the beaded chair
“Exploring the chair as a symbol of ceremony, authority and memory, and how couture beadwork and circular design can transform existing furniture into art.”
inspiration
My love of ethnographic art, antiques and folk costume developed during a childhood spent in Nigeria, Iran and India. These early experiences shaped my fascination with the ways objects, materials and decoration can carry cultural meaning.
Beads are far more than personal adornment. Across cultures, they have been used to express identity, belief, status, protection and remembrance. Accumulated into richly worked surfaces, they become capsules of history and symbolism, reflecting our relationship with life, death and the world around us.
The relationship between chairs, ornament and authority also has a long history. A decorated chair can become more than a functional object: it may operate as a seat of ceremony, worship, power, judgement or debate. By bringing beads and furniture together, I explore these associations through the lens of my own heritage, visual memory and commitment to craftsmanship.
process
I place every bead individually within the digital design before developing the artwork at full scale. The completed pattern pieces are then sent to a family-run embroidery house in India, where they are worked by hand using tambour beading techniques traditionally associated with couture.
Once the finished panels return to my Devon studio, I upholster them by hand. I am currently collaborating with a talented local furniture maker to develop a series of one-of-a-kind pieces, bringing together specialist embroidery, upholstery and furniture making.
The debut Beaded Chair collection is currently in development. For private previews, exhibition enquiries, editorial loans or information about future commissions, please contact the studio.
objective
My aim is to loosen the traditional formality of beadwork without compromising its precision or integrity.
Rather than relying on uniform repetition or rigid geometry, I want the beadwork to feel scattered, shifting and abstract. Lines gather and dissolve, while areas of density and openness ebb and flow across the surface similar to woven fabric.