Clare Simpson
Colour and tactility are the two most important aspects of my work. I like to explore how colours interact with each other, both in subtle tonal shifts and contrasting colour combinations, and to build up surface texture to create textiles that are appealing both to the eye and to the touch.
Embroidery offers a limitless breadth of possibilities for creating surface decoration and texture. My approach is rooted in a love of traditional embroidery techniques, and using these as a starting point for experimentation and development.
GSA Billboard Project
In June 2021 as part of the GSA Graduate Showcase my work was selected to be displayed on billboards across Glasgow. Seeing the work at this size and in various urban environments has led me to explore scale and consider new contexts for embroidery and surface design.
Colour Burst
Colour Burst is a collection of colourful and highly tactile textiles for interiors. Inspired by the interplay of the natural and man made in urban environments, the collection aims to echo the way that plant life can soften the hard structures of the urban fabric.
Project research
The inspiration for my project came from observing how nature interacts with the urban environment, and in particular the way that plants find their way through gaps in the city’s built structures.
Photography, drawing and colour analysis informed a process of exploring traditional embroidery techniques to develop ways of replicating the interplay between natural, organic and man made, geometric forms.
