I am a textiles designer whose practice centres around modern heirlooms and promoting wellbeing through textiles. These are intended to enrich the life of the user and the lives of future generations as it is passed through families and communities.
‘Biomorphosis’ is an interiors collection which explores the wellbeing benefits of green and blue spaces. These spaces have been proven to improve an individual’s physical and mental health through regular interaction. The aim of the collection was to create domestic textiles inspired by these spaces which would allow the user to experience the wellbeing benefits within their own home.
Due to the expansion of urban areas, many of these spaces are being lost and as a consequence, many people are unable to frequently interact with nature. Through the consideration of colour theory as well as the visual aspects of blue and green spaces, the collection provides a range of textiles which enhance wellbeing and create a sense of symbiosis between nature and our homes.
The marks have been taken from photographs of various species of lichen and stylised.
The movement of water and the interaction with light has been shown to stimulate our brains in a positive way which encourages good mental wellbeing.
Layered pigment print inspired by coral formations and found porcelain pieces.
Both lichen and coral create symbiotic relationships with their environments. The pieces of porcelain found on the beach had become covered in coral structures much like how branches become engulfed by lichen and fungi.
My late Grandfather was passionate about the conservation of natural spaces. In his retirement, he spent many years researching fungi and lichen. In doing so he generated many photographs and filled a plethora of journals. It is these which inspired the collection initially.
‘Memento Vivere’ translates to ‘Remember to Live’. The collection was a response to the ageing population crisis which has become more apparent in recent years. The aim of the collection was to create a series of garments which celebrated growing older and encouraged the wearer to engage with healthy ageing principles. Through research into naturally occuring ‘Blue Zones’ with high rates longevity within their populations, I became familiar with factors contributing to healthy ageing. These included movement, purpose and community which became central themes for the collection.
Not only did the collection celebrate the longevity of the wearer but the garments themselves were intended to have durability. Natural fibres and repurposed materials featured heavily in the collection to ensure that the outcome would have a circular lifecyle. To further reduce the environmental impact of the collection, natural dyes were used to dye and print the fabrics.
The visual inspiration for the collection came from mark-making which was generated through recording the movements of my family members. Additionally, some drawings and paintings of vegetables which are associated with longevity were used to create the final outcomes.
