Phaedra Dickson BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice
I am a multidisciplinary, mixed-media textiles artist. My passion is working in 3D, primarily creating for the context of wearable body adornment.
Heavily influenced by natural and organic forms, my work takes inspiration from these fascinating structures to create my designs. I enjoy exploring the growth habits of natural forms, creating pieces that frequently evolve into abstract representations, often utilising laser-cutting technology. I strive to continuously experiment with new materials; I am fascinated with how they might be manipulated, transformed or layered.
The inspiration for my final collection lies in crystalline structures. I have deconstructed these forms into strong geometric shapes to create complex, dramatic designs. The colour palette is refined and minimal and includes touches of gold to exude a luxury feel. My graduate collection features a range of media including hand-painted liquid gold leaf, hand-embroidered Perspex shards and gold leaf-encrusted hand-grown sugar crystals.
During the unit, fellow textiles artist Holly Gemmell and I collaborated to create a cross-disciplinary mini-project after discovering we were both exploring crystals. I transferred Holly's print designs onto Perspex to create bold, dramatic jewellery pieces; Holly in turn changed the context and scale of my original designs and visualised them as unique home interiors products. Undertaking collaborative work during Covid-19 was challenging, but this mini-project proved to be a rewarding, fun and insightful experience. Working in different specialisms, we each brought complementary skills and ideas to the table. Our talents combined to create new and exciting products.
Post-graduation, my plans are to undertake a 'Jewellery and Related Products' Masters course at Birmingham City University, to continue exploring my passion and gain more specialist knowledge.
