For my latest body of work, my research began by looking at bones, muscle structures, ligaments and tendons - the internal structure of the body being to me, a natural starting point when designing performance material. During my initial experimentation with materials I found that I was adding tension into my textiles by exploring hard and malleable materials in combination. This concept challenges how structure can be applied to material exploiting the dynamic resistance between the two. The resulting samples are kinetic. This motivated me to further explore movement and develop previously unforeseen material combinations.
Throughout my MA grids and structures have always formed the starting point for my work and triggered a constantly evolving discovery. My work is process led, the different qualities in each outcome dictates my path of investigation. My experimentation is a tool for research, and this forms the core of my design process. It has become important for the grid/net form to have an organic, broken or occasional disorder to it, as I am interested in imperfect structures.
Through working with acrylic I quickly discovered its unique qualities, such as when heated it can be manipulated; it quickly solidifies and has shape memory. After a series of experiments laser cutting plastics, I was able to transform the material into something that could now be twisted and stretched and combined together to produce an interesting play between soft and hard. This process transcends the primary use for the plastic and enables me to push its unique properties by laser cutting, molding, and forming the material under high temperatures.
These materials are inherently tactile and intended to be touched and handled. I find it vitally important in an overwhelmingly intangible digital age to connect to material through the human senses.