Nicola Elks

Nicola Jayne Elks Textile Crafts Designer/ Maker

Press Pack

Contacts nicola.elks@hotmail.co.uk www.nicolajayneelks.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/nicolajaynetextiles

About Me I am a designer maker specialising in hand knitting techniques, specifically Fair Isle, Intarsia, and Swiss Darning to create pattern within my knitting. I have strong design skills, creating pieces that are both original and also fit to trends of what is already available on the market. I have other creative skills such as hand embroidery which is also utilised within my work, as well as photography and Photoshop. I have skills in visual arrangements, which were used to their full potential when assisting an exhibitor at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2013.

Working as part of a team or collaborative is a also a strong attribute, having worked with the Penistone Line Partnership and local community groups to produce textile pieces that were displayed at stations along the Penistone Line.

Paper Geometrics

About My Work The idea of form was the key component of this collection, looking at how the repetition of shapes could create interesting structures. Using paper as the main material, origami and net-making techniques were utilised to create 3-dimensional forms. The individual components were attached together to create larger arrangements and compositions. The use of colour was also a key aspect for this collection, looking at how using bright, fresh colours would work against the brown, standing out away from the background. This was to not only impact the work itself, but also to create a lasting impact on the viewer. The development in the exploration of movement within the work has begun, with the ability to manipulate and re-shape the pieces to create new configurations. This collection has been created in conjunction with two others, both of which use hand knitting as their techniques. The idea of working with 3-dimensional, geometric forms combined with hand knitted techniques will be explored further in my final major project. The work will become more focused towards creating pieces for interior spaces, specifically for the home furnishings market.

Pyramid Net Paper Samples Top: Static Pyramids Bottom: Moveable Pyramids

Origami Paper Samples All images: Large origami

Origami Paper Samples Top & Left: Loop Origami Bottom Right: Large Origami