May 10, 2017
Täkänä Research Trip | PART FIVE | Inside the Lappeenranta Museum's archives : Laura Korpikaivo-Tamminen | Back to the studio
It was a long four hour drive to my next museum but it actually went by in a haze. I think my brain was whirring over all that I'd seen and experienced so far and thoughts were forming. I think a lot of my best thinking happens when I'm on the move…in the car, on a bus, riding my bike…maybe it's because it's somewhere no one can get me? I'm busy pedalling or steering or something which means my brain can think things over, it's just how it's always worked for me. I just need to make sure I grab a pen and paper as soon as I stop to catch the thoughts before they're gone.
April 27, 2017
Täkänä Research Trip | PART FOUR | An unexpected trip to Pulsa
If you ever find yourself heading towards the Russian border in the south-eastern corner of Finland, I encourage you to take a detour off the main road to this incredible (and I mean incredible) place called Pulsa. It was recommended to me by Elina earlier in the week (Elina and Petra, the owner of Pulsa are both textile designers and friends) and I had a last minute change of plan so thought I'd give them a call and I'm so glad I did.
April 20, 2017
Täkänä Research Trip | PART THREE | Learning to weave with Ritva : Inside the Finnish Craft Museum's archives
Today involved more travelling and learning...this time to a small village north-east of Jyväskylä called Hankasalmi. A chance introduction with a lovely textile designer called Anna-Kaisa whilst doing some solo exploring in Finland last summer led me to this exciting part of my trip. I'd been trying to find someone who still weaves täkänä through the other contacts I have but it was proving difficult. Täkänä is no longer a popular form of weaving in Finland and has disappeared significantly off the weaving landscape in the past thirty years.
April 13, 2017
Täkänä Research Trip | PART TWO | Helsinki Conversations: A trip to HAM : Jyväskylä Conservation Centre
Today was a day on the move…leaving Helsinki for Tampere but first a Finnish friend of mine had put me in touch with a Helsinki based designer called Elina Helenius. Elina seemed really interested in my project in her emails and had suggested we meet at a café in the centre of Helsinki called Cafe Aschen Jugend. Sadly this was shut (Elina wanted me to see the architecture) so we went to the nearby Kappeli – a beautiful building on the Esplanade that first opened it’s doors as a café in 1867. Elina was an inspiration to meet. Her career spans several decades and has also crossed over from print to weave. She’s worked with many companies I admire and has a warmth and openness that was wonderful to be around.
April 03, 2017
Täkänä Research Trip | PART ONE | Inside the Design Museum's Archives
So I am just back (well it's been a week now) from an incredible trip to Finland supported by a Creative Scotland Open Project Funding Grant to research and learn about the Finnish form of weaving known as Täkänä to inspire some new work and new thinking. The trip was an intense ten days of reading, talking, learning, travelling, listening and absorbing information and experiences to develop new things.
March 05, 2017
Täkänä Project | NEW Project funded by Creative Scotland
I was totally delighted and grateful to hear last week that Creative Scotland have chosen to fund this exciting new project I have proposed in their latest round of Open Project Funding. This will involve me travelling back to Finland very soon to research, develop and produce a series of rugs, prints and wall hangings inspired by the Finnish form of weaving called Täkänä.
February 05, 2017
Guardian Weekend Magazine - 'The Future's Bright'
t was a incredibly flattering to be selected as one of '2017's biggest new design talents' by The Guardian a couple of weeks ago. Our shared love of colour has drawn the four of us together for this piece and it is an honour to be selected next to Yinka Ilori, Bethan Laura Wood and Raw Edges.
January 10, 2017
Just a Card
The Just a Card campaign aims to encourage people to buy from Designer/Makers and Independent Galleries and Shops by reinforcing the message that all purchases, however small, even 'just a card' are so vital to the prosperity and survival of small businesses.
December 07, 2016
Popping up in Glasgow this Christmas...
We're delighted to be hosting a Christmas Sale once more at our studio! Join us on Friday 9th December between 4pm and 8pm to shop, socialise and share in the festive fun with your friends! We have some of Scotland's finest designers, makers and bakers joining us...
November 15, 2016
The story behind....our Ida and Naomi prints!
Our Friendly prints project was born out of an invitation from artists Laura Aldridge and Anna Mayer to create an offering for their Openaries project during Glasgow International 2014. Together they built a portable ceramics kiln and invited local artists and practitioners to make ceramic offerings for one of their three firings.
© 2019 Laura Spring.
