This October, FELT launched its debut Collection with an exhibition at Safehouse in Peckham. The stripped-back Victorian house provided the perfect backdrop for their assortment of wall-hangings, ceramics, dried flowers, paintings, quilts and objets for the home. Rather like a fashion show, the pieces were shown for just one evening before going online where they’ll be on sale until the end of the year. Founders Francesca Wilson and Tintin Macdonald hail from the worlds of art and fashion respectively. We met them to find out about setting up FELT, a new platform for textiles, art and contemporary craft.
What led you to found FELT?
We wanted to find artists and makers that work with craft but not in traditional or expected ways and felt there was a place for these joyful objects in the home. We had both reached a point in our careers where we felt we could start something of our own and we also knew lots of people who were looking to fill their homes with original pieces of art.
How do you two know each other? What’s your working dynamic like?
We’ve been friends for over 10 years since moving to London, we lived together for a couple of years and now we live 3 doors down in Peckham. We bring different experiences, skills and knowledge to the table through our backgrounds in fashion (Tintin) and art (Francesca). It’s great though, because of our friendship, we are often aligned on our aesthetic and always on our values.
What’s the experience of putting on your first exhibition and sale been like?
When we approached our artists we were pleasantly surprised by how well received the idea was. It was risky because at that point we had no brand, no reputation, and no website to go on, yet the idea seemed to really resonate with them.
For the exhibition we wanted to get as many people to see works in person as possible having had months of looking at art on a screen. It was open for just 24 hours; we had a big party and it all felt like a bit of a whirlwind – but a really good one.
How did you discover the artists on your roster? What do you look for in these artists and makers?
Francesca had worked with some of the artists before or they were friends of ours. Some artists we found through open studios and seeing exhibitions. And, particularly for the quilters, Instagram was a great source.
We look for artists who work with traditional skills like weaving or embroidery but in contemporary ways. We love work that is tactile so when it came to the painters we chose work that was textural – whether the canvases were loose or stitched together, like Ali Corder, Galina Munroe and Dominic Beattie or had printed elements like Rose Electra Harris.
How have your backgrounds helped you with founding FELT?
The way that we put collections together for FELT was drawn from Tintin’s experience of working with fashion collections for designers like Molly Goddard. We wanted to show the artworks in a way that was approachable and warm, like a shop or showroom. For Francesca, her work with The Auction Collective involves seeing masses of emerging artists and curating exhibitions of their work, so approaching artists and hanging exhibitions felt very natural. And we both have a deep love of textiles.
Could you each pick out a favourite piece of artwork/craft that you own at home and tell us what it is and why you like it?
Tintin: I would choose a photograph by Nigerian photographer Lakin Ogunbanwo (left). It is of a bride draped in fabrics of deep jewel tones and the detail is exquisite. I discovered it in this amazing gallery in Cape Town called What If The World which I visited regularly whilst I was living there.
Francesca: I have a painted door panel (below) salvaged from a house in Sri Lanka which my mum brought back in her suitcase. She gave to us when we moved into our house. It sits in a cosy alcove above a hand-me-down sofa and surrounded by books. I love the colours and worn look of it. It also feels like quite an unusual thing to hang on a wall.
Where do you go for inspiration?
When we were putting together our first collection we went to Kettle’s Yard and fell in love with the textiles, particularly Ben Nicholson’s wall hangings. We also went to the Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers exhibition at Alison Jacques. Both of these inspired us to select a wide range of textiles for the collection and exhibit them on the walls amongst the paintings. We also went to visit some of our favourite artists in Cornwall, we loved seeing their studios and how their work was inspired by their surroundings. When thinking about the exhibition itself, we were lent a Betty Woodman book by a friend and it gave us lots of ideas for how to hang and display our objects.
Why does craft often get overlooked as a form of art?
Traditionally craft was associated with objects made mainly by women to be used in the home. Skills like sewing and weaving were rejected from public art institutions and often devalued as art because they had a function. We have been really inspired by seeing younger people – particularly over the last couple of years – taking up these traditional skills and reimagining them to reflect contemporary culture. It is really encouraging to see that this resurgence is taking place on a much bigger scale too – The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition this year was filled with weaving, patchwork and collage.
What advice do you have for those new to buying artworks?
Hopefully the artwork that you buy will outlive your current house and furniture, so don’t be limited by it matching other things you have in your home. Pieces that you have a strong connection with do not come around very often, so when you see something you love, be spontaneous and buy it!
What are your favourite galleries/shops/restaurants in London?
We both live in Peckham and we love how many great galleries there are. Some favourites are Bold Tendencies by Hannah Barry which is an annual sculpture exhibition in a multi-story car park, Dulwich Picture Gallery for its superb exhibitions and Sid Motion for discovering exciting new artists.
Some favourite local restaurants are The Begging Bowl and Forza Wine. And there’s nothing that you can’t get at Khan’s Bargains on Rye Lane!
What are you most hoping for Christmas this year?
We really admire Lora Avedian’s work and she has recently published a book called ‘Stitch in Bloom’ which explains some of her embroidery techniques. We’d love to spend Christmas mastering them!
What is in the pipeline for FELT?
Next up is a quilting workshop with Lucy Strawson of @tuckitin_quilts at the end of January. Tickets go on sale on 26 November here. We’re always on the lookout for unusual spaces in London because we want to keep surprising people by presenting art in a way that is really fun, relaxed and relatable. We have ideas for suppers where art is integrated into the evening in various ways. There are also plans afoot to work on a line of hand-knits, celebrating another form of craft.
A Little Bird Loves
