MEET: Sarah Louise Dix

Today we are catching up with Sarah Louise Dix, who creates stunning couture upholstery.  It was Sarah's corset chair that first caught our eye and made us want to find out more about the designer behind this opulent piece, here's what Sarah had to say.....

 

The Corset Chair

Tell me what inspires you…..
Having initially studied fashion design and ended up in a BBC office until recently, I love having gone back to making things by hand. Old methods and trades inspire me too. I get inspiration from fashion, clothing, fabric and texture. Also surrealism, art and the natural world.

How did you get started?
Wanting to be my own boss and not to work in an office any more. I wanted to make things again like I did as a kid. I went through the list of local evening classes and picked one I liked the sound of! Upholstery involves old wooden things and fabric, and I love both.

Mans Jacket Chair

Whose work do you admire?
I ended up working for Vivienne Westwood’s PR company after college so she is a great influence and I admire her greatly. I also admire Salvador Dali and love Nina Saunders, which is very surreal.

What has been the favourite piece you have created to date?
The Mini Cape Footstool. I wanted to keep it but it’s for sale in Blaqua Menswear in Newburg Street W1 at the moment. It’s made from a vintage dark gold sheepskin cape I found, it’s wonderful. It is also a piece that works very well design wise.

Cape Footstool

Describe your typical day….
I walk my daughter to school with my dog (five month old Cockerpoo) and bike, which has a dog basket. Having dropped her off I cycle to my studio via the park to walk the dog. After a coffee I work through until about two thirty. I share the studio with three other upholsterers and an illustrator.

I work on my own pieces and also chairs for clients. I have recently finished a reproduction of The Corset Chair in minty green and deep pink velvet. The idea is to design a piece and put it into production if it works really well and I get good feedback from the original. I cycle back to pick up my daughter and walk the dog again. When I get home I generally do a bit of PR and marketing and catch up with emails.

Tell me more about The Pink label…..
The Pink Label was created as the label for the reproduction pieces which are a more affordable product. I try and structure the business like a fashion company as clothing is the theme for my own designs. I get loads of national and international interest from people who find the original Corset Chair lovely but too expensive so hopefully the Pink Label will offer them something more accessible.

Woolcoat Chair

What was your most memorable commission or re-upholstered piece?
A stunning armchair for Blaqua Menswear made from their own shirt fabrics and ties.

When work is done, how do you relax?
I like visiting antique clothing sales for research and I’m addicted to second-hand shops. I do Pilates once a week for a good stretch and walk the dog, it’s very relaxing to be surrounded by trees and nature. Other than that red wine and telly.

Describe yourself in three words……..
Determined, neurotic, stylish.

Couture Ballgown Chair

Sarah's work is available at
Sarah Louise Dix
Etsy
Artfire

MEET: Si Easton of Wood Tattoos

Today we are catching up with the very talented Si Easton of Wood Tattoos.  It sounds intriguing, and here in this in depth interview Si tells us more about the origins of this ancient art, his passion for the craft and his book Wood Burning with Style .........

Ornate Trinket Box

Tell me more about the background of Pyrography…

Pyrography literally means “writing with fire” and dates back hundreds of years. It is also often called wood burning or poker work, the latter due to the metal pokers used in Victorian times which were heated to use as drawing tools. Modern electric pyrography machines allow more controlled results, as well as the availability of shaped metal nibs to create a wide range of marks and lines. Using pyrography to decorate a wooden surface has always reminded me of the way that we adorn our own skin using tattoos, hence the name of my crafts business, Wood Tattoos.

What inspires you?
My main passion and inspiration is the use of texture and pattern. I enjoy making items that make people want to hold or touch them. My creations have always used such embellishment or decoration, right back to my work on my degree in Three-Dimensional Design. I'm inspired by the textures and patterns that occur naturally around us, whether this is through the random arrangement of items on a shelf or through the close examination of a natural surface. Many of my designs use patterns based on microscopic studies of natural surfaces such as coral, plant cells or fingerprints. I also enjoy using both traditional and alternative symbols or patterns, such as Celtic knotwork and tribal tattoo designs.

Symbolic Plate

Describe your typical working day….
I create my pyrography in my spare time. I started wood burning as a hobby back in 2007 to give me a creative outlet when not working at my 'day job'. I joined a craft forum to get information and advice on general issues: before I knew it, I had a website displaying my work and was selling both online and at craft fairs. As a result, I don't have a structured 'working day' but I tend to use any spare crafting time updating my websites and promoting my work on-line, liaising with customers by email to develop commission designs, developing other products to sell and physically working with my pyrography equipment to create the finished articles. I've said it before and I'm sure many crafters would agree... we all need a 37-hour day to fit in what we need to do!

Autumnal Bangle

Do you have a favourite piece that you have created?
My favourite piece so far is definitely a large chessboard I made for a fellow crafter. I collaborated with a woodworker to create the board itself as a bespoke item to fit the specified requirements. It then involved nearly 30 hours of work including the planning, layout and burning of the final design which had an Oriental theme. The creation of the board was turned into a 6-page section for my pyrography book where I discussed the design process for larger pieces. The finished chessboard was a joy to look at, and I am now planning to make my own chessboard to keep myself as the process was so enjoyable!

