A specialist in handwoven cloth design and digital practice. Through a keen interest in traditional colours and materials, I explore the intricacies of cultural craftsmanship, and its application into the digital landscape of textiles.
Cloth acts as a foundation for the cultural significance and symbolisms found in traditional craftsmanship. This handwoven project explores the convention of meaning through a collection of traditional textiles which show personal narratives. Kuba, renowned as the tribal home of cloth, became an inspiration to my project with their traditional methods of handcrafted woven cloths, which are layered together to form their own ceremonial skirt worn during celebratory events and portray the beauty of their culture. The project seeks to explore my personal reflection of meaning to the intricate craftsmanship of the Kuba cloth, through the use of both colour and pattern.
Traditional cloth is deeply intertwined with cultural identity and sustainability, however most of which is lost during modern day fashion construction, hence the importance of this project to rescue the culturally significant practices and designs.
My project focuses on the concept of colour within cloth to illustrate symbolisms in the cultural narratives. Researching upon the traditional, earthy and rich tones present in the Kuba tribe helped to develop my own colour palette in correlation with this project.
The importance of hand dyeing used yarn throughout my handwoven designs was shown through the production of an earthy rich colour palette, highlighting traditional themes. The consideration of Raffia palm yarn and textured recycled Hemp yarn was incorporated throughout my project to portray the methods and significances involved with the curation of tribal textiles.
Sampling with a narrow warp, shedding light on the unique methods and designs within the tribe.
A concept inspired by my home city of Leicester, one of the most multicultural cities in the UK. Leicester itself over the decades has lost its cultural celebration and representation, therefore this project explores the impact of migration on urban landscapes through block pattern and colour. Developing a collection of handwoven designs for the production of scarves curated to represent the importance of keeping the cultural celebration alive.
