Tag Archives: Louise Kirby

Sneak + Peek

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
1

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!

Christmas Craft in Edinburgh Anthropologie Store

Posted on by
Reply

I’m going to be in the Anthropologie Edinburgh store on the 17th November doing a Christmas Craft workshop.  Using Drawing with Stitch and embelishment, where you can create you very own little cotton bag.  I’m sure there will be a pheasant or two sneaking and peeking amongst the stitches and some woodland inspiration and of course some christmas cheer!

This event is for Charity and all the proceedings will go to The Woodlands Trust Scotland.  I wanted to pick a charity that fitted with my work and thought they fitted perfectly.

This event must be pre-booked in advance, see above flyer.

Looking forward to it!

All Wrapped up…..

Posted on by
Reply

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!

Come and have a peek!

Posted on by
Reply

Hello there!

Come along and have a peek in my studio, see what creatures are hiding amongst the colourful marks.

I’m opening up as part of WASPS OPEN STUDIOS  on Saturday 3rd + Sunday 4th November on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor of an old jute mill in bonnie Dundee.  Where 50 creatives will open up their studios in the one building.  And we have a new fandangled lift to take you to all the floors!

We’ve all settled into our newly refurbished spaces and lots of fab new artists and designers – such as Nikki McWilliams and her great biscuity cushions, Vanilla Ink and her jewellery studio with 8 jewellers always something that’ll take your fancy, Islay Spalding with jewellery that I think looks great in my lugs, Mhairi Wild and her lovely colourful textiles………. lots of new artists, designers and makers to really makes it worth a visit.  And of course some of the folks that have been  creating in there for years such as Paola McClure and her wacky soft sculptures, Garry Brown and his wooden driftwood sculptures, artist Louise Ritchie and her expressive artworks, Lindsey Gardiner and her great illustrations that now fashion themselves on cushions and bags……….and many more!

I will have a range of scarves and have some samples on things I’m working on. My lovely mum will be holding the fort for me on the Saturday afternoon and I’ll be there in person on the Sunday.  Come along and say hello!

Full list of Open Studios Artists, Designers and Makers taking part – Jonathan Hood, Simon Dwyer, Volker Rosenberg, Peter Mansfield, Tracey Stewart, Nikki McWilliams, Lyndsey Gardiner, Vanilla Ink Kate Pickering, Sally Fenton, Leanne Evans, Scarlett Erskine, Victoria Kelsey, Robin Bell, Audrey Reid, Ruth Morrison, Filipa Oliveria, Joanne MacFadyen, Lynda Watson, Jen Robson, Liz Myhill, Neil McIntee, Islay Spalding, Penelope Anstice, Susie Johnston, Garry Brown, Shona Adam, Louise Kirby, Robert Macmillan, Alistair Evans, Nicole Baudon, Luiza Ramazzotti, Genna Delaney, Madeleine Mackay, Mhairi Wild, Jonathan Burns, Marianne Wilson, Vivien Moore, Paola McClure, Dougie Paterson, Louisa Lewis, Astrid Leeson, Cally Booker, Gearaidh Mac Griogair, Gerard Menzies, Casey Campbell, Claire Anne Grant, Holly Wilcox, Lauren Leiper, Nicola Morrison, Pamie Bennett, Jill Skulina, Emily Inns., Louise Ritchie.

All Bagged Up

Posted on by
2

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!

Snail trails……..

Posted on by
1

I spend a lovely few hours with some creative crafty ladies at my ‘Create your own bespoke shopper – drawing with Stitch and Button’ workshop for Fife Contemporary Art & Craft.

To start the session I showed some of my samples with various stitch techniques, then we all had a rummage through the buttons – everyone loves buttons!  Stripy ones are my favourites!  I really encouraged creativity in a relaxed atmosphere and I hope all the participants enjoyed the session and it has given them a taster or inspiration to continue being creative!

I created a stripy snail design meandering across my shopper.  I am fascinated with snails and their trails.  I’m continuing to work on it in the evenings to as I find it really relaxing.All the participants created lovely things from – tree with button leaves, art deco flowers with a lovely red and black button border, flowers using all the stitches, chain stitch bamboo using lovely wool, intricate patterns and motifs.

It was a lovely relaxed atmosphere at the venue Vic in St Andrews, where we got the tastiest scones with cream and apricot jam – yummy! (i had more than one!!!)

Thanks to Fife Contemporary Art & Craft for inviting me to run a workshop in St Andrews.

Drawing with stitches workshop

Posted on by
Reply

I’m running a workshop in St Andrews this Saturday 10th March for Fife Contemporary Art & Craft.  To create your own bespoke reusable shopper – drawing with stitches and embellishing with buttons.  It’ll be a lovely relaxed session being creative, meeting new people and creating something unique.  For more info and to book please click here

Making a splash

Posted on by
Reply

Here is my artwork I created for the new manicure and pedicure space within The Sunflower Rooms in Dundee.  Owner Jennifer Comiskey approached me after seeing the video of me creating the giant storefront art work for Anthropologie.  She wanted me to create something unique for her space not just a painting or feature wall paper.

I was delighted to be asked to use me signature style (pattern, colour, markmaking, silhouettes) to create a bespoke artwork that reflected an elegant femine feel in the colour scheme of red, grey and black.  
First I came up the some sketch ideas of what I proposed to create based on an initial chat and look at the space.  Then I showed Jennifer and she chose her favourite and gave me artistic freedom within the room.  The actual painting took a few days using a mixture of hand painting and stencilling.  The artwork grew and flowed around the room.

The room has a lovely contemporary feel and it’s nice to have something other than sunflowers too!  Jennifer used other local business to create her bespoke beautiful space.

I hope clients enjoy getting their twinkle toes and fancy fingers done surrounded by my colourful artwork.

Here’s some photos of the artwork in progress.

Where I Make

Posted on by
Reply

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!