Tag: indoor

Afrotechicolour therapy.. A wax block print patchwork chair

 

Before:

Rick Holland Donor chair4


This Mid-20th century modern piece was given to me back in 2010 by super talented artist, print & textiles designer and all round lovely lady Hannah Edy.

Although it was very much the worse for wear I faithfully kept it in storage thinking “That’ll be a great chair again someday..”

The opportunity to transform this piece came just after Xmas 2014, when a lovely couple contacted me from Mill Hill, NW7 and then made a few journeys’ down to my studio to chat with me about a piece they had previously seen online of my first attempt, a tub chair, at an waxblock patchwork print from a collaboration with Chantal Koning YouMeWe .

The process of transforming and updating this piece was a totally different challenge from my first version.

..A chair can take 8 hours or, in this case 40+ . It depends on your customers budget & ultimately how much love and care you wish to put into its re-upholstery.

This chair alone involves 74 carefully selected , cut, made compliant and stitched panels.

AFTER:

With new fillings of new rubberised hair and foams replaced the hopelessly deteriorated & crumbly foams.  A brand new serpentine spring suspension system, all lashed together(so the springs move in unison)upgraded and replaced the broken dried out Pirelli webbing which was originally stapled to the frame . The buttons are Nobilis Velvet, along with the fabrics, were chosen specifically and carefully between myself and the customer with all fabrics made compliant to the Health,Safety & Fire Regs (1988) through the use of a flame retardant barriercloth.

The Ottoman stools were built from scratch, along with a pair of duck,n,down feather-filled Scatter cushions

My deep thanks go out to Anna who assisted in the rip-down and was a great help for me to bounce off fabric selection ideas, Chantal Koning of YouMeWe for fabric inspiration and sourcing

and to Rick Holland & Katie Pomklova for their patience and input while I put together this work for them.

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Stoke Newington Xmas indoor market..The Gift that just keeps on giving!

 Having successfully debuted last year it was difficult to not come to this event without expectations, you never know with markets at Christmas.

To be honest, 2014’s event certainly wasn’t as busy as the first time around. There simply wasn’t as much footfall as the year before. Whether that was due to a number of simultaneous events happening around Stoke Newington Town Hall that weekend, the weather, or the public mood (preferring to shop online in advance rather than brave the wind, cold & rain),  or our pitch positioning inside the hall, I “just” made my sales targets  (Despite some stiff competition for the first time I wasn’t the only upholsterer in the village displaying upholstered furniture items) with the help of my mobile and through it ever-present social media, I was able to reach people from the event who were unable to make it down, or were simply unaware that the event was happening in the first place!

What this event always does for me is it gives me an opportunity to engage with the public at large as well as get feedback, chat about my work and upholstery in general as well as give out loads of business cards and flyers  which resulted in a fair few follow-up enquiries which turned into customer sales

and the children that did turn up loved playing on the furniture!

(they’ve also really got to sort out that mulled wine though;)

My heartfelt thanks go out to Katy & Anna for helping me produce the stock during the runnup to what was a particularly busy xmas period, as well as all the great friends who bothered to come over and lend their support.

Will I take part next year if I’m offered a pitch again considering the potential setbacks? …Of course! An indoor xmas market can be the gift that just keeps on giving!

Which has got me thinking , 2015 would be great if I could find the time, energy and opportunity to take part in a few more weekend markets or even a trade fair?

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Festive feast Indoor Xmas Market @ Stoke Newington Town Hall, London

My deep Thanks go out to Hackney Ventures and Hannah Edy of Big Love Gallery for inviting me to share a table with her at the Festive Feast Indoor Xmas Market, held on the 15th & 16th December at Stoke Newington Town Hall, London N16
As it was my very first attempt to physically sell some of my smaller furniture items and soft furnishings I had nothing to compare it to. So I was totally overwhelmed with the response , and sales of some of my cushions on the first day, as well as selling one of my footstools on the second day. It was a great opportunity to connect with potential customers, give away loads of business cards & flyers and take some enquiries, which I hope may return to me in the new year to use my upholstery service.

For me, That event was the manifestation of a long held wish to be able to sell my work, which was a big wake-up call to me, as this time last year I had been working part-time as a market stall porter

@ Spitalfields outdoor market. The whole week was also an opportunity to come across a space in south London where, Thanks to Hannah, I may be able to finally rediscover and apply my printed textile capabilities.

Many thanks to all my friends who showed up on either of the 2 days to lend me their support.

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Atelier Ray Clarke Ltd T/A Ray Clarke Upholstery & Design Company registration number :12018355