Exciting project for Portmeirion

While I've been recovering form my operation, I've been spending time researching inspiration for surface pattern design for gift and homeware. I'm particularly interested in traditional Welsh craft and design after falling in love with the folk style of design on recent holidays in Wales. During the course of my research I've been interested in Portmeirion's 50th Anniversary collections which are celebrating traditional designs from their archive. My particular favourite archive collection is Susan Williams-Ellis' Totem. I love how it represents the Scandinavian quality of Welsh design simplicity.

Image courtesy of Flickr member The_Moog

By Pure coincidence, I was thrilled this week to be asked to work on a range of surface pattern designs using botanical prints from Portmeirion's archive. These are to be considered for a range of soft homewares for the brand. Its a real challenge trying to apply such classic designs in a contemporary way, but I can't think of a more enjoyable project to kick start me back into work after my convalesecence!

Below is one of the original designs I have been asked to work from.

Convalescence & Flickr

Recovering from my recent op, I'm confined to a chair most of the day but have thankfully unearthed a decrepit old laptop. Its super-slow so not a hope in hell of running any design software but it means I can connect to the internet and I've been spending a lot time on flickr.

I mentioned before I've been doing a photography evening course and learning how to get the best from my digital SLR. I am finding that Flickr is really effective as a platform to display my photos and gain inspiration from others, and its nice to open into dialogue and be connected to a community other than facebook while I'm feeling so separated from the world.

While I chuck all my event, friends & family snaps on Facebook to share with my pals, I'm using flickr more as a gallery for my more considered photography. Alongside photo sets of my travels and college projects, I've just decided to create a set of images I captured in the days before DSLR, or even digital, and above is the first...

Look After Your Insides

I'm having a laparoscopic cholecystectomy today. Or in laymens terms, gallbladder surgery. I'm less concerned about the operation itself, rather the recovery and how long I'm going to be missing work. I'm hoping somone will buy me this Howies tee to help me feel better...

Portraiture Project

Every week on my photography course we are set specific projects. This week it was posing people for portraiture. We were set this assignment last term too and I found it one of the most difficult as its much harder than it looks to capture people in a relaxed, natural pose when they feel anything other than that. Here are my efforts on a weekend mountain bike ride with a very long suffering Mr. Phirefly...