Cultivating Collections Stitch Workshop

Louise Kirby Stitch Workshop

I will be doing a stitch workshop at St Andrews Museum on the 4th of May from 10.30am – 12.30pm, inspired by the Cultivating Collections Exhibition.  Participants will decorate a wee bag using stitch and embelishment.  No experience necessary it will be a relaxed and creative session.  All proceeds will go to St Andrews Botanic Gardens.  Please contact the venue directly for booking – 01334 659380..

St Andrews is a lovely place to spend the day!  I think I’ll have to check out Joules and Bibis when I’m there too!

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.

 

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!

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!

Edinburgh Anthropologie Opening

I had a fantastic night at the opening of the 1st Scottish Anthropologie Store in Edinburgh on George Street.

What an amazing store! There’s so many great things about it, it’s boutique-like on a large scale, with lovely displays, lots of lovely textures, and amazing clothes and home ware.

I can’t believe how they have used my artwork form the hoarding, amazing blocky feature near the stairs – much bigger and better than I could of imagined.  Some of  my pattern used within the artwork spanning over 2 floors.

It was funny as lots of people recognised me from the video of me creating the hoarding artwork.  Concept & Graft were there too.

It was great to see my hand printed scarves within the store and also being worn!

Cocktails, delicious hor d’oeuvres and oysters – top night!

Lindsey Gardiner and her quirky dog paintings, fantastic!

Also there’s an photography exhibition by David Eustace.

Live auction for With Kids and the lovely ceiling.

Here’s a link to the Press Release on Textiles Scotland website.

8 pheasants on George Street, Edinburgh

I’ve had a really great day and finished the artwork for Anthropologie store front!  Feeling exhausted and exhilarated!  I’ve loved the opportunity of taking my design onto a huge scale!  Lots of fun doing it and lovely comments from passers by!

The weather was on my side too, and started to rain just as I finished.  The wind was causing havoc with my stencils but I got there…..   Sore muscles, smiley, happy……..now!

All closed up for the night.

Feathered friends

Just a couple of images of where I’ve got to today.  I’ve been pretty busy up and down scaffolding, more dab, dab dabbing with the brush, stencils blowing in the wind – think my pheasants wanted to take off!  Lots to do tomorrow, with all the stencil of merging patterns and more pheasants.

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Flying the nest…

Here are some of my recent paper designs created during my time through the Crafts Bursary in conjunction with Creative Scotland and DJCAD.

Louise Kirby 8

Louise Kirby 4

Louise Kirby 6

Reluctantly I’ve cleared and moved out of my space in ‘the room’ in the textile department.  I’ve finished my time there and have taken my wings to fly to pastures new. I’ve found the experience so valuable to take time to consider my crafts practice, looking at all the strands I have with workshops, making products, designing surface pattern.  I’m going to reposition myself to being a surface pattern designer who creates patterns and illustrations for all surfaces from stationery, fashion, furnishings, ceramics and architecture…

During my time I had a chance to try new things, learn new skills, reconsider my business model, have mentor support and meet lots of other creative people, such a great vibe at DJCAD.  I highly recommend the opportunity.