Foxglove: revealing from within...

Following my blog post about Chelsea Flower Show and the concept of creating textiles which reveals beauty from within, I was out walking this week when I came across one of the first foxglove that I have seen this year. This beautiful plant is the perfect example of how a flower encloses its most beautiful part on the inside and reveals it through the form or structure of the flower itself.  This principle is one which I am keen to integrate into my work and can't wait to get started on. 

 

Anne Kyyro Quinn

I absolutely love the work of Anne Kyyro Quinn. Her approach to structure and form is really beautiful. Using materials such as wool felt she creates amazing 3D shapes from the sturdy fabric. Here are some examples:

 

I also love how her work lends itself so well to large scale and is used as contemporary wall art/ coverings. This image below of the purple wall is also a good example of my concept of 'revealing from within'.

 

 

To find out more about Anne Kyyro Quinn check out her website:

http://www.annekyyroquinn.com/

How Chelsea flower show 2013 has inspired my work...

I have really enjoyed this years Chelsea Flower Show coverage on the BBC. I have never really watched it before or indeed taken much of an interest at all but this year I have seen florals in a completely different light and it has really captured my imagination. Up until now I have never featured florals in my textile work but after following this years Chelsea Flower Show daily I have seen florals in a refreshing new light.

There are 3 elements which have really inspired me and from now on I am going to intigrate into my textile work. These 3 ideas are:

1. COLOUR
2. STRUCTURE/ FORM
3. BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE (REVEALING FROM WITHIN)

 

 

COLOUR

One of the most obvious things about flowers is the amazing variety of colours they produce. Sometimes subtle and elegant, othe times bold and bright but always a huge spectrum to chose from so there will always be a beautiful colour palette to select from.

 

 

 

STRUCTURE/FORM

Florals also have a beautiful structure and are almost like organic sculptures in their own right.  They are something that I have always considered to be quite delicate and fragile but actually flowers can have a really solid structure. They are quite strong enough to stand alone and hold their shape and hold their heads up to the skys. Here are some examples of their sculptural, 3D qualities:

 

 

 

BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE (REVEALING FROM WITHIN)

This element is the one I am most excited about. I love the concept of having some sort of structure or layers to my textile pieces which reveals the most beautful and intricate part of my work either inside or underneath. The images below show how this happens in a flower and how the intricate details of patterning are revealed from within. This concept will also help to give my textile pieces a 3D or sculptural element.

 

 

 

GARDEN SCULPTURES

I also love the garden sculptures, they are such a lovely feature that breaks up the plants and adds an extra element to a garden. They reminds me of the stunning work by Barbara Hepworth which I have always loved and find their large simple curved forms really elegant and beautiful.

 

 

(To find out more about the Chelsea Flower Show scultures check out the website:http://www.thesculpturewebsite.co.uk/rhs-chelsea-flower-show-21st-to-25th-may-2013-c696.html)

 

 

All these factors have given me a whole new and refreshed view on florals and flowers which has really fired up my imagination. I feel like I have a floral collection brewing inside me but for now I can definitly apply these few simple principles to my work which has completely been inspired by this years Chelsea Flower Show:

 

3 Elements that have inspired my work

COLOUR

STRUCTURE/ FORM

BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE (REVEALING FROM WITHIN

To find out more about the show check out the website:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Hampton-Court-Palace-Flower-Show/2013