Chess Board

How did the idea for the book come about?
The idea wasn't mine and came completely out of the blue one day! I received an email from an editor at Fox Chapel Publishing in 2008 stating that they had seen my work and liked my personal style of design. They asked if I would consider writing a book on pyrography: it's always been a personal ambition of mine so I was more than keen to get involved. After nearly two years of hard work and determination, I am extremely pleased with the finished result and hope that Wood Burning with Style will help many budding crafters learn the art of pyrography.

What are you working on just now?
I've been doing a lot of animal portraits recently which are very challenging but rewarding. It can be quite difficult to capture the personality of a pet from a photograph, but the finished result is always so well received once complete. I am also working on a range of decorative wooden bracelets, which I also featured in my book as a step-by-step project. I have also been working on a number of personalised wedding frames which are a popular item I am asked to make: the frame is decorated with the names of the happy couple, details of the big day and other designs which make the frame special to them.

Pet Portrait

Where do you see Wood Tattoos in the next 12 months?
I've got some other book ideas in the pipeline with Fox Chapel Publishing : I think I've been bitten by the writing bug! I would also like to just continue creating unique designs and gifts for customers : I feel that the current financial climate has made people more aware of how they spend their money and what they get for it. The appeal of handmade gifts is rising as people recognise that their money can buy something unique, personal and meaningful to mark an occasion such as a wedding, birthday or similar.

What is on your wish list?
My main wish is to keep making and selling items that mean something to the people that buy them. I also hope that my book inspires other people to take up this enjoyable craft and develop their own personal style of creative expression.

Describe yourself in three words…..
According to one recent book review in an American magazine, I'm “hip”, “modern” and “edgy”! I still can't resist using a tongue-in-cheek description that a friend used to describe pyrography though... “crayons for arsonists”. So perhaps the best three words to describe me would be “a crafty pyromaniac”!

To see Simon’s range of products visit:-

Wood Tattoos

Wood Tattoos Facebook Page

Wood Tattoos Flickr

Simon's book Woodburning with Style is available via his website or from Amazon

MEET: Peter Sewell

Today we are catching with Yorkshire based jewellery designer Peter Sewell.  Peter specialises in stunning bespoke handwoven statement jewellery that is opulent and glamorous. Peter uses Japanese glass seed beads and Swarovski crystal in his unique designs.

Russian inspired Anastasia Necklace

Tell me what inspires you…..

The pantheon of amazing beadwork produced around the world is my main inspiration - opulent golds and crystals of Russian and Eastern European bead weaving, the colourful and bright designs of Native American and African bead weaving, and, of course, the beautiful crystals and gemstones reflecting the beauty of the Earth.

How did you get started?

My wife Nina was learning beadwork, and the intricacy and design grabbed my attention! The challenge of making a piece of beautiful jewellery with tiny glass beads and some thread was too much to ignore – I was hooked. Nina gave me all her stash of beads, I made my first peyote square, and the rest is history!

Eva Necklace by Peter Sewell - One of a Kind

Whose work do you admire?

I am daily in contact with many talented bead weavers through Facebook, and it would be very difficult to pick any one whose work I admire more than others, but avant garde designers such as Laura McCabe, Betty Stephan, Gwen Fisher  and Florence Turnour always impress with every new design.

Describe your typical working day….

Two coffees, feed cats, sit on computer until bored, then music on and bead whatever design is floating around in my head.

Peter at work....

Do you have a favourite piece that you have created?

I love ‘Maryshka’ - one of the only designs I actually sketched first instead of making it up as I go along. ‘Eva’ comes close because she was made with the sole purpose of testing the new Miyuki ‘duracoat’ beads, which passed with flying colours!

Maryshka Necklace by Peter Sewell

Who comes up with the names for your pieces?

Me. I can usually look at the first workings of a design and ‘feel’ a name for her. Each design has her own aura or life as I am making her, any that don’t give me this feeling are normally scrapped.

Your pieces are intricate and beautiful; tell me more about the design process…

Most of my work is made up as I go. I have a basic idea of what I want to do, and the main materials – such as crystals – I want to work with, but the bits in between are generally unplanned! I have styles of work, sometimes I want to use a lot of gold, or a lot of crystal, or just a plain and classic design, I’ll match a few beads up and see where it takes me!

Tanya  Necklace by Peter Sewell

When work is done, how do you relax?

Anything funny on TV, Crosswords, pottering in the garden, and a bit of Blackwork are my normal chill outs.

Describe yourself in three words…..

Creative, Unconventional, Rock ‘n Roll.................that’s one word right?

Katya Necklace - handmade with gold plated beads

To see Peter’s range of products visit:-
http://petersewell.blogspot.com/
http://petersewell.etsy.com/