Gaawaa Miyay: Lucy Simpson, Textile Designer

I've been talking to my design students this week about developing concepts for textile design. What is a concept? What is the purpose of a concept? Where does a concept come from?

Concept is a mysterious notion - I see it as the idea that holds the design process together. It's the starting, middle and end point. It keeps you on track and allows you to communicate your ideas creatively. It may be a few different ideas joined like a dot-to-dot puzzle. It could be a piece of inspiring music. Sometimes it is a story.

Lucy Simpson, creator of beautiful textiles that make up Gaawaa Miyay (River Daughter), is an expert at visual story telling. Each of her designs respond to memories of storytelling, people and places. She draws from her ties to the Yuwaalaraay country of Northern NSW and interprets her connection through visual narration.


Next week Lucy is holding an Open Studio Night at Addison Road Gallery, Marrickville. If you are in the area I'm sure she'd like to see you there.


In the mean time you can look to these sites:


Gaawaa Miyay
An Interview with Lucy by Craft Australia
Lucy's Collaboration with Julie Patterson at Cloth.

Image Credits: Lucy Simpson & I Ran the Wrong Way