textiles at Porthmeor Studios St. Ives Cornwall

 on Wednesday 18th March

along with other members of St. Ives Textiles I was invited to and attended

the private view of work by textile design students at Falmouth University

 

"a collaboration between Falmouth University Textile Students and Liberty Interiors"

held at Porthmeor Studios, St. Ives

 

the textile design students all worked to a brief

set by the Head of Design at Liberty Home Interiors,

that brief to create printed textile designs focusing on the rich creative heritage

associated with the famous Porthmeor Studios in St. Ives Cornwall

 

I have to say that all of the work was fabulous and very inspiring indeed

it was a joy to see the students' sketchbooks and design progression

as well as to be there to see the awards announced for best fabric design,

each finalist having their designs printed and included

in a future Liberty collection which is very exciting

 

I didn't take any photos on the night as the event was very well supported

and it was far too busy to do so ... but at one of our St. Ives Textile meetings

recently I was delighted to see the work was still being exhibited and grabbed the

opportunity to share with you this wonderful work, all inspired by this part of Cornwall,

in particular Porthmeor Studios itself, the work of well known artists at Porthmeor Studios

Porthmeor beach, St. Ives and it's harbour and the Penwith countryside

 

I am sharing the work in alphabetical order by first name and underneath the photos

you will find the artists' statements explaining where their inspiration came from

as, I feel, the work is far more interesting when the context is known

Aimee Dellow

 

The identity of this painterly design is about capturing the essence of St. Ives.

It's also inspired by artists Patrick Heron and Peter Lanyon

Aimee Harrison

 

"Harbour and the Sea" - my inspiration came from the harbour in St. Ives and the motion of waves against the cliff tops.  Through my research I was surprised at how close the water was to the houses on the harbour.  The pictorial location formed the base for my design .  I was also interested in the waves and mimicked ways to create motion of water through swirls and circles.  Iconic artist Alfred Wallis is another influence on my work whose creative presence has been and continues to inspire creativity within the Porthmeor Studios

Bethany Crossley

 

Growing up in Cornwall I am familiar with the vulnerable and ever changing relationship between the sea and the coast.  My intention was to combine the free and uncontrollable quality of the ocean lapping on the shore with the graphic quality I observed in the architecture of Tate St. Ives, Porthmeor Studios and sculptures in the Barbara Hepworth Museum

Demelza Snell

 

"A Fisherman's Story" - my design is based upon the fishing villages around Cornwall, focusing mainly on Mousehole.  In my design I really wanted to show some of the beauty, which lies within Cornwall, emphasizing this by using bright colours and bold lines inspired by the work of Bryan Pearce.  In addition to this, I have tried to capture some of my fond memories made living in and travelling around Cornwall

Eleanor Taylor

 

"At the margin between land and sea" - Porthmeor Studios are witness to a rich and powerful environment that includes brilliant summer sunshine, contrasting with fierce storms and tides. These extremes stimulate natural colours, patterns and textures to be integral in every aspect of St. Ives

Ellie Barker

 

Inspired by former Porthmeor Studio artist Trevor Bell, I have explored movement and colour within the expanse of the Cornish sea; looking from the coast to the depths seeking ways to present 2D designs which still express a strong sense of aqueous motion.  By observing natural sunsets and their reflection I have delved into the alteration of colour and pattern, in the ebb and flow of waves, and attempted to bring this fruition on paper

Gabrielle Rowe

 

"Assorment" - influenced by artists Ben Nicholson, Wilhelmena Barns-Graham and, more notably, Sir Peter Blake, "Assorment" brings together found and collected items from the local area of St. Ives to create an ordered, hand rendered, design.  With the thought of heritage in mind, this piece of work suggests nostalgia while maintaining a playful contemporary aesthetic.  This detailed yet soft approach gives a sense of form and structure, reminiscent of the domestic environment

Georgina Hackett

"see the sea" - taking inspiration from Borlase Smart and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and their work in the Porthmeor Studios, this design captures the essence of the Cornish environment, looking at different elements from a range of perspectives and creating a sketchy quality to the piece.  The minimal colour in the design creates a quiet atmosphere, which can be applied to interior furnishings for a calming mood

 

 

Georgina Kirkup

 

"Porth La" - inspired by movement and light on water, "Porth La" captures the winter sun casting cool rays over the dark and calm sea at Porthmeor beach.  For many years artists have been drawn to St. Ives because of it's sheer natural beauty, the sun which shines so frequently here has been a source of inspiration for many artists including Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Patrick Heron who both painted here at Porthmeor Studios

 

Hannah Bayliss

 

