Emma Chalmers
Textile Design BA
Heriot Watt University
Specialisms: Textiles - Print / Illustration / Printmaking
Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Emma Chalmers
First Name: Emma
Last Name: Chalmers
Specialisms: Textiles - Print / Illustration / Printmaking
Sectors:
My Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
University / College: Heriot Watt University
Course / Program Title: Textile Design BA
About
Textile student at Heriot Watt
Inspired by the retro board game “Misfits” and stories of tricksters from different cultures - I have created a set of light-hearted, fun, wacky reversible cushions that evoke fond memories of childhood. The cushions are sprinkled with tongue and cheek references and visuals to spark joy for the viewer. Utilising techniques such as screen printing, hand painting screens, embroidery and riso printing to develop my ideas - I focused on digitally printing my final designs as an arguably more sustainable approach in the way of using less water than other techniques.
“From earth” at the bottom Of the garden Hidden in plain light
This project was in collaboration with Franklin Till. I sought to merge diverse influences into a body of work to tell a story of sustainability in culture. I explored the beauty found within the imperfections of the natural world, Light and shadow were my main inspiration, for both the imagery and process. I used Stencils, screen printing, cyanotype and anthotype all processes which use light inherently yielding imperfections and inexact results. I also worked with natural dye using all types of plants and vegetables that can be found in the bottom of a garden. These techniques allowed me to highlight the raw, unfiltered beauty that exists in nature's imperfections. The delicate yet profound aesthetics of Edwardian painter Karl Friesick have also played a role in shaping my vision, as have the styles of clothing from that era, the Edwardian resurgence in the 1980s, and even Japanese fashion from traditional to new design.
Competitions
