Sneak Peek into Dundee Creatives Studios

wasps open studio 2013

Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th October 2013, from 12 noon – 5pm

I would like to invite you to the Dundee Meadow Mill Wasps Artists Open Studios on Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th October from 12noon – 5pm.

My studio will be open with a range of Bargain Boxes with scarves, cards and prints and you can see some of the new things I’ve been working on!  I’m on the 4th floor, in studio 404! (there is a lift!!!).  I have the lovely Sooz Gordon sharing my studio who styles funky eclectic interiors, makes Dundee inspired cushions and offers Style Surgeries for others to learn about interior design.

Lots artists will be taking part all under the one roof from a wide range of creative practices – painting, ceramics, illustration, textiles, jewellery, installation, interiors, photography and much more.  It’s a chance to have a look inside the creative spaces.

As well as the usual amazing array of artists and makers welcoming you into their place of work, this year we have a programme of FREE events in the Gallery Space on Saturday and Sunday (see below).  There will be a cafe and a group show of tenants work in the cafe area and Project 2 on the 4th floor. This year we will have a shop curated by Lovely Things with some of their product alongside work from artists and makers.  I will have a selection of things in there too, it’s on the 3rd floor, in studio 316.

Saturday 19th
12-1pm Creative Writing with author Zoe Venditozzi (maximum of 8 people)

1:30-2pm The Museum and the Whaleback City – Poetry Reading by Andy Jackson.

Fife-based poet Andy Jackson reads from his poetry collection The Assassination Museum and also from Whaleback City, the new anthology featuring six centuries of Dundee poetry, of which he is co-editor. Expect quirky, accessible poetry on themes as diverse as Daleks, dancing and conspiracy theories.

3:30-5pm Best Bits of Pecha Kucha Dundee (screening).

Sunday 20th
12:30-1:30pm – Meet the Inkers – Vanilla Inkers new intake.

2-5pm TRiGGER : Connectivity @ WASPS 2013 – TRiGGER is holding a participatory drop in afternoon on Sunday 20th October at WASPS Meadowmills Gallery space from 2-5pm. We will be inviting visitors and studio artists to contribute to an informal reflective visual response to WASPS Open Studios weekend. The afternoon is a relaxed and interactive experience with participation welcome from all visitors.

(These events will take place in Project 1 on the 4th floor.)

Ms Battenberg’s Travelling Tea Room will provide a veritable cornucopia of delectable treats. Sit back and relax with some homemade treats and a cuppa. Available throughout the weekend.

Come and try on my scarves and enjoy my colourful patterned studio!  Come and see the creative talent Dundee has to offer!  For a map please link here.

Please spread the word to others you think may be interested!

Wee Wellie Wander

ground graffiti web smallI wanted to showcase a different type of work that I do.  If I’m not designing my own surface patterns I do some work for Angus Council Education Development Service creating and delivering project for schools.

One of the projects I worked on was Wee Wellie Wander, I worked in partnership with Angus Council Ranger Service at Crombie Country Park to develop a Learning Resource to support teachers and early years practitioners to engage very young children creatively in using the park as a stimulus to looking, exploring, listening, talking, making and doing.

I created a colourful self-led teacher pack includes includes images and descriptors for a variety of rich and creative learning activities using simple tools and natural materials.

Crombie tree wrap 2 smallI loved doing this project as it really matched my passion for the great outdoors and being playful and creative.  It was great coming up with ideas and taking the ideas to final pack where I’ve seen children enjoying taking part and asking interesting questions and seeing their learning and curiosity.  I also brought on artist Astrid Leeson to bounce ideas and have a few creative days in the park coming up with ideas.  It was great to feel like a big kid and come up with things others would enjoy doing and discovering.

Crombie Woodland Weaving small

Park Ranger Lisa King was a wonder to work with, as she’s is so passionate about the park, open to ideas, very proactive and practical.  I wanted to do some sort of weaving using natural materials, so we chose the best spot and she made a frame by the time I came the next week – you might see it if you’re in the park (look out for the Magic Spot), feel free to add to the natural cloth!

colour spots photo smallWith my own work I’m fascinated with colour, pattern, mark making and I wanted to bring elements of my work came into the park.  I used my bird stencils but instead of using paint as I do in my studio we used bird seeds to create pictures that repeat and also can play with symmetry and watching the birds eat them.  I’ve got a fascination with yarn bombing and I love moss growing  up trees which I though looked like leg warmers so we decided to get lots of colourful balls of wool and wrap the trees.  Other activities include recording markmaking and memory string that allows pupils to collect mementos from their day so they can revisit it.

I highly recommend Crombie Country Park for a wander it’s one of my favourite places.

