Partnership between Guilded and Smythson
Smythson hosted an exclusive exhibition of artworks by paper maker and artist Gill Wilson at their Sloane Street store to incorporate London Craft Week.
In a collaboration with Guilded, Gill Wilson developed bespoke artworks inspired by Smythson. Since 1887, Smythson has crafted pieces that capture life’s unfolding narratives: diaries in which events and the passage of time are recorded, journals in which intimate thoughts and reflections are captured, bespoke stationary which records the weaving of events and relationships.
The exhibition entitled ‘Woven Narratives’ featured a series of new designs which are available to purchase as exhibited or custom made to order.
Paper has been central to Gill’s work since she visitied Japan in the 1970’s, where traditional papermakers are revered as national treasures. Gill was moved by their exquisite artistry which is rooted in the philosophy of working with a medium in its purest form.
Gill exclusively uses plant fibre in her work and for this series she will also be incorporating some of the Nile Blue paper seen across the Smythson’s iconic blue packaging. In so doing she nods to the shared values of sustainability that underpin Smythson’s own craftsmanship.
In making her own paper pulp, Gill transforms the source plant fibre through largely traditional methods to produce a highly versatile medium which can be poured, drawn or lifted onto screens before drying. Her work is distinct for her use of complex layering which become more sculptural as they are built up. Her style always seeks to maintain a sense of purity and simplicity which reflects natural, sustainable source of her material.
London Craft Week is a festival bringing together over 250 established and emerging makers, designers, brands and galleries from around the world. Its selection is based not on price or fame but on substance, plus that essential dash of magic that separates great from good.
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Gill Wilson
For more information please visit the artist’s Page here.
Guilded
Charlotte Bowater specialises in working with British artists who draw on traditional techniques, experiment with materials and processes to develop artworks with an aesthetic that is both contemporary and timeless. Guilded represents a select group of material and process led artists and offers a range of services to private clients, interior designers and brands who seek to elevate spaces and reflect personality through distinct and bespoke artistry.
This Partnership seeks to celebrate Smythson in the context of London Craft Week, through collaboration with Gill Wilson. The art of Guilded as agent is to understand the brand from the perspective of heritage and its vision for the future. It requires a light touch to ensure the artist is enable to work freely with their skill and talent, while shaping response to the requirements of the creative, visual merchandising and public relations teams of the Partner.
