Pursuing a creative career as a textile designer and artist Anna began her signature label in 2014 after graduating from the world-renowned Australian National University. The Kaleidoscope Jewels rug collection is one of her latest creations, exclusive to Rug Couture.
Now based in Sydney, Anna grew up halfway between the cosmopolitan cities of Sydney and Brisbane on a fine merino wool property, east of Uralla, New England in New South Wales. Anna’s work carries the vibrancy of her surroundings and beautiful Australian climate with its fresh use of colour and pattern. With her parent’s property in an area famous for its super-fine and ultra-fine Merino wool her progression into rug design seems almost fated.
Drawing is a key element of Anna’s practice with each design beginning as a hand drawn motif.
“While later stages are completed using a computer, it’s important that the finished pieces retain the quality of line found in the original motif adding a distinctive hand drawn personality to each design.”
Inspiration
Anna’s debut collection, Kaleidoscope Jewels draws inspiration from items of decorative antique jewellery. Anna completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts majoring in Textiles with Honours in 2013.
This sparked the beginning of Anna’s creative career after producing three graduate collections exploring the concept of excess in pattern and colour for the interior. This included upholstered items in her original screen-printed fabrics together with a coordinating rug design which was hand-tufted by Rug Couture.
Process
Anna uses a variety of techniques throughout her creative process. These include line drawing, screen-printing multi-colour designs, dyeing, the manipulation of silk and velvets as well as weaving decorative braids and trim for her upholstered items. Anna uses functional interior pieces to showcase her passion for textiles and design, each piece celebrating colour and pattern while exploring scale, composition and repetition of her hand drawn elements.
The choosing of colours is a significant step in Anna’s design process. Hours are spent mixing the perfect colour, whether it’s to match an existing design or create a completely new range. Each colour which features in the Kaleidoscope Jewels collection was carefully chosen to complement Anna’s existing interior product collections, while also enhancing the final hand-knotted rug design.
About Anna Sutherland
Through the Anna Sutherland label (formerly Maddison Jayne) Anna uses functional interior pieces to showcase her passion for textiles and design, each piece celebrating colour and pattern while exploring scale, composition and repetition of her hand drawn elements.