"Flourishing St. Ives" - my main focus for this Porthmeor Studio design was to create an abstract expressionist landscape whilst depicting St. Ives.  Taking initial inspiration from artists such as Peter Lanyon and Patrick Heron, I have thought about the influence of colour and the positioning of observation to inform my drawing.  "Flourishing St. Ives" has been painted capturing Porthmeor beach from high ground and designed to make a successful repeat pattern

 

 

Holly Woodman

 

"In An Artists Studio" - on visiting the Porthmeor Studios I was immediately drawn to the paint splatters on the floor, relishing in the fact that they are an historical trace of former artists working in the studios.  On further exploration I recognized the artists tools.  It would be easy to pass these off as less creative observations; paint-caked palettes, crusty paint brushes, blunt pencils and wilting flowers, once a still life scene.  However, the objects instantly excited me.  By stripping everything back to the bare of the studio I was able to feel the work and creativity that has been part of St. Ives for many years

 

Isla Middleton

 

"Coastal Journey" - inspiration for this design has been drawn from the movement and fluidity of water, the ever changing weather and the coastal landscape surrounding St. Ives.  The entwined plant forms are inspired by seaweed being tossed up onto Porthmeor beach in stormy weather and the underlying swirling pattern represents wind thermals and water eddying and flowing around rocks.  Inspiration has been taken from both Peter Lanyon and Bryan Wynter, through use of colour and their connection and interaction with the Cornish landscape

 

Joey O'Neill

 

"A Different View" - the key inspiration behind this artwork is the bright, bold and instantly recognisable work of Sir Terry Frost who worked within Porthmeor Studios from 1950.  This design originated from a collection of designs, which were created to illustrate that no two people look at the same view and interpret it in the same way.  My original drawings have been deconstructed, collaged and simplified to create a new view

 

Larissa Vinck

 

"Poetry of the Moving Sea" - inspired by my personal interpretation of the Cornish scenery, the lyrical perceptions of poet W S Graham and the artistic visions of artist Ben Nicholson, this art piece aims to represent and glorify the diversity of artistic talents who have found inspiration from the rugged, vast region of Penwith.  Ben Nicholson's perception of the landscape and his way of capturing movement and life provided me with a clear understanding of the heritage of the land and the changes it has seen throughout the different generations that have inhabited it.  Combining abstract and figurative elements together, my work intends to capture the different approach artists have explored since the beginning of the artistic communities

 

Lily Grace Brunsdon

 

"You'll Find Me on the Moors" - Patrick Heron drew inspiration from the magical, wild Zennor landscape surrounding him.  This is where my inspiration lies too.  Heron felt an affinity with this environment and talked about the "recording of a moment" within his abstract paintings.  Having been in this untamed Zennor landscape myself I have strived to capture the essence of it and find my own interpretation of the "moment".  I am intrigued by this wilderness and the wildlife that inhabits this terrain

 

Madeleine Farbon

 

"Godrevy Waves" - taking inspiration from St. Ives and Porthmeor Studios, this design incorporates and abstract geometric patterning reflecting influences from Ben Nicholson's more cubist artworks motivated in turn by his Parisian acquaintances with Picasso and Mondrian.  The colour in this design is inspired by stormy seas and the paintings by Roger Hilton.  The dominant use of line also reflects an influence from the work of Bob Law, as well as research into fifties printed fabrics

Trina Conway

 

"Once Upon a St. Ives" - behind every place, either a large city or a small like St. Ives, lies myths and legends, which help build up that place's character, adding a sense of mystery and difference.  Combining three legends related to St. Ives, including The Tale of St. Ia, The Woman in White and The Ghostly Shipwreck as well as having gained inspiration from Wilhelmina Barns-Graham's work, I have, in response, produced a variety of imagery from my interpretation of these legends and combined these to produce my final design

 

if you would like to find out more about the iconic Porthmeor Studios

and the famous School of Painting you can visit these sites ...

 

about Porthmeor Studios

 

Porthmeor Studios - the renovation project

 

history of St. Ives School of Painting

 

St. Ives Textiles is very proud to be associated with Porthmeor Studios

we are currently working towards an exhibition of work on the theme of "seeds and pods"

to be held during the St. Ives September Festival in 2015

the actual dates are 12-19 September 2015

 

if you live in Cornwall, or are down on holiday, we would love to welcome you to our show

and there will be a lovely variety of work for sale as well as wall art

 

you can follow along on our website - ST. IVES TEXTILES

 

and we have a brand new FACEBOOK page too ...

 

 

thanks so much for reading today

 

I hope to be back next week with more textiles.  I've badly hurt my right hand (my stitching hand) in a freaky accident.  I fell and impaled my hand on some carpet gripper ... it's a very nasty, very deep cut about 3 inches long on the palm of my hand so it's been stitched at the hospital and my arm is in a sling ... so you can imagine how long it has taken me to write this post today!

 

have a lovely weekend ♥