Elements of Wales always seem to pop up within my work, whether the culture, landscape forms, or even just a few keywords in Welsh. Recently, my love for the traditional Welsh Blankets has very much influenced on my creative work and writing. Researching the history of textile design in Wales made me realise how all these traditional Welsh blankets and tapestries are more than just a function, they play such a big role in our past that today they are a part of our national identity, a symbol, a part of our cultural heritage. These symbols, motifs, and textures were something I wanted to bring forward into my creative process, my Major project Hiraethu Cei Newydd, which is a collection based on the feeling of nostalgia and longing.
As I began my research for major project, I mainly focused on the context, the drawing and sketching, trends and so on. I didn't think much about material or what sort of cloth I would use, but while I was thinking back to when I used to spend my summer days in New Quay, the house was always full of old Welsh blankets that have been passed down generations. Old durable blankets that are kept in every room, taken with us down to the beach, or for a picnic. I subconsciously knew the blankets were always there, but I hadn't realised how it brought a sense of comfort and security to me. It was once I was in university looking at the variety of fabrics, touching the heavy wools and flannels, that I realised that nostalgia could even be felt through tangible items, and that even the tactility of a certain fabric could prompt the feeling of hiraeth.
It was from here I decided to explore and experiment with wools in the dye lab and print room. I would dip dye wools and silks, use processes such as pigment discharge and reactive dye, cut up elements, place them on top of each other and needle-punch to create new textures.
I was overjoyed with the outcomes of these, the overlapping colours and shapes, abstract forms, the different textures that each material makes when needle-punched into the wool, I loved it all! But what I loved most of all, it's texture still reminded me of the Welsh Blanket.
From here on, I knew I wanted to include this process in my final project, a sub-collection or a series of samples that include contemporary surface designs and innovative textures to create a material that stimulates hiraeth through touch.
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