Esther Cox has a thing about kiosks. “Kiosk is my favourite word. I love the sound of those kicking Ks, and I love the whimsical style of these mini pieces of architecture. And I like the idea that I have a mini emporium of pattern all of my own selling pretty treats! I keep a collection of kiosks on Pinterest.”
Originally training in embroidery design, Esther has always been doing bits of textile work or illustration in various places, and for a while thought she wanted to work in conservation and restoration. “I once worked on the Sultan of Brunei’s Louis XIV sofa. Whilst I love history it just wasn’t creative enough. I’ve worked as curatorial assistant in the textile department of a museum and for a stationery and giftware company, but I had never really found my thing. Part of me feels I’ve wasted a lot of time doing things that I didn’t enjoy, but I don’t think I was ready to make that leap until now. I’ve learnt lots of useful things along the way.”
And whilst perhaps she feels it wasn’t a productive part of her art journey, I can still see all those elements and experiences feeding into where she is now and what she produces – classic art forms and knowledge of a wide range of styles and iconic designers produces work that is reminiscent of many things, from ancient and medieval motifs, through the Arts and Crafts movement and modern abstracts, and overlaid with elements of mid-century style architecture and illustration. And she does admit that “a lot of ideas still start from thinking about embroidery techniques.”
Also formative in Esther’s style is the influence of her wonderfully creative family. (You can read about them on her blog here.) Always having projects on the go at home, she particularly remembers one. “Everyone in the family is creative so it was natural to make and do. One of the earliest things I remember making was a velvet waistcoast embroidered with ribbon stripes and all manner of ghastly sequins. I wore it with pride. Thankfully it is lost in the mists of time.”
She likes to work at her “compact and messy” dining table with a cup of tea and the radio on. Inspired by things in her day to day life – books, exhibitions, her Mum’s garden – she works intuitively, simply sketching her ideas down with ink and a dip pen, or working with collage. The sketches are then scanned into her computer to be refined and to add colour. “I try not to start out with an idea of the finished design – I find I can never achieve what I’ve imagined in my head!”
She loves dancing too, and whenever she feels a bit stuck on a design, she shakes it out. “I put on some Northern Soul and have a little dance. It makes me switch off completely, and then I’m refreshed and ready to work. Probably just as well I work on my own!”
Esther is another enthusiastic advocate for the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, having just completed the e-course recently. “I have only just launched my business, and it is still taking shape. I was inspired to have a go after completing the ABSPD course. I had all the ideas there but having some really useful insight into the business side of things has helped me to realise an ambition.”
Her best advice? “Ha! I’m not sure I’m very good at taking advice. But I think Dr Seuss had many a wise word. My favourite quotation is ‘those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.’ It reminds me to be true to myself and my ideas. I think when you inject your personality into your work people really respond well.”
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You can find more of Esther’s work on her website www.esthercoxskiosk.com, and her blog esthercox.blogspot.co.uk.