Paola McClure studied Illustration at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee and has taught art in schools on the west coast of Scotland. She now works from her studio in Dundee’s Meadow Mill Studios. The figures Paola makes are innocent watchers, celebrations of life with all its joys and despairs. Often the inspiration is the fabric itself, not just because of its delicious texture, colour and pattern but also because of its origins. Most of the material used has had a previous life either in the form of old clothing or fabric, curtains, blankets bought at charity shops or windfall pieces passed on by friends. Precisely not knowing the full background gives an extra resonance and adds a layer of intrigue so that you can let your imagination go and invent your own histories, give them form and turn them into creatures that can take on a presence of their own.
Having no formal training in metalwork or jewellery, Dauvit Alexander - who is also known as The Justified Sinner - is largely self-taught, chance leading him from the chosen path of landscape gardening and into the world of contemporary jewellery. Dauvit grew up in the dying industrial heartland of the Central Belt of Scotland and watched the steelworks and shipyards breathe their last, the monuments to industry torn down, the cities, towns and cultures laid waste. It is from this destruction that his work grows: objects found in dereliction, bolts from rusted tractors, crushed lobster-pots, 300 sewing-machine needles from an abandoned sweatshop, a corroded spanner, the petrol cap from a 1950s truck... all of these have found their way into his recent work. Rescued, reworked, he uses these humble relics of the industrial past in conjunction with precious metals and stones and the techniques of fine jewellery to create objects which playfully evoke the idea of "nostalgia" whilst being fully up-to-date.Kirby Textiles - Dapple Ombre Wool Collection
www.kirbytextiles.com
Louise Kirby graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 1999 with a BDes (Hons) in Printed Textiles and now works from her studio in Meadow Mill, Dundee. She has worked as a commercial designer producing print samples sold to fashion houses worldwide and in London and Australian design studios.Combining exciting contrasting patterns and hand printed techniques in pure silk and wool, Kirby designs luxurious reversible scarves and wall hangings with a contemporary twist. Inspiration comes from her world travels and much closer to home, from patterned Scottish tree barks to the fascinating richly coloured city of Marrakesh with its intricate wrought iron windows.Individual consideration is taken with each scarf being slightly different due to the mono-printed technique where every mark is scratched in by hand. Designs remain fresh and lively due to a spontaneous approach and continuing experimentation to create wearable art.
www.kirbytextiles.com
Louise Kirby graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 1999 with a BDes (Hons) in Printed Textiles and now works from her studio in Meadow Mill, Dundee. She has worked as a commercial designer producing print samples sold to fashion houses worldwide and in London and Australian design studios.Combining exciting contrasting patterns and hand printed techniques in pure silk and wool, Kirby designs luxurious reversible scarves and wall hangings with a contemporary twist. Inspiration comes from her world travels and much closer to home, from patterned Scottish tree barks to the fascinating richly coloured city of Marrakesh with its intricate wrought iron windows.Individual consideration is taken with each scarf being slightly different due to the mono-printed technique where every mark is scratched in by hand. Designs remain fresh and lively due to a spontaneous approach and continuing experimentation to create wearable art.
Jennifer is a born and bred Dundonian. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Drawing and Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 2004 and works from her studio at WASPS. After managing and curating Hanna's Contemporary Art Gallery in Dundee she is now a full time artist taking on various commission and exhibiting her work nationwide. Jennifer works in many mediums including oils, mixed media, collage, sculpture, construction and is particularly interested in the medium of drawing and is becoming known for her skill and her trademark ‘blue drawings’. Her work is mainly figurative and based on the ‘Self’. She is currently working on a new body of work and her subject matter has broadened to include animals, including the Horse, the Swallow, the Hare and the Elephant.