Pupil quotes from using the Wee Wellie Wander pack

“I liked squashing the plasticine to get bumpy bits from the trees” – P1 pupil

“I made a sun picture, and we made it with seeds and it’s going to feed the birds” – Nursery Pupil

“I liked reading the story in the forest and doing al the actions and noises” – P1 pupil

Teacher quotes from using the Wee Wellie Wander Pack

“the pack was easy to use and the activities were enjoyable – my pupils had a great time and are still talking about it.  It allows the children a hands on learning experience in and unfamiliar and exciting environment” – P1 Teacher

“We had great fun and learned lots of new and interesting things and are looking forward to developing our new ideas in our own outdoor area!” – Nursery Practitioner

I have facilitated CPD with Park Ranger Lisa to a range of  for Angus teachers and Early Years Practitioners so they can bring their own groups to experience the richness of the park.  The pack and resources are now available at Crombie to use (booking is essential through Crombie Country Park)  You can also see a copy of the pack here

The project was funded by People Directorate – Arts and Cultural Education Team and Creative Scotland, Creative Learning Networks fund, developed with EDS Project Artist in Residence Louise Kirby.

 

image005ranger serviceimage003

 

Coming soon new collection

Patterned Field Plate coming soonI have been working on a new collection for Autumn Winter 2014 using my signature style of lovely organic movement using repetitive marks and textures in delicious colours.

This A/W 2014 Hallyburton Collection is inspired by the abundance of inspiration on my doorstep where I live on a Perthshire country estate.  I’m continually inspired by the changing seasons and fascinated at the harmonisation of the flora and fauna blending together.  I’m often found exploring knee deep amongst the grasses and dotted wild flowers, wandering through the woods of dappled trees and patchwork fields.  I hope my designs perfectly capture the essence of my surroundings.

This new Autumn/Winter 2014 Hallyburton Collection uses a palette of greens and a hint of warm chestnut.  Pattern artworks include my fascination of pheasants as I follows their footprints, textured of stacked logs and expressive dotty marks of the nature’s elements.

Collections can be licensed or I can be commissioned to create something bespoke for your products.

Full collection to be revealed soon.  If you would like to be emailed a copy of my new collection or sent a hardcopy in the post please email me with your details. hello@louisekirby.com

 

Lets go on a journey together…

land rover web imageI was lucky to be selected to take part in the coaching with Cultural Enterprise Office with Lynn O’Neill.  I really enjoyed the bespoke personal service and allowing myself the time to develop.  I was encourage to think BIG, so I wanted to showcase my patterned artworks on a product that would dispel the myth that my artwork was only for scarves.  So I started an self initiated project, for my all time favourite car the Land Rover Defender.

I think the brand really matched the essence of what I’m about and my love of the great outdoors.  I wanted to use my patterned artwork and signature style of delicious colours, patterns, and expressive mark making with a rhythmic flow capturing the essence wilderness of the landscape to create sophisticated, natural and beautiful designs suitable for Land Rover Defender.

land rover section by louise kirby

So I set about creating some hand painted paper designs using imagery of the landscape, fields of pattern and animals.  My visualisation was that I see the Land Rover Defenders as something that can go anywhere with no obstacle and I wanted to capture this in my artworks by merging and blending a variety of terrains into one another to give the feeling that Land Rovers can go anywhere, with spontaneous marks the emphasise the thrill, and adventure of the Land Rover Experience through the rugged British countryside.

I could imagine my patterned artworks on  – exterior bodywork, spare wheel covers, interior upholstery, promotional leaflets, collectable toys, and water bottles to hoods.

From there I needed to visualise the artwork on a product, so without getting my hands on the real thing I tried putting my designs on simple line drawings.  Here are some of my samples.

Land Rover Repeat in Product web

land rover red in product webI searched for the biggest model I could afford and got this lovely toy and set about applying my design idea on the product.  I also made a hand printed silk wheel cover too!  I loved the little model so took it to the park to do a wee photo shoot. Here are some of the photos from that day.

Land Rover web

Land Rover View webLand Rover water web

Land Rover Grass web

I hope you like my creation; do you imagine driving about with my design on it?

I’d love to go on an adventure with Land Rover where I bring the creativity and they bring the wheels!

wheel commission louise kirby web

for your tootsies, hoofs, trotters, paws or feet

I’ve moved to the countryside allowing me to be surrounded by my inspiration of Scottish wilderness and thousand of pheasants!  After days out exploring the area I would come home with muddy welllies or walking boots, so I decided to make myself a doormat  to keep my house nice and clean!  Here’s some examples of my hand painted doormats.

Hand Printed Doormat

Indoor use only

Helping to keep your home clean

Each one unique

Material – Coir Mat, PVC backed.

Introductory offer of £25, only available for collection from my studio, please email me if you would like one hello@louisekirby.com

I also had a little play with some other silhouettes and patterns I like!

