Yes, it’s been an aeon since I last put word to digital paper. We are lucky to live in a time when technology grants us the gift of connection well beyond distance and time zones. I was privileged enough to spend lock down at home; abundant in time and projects.
Some of these projects included textile design. I spent hours in Greenwich Park watching the flowers bloom over the spring months. The temperate climate makes for the most gorgeous of blossoms. Every colour imaginable and so many flowers my Canadian eyes had never seen. For weeks I took close-ups of the ever changing buds and created a layered print; a memento from the global pandemic that made us all take a minute to re-evaluate what matters most.
Another print I created was inspired by the Cockney slang of East London. This jargon began in the 1840s and continues to morph and change to this day. My favourite, taught to me by the twins who I used to serve at the pub, is cream crackered aka completely knackered. I loved the imagery presented within bees & honey (money) and thus, my print was born. I have yet to decide what to make it into.
End of May, I got hired on with a company that creates high-end window displays locally and internationally. For a month and a half I patterned and constructed dressings for these whimsical machines now sat in a prominent luxury window (I signed an NDA) on Bond Street. Was an absolute pleasure to be back in a busy workroom. Now that work has thinned, I continue to sew up clothing for my own brand and create garments for the summer months.
August 1st I helped launch my friend’s theatre company 2m Theatre with the distanced production of Bottom’s Dream. The event was held in our private garden and a great success. I came to meet my neighbours from around the circus and reconnected with the many I already knew from my building. Who would’ve dreamed that I’d move to a massive city like London and gain a community. I feel very much at home and connected to the people around me.
Lastly, here is a collection of photos from the summer now dwindling into fall. I count myself very fortunate to be working minimally and enjoying every ounce of sun. The summers are temperate here, with the exception of a couple notable heat waves. I have also been fortunate to discover the joys of foraging. Just this last week I picked blackberries, apples, elderberries and rose hips. Again, this city never fails to amaze me.
Here I am. Healthy, happy and…indoors. As a freelancer, I’m already pretty accustomed to working from home. I have my routine down and enjoy it fully. I’ll admit however, that the hardest part for me is the lack of socializing. As my former flatmate once said to me “You’re not an indoor dog…”
No pubs, means no quiz nights, no shows or dance parties, no fancy cocktails in Soho, no theatre, no museums, no tube. For a city built around the frequenting of pubs, this doesn’t come easy. Especially for this city, these are our community centres, our refuge after a long day, or a short day, a place to see your friends or to make new ones, a place to eat or get pissed, a space to figure out your next move or forget it entirely, a place to scream, cry, and laugh from sheer dry wit. These epicentres of social life will be missed for the foreseeable future.
All this said, we “keep calm and carry on”. I have always despised this statement, after it was overused by bookstore giants on every pencil, notebook and coffee cup nearly a decade ago. Perhaps it took living in this British city to come to appreciate it. The UK amidst all the chaos has done just that (for the most part, we aren’t above the grocery hoarding after all). After weighing the options, I have decided for the moment to remain in the UK. It took me a solid number of months to get settled and I wasn’t about to tear that down in a number of days. Things will normalize eventually, but in the meanwhile I’m keeping the faith and carrying on best as I can. We are lucky to live in the age of technology, where friends are just a screen away. On many levels, I feel this forced global pause will do some real good. We are all being called to live in the present moment like never before. While the future hangs in the balance, we can find solace in the generosity of the now. This is a gift. Rest, relax, better yourself, or don’t. There is no wrong or right way to take on quarantine. And for those who are not granted the same privilege, thank you for being so essential in this time of mass crisis.
On a brighter note, here’s a little something colourful from a couple weeks back when things were less heavy and the pandemic hadn’t fully wreaked havoc on the world we know. I present to you “Out Of The Blue” the Designer’s Guild exhibition at the Fashion And Textile Museum. Perhaps this can serve as some inspiration as we dream up the interiors we truly want, especially as we spend unprecedented amounts of time within them. In short, Designer’s Guild is a luxury home and lifestyle company started by Tricia Guild in 1970. The company is known for its rich colour palettes, plush velvets and endlessly modern floral prints. While I used to rep for a rival company years back, I have always held an admiration for their distinct style.
Also pictured below are photos from the Cecil Beaton exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. “Bright Young Things”. A spotlight on the socialites of the 20s and 30s. Very cool and fashionable bunch. What I would give to go back in time and attend one of their parties. I’m happy I was able to view it before the city shut down.
It seems to me that no matter where you are in the world, the February blues can catch ya. While we don’t have snow on the ground here in London, the humid cold completely permeates the bones. It’s moments like this I’m forever grateful I have a bathtub.
Over the past two months, I’ve had the pleasure of sewing up the new spring 2020 collection for Christopher Farr Cloth. My many years of working at Kravet made me no stranger to this sort of work. Ultimately I made up dozens of wings (essentially large curtains) and other display pieces for their various showrooms throughout North America. After months of the relentless pace of the service industry, it felt nice to be back in the world I know best, seated with my new machines and manipulating beautiful cloth. I didn’t take many photos, but the one below is a handful of the sampling I created to show the multiple colour-ways of the large wings. Christopher Farr is known for their traditional hand-printed bright, bold and large scale prints. I can just picture these textiles as living room panels, quirky upholstered furniture and fun toss cushions for the living room sofa. The possibilities are truly endless.
Now that I’ve wrapped that work, I’ve been spending time getting back into my gym routine and seeking out new opportunities. I’ve recently signed up to a London based community for seamstresses aptly named The Seam. It’s a home grown platform for seamstresses/designers to connect with potential clients in the neighbourhood and all throughout London. I’m excited to be a part of this blossoming circle and hope that it will yield some fun projects.
Otherwise, I’m just trying to make more of an effort to get out into the city and see more. Here are just a few photos of my recent escapades… A little over a week ago I visited the National Maritime Museum for an exhibition on astronomical photography and just last Friday I had my first English Tea at the Fan Museum. There is nothing like the taste of a warm scone and clotted cream and jam. Decadent and every so perfectly British. And dare I forget the tea!
