How cheery are these pieces by Dundee based printed textiles designer Judy Scott ... these pieces really do welcome in the Spring! 

Q&A with Tessuti & PickOne

Fiona McIntosh, Tessuti:

1) Who are you and what do you do?

I'm Fiona McIntosh, a printed textile designer trading under the name

of Tessuti Printed Textiles and co-owner of Concrete Wardrobe.

2) Tell us something surprising about your studio space/education/life experiences.

I studied at the Scottish College of Textiles in Galashiels, which has now become part of Heriot Watt University.  I graguated in 1984 and set up in business a year later.  I work from my ground floor studio within the Albion Business Centre, tucked away behind the Hibernian football stadium.

3) What do you do to relax?

Although it doesn't sound very relaxing I've taken up drumming and joined a band! I'm tutored by my partner who's a drummer and is also in the band along with three other friends.

4) What advice would you give to other makers?

The best advice I can give to other makers is to follow your instincts - if it feels right, do it and persevere!

Jamed Donald, PickOne:

 1) Who are you and what do you do?

My name is James Donald and I am a hand weaver based at Coburg House Art Studios in Leith.  I think I have been working from there for the past 6 years or so.

2) Tell us something surprising about your studio space/education/life experiences.

My studio is in the basement of the building and originally this was a massive grain store, back in the day and more recently was used by Tom Kitchin as a storage space for his bits and bobs before I moved in. It’s a fairly big studio, which enables me to teach from as well as host other workshops.

In my humble opinion we have the best studios in Edinburgh in a very friendly busy space, which accommodates over 80 different artists and designer makers. I would not want to be anywhere else!

3) Where do you see your creative practice going?

Well I'd still like to be “going” to begin with! I have a few ideas up my sleeve that will keep me occupied for a wee while. Expansion is definitely on the cards.

4) Who would you like to have over for dinner?

Oh, that such an easy question to answer! I would have Alison Moyet, Dawn French and Graham Norton over for a few cheery G&T’s

5) What is the best thing about being an independent maker?

Having my own timetable and never really knowing 

what is around the corner.  I gave up my 18-year teaching job last December and I haven’t looked back! Opperchancities arise when you put yourself out there and this year I had the fantastic chance to participate in the World Crafts Council selling event  in Dongyang, China, which would never have happened had I still been tied to a regular 9 to 5.

News Release: Immediate Release

October 2014

A Duo of Distinctive Styles in the Mix

This November, Concrete Wardrobe welcomes the return of the popular Edinburgh-based textile designer/makers, PickOne and Tessuti, who will bring their distinctive styles together as joint Maker of the Month.

James Donald of PickOne and Fiona McIntosh of Tessuti will each be exhibiting the latest additions to their growing collections of covetable and highly wearable hand woven and printed textiles, plus distinctive accessories for the home.

Work by Tessuti this November will include silk and cashmere scarves, cashmere ponchos and earthenware cups.  Taking inspiration from the colours and imagery of mid century design, McIntosh creates her textile pieces by hand dying and then silk-screen printing the silk using the ‘discharge’ method, which enables her to create beautiful colour combinations whilst retaining the original soft handle of the fabric. 

PickOne will be showcasing a new range of woven ties and scarves in seasonal, on-trend colour ways.  The collection is hand woven using a mixture of lambswool, linen, dip-dyed silk, and mercerised cotton.  The pieces have double cloth weave structures, designed and manufactured from PickOne’s Leith-based studio, on a 32 shaft computerised loom.  Each piece is woven to a generous length before being hand finished, washed, air dried and partially pressed, to give each item its distinctive look and feel.

Speaking of the upcoming joint exhibition, James Donald commented, “Fiona and I are very excited about showcasing our work together again at Concrete Wardrobe this November.  As co-founders of the shop, the event has a special significance for us.”

Tessuti and PickOne will be on display at Concrete Wardrobe from 1^st to 30^th November 2014.

Concrete Wardrobe is open Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm. (Sunday 12 - 5pm.)

Concrete Wardrobe 50a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA

ENDS

PR: Jenni Douglas. Co-Owners: James Donald & Fiona McIntosh.

British Birds and Porcelain Vessels

This August, two makers come together at Concrete Wardrobe for a joint Maker of the Month Exhibition.

Kittie Jones is an Edinburgh based printmaker who specialises in creating vivid prints of British birds. Susan Kemp is an East Lothian based ceramicist working in porcelain to create functional pieces, hand painted in floral designs.

Jones’ inspiration comes from British nature. Her practice begins out in the field making drawings from life. These drawings are then transformed into prints, drawings and paintings. A large part of Jones’ work takes the form of screen prints and monotypes. Her exhibition forms part of the British Birds series she has been developing over the past three years. These prints are square format and small scale. The aim of the British Birds series is to celebrate and highlight the diversity of bird life in the UK.

Susan Kemp moved to Fife to start her ceramics business over four years ago. After experimenting with a range of clays, Kemp has settled on porcelain as her medium of choice. Having used transfer patterns in the past, she has recently moved into hand painted designs, inspired by the green-blue colours and floral patterns of early Islamic ceramics. Kemp’s range to debut at Concrete Wardrobe includes tall and squat linear forms, contrasting with floral designs and a mix of blue and green-blue hand painted decoration. She explains, “Whilst the pieces are functional the forms are pushed just beyond that. They refer to function without being limited by it.”

Alongside her prints, drawings and paintings, Kittie Jones is exhibiting a range of greetings cards and tea towels. Of her exhibition at Concrete Wardrobe she says, “my work will be shown amongst some fantastic examples of contemporary Scottish craft, and to be on sale in August with so many visitors to the city, is very exciting. Who knows where my work will end up?”

Kittie Jones and Susan Kemp will be on display at Concrete Wardrobe from 1^st to 31^st August 2013.

Concrete Wardrobe is open Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm. (Sunday 12 - 5pm.)

Concrete Wardrobe 50a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA

ENDS

PR: Katherine Emtage. Co-Owners: James Donald & Fiona McIntosh.