Ella Doran on Art and Design for the Interior: bikes

Showing posts with label bikes. Show all posts

Friday, 3 January 2014

My Bicycle rugs in the making

I have just received these pictures from Paul Vowles of WovenGround. He has been at the factory in India where my first Bicycle rugs (from my Bikes of Hackney collection) are being made - in time for us to launch them to our trade buyers next week, at HOME London, Earls Court, 12-14th January.

The above image is from the back of the cloth as the bicycle begins to take shape.

These pictures give you an idea of how they stretch the cloth over a frame, with the design printed on as a guide for the craftsmen. They then hand tuft the different colours of wool into the cloth, following the background template of colours. It's like painting in numbers, which I always loved doing as a child!

This is what it looks like once they have finished tufting, but before the surface is trimmed off so that it is all even, and soft to touch.

Voila! Now it can be removed from the frame and be backed and finished!

I have not yet visited the artisans myself, but I hope to do it this year, so I can learn and share even more about what is involved in making these beautiful products. Once HOME London has ended I'll post more pictures of the finished rugs.

In the meantime, have a wonderful first week of January and remember to set your goals high and enjoy the ride wherever it takes you this year.

Love,
Ella

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Bikes, bikes, bikes!

I have been on a mission these last few months walking around my local area, capturing the 'moment' with my camera and my subject has been 'the bike'...

Their varying colours, styles & frames, or the way they have been locked to a pillar or a post is what has made me stop and shoot. With and without their owners in sight - their personality still shines through!

Before I was even aware of the Duchamp exhibition and live events at the Barbican I had dreamed up these cushions to compliment my bike wheels repeat design and I was originally inspired by Duchamp using specific mass produced objects and presenting them as 'works of art' or as he called his bicycle wheel on a kitchen stool 'readymade' - which linked him to the Dada movement of his time - and widely cemented him as the father of conceptual art. The exhibition at the Barbican is well worth a visit there's something for everyone with dance performances, a singing ghost, beautiful piano performances with no hands, and of course inspiring historical art!

Bike wheel Natural cushion with gusset

Bike cushion 30x50cm

Using all my images I have taken I have created this figurative repeat design which has been partly inspired by my love for Scandinavian textiles - with their lightness and simplicity - mixed in with my passion for all things made of paper! - I wanted a vintage feel with a modern twist, so i created the background texture using imagery of old textured paper stock - and the bikes ride leisurely across the design in their individual glory.... here are a few of the products, the repeat design is still evolving, as I collect more bikes to add to it, so we will be adding new products in the autumn.