Lucienne Day and Angie Lewin

Lucienne Day: Calyx

Many things warm my heart – I’m lucky like that – but the thing that really makes it want to leap out of my chest and do a happy dance is beautiful illustrative design.

Lucienne Day is the queen of such design – not only did she display an amazing command of shape, colour, form and abstraction, but there is also, I think, a magical sense of playfulness in her work. Her designs convey a beautiful sympathy and understanding of the subjects she depicts – a real love of nature and natural forms. It’s as if she innately, intuitively ‘gets’ the basic make up of each leaf and flower. All this through the medium of textile design – amazing!

Lucienne Day: Dandelion Clocks

Lucienne Day: Trio

Lucienne Day was a pioneer of the kind of the design I adore. She died last year aged 93 after a lifetime of creating. You can see her work, along with husband Robin’s at ‘Robin and Lucienne Day: Design and the Modern Interior’, at the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester from 26 March to 26 June 2011.

Contemporary artist, Angie Lewin displays a similar empathy and tenderness for flora and fauna in her work. From her screen-printed fabrics for St Judes to her amazing wood carved prints – I’m always amazed by her ability to play with the ornate flourish of natural forms while still maintaining a sense of order and balance.

Angie Lewin: Dandelion One

Angie Lewin: Seedheads

Angie Lewin: Dandelion Two

You can buy these gorgeous designs along with other great original contemporary textiles at St Judes. And, if you’re quick you can bid for the last remaining copy of Angie Lewin’s Clifftop III wood engraving which she is selling to raise funds for Save The Children’s work in Japan following the recent earthquake – click here to start bidding.

Wonderful stuff.