A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds est. 2007
Australian Design: Lisa Tilse
Porcelain, feathers and gold wire vessel by Lisa Tilse. Photography by Lisa Tilse.
Today I’m excited to introduce you to the stunning new work by multi-disciplinary maker Lisa Tilse. This collection of delicate porcelain, fibre and mixed media vessels is part of a group show at Sydney’s Gaffa Gallery, called ‘Intimacies and Dichotomies’.
Lisa is no stranger to the online and design worlds. Her popular blog, The Red Thread, attracts a wealth of global readers and her 12,000+ followers on Instagram can’t get enough of her minimalist vignettes and latest creations. I’ve also blogged about Lisa in the past, when she worked with me on Tuts+ and created a series of step-by-step craft tutorials.
Vessel in linen, leather and porcelain by Lisa Tilse. Photography by Lisa Tilse.
This new collection by Lisa is an exploration of her work with delicate white porcelain vessels, in which she plays with the juxtaposition of “smooth and textured”, “cool and warm”, “pliable and solid”. She use various knotting, weaving and crochet techniques to combine the porcelain with materials as diverse as as gold wire, feathers, linen, leather, paper yarn, raffia and rope.
Vessel made with paper yarn and porcelain by Lisa Tilse. Photography by Lisa Tilse.
Loopy crochet net vessel using fine linen yarn by Lisa Tilse. Photography by Lisa Tilse.
Lisa says, “Making allows me to disconnect from the often frenetic pace of the everyday and the demands and expectations this imposes. I turn my focus inward and explore my own measured and intimate journey of details, fragments of memory, and intuition.
“My muted and limited colour palettes, simple forms and repetition are suggestive of a calm insular state of contemplation. They unify disparate materials, textures and processes.
“Indigo appears in limited amounts representing nightfall and sleep: the disconnect from day to day life, bringing thoughts together, making sense of them and letting them go into the darkness, processing and transforming.
“The details and intimacies of my vessels invite the viewer into my personal space of contemplation and calm, hands and heart.”
Paper yarn and porcelain vessel by Lisa Tilse. Photography by Lisa Tilse.
Vessel made with raffia, rope and porcelain by Lisa Tilse. Photography by Lisa Tilse.
I love Lisa’s restrained colour palettes and minimalist aesthetic, which recalls Scandinavian design and traditional craft techniques in a way that is altogether new and unique.
I hope Lisa continues making these vessels and finds a way to get a commercial collection together - and not only because they’d look amazing in my home! I'm thinking that some savvy design company or Australian homewares buyer should snap her up and recognise her work as new talent in Australian design - with so much commercial potential. I can see a bunch of Australian design influencers coveting a collection of Lisa's delicate hanging porcelain planters. What are they waiting for?
‘Intimacies and Dichotomies’Group ShowOctober 16 to October 27, 2014Gaffa 281 Clarence StreetSydney, NSW 2000Tel. 02 9283 4273Opening hours:Monday to Friday 10am-6pmSaturday 11am-5pm
Tell me: are you one of the 12,000+ fans who follow Lisa on Instagram?