 

 

Sneak + Peek

I’ve been creating some one-off, hand printed scarves in my studio.  The Sneak + Peek collection is inspired by the pheasants hiding amongst the fields.  Where I live there are thousands of pheasants but it’s not till you come close that they reveal themselves with their distinctive call warning all there pheasant friends to look out.  The mono printing technique that allows me to capture the textures of the fields and no two scarves are the same.  Each scarf is reversible to allow you to change your look and get two scarves for the price of one!


 

 

 

Material – 100% Silk Crepe de Shine

Dimensions – 32cm x 180cm (aprox)

Price – £120

Scarves are available to buy directly from me, please email me hello@louisekirby.com   I will include free postage and packaging to any UK address.

 

Lovely Day Stitching in Anthropologie Edinburgh Store

I’ve spend Saturday in the Anthropologie Edinburgh store doing a Stitch Workshops for Anthropologie customers.  We were located in the lovely garden area downstairs, with lovely plants, paper tree trunks from the window display and surrounded by lovely Anthropologie products- perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My workshop uses stitch and embellishment to decorate little bags.  I brought along some stencils of things I use in my work – trees, leaves, pheasants, words and a wee Christmas pudding for a bit of festive cheer.  I made some samples in advance to give people the idea of what to do and we used a range of wool, buttons, beads and ribbons….

I love it the window display at he moment!  Pop along to see the giant paper owl!

Lots of passing people watching us from the windows and shoppers interested in us doing crafty stuff.

It was also great to be in store where my artwork is being used on Anthropologie wool scarves, with one of the style now half price – you’ll need to be fast to get one!  And I’ve got such a connection with the store with originally doing the temporary storefront which is now being featured in store on the stairs area and I’ve also created collections of hand printed scarves for them.

Lots of happy makers with their finished bags!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





We had lots of great finished products – cute elephant, button trees, dashing dog, leaves, christmas pudding and festive cat…… to name a few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the money raised is going to The Woodlands Trust Scotland (once I know the amount I’ll update you!)  Thanks to all that came along and enjoyed the workshops!

All Wrapped up…..

It’s that season, the leaves are changing colour and their is a chill in the air!

I just wanted to let you know about my artwork being used on 2 Anthropologie scarves called Wings of Braemar.  They are only available through Anthropologie stores and online.

They are a lovely quality of wool and I love wearing mine!  I’m really proud that my logo features on the edge and sold in their stores all over Europe and USA and online.  It’s great   having my work reaching a wider audience and with such a high profile that I really admire.

I hope you like them!

Thanks for reading my blog!

All Bagged Up

I’m delighted to announce that Anththropologie have chosen one of my design for their new collection. One of my pheasants is now fashioning itself on a tote bags in the USA and UK.  You can check out the tote bag here, they are only available directly through Anthropologie.

I love seeing my artworks on different products and how Anthropologie have styled it with it’s plain back and slightly sparkly handle – and of course seeing my logo on their products with their tags.

It’s exciting to think that my artwork is reaching a bigger audience here in the UK and the USA.

I personally think myself and Anthropologie make a great combination for collaborations and the whole experience has been a pleasure!

Where I Make

I was asked to write a feature with some photos for This Is Central Station on where I make.  You can also see other Scottish artists and designers too.

Welcome to my wonderful patterned world where I capture the drama of Scottish wilderness with nature at the heart of my surface designs.

Everything happens here in my studio in bonnie Dundee – colour studies, developing ideas, playing with scale and pattern, paper designs, cutting stencils, screen printing, painting, collage, fabric samples, mixing dyes, planning schools and community workshops, sewing and the list goes on…

All these steps help me create my surface patterns for a range of products and applications.  I’m on a mission to cover the world in my designs from wallpapers, wellies, ceramics, and murals to Land Rover Defenders – the possibilities are endless!

I have a playful approach and mix together delicious colours, juxtaposing scales, energetic repetitive marks, to create my distinct rhythmic signature.

I love my cosy space where I surround myself with colour swatches, drawings, fabric samples, old coffee pots of brushes, wooden printing blocks and random things I’ve collected.  I like nothing more than getting my hands dirty in the studio.  It’s not too flash but being surrounded by all my inspiration is really important and keeps me focused.

I am part of the Dundee WASPS artist’s studios and I’m in a temporary space on Airlie Place for 6 months while my studio at Meadowmill is being refurbished.  I really like it, it used to be a students bedroom so it has a homely feel with a fireplace and a sink.  I settled in quickly after a quick lick of white paint.  I like the location as it next to the DJCAD and I can see a tree out of my window.  I like being part of WASPS as I’m surrounded by other fellow creative’s from a range of art forms from printmakers, jewellers, sculptural textiles and painters.

I love being in my studio and being playful and creative!