Fern Simpson
My name is Fern Simpson, I am currently a Textile Designer living in Ipswich, Suffolk. My interest in Art began back in 2006. I started designing, and it soon became apparent to me, the level of freedom I could obtain within my own designs. There was no right or wrong outcome – just my individual endless patterns, which I enjoyed creating.
I continued this interest for designing with a year at Suffolk New College studying Art and Design. I explored individual various printing methods. This included lino prints – both singular and layered. I began studying textiles intensely, as I recognised my passion was devloping in this direction. This included learning simplistic and intricate embroidery, crocheting, and knitting patterns, as well as fabric dying. Such flexibility of art, and the endless possible designs I had already begun to create, continued to fuel my admiration for the subject. After completing my year at Suffolk New College, I went to Colchester Institute where I took a three year course, and achieved my Fashion and Textiles degree.
Interior design is where my enthusiasm lies, in particular convases. My inspiration derives from the natural world around me, primarily flowers. I find their organic shapes very soft and elegant, where I can work using the negative space around motifs, to explore further organic swirls or intricate detailing. I enjoy using a varity of mediums and techniques – acrylic paints, glitter, sequin stitching and spray paints, all combined to create original designs. I am a very methodical worker and take into consideration colour choices – being bold, soft or neutral – repetition styles, shape placements and intricate detailing, when creating each new design.
My canvases have been displayed and sold at Dedham Art and Craft Centre. I intend to update my Etsy shop in the future with new and upcoming designs, however at present, for any questions or enquiries feel free to contact me at fern_simpson1@hotmail.com
In the future I intend to explore wider interior design options, which will include textiles such as wallpaper, bedlinen and housewares. However, at present, canvases are a large part of my enthusiasm, which I dream to see in interiors both locally and nationally.
If you like any of Fern’s artwork, it can be purchased in the Food Hall until mid October, find her work upstairs in the Café.