My Honours Work Setup at the ANU Graduating Exhibition

Artist Statement

My honours project is about creating a functional soft furnishing range that blurs the boundaries between old crafts and materials, digitally-generated materials and technology. I am creating an interaction between the processes and materials of old and new textile technologies; recycled materials and rug weaving with new digitally printed materials and digital printing technologies to produce a collection of fabrics for soft furnishings.

The process of making is the inspiration for my honours project. I weave primarily because I enjoy the process. It is a very relaxing, meditative process for me. I also enjoy starting with very little and transforming, it into a beautiful, functional product at the end.  When making my rugs I enjoy taking old, used and unwanted materials and giving them a new life. By over-dyeing, ripping and weaving the materials I give them new functionality as a rag rug. I have carried the passion for my weaving through my work. Inspired by images of the tools used in weaving, my designs for the digitally printed fabric have been created through the manipulation of the images in Photoshop and Illustrator.

In particular, I explore the blurring of boundaries between old and new. This is broken down further into combining old and new technologies with old and new materials. The ‘old’ aspects of my work include weaving and recycled fabrics. The ‘new’ aspects are digitally printed fabrics and technology which includes digital print processes and design software Photoshop and Illustrator. This fusing together of opposites, has formed a new hybrid soft furnishing range consisting of woven rug modules, cushions, ottomans and an upholstered chair.

(Source: allanamay)

Please Check Out these handmade Cushions and many more at my Shop!!!

The designs were inspired by my weaving tools. Photographs of the weaving tools have been transformed into unique and beautiful fabrics which I have made into Cushions

These are digitally printed on cotton fabric

The cushions are $40 each!!

(Source: allanamay)

Honours Assessment Woven Rugs

These rugs are made from recycled fabrics, and the two grey colours has been over-dyed with procion dyes to achieve those colours.

These have been designed so they can be moved around in different variations to suit any individuals interior

(Source: allanamay)

Honours Assessment- Cushions

The fabric designs were inspired from the tools I use for weaving and have been manipulated into unique designs.

As I was trying to create a showroom look, the wall of cushions were my way of showing off my designs as well as products that I make

(Source: allanamay)

Honours Assessment- Over view of my setup

I was aiming for a professional showroom feel. There were the three main areas of my work: cushions, upholstered chair and woven rugs which were all brought together through the right placement of ottomans

(Source: allanamay)

Another Ottoman Complete!!!

This one is my Mums favourite :)

I named this pattern Reed Hook Double Crown

As all my designs have been made by manipulating weaving tools I named all my designs by the tool used and what the motif looked like

(Source: allanamay)

Completed sample of my rug modules, the details are showing some of my digitally printed fabric woven into the rug

I will be making 6 of these modules that fit together to create a massive rug or can be moved around to suit any individuals interior

(Source: allanamay)

Some designs I have created for my honours project

My new colour palette is black white and grey.

The designs have been inspired by my weaving in particular the equipment I use

(Source: allanamay)