From the Kirkcudbright centipede to the Big Apple...

Following the great news of her New York commission and our posting of her story in The Commonty, we asked Morag MacPherson to write us up a piece explaining the background to her commission. 

If any other artists or makers would like to do something similar, please send us some text and images of your work and we'll profile you in the super-soaraway Commonty. 

From  Morag MacPherson 

I've been going to New York each May since 2010 to exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at Javits Centre, New York City. The British and European Design Group have been taking creative businesses in the interiors sector to this show for nearly 20 years. There is usually a contingent of around 30-40 companies under the British Design umbrella. 
In 2010 I met Vennie Lau from VLDG - Vennie Lau Design Group - an interior design/architect partnership with offices in New York and New Jersey. She loved my 'Masculine and Feminine in Nature' Collection and could see how this would link with her allegory and nature theme for a new hotel project. She also loved the Scottish/Glasgow connection - as an interior designer she appreciated the legacy of great architecture and interior design that has come out of Glasgow, particularly, and claimed this was one of her favourite cities. I began designing fabric panels for headboards with a Spring Summer and Autumn Winter feel which will be reversible in the new hotel bedrooms. 

I returned to ICFF in May 2011 where I was able to visit the hotel under construction and get a sneak preview of a mocked up room with my fabric panels - it was amazing to see the designs finally realised in such a beautiful and contemporary setting. I made contact with New York Spaces editor that year also and received great press in the September 2011 edition of the magazine. 

I am really excited to be going back to New York for a third consecutive year to ICFF 2012, especially to see the Union Square Hotel in all its full glory. New York Design Week is a fantastic festival on the design calendar - and a great way to do business! As well as contract interiors and project commissions, I also have my own label of limited edition fashion and interior accessories - I design digitally printed fabric in crisp cottons, natural linen, pure silk and fine wool and make them into scarves, cushions and bags. I also sell fabric by the metre and wallpaper by the roll with my trademark bold and colourful designs. I patchwork my fabric to create kimono, skirts, wall hangings and throws. Sometimes I patchwork my own fabric with found fabric or inspirational textiles which I have collected for instance, African and indonesian examples. These sit alongside my own fabric in a multicultural mix of colourful, bold pattern. 

Personal Statement Morag Macpherson: 

Textiles creates surface pattern inspired by art movements in history, urban and natural forms and different cultures. The research process and ideas behind the designs are an important part of the process and it is fundamental to the final result that these visual creations stand on their own before being applied to a surface. These usually bold and colourful designs are digitally applied to natural linens, crisp cottons, pure silks, fine wools and most recently, wallpapers. They are sold as fabric by the metre, wallpaper by the roll and as special commissions for commercial and private projects. In addition, Morag Macpherson Textiles has a growing collection of products applied with their trademark designs. These include scarves; cushions; bags; wall hangings; kimono; skirts; dresses; limited edition prints and throws. Having studied 'Design for Printing' and specialising in graphics, Morag was a graphic designer for various private and public organisations until the advent in digital technology moved into textiles. A lifelong love of textiles inspired Morag to 'jump ship' from her 'office job' into the much more satisfying and creative world which she now inhabits. The digital technology allows the use of an unlimited colour palette which is very liberating and inspirational to Morag whose work reflects this fearless and uninhibited application.

Posted by MMac