I would like to invite you to the Dundee Design Festival, from Thursday 26^th – 28^th May in West Ward Works.  I was commissioned to create a series of surface patterns to tell a contemporary Dundee design story.  All my designs are hand screen printed on wood and dispersed through gallery, can you spot them all?

Dundee, the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design is hosting the first Dundee Design Festival from the 25th – 28th May 2016.  The theme for the first Dundee Design Festival is “Place. Work. Folk. Design.” through it explores the potential of design to connect the city’s communities and improve our everyday lives.  This exhibition weaves together some of the great design stories currently emerging from the city, including new innovations in textiles, games design and design for health and wellbeing.

The event is FREE but you need to book tickets – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dundee-design-festival-tickets-24394298002

There is a real mix of things in the exhibition so it allowed to use my design skills to create images that brought it all together to tell the story, things included: eeGeo 3d mapping, sonic pills, bullet proof vests, fashion + textiles, Hand of X, tools of makers, the changing landscape of the V&A coming.

I have used the CMYK colour palette to make references to printing methods.  In the image above of Frank Gehry Maggies Centre.  Chosen not only as it represents a building designed by world renowned architect but because I believe it evidences how good design changes peoples’ lives providing a place of calm, support, nurture and tranquility created within a purposeful space. Externally, I enjoy the shape and movement of the roof which I feel echoes the local landscape.

Within the imagery and patterns there are deeper meanings, for instance the colourful pattern is cancer cells, the teacups and books to show support and lavender to give a sense of calm, the sky is a positive sunny yellow patten to show the positivity of space and support.

“It’s very difficult for people to go through experiences like this, and I wanted to create a building that would be calming and accommodating, and one that would be a fitting tribute to Maggie. I think it’s an inviting building, I think people will want to come inside and spend time there, and I really hope that in some small way it might contribute to a sense of rejuvenated vigour for moving forward and living life.”  Frank Gehry, (October,2003)

Let me know what you think of the designs in the show – can you find all 12 of them?

Pieces are for sale, please contact me directly for a price list.

You can keep up to date with my work on

Instagram – kirbyrecipes  https://www.instagram.com/kirbyrecipes/

Twitter – Kirbyrecipes https://twitter.com/KirbyRecipes

Facebook – LouiseKirbyDesign https://www.facebook.com/LouiseKirbyDesign/