THE CACTEYE ADVENTURE TO NEW DESIGNERS

The chair made the cut and off it went down to London for the New Designers Exhibition.

I was delighted to be showing at New Designers, and taking a piece of work that meant so much really made it a special event for me. As well as the chair i had the film playing, and my promotional materials including business cards and story postcards, a couple of real cacti and a few extra pompoms for effect. The chair was placed in the centre of the stand allowing people to move around it and interact with the chair, some lucky people got to sit in it and experience sinking into the forest.

I felt incredibly overwhelmed by the response the chair received. It attracted a lot of attention from people in the industry and from the public. People genuinely seemed amazed by the time and hand crafting that went into it, which as any maker knows is such a wonderful feeling, to know people not only enjoy your work but also appreciate the technique that goes into it. The UV torch that was on display to be used, proved a really strong idea which people responded to very well. I cant explain how it felt to see people engaging with the chair, being excited and stimulated, feeling the different sensory elements and really allowing themselves to be taken in by The Hungry Ghost and its tale. It was a very proud moment.

The making of The CactEye Chair has been the best experience for me this year. The year has been filled with so many highlights and not many low points, but the one on the top of that list, what I would describe as my biggest achievement yet, has been making The CactEye Chair.

The making of the chair was done under such time pressures that it was a very stressful period, it took over 150 hours of making. All by hand from partial knitting on the domestic machine, taking patience, time and extreme concentration, to hand sewing the individual pieces together on the chair, then stuffing and sewing details by hand to finish the chair.

It was the first time I had ever pattern cut, and working to this large, detailed arm chair was a difficult first project. It was the first time I had ever made anything of this size, and it took a lot of emotion and psychical effort to achieve what I have with the chair. It was completed over 2 weeks which meant a lot of 14 hours days of constant knitting and sewing, it was a very emotional journey but one that I will cherish. I cant say I have ever felt the same sense of achievement and for that I am thankful for my ambitious side!

A BUMPY RIDE...

The chair has been on some journey and that isn't over yet...with a bumpy ride in the van the chair damaged one of its back legs in the process! But thanks to Mark, we have it re-attached and screwed by on... stronger than it was before hopefully!