Rachael Flynn

Rachael Flynn has just graduated in textile design from Dundee's Duncan of Jordanstone Art College. Textile design at Dundee is of a fantastic quality and founded on thorough visual research exploring the students chosen subject comprehensively through use of a great variety of media and techniques.

"Focusing on local bird life, I decided to use a reserved colour palate, working largely in monochrome and adding hints of subtle colour to highlight and celebrate the beauty of our British bird life. My visual research has been hugely focused around the idea of fragility; both mirroring the fragility of nature itself and that of the delicate structure of feathers. This inspired my use of silk and silk organza fabrics as these are light and soft. Additionally, I found that the organza added an element of translucence to my work that mirrored the sheer aesthetic of feathers. I also wanted my work to contrast in design; paralleling a literal drawing style which portrays a celebration of the beauty of the British bird life, with a mixed media and illustrative approach that characterises the life and energy of these birds in movement." Rachael Flynn

Rachael focused her attention on birds, her sketchbooks were a rich and delightful exploration of this subject. In her finished designs Rachael chose to use a limited monochrome palette and built up the textile design using silk organza and stitch in technique almost like Japanese sashiko or boro. The finished fabrics mascaraed a simplicity that is beguilingly complex.