So I've just come home from an evening in town with friends, should go to bed at this early hour BUT through an email from the shop Frank in Whitstable, I have discovered the artist
Zoe Murphy!
For this coming final year of my degree, one module I have selected is called Interdisciplinary where we explore a theme of architecture through another art and design medium. After some research through magazines, cut outs from my scrapbook, TV (specifically
Kirsty's Homemade Home on Channel4), on the internet, I decided upon the theme of 'Make Do and Mend'.
Like old buildings are given new uses - an old factory converted into trendy, modern apartments - old furniture can be given a new lease of life through upholstery. There is no need to buy new when there is such good examples just looking for a little TLC. I had envisaged finding a vintage seat or chair and designing my own fabric or material to reupholster it with. Two thoughts for inspiration were London life and its skyline or the North Kentish seascape (as uni is 15mins away) - oh which to choose?!
Zoe Murphy indeed recycles household objects and furniture and the inspiration is her hometown of Margate, which is half an hour from me here at uni! Her designs give a modern, funky taste to vintage furniture, and according to her
blog she is getting well deserved critical acclaim for it! So good, considering she only graduated last summer!
I'll definitely keep my eye on her work to give ideas for my own project and will post ideas, sketches and images as my own design progresses!
I've been doing a lot of research on Make do and mend for my interdisciplinary project to design a chair. Through Freecycle I have acquired a lot of old wood: kitchen cupboard doors, a step ladder, a door with stained glass and timber from a building site. This book, Remake It has lots of ideas and tips to remake bits and bobs, so hopefully will provide me with more inspiration!
As this is what I am investigating in my interdisciplinary dissertation there are many designers featured in the exhibition who explore the themes of Make do and Mend and REuse and REcycle...
Chop, turn up and sew, and VOILA! A new and now wearable skirt!
Like old buildings are given new uses - an old factory converted into trendy, modern apartments - old furniture can be given a new lease of life through upholstery. There is no need to buy new when there is such good examples just looking for a little TLC. I had envisaged finding a vintage seat or chair and designing my own fabric or material to reupholster it with. Two thoughts for inspiration were London life and its skyline or the North Kentish seascape (as uni is 15mins away) - oh which to choose?!
