Ankara Fabric Display

Ankara Fabric

The first picture I took from Tapestry accessories(Instagram) and the second one from Ayokadeco(Instagram) when I looked at them I felt like the bottom one was used as an inspiration to design and manufacture the pair of earrings. I feel like this is a good example of what my whole b-tech is about, using shapes and patterns from isishweshwe fabric to make contemporary jewellery.

Fluted bangle

This bangle reminds me of my Anglo plat design. I like how they have used the concept of curves, bending the strip of metal to create this interesting piece. I don't know if they have used one strip or its different pieces put together but it does indeed look like its done with one strip of metal with one solder joint.

African Blossom

What I find interesting about this picture is the contrast in colours, I really like how the have played with geometric and organic patterns. which reminds me of the whole exploration I'm busy with that includes punching circles and finishing it with the fluted shape on the outside.

The Purple Headwrap

Headwraps are a sign of respect in a married woman. I think I can use the concept of the overall shapes you get from different fabrics used as headwraps. 

Ankara Fabric

This is an African wax print fabric, its a beautiful traditional African design with vibrant colours.

This fabric is known as Ankara.

I really like how the colour combination works and the patterns complimenting each other.

Process of the Painting

Realistic Oil Portrait

Realistic Oil Portrait

This is a realist oil portrait that I found on Instagram by Clement a Nigeria artist.

He often uses pieces of fabric in his paintings, resulting in a stunning mixed media artwork. Colourful and intricate Nigerian headwraps are a big feature in his work. I like how he gives life and movement to the folds of fabric, his paintings have that African feel and I like how he makes the traditional fabrics the main focus in his paintings.

“Whatever you feed yourself with is what you become” or “If you hide sickness, sickness will hide you in the grave”

Katanu Kay Sanna

Mbaya (2017: para. 2 line 1) states that Katanu Kay is a 19 year old Kenyan artist who uses traditional African fabric in her artwork. She create sculptural pieces that utilize fabric- African fabric at that, to convey colour, movement and emotions.

She started using kitenge fabric in her work when she was doing her art assignment. Where they were given a scenario to design a wall hangings for the lobby at a lodge in Masai Mara. So, she thought 'lions are animals often associated with African culture and so are kitenge fabrics', see figure 1. She merged the two and loved the outcome then she moved to mixing kitenge fabric with other paintings.(Orubo, D. 2017: 2)

Figure 1- Sanna, K. (2017). The Original Lion. Painting with Kitenge Fabric. [ONLINE]

I really like how she completes her painting with the touch of traditional fabric. This has come to a point where I have noticed that she uses the significant of this African fabric to form part of a cultural identity. A link can be drawn between her work and mine through the embracing and modernizing of traditional fabrics that resembles home as in 'Africa'. The actual fabric has been used in her artwork and I wanted to show that it is not only used in clothing but they are different ways to portray the message within the fabric. That is similar to what I want with my jewellery.

Ann Cole Jewellery

Taryn Coleman is the founder of Ann Cole Jewellery based in Durban.

According to Coleman (n.d), her jewellery is an expression of love for the serenity of the natural world. From the ocean to the earth and even the stars, I seek to capture and mimic the poetry of natural creations using precious metals and specialised handcrafted jewellery techniques. With a transcendental perspective, my design explores the seemingly supernatural patterns and formations found in nature.

Coleman uses punches fabricated and shaped by hand to create some of her jewellery, see Figure 1 showing the basic tools she uses for her imprints. In 2009 she did her B-tech, that is when she discovered the imprinting technique that she uses in some of her jewellery.

Figure 1- Ann Cole Jewellery. 2019. Imprinting Tools [ONLINE].

In figure 2 is an example of her work done during her b-tech days, it is a good example of what I am aiming to get at the end of my b-tech. I can pinpoint lots of similarities between her work and mine, from the imprinting\ punching technique to the inspiration drawn from Isishweshwe fabric patterns, see figure 3 where she create platinum earrings inspired by Isishweshwe. I have noticed that not all of her jewellery pieces were inspired by Isishweshwe but I like how she takes pattern from her surroundings and make them her own through the imprinting and allowing the metal to speak for itself. 

Figure 2- Ann Cole Jewellery. (2018). Wabi-Sabi. Copper cuff [ONLINE].

Figure 3- Ann Cole Jewellery. (2017). Isishweshwe inspired Platinum earring [ONLINE].

Emma Smith

According to Emilia Sarupdeo "For me working with sculptural forms has given me the freedom to Express myself"

Since I've been working with patterns I have realized that everything around me evolves around patterns. It might not be perfect squares or circle. Repetition of lines and arrangements of things around you they form certain patterns on they own.

This sculpture has drawn my attention because when I looked at it the beauty behind it lays on the different patterns overlapping and intersecting each other and how he has used the different sizes and shapes.

I saw this at the NSA gallery :) and I got all excited!!
I really want to try this with fabric!!!