Laura Derby

Tufted textile artistry

Q&A

Artist Statement

I create unique, hand crafted textile rugs, wall hangings, mindfulness mats and upholstered stools made by skilled local woodworkers. Most stools I upholster are from local storm fallen trees. The hand tufting technique allows me to paint and sculpt with yarn and artfully weave in elements of the natural world and heritage motifs to create an ethical, heirloom quality functional art work, which will stand the test of time through use and concept. Strengthening links between art, nature and humanity towards greater psychological and cultural health is important to me and I have proudly achieved The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Certification Mark in recognition of the provenance of my work and use of 100% British Wool alongside upcycled British carpet industry yarn.

What craft do you work with?

I have a BA Hons Degree in Industrial Design Textiles specialising in Woven Textiles from The Scottish college of Textiles since 1990 and spent 1993 in New Zealand working as artisan Hand Tufter with Dilana Rugs. I have returned to tufting since 2017. I love that I can be painterly with the technique and use lots of colour. I also enjoy carving into the finished textile.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

It is wonderful for me to be able to express myself through my longstanding relationship with drawing, colour and my material of wool, and craft this into heirloom quality useful products.

How do you start your creative process?

Usually my process starts with a urge towards a feature of our natural world or heritage which I photograph, research, sketch, create colour palettes and then develop into designs. I love how the process evolves when ideas come from working out colours and pattern and although it is frustrating that I have to limit the colours of wool I order due to cost sometimes this can enhance designs.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

I have a warm bright WASPS (Workshop and Studio Provision Scotland) just large enough to store my yarn and produce my work on the large frame I need for this. I use a tufting gun to create my textile so couldn’t manage without this and I use on apps on my iPad to help me scale up designs, help with tonality, colour choices.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

I’ve hand dyed small stool top pieces and yarn already and would like to try hand dyeing areas of a larger work but heat setting the dye on large works is a problem I have yet to overcome. I’d also like to try the texture of longer pile to add to design effect at some point but cost and space is an issue with this presently.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

I’m in a small peer crit group which is invaluable in keeping ideas loose and flowing and building awareness that what we do is so different and can inform each other off on creative tangents we may not otherwise have discovered.

What other types of craft do you dream of collaborating with?

I already collaborate with woodworkers which is great and intend to collaborate with people who naturally dye yarn.

What professional dream do you have?

I’d love to create a 100% naturally dyed Scottish Wool product.