Very Superstitious

Charley Perrio

A collection of British superstitions, fuelled by my own superstitious rituals and beliefs, passed down through generations. Each aspect within the collection explores and celebrates the oddities and quirks within British culture. 

I began to gather old English Superstitions and anecdotes from my leading textual resource: Iona Opie and Moira Tatem’s A Dictionary of Superstitions (1989). Research into object and nostalgia alongside Jessica Roux’s Lucky You zine inspired the form of a collection, showcasing both Britain’s commonplace and lesser-known superstitions. Further exploration into Feng Shui, amulets and symbols led me to create a collection based on an individual’s superstitious possessions within the context of the home. The final outcomes within the collection combine my love for printmaking, textile design and embroidery, inspired by my leading influences: Alice Pattullo, Katie Scott and Ellie Mac Embroidery.

The collection celebrates both good and bad luck in equal measure through prints, textiles and objects associated with the home and personal belongings. I consciously chose to create a collection as I felt this was appropriate in documenting my leading subject matter - British superstitions - with themes of amulets, luck and fate leading back to the object, nostalgia and possessions. Within the final outcomes the combination of text and image is needed to illustrate more obscure superstitions, educating and informing the audience in a light-hearted, satirical manner. The personal aspect and narratives within this project have been significant with developing the final outcomes and has strengthened my viewpoint on the subject matter, making the collection organic and unique.

Ladybirds

Acrylic ladybird illustrations

For the Research Methodology unit I decided to look into ladybirds as they are my favourite insect and commonly associated with Britain's gardens. With the painting above I wanted to illustrate the delicacy shown through the insects size and features; I chose to do this through the medium of acrylic paint in order to utilise the vivid colours shown on the ladybird's body.

Warhol inspired lino print edit

After researching into the works of Andy Warhol for his use of bright colour and repetition, I decided to experiment with lino printing as it's a medium I had not used before. I used a black ink to print and then scanned the image into photoshop in order to change the colours making the ladybirds bright and bold, juxtaposing the stereotypical colours associated with ladybirds.

                                                                       
As part of my research process I began to look into the decorative pattern of the polka dot - which is my favourite pattern and is a key association to the ladybird. Here I made hanging circular pendants using acetate after being inspired by the artist Olafur Eliasson and his installations highlighting light and circles. I took this notion and combined it with the idea if the ladybird to create this composition with the ladybird painting being shown to hang in suspense within the piece.

               

'Ladybird Interior Collection'

The research into the decorative pattern of the polka dot lead me towards my final outcome 'The Ladybird Collection' where I made a set of four interior accessories: a cushion, lamp, door knobs and wallpaper. Research into a ladybirds habitat portrayed the negative connotations in the media of ladybirds within the home; I wanted to take this idea and turn it into a positive. I made the collection by fabric printing, up cycling and utilising old materials within the home which all had red polka dots and ladybirds making the collection stand out as a whole.

Llama - Emma West

Creating my own Peruvian style patterns

My chosen animal for Research Methodology was the llama! I chose it because of its characteristically quirky and humorous nature and appearance. I was also given the nickname 'llama' a few years ago by my friends (to this day I still don't know why!) - so I figured it would be fun to work with an animal that I had some association with. My initial thoughts on how to approach this project would be gaining more information about them and the environment that they live in, which led me on to researching about Peru and its culture. This also prompted some historical research in the 'Incas' - in which I learnt about the multicolour llama deity 'Urcuchillay' and the importance of textiles in their culture and traditions. From here I experimented with creating my own Peruvian style patterns, and incorporated a lot of vibrant colours into llama drawings - inspired by both Peruvian culture, Andy Warhol's pop art work and the Fauvist movement. 

Through my experiments and cultural research influence I decided to take a textile based route, thinking about how I could use sewing, knitting and other wool based crafts. The five words I chose allowed me to have some real fun with experimentation and idea development, from the beginning of the project I knew that I wanted to create something fun and colourful. The five words I chose were Quirky, Goofy, Proud, Rugged and Colourful, all of which relate to their appearance and characters, as well as cultural roots. 

Embroidery experiments

Using textiles was a really good choice, it allowed me to re-familiarise myself with machine sewing and I got to revisit experimenting with embroidery which I enjoy doing in my spare time. The final pieces turned out exactly how I wanted them to! Together they encompass the five words and summarise the colourful, quirky nature of llamas. The two embroideries feature colourful patterns inspired by Peruvian textiles, displayed within the llamas coats to reflect on their home country and the culture of it. The weave is a physical representation of the llamas rugged coats combined with Peruvian inspired colours, Tulunpi ear decorations and pom poms they are adorned with during festivals. The three googly eye prints are a response to Andy Warhol's 'Marilyn Monroe' print, duplicating and varying colour palettes to create individual characters whilst adding some extra fun and humour to the llamas. 

Final pieces on the wall together!