Monthly Archives: April 2021

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Julie Arkell

April 5, 2021 12:03 AM \

Julie Arkell is one of England’s best recognized contemporary folk artist.  Born in London, she studied at West Surrey College of Art and Design in Farnham before gaining a diploma in textiles at St Martin’s School of Art.  Julie works in papier mache, mixing vintage fabrics, scraps of poems and words she loves as well as knits and stitching to her imaginative creatures, full of wit and whimsy.  She is inspired by books, toys, clothes, fabric, wool, the radio, walking and being on the constant look out for whatever catches her eyes.

Her work can always be seen at Contemporary Applied Arts, the Loop in London and online on Instagram.

Images:  Courtesy of Julie Arkell.

Posted in: Mixed Media, Paper-Mache, Textile \ Tagged: , ,

Irodori

April 2, 2021 12:03 AM \

We found these handmade brooch on a Japanese lifestyle website and thought it would be a fun project.  They’re called the Chiku Chiku or prickly brooch.  There is no pattern to follow and you are free to use your imagination so that no two patterns will ever be alike.  We discovered that these particular pieces were made by Tamagawa Welfare Workshop a corporation that operates both elderly care and disabled support business.

The brooch are sold under the brand, Irodori, who makes not only sashimi embroidered products but several other products using recycled  materials. Irodori works with elderly and disabled people invigorating and making them actively contribute to the local community. 

You can find more Irodori products on Facebook and on Instagram.

Images:  Courtesy of Irodori.

Posted in: Embroidery, Handcrafted, Japan, Sashiko \ Tagged: , , ,

Dinh Truong Giang

April 1, 2021 12:03 AM \

We know very little about Vietnamese paper artist Dinh Truong Giang.  He studied architecture in Viet Nam and has been designing origami since 1998. Currently he lives in Virginia.  This highly experienced artist uses a technique called wet folding when constructing his work.  Wet folding is done by dampening the paper surface to allow it to be more malleable to curves and to making distinct features.  On an interview with Combustus he says this about his work:

“I do not create complex designs with hundreds of folds. I strive for simple and elegant design. ”Less is More” for me. One of my favorite quotes: “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”  ~Antoine de Saint Exupéry.”

More of his work can be found here on his website.

Images:  Courtesy of Dinh Truong Giang.

Posted in: Origami, Paper \ Tagged: ,
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