Last autumn, after 25 years, I left behind a much-loved shared studio near Richmond Park to move to a chic urban environment in North Kensington.
I’ve arrived at Kindred Studios, a wonderful creative hub on the canal in W10, cycling distance from home – the ideal commute! With over 380 artists from across the world, it’s a vibrant community, a truly diverse span of creative talents all under one roof. I’m settled in and embracing the stimulation, the energy and ideas. Yet, it’s serene too. A light, calm, airy space to work in.
The change of environment has sparked new inspiration, created room for fresh vision, as well as prompting a literal clear-out! Through this process, I’ve let go of what no longer serves, while rediscovering treasured old materials, including fabric swatches and valuable offcuts of shaped wood. I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with some of my very first designs and letting the craftswoman in me come out. Creative playtime!
During Open Studios I will be offering up some results of these experiments:
PS Table (ask me what it stands for): fun trying something new, getting hands-on with this plywood console table, applying a specialist plaster from Italy to achieve a rough speckled-nettle finish. For a bold juxtaposition, I added traditional metal hinges from an old family glass table. Does it work?
‘New Curves’: a set of curved shapes created from a mould for a dark blue glass dining table: includes a curved dish, the bowl shape made from plywood with an applied finish. Its distinct deep reddish base is a fragment of rare Thuya burr wood (an African hardwood from the roots of the tree) from my collection.
I’ll have my photo books out too, with images from interior design work, along with a selection of other pieces, including a pair of Suri Lamps, fashioned from Indian print rolls; my signature Golden CURVE Bench; and a folding screen with seaweed and paper embedded in perspex.
As a designer maker, I move between the furniture and interiors space. My dream projects are when I connect the two, using a piece I have designed and making the space around it work. Please see some of my interior design projects such as Kensington and Chelsea.
I look forward to welcoming you to this vibrant space and sharing my work.
It’s always a joy to connect.
Credit: Photography by Marcus Peel