February 2024

In this issue

Collect 2024
Celebrating 30 years

Collect, 29th February - 3rd March
Somerset House, London

Still Breathing (ii) 2023. Photo: Abdollah Nafisi

The Crafts Council’s exhibition “Collect” is at Somerset House, London, from Thursday 29th February until Sunday 3rd March. This year I am showing two pieces inspired by the work of Bridget Riley with Contemporary Applied Arts. “Still Breathing (ii)” is a panel that attempts to capture the essence and rhythm of nature, using the inherent tension in wood to produce a 3 dimensional development of Bridget’s original “Breathing” from 1966. “Screen (i)” is a free standing 3 panel version of this work, celebrating the colour blue. I will be at the show on Friday 1st March.

It started with a kiss (2023), Oak, charred oak & Indian ink.

Ribbon rocking chair, Ash, stainless steel & leather

In conjunction with Collect, CAA are showing two other Bridget Riley inspired pieces with a Ribbon rocking chair in their gallery in Paddington Street, Marylebone. “Still Breathing (i)” is a smaller version of the panel in Somerset House and “It started with a kiss” follows from Riley’s 1961 work “Kiss”.

Celebrating 30 years

I started Katie Walker Furniture in 1994 to complete commissions from my Royal College of Art show the previous year. My first clients were David and Serenella Ciclitira who showed such faith in me all those years ago. They went on to found the stART art fair supporting emerging artists from around the world. I had the support of a Setting Up grant from the Crafts Council for tools that I still use today, exhibition opportunities from the hugely missed Peta Levi’s New Designers in Business (now Design Nation), mentoring from ever enthusiastic former Master of the Furniture Makers Company Roger Richardson, a Princes Youth Business Trust loan, been part of Walpole’s Crafted programme and received various awards and grants from other bodies. I have worked with some great makers such as Roger Smith, Dave Green and Sitting Firm and both Lytton Furniture and Benchmark. Some of my designs have sold in the hundreds; some, such as the furniture in 10 Downing Street, have been sat on by hundreds. Some pieces remain in private hands but others are on public display.

Still Breathing (ii) and the Windsor Rocker at Dulwich Picture Gallery with Blue Patch

Today, working from my studio/workshop that was purpose designed and built with my husband and Andy Trotman of Timberwright in 2010, I continue to refine my practice. I make some of my signature pieces such as the Ribbon Rocking Chair but several designs are now made by Matthew Burt’s team of brilliant craftsmen. I have design collaborations with Elvis & Kresse and Gaze Burvill (who I first met exhibiting with Simon in 1995). My work is shown by Contemporary Applied Arts in London, VSOP in New York and, with boundless support from Madeleine Bessborough, at the New Art Centre, Roche Court, Salisbury - well worth a visit if you have not already done so.

The Beam Bench with an Elvis & Kresse rescued leather cover at New Art Centre, Roche Court, Salisbury.

I have recently felt more empowered to explore and play. The urge to create more sculptural work has always been there and has been a key driver in my furniture design but recently my love of and experience in working in wood has given me freedom to produce work with absolutely no function - just as works of art. This I have found both enjoyable and rewarding and has helped me remain innovative in my commercial practice.

To my long standing Trusteeship of the Edward Marshall Trust, I have recently added Woodland Heritage. It is more important than ever before to not only source materials for structural purposes but to do so because they are the right choice for the environment. Wood is intrinsically linked to our future and I’m passionate about helping Woodland Heritage promote this.