Meet the Maker: Isabel Bradley Designs – Surface Pattern & Textile Designer
Can you start off by telling us about you and your work?
I am a printed textile designer and maker. I am a graduate of Staffordshire University where I studied Surface Pattern Design as a mature student & was awarded a First-Class BA(Hons) degree. I have had a fascination with pattern from an early age and have combined this with my love of travel to produce printed textile designs inspired by what I have seen and experienced. Working from my drawings, photographs and souvenirs I have collected; I like to create unlikely fusions of exotic and colourful imagery. My love of colour and form are at the forefront of my designs which take on an air of eastern promise. Before continuing my studies in art, I spent twenty-five years living abroad soaking up the culture and atmosphere around the Mediterranean with its famous qualities of golden light and colour.
My work currently consists of making digital photomontages from my own original photographs & artwork to make Limited Edition Digital Art Prints & Greeting Cards which I sell in shops & Art Galleries. I also sell my Greeting Cards wholesale. My design journey generally starts with a photo that I have taken then I will add a pattern, for instance some Portuguese Tiles, building up layers with different objects that I want to add. Then I go back & cut through areas to bring the pattern through until I am happy with the design.
What or who inspires your creativity the most?
I take my inspiration from many things; be it objects that take my fancy as I go about my daily life or works by other artists that I have seen & have found truly inspiring. My main interests lie with artists such as Andy Warhol for his amazing use of colour & composition, Pop Art in general, Henri Matisse for his vibrant colour palette & use of pattern, Peter Blake for his amazing collages & paintings and Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits & her painted depictions of nature and artifacts of Mexico; to name but a few.
What medium do you primarily work in?
I work primarily making Digital Photomontages which I home print on to fine art paper to make Limited Edition Art Prints which I mount & frame myself. I also have a wide range of Greeting Cards to suit most occasions which are home printed onto recycled card, are hand finished & come with biodegradable protection sleeves & recycled envelopes.
What’s your favourite product you sell?
I would say that my Limited Edition Art Prints are my favourite products; they are available in different sizes giving my customers more choice depending on what amount of wall space they have to fill. It is always thrilling to see which of my artworks my customers choose.
What will people find to purchase when they visit you at Shropshire Artisan Showcase?
At the Shropshire Artisan Showcase I will be offering for sale a large selection of Greeting Cards & an array of Art Prints, framed & ready to frame.
Check them out:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/isabelbradleydesigns/
Website – https://isabelbradleydesigns.bigcartel.com/