A LITTLE ABOUT US
Joy and I have known each other for many years, as our children have grown up together. Our career paths crossed a couple of years ago, when Joy visited one of my exhibitions. She suggested making some of my more contemporary paintings and printmaking into scarves - it really was a turning point in both our lives. When she shared the samples, I was beyond excited! They really were beautiful. And so RubyKite was created.
We’re incredibly excited about the possibilities for RubyKIte. Making our products as sustainable as possible is really important to us. We’re already minimising waste; printing in small batches and replacing our gift boxes with silk pouches made from off-cuts from our “Tree” design, as well as printing with dyes that are AZO free. But there’s still so much more we can do.
Our aim is to create treasured, timeless pieces that prioritise longevity over fast fashion; original art scarves that stand-out in a world of mass production.
ABOUT TAMARA
I originally studied Graphic Design at Kingston Art College, graduating with a BA in design - all of which seems like a million years ago! I spent the next 30 years running my own design agency in London, creating and designing for brands worldwide, before revisiting the printmaking I so loved at art college, which led me to create RubyKite Arts & Scarