials meet each-other or how spaces meet each-other, it's that kind of intersection. and it's interesting and beautiful in really mundane architecture. if you notice those things you can see them all around you all of the time, even in what should be quite uninspiring places.

ZITA: oh yeah, that does absolutely resonate with me. i work like that too, i find patterns, not jewellery in the same forms, but i find the beauty in the same things too. i find rhythm and texture in cityscapes and gas tanks, cranes and places like that.

KATE: yes!

ZITA: and i guess where i find a pattern you find a spatial form?

KATE: yes, flat forms to me feel unsatisfying, i always try and find three-dimensional forms, which is what i mean about wearable architecture. when i'm out and about and looking, i get quite often drawn to textures. the rough, building material textures, do you know what i mean? concrete or things that are cracked or worn.

ZITA: oh yes i get that! me too.

KATE: i know that doesn't translate to my jewellery but when i come home with weird architectural photos it's quite often a textural thing!

ZITA: yes! that's interesting. i was just going to ask about that, would you consider using other materials? right now your jewellery is silver, isn't it?

KATE: it is!

ZITA: so do you look to expand or incorporate other materials in your work?

KATE: i would love to. i'm not sure what form it would take. and, i'm a also slightly wary, because if a new material was going to involve a new skillset, which really excites me and i really want to do, i would also see myself disappearing into a rabbit hole... and never coming back!

ZITA: yeah there’s always that danger.

KATE: but i'm interested in it and also there is a nice thing in taking something that's really common and everyday and making it into something that's really precious. like using concrete. or using found objects but setting them as if they were precious stones and making them feel as if they were really precious jewellery. actually, i've recently commissioned a lady who works with jesmonite to make me little props to take my photographs on, and they all have slightly different patterns on them. they are all super smooth and the texture is beautiful, and there are patterns in the colour - they are not just grey, they are really lovely and looking at them makes me think "woah i see the potential".

ZITA: that sounds really cool. so if other materials are not the immediate next step for you, then what is? what can we expect to see from you next?

KATE: so going back to the texture thing, at the moment texture doesn't really feature a lot in my work because i always thought it's about the form. it had to be about form and nothing else so texture hasn't really been in it, so texture is my next thing! it's been ongoing and i have a "shopping list" of some traditional and not so traditional things to experiment with. i don't know what it will look like in jewellery, so my next thing is a non-jewellery experiments on how to create different textures and maybe going back through my architectural close-ups and look into how i can re-create some of that. but step one will not involve any jewellery because it's less of a pressured way to do it! making it into jewellery will be step two.

ZITA: maybe you could exhibit your experiments as sculptures!

KATE: yes i would love my experiments to be a beautiful thing, even if it's only a “sketchbook” of samples. because then you could back to it over and over again and you might end up discovering loads of textures or loads of techniques so it might just be a case of keeping your records - so i would quite like whatever it is to be a beautiful thing to keep and go back to in the future.

ZITA: that sounds like a great plan!

KATE: i think that's quite achievable in lockdown, it's something i can do by myself in the studio so that's the immediate plan.

ZITA: and, having spoken about inspiration - does it find you spontaneously or do you go and actively research?

KATE: it is very spontaneous. when i go out and about and i see something i like i take a picture of it without thinking too hard why i like it or what i'm going to do with that, it's just a photo of a weird thing. i don't think it's any more than that, it's just like a gut instinct. often when i'm making i've been making it up as i go along more. sometimes things just take a turn as you're making, and you see an opportunity and follow your nose. i do have collections that are way more thought out and involved a lot more research. they were a bit more engineered in a way, i thought about how a collection of pieces sit together, but it's been a while since i worked like that and i've been thinking recently that maybe i need to go back to working like that.

ZITA: thinking about research - and this is something i want to ask from everyone i have these conversations with - can you recommend a book, or recommend someone whose work you find inspiring?

KATE: the person i'm going to recommend to you is karlyn sutherland, and she is a glass artist. i studied with her so she also started out in architecture. she did a phd and in it she looked to place and it lead her to glass, she made glass art about place as part of her architecture phd. she is a world renowned glass artist and her work is really architectural. it's really amazing and deceptively simple. you would really have to look to understand - you should definitely, definitely look her up.

ZITA: thanks, that's great! i’ll check her work out. i'm a bit of a design junkie and it's why i want to ask from everyone, i love discovering new work and it also says a lot about the person recommending it i think what they find most interesting.

KATE: that's a good question to ask!

ZITA: and the very last one - apart from your own website, where else can my readers find your work or buy your jewellery?

KATE: right now, a lot of my stockists are shut obviously. hopefully you can find my work at yorkshire sculpture park, as part of their made exhibition - whenever they're allowed to open back. and just yesterday i found out that i've been given a place at the digital craft festival which is happening at the last weekend of march (26th - 28th). so you can find my work through that!

ZITA: brilliant! i think that's an excellent news to close this with! thank you so much for your time, i think it’s been a meaningful and inspiring conversation, and i hope to speak in person some time.

KATE: thanks!

-

links:

A L I G N J E W E L L E R Y

Kate McLaughlin - maker profile on Craft Scotland

Digital Craft Festival

Yorkshire Scupture Park - Made exhibition

Karlyn Sutherland - Heller Gallery