Month: February 2018

  • The retail heroes of Irish Craft and Design

    The retail heroes of Irish Craft and Design

    Many of my craft making colleagues often moan and complain about selling wholesale, too high a mark up, late payments etc etc. In this article I’d like to celebrate some of my main stockists as I feel they are heroes of all retailers.

    Why would you decide to sell Irish Craft, makers can be unreliable, deadlines can be a mere abstract concept to a maker. Lots of makers work on their own, so life’s mishaps mean that our long suffering retailers patiently wait on their orders. It would be far easier and more profitable to buy nice trinkets, mass produced overseas and settle with a healthy profit margin. Wouldn’t it?

    One of my oldest stockists is the Bessemer 2 Gallery in Sheffield and their ethos is to

    “ bring you the best of new Artists & Designers from the local area as well as selected Makers from around the country. We are committed to quality; sourcing only the finest hand crafted pieces”

    I feel privileged that I am one of their Makers, I’ve never been to visit and all communication is done via e-mail. Monthly without fail they lodge my sales into my account, liaise with customers on my behalf and take orders for me.

    Closer to home for me is An Bonan Bui which is a cafe & bistro located in Rathmullan, Co. Donegal. Which also sells lovely crafts and host cultural and historical exhibitions on the second floor, they also serve damn fine coffee which makes deliveries a delight.

    Daisie Stone in Dalkey, Co Dublin is run by mother and daughter and who stock Irish designed & handmade craft. They love bright colours, loud fabrics & pretty up cycling and as someone who had never shied away from using colour in my work , it fits right in.

    A more recent stockist for me is Caffreys Gallery in Ballina, Co Mayo which is a family run business

    Gillian Dwyer runs the Anchor Arts Craft Gallery which can be found on the Cliff Rd Ardmore Co. Waterford (024)87740, the location looks idyllic and I can’t wait to visit.

    Sometimes makers decide to open a retail outlet and my work is stocked in for example

    Carlingford Design house  which is run by the designer maker goldsmith Garrett Mallon.

    “Carlingford Design House has also allowed me to showcase the work of over 40 other Irish designer makers from a range of disciplines. Many of these makers are friends and colleagues and we are delighted to bring their work to a new audience”

    The Quay Gallery in Westport is a fusion of fine art and craft established by Susan Basler, Victoria Foutz, and Suzie Sullivan, these ladies are so inspirational in their own practice and they have such a great eye for quality and individuality.

    The Cat and the Moon was established by jewellery designer Martina Hamilton in 1989. The shop is named after an evocative 1924 play and poem by W. B. Yeats whose great works are synonymous with the Sligo region of Ireland.

    Originally the shop was a showcase outlet for Martina’s own multi-award winning jewellery but it quickly became one of the country’s leading retailers of bespoke Irish craft.

    McNutts is located in the seaside village of Downings, on Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way, McNutt of Donegal have been producing some of the world’s finest weaves for over 60 years.In their shop you will discover an impressive collection of woven products as well as hand picked crafts made in Ireland.

    One of my favourite retailers is Amelia’s Irish Design and Crafts in Letterkenny, Co Donegal run by Frances Spears. I met Frances years back when she had her Antique shop and was expanding into Irish Craft. Over the years her support and expertise have been invaluable to me in designing new products and giving me honest feedback from her customers who she knows so well. Her new Craft Gallery has made such an impact in revitalising the main street in Letterkenny and is a mecca for art and craft lovers both local and tourists alike.

    The Designerie is an innovative, arts and crafts social enterprise established by Causeway Enterprise Agency in 2015. Based in Bushmills selling exclusive and hand-crafted home & giftware

    Space CRAFT, a Retail Gallery which opened in 2007 is a non-profit taking social economy enterprise owned & managed by the Artist/Designer/Makers of the Craft & Design Collective.

    Space CRAFT opened in June 2007 and is designed to be a focal point for the commissioning, exhibition, promotion and sale of local Craft, Applied Art & Design.

    And finally our very own Donegal Designer Makers, in Ardara, County Donegal which is run as a non –profit taking collective for local Donegal based makers, which re-opens on the 15th March for the year 2018.

    So thanks to my stockists and all those who take the harder but more worthwhile path and are retail heroes. If you would like to stock Kokodesigns please contact me for my current trade brochure and pricelist

     

  • Night lights

    Night lights

    If anyone knows my work you’ll know I have a growing unhealthy preoccupation with lighting, for the last 25 years I have been painting on silk but now I have found my true passion designing, silk painting and making lighting pieces.
    Currently my studio (otherwise known as fancy wooden shed!) in County Donegal , Ireland is full to bursting with ceiling shades, table shades, table lights, floor lights, tiered lights, cluster lights in both my hand painted silk and prints ready for my stockists and customers to collect.

    My print version of my designs are digitally printed on bamboo in Donegal. I chose bamboo, although it is a very expensive option because it holds the colours of my paintings and is also a very sustainable fabric, it reminds me of silk without those little silk worms having too work so hard and is a 100% natural fabric.
    I’ve been thinking about developing a range for children and these printed night lights are the first part of this new product range. My night lights are made from my paintings printed on bamboo fabric. The lights are 25cm in diameter and approx. and 28cm high. They have a diffuser on the top to prevent bulb glare. They come on a tri pod metal base .The night lights are suitable for young and old.


    My ”balloon design” is taken from a silk painting with memories of a holiday to France we had a couple of years ago, when the beautiful blue sky was filled with hundreds of colourful hot air balloon flying above us. I was a s excited as the children and it was such a magical sight.
    “The Owl design” was inspired by a relative who visited Donegal last summer, it was a joy to get to know her and be tour guide around our lovely County when I realised we share so many things in common, one of them our love of owls. On the other side of the shade is a magnificent hare standing to attention.


    “Daisy design” is feminine but not in the traditional pink way. The design is orange and yellow daisies on a teal background.
    “Train” a very cheerful design of a train and carriages travelling around the light. Colourful carriages on a night time background.


    These night lights come in a lovely wooden presentation box making them great for New Baby, Christening, and birthday gifts.

  • Silk painting workshops

    Silk painting workshops

    It’s the time of year when I begin to think about the summer and I have planned a  weekend silk panting workshops in my studio in Ramelton, Co Donegal.

    My studio based workshops are very popular and tailor made to the ability level of the participants. I have professional artists and absolute beginners doing my courses and due to the very small number of people on the workshop everyone can have an experience they will remember for years.

     

    My daughters and I had a wonderful time at your Silk Painting Workshop recently. From your patience explaining the technique, to your advice and help in salvaging any creative mishaps!!!! You encouraged us to let our imaginations run wild, and inspired us to draw and paint beautiful prints that hang pride of place in our home and that we will cherish forever. It was such a happy, fun filled and therapeutic experience that we are looking forward to returning to your studio again soon.

    Best wishes,

    Fondest Regards,

    Bernie, Brodie & Mirren.xxx

     

    Set in the beautiful environment of my acre garden ( which is relatively wild and very inspirational for flora and fauna) you will arrive at 10.30am and have a brief introduction along with morning coffee, we will try out the basic techniques of serti silk painting and after a lunch served in my kitchen or in the garden weather permitting  we will move onto planning a take home finished piece of work ,the day ends at 4.30pm but you are very welcome to stay working in the studio after this time.

    My garden which is fairly wild and gives me lots of inspiration

     On day 2 we start and complete a finished piece of work, no one has ever left my studio without a finished piece and if it needs to go into my industrial steamer I will post the finished piece onto you. You may decide to make a lampshade, paint a silk scarf or do a piece of wall art with a maximum of 5 participants you can be guaranteed intensive one to one tuition to ensure you work at your own pace but do finish a project. There is nothing worse than coming away from a workshop with an unfinished piece with all the good intentions to get it done and then life gets in the way and it sits in a drawer for ever more.

     

     

     A totally absorbing and very creative experience – Karen is organised relaxed and fun in her approach and she has a way of bringing out skills you may not even know you had. It’s a lovely setting and I can’t wait to go back with some friends. I love my lamp – it looks amazing’

    Leslie O’Connor Turner

    Many people travel from far and wide and even from abroad for the workshops and I can recommend lovely accommodation near or in Ramelton which is a lovely vibrant village on the Northern part of the Wild Atlantic Way.

    The price of a weekend workshop is €140 per person and  includes materials to make a silk scarf, piece of wall art or a lampshade . A light lunch and refreshments are also included, please mention any dietary or special requirements on booking and we will do our best to facilitate them.

    Dates for 2019  available to book now

    Also you can join us for “Crafternoon tea” be greeted with a glass of prosecco, have an indulgent afternoon tea and an introduction to silk painting ( minimum 4 people, max 8. Allow 3 hours and the cost is €30 per person)

    I can also travel to your school, community group and day centre  to facilitate a workshop in the following areas

    • Making a silk lantern- 3 hours tuition (maximum 12 participants)
    • Painting and making a silk lampshade  – 7 hours tuition (maximum 8 participants)
    • Mixed textile skills including needle felting, wet felting, weaving, embroidery and silk painting with an individual course built around participants abilities and needs.

    I have recent experience working in National Schools, Secondary schools on the Junior Visual Arts Strands and the Applied Leaving Cert and also in therapeutic settings and with individuals who are vulnerable or have disabilities.

    Please contact me for a quote karen@kokodesigns.ie