Ella Barlow - BA (Hons) Textiles In Practice
As a process-led surface pattern designer, my work is defined by an intuitive approach to pattern and colour. My designs have a contemporary feel, characterized by playful shapes and bold use of colour. My creative process is inspired by the organic shapes and patterns found in the natural world, with my designs aiming to capture and celebrate nature’s organic irregularity.
Hand-drawing and printing processes allow me to enhance this irregularity, bringing character and personality to my work, whilst intuitive colour choices reflect the tone of the work, often featuring a balance of bright and more earthy tones. My use of colour, alongside my choice of motifs, works to bring an energetic feel to the designs, bringing joy to the every day, uplifting the user, and evoking feelings of optimism. This means they sit well in interior and children’s fashion and lifestyle contexts.
Through my research into ‘fast homeware’ I have become aware of designing more responsibly. I, therefore, take a thorough approach to research, make considered material choices and focus on quality techniques like hand screen-printing.
My most recent project ‘Rewilding’ focused on our collective and intuitive desire to be surrounded by plants even in the most urban of homes. This collection aims to bring bold and bright botanicals into an interior context, blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors. A fruity colour palette brings a tropical feel to the collection and evokes feelings of escapism, giving the essence of funky botanicals, but in the form of a textile.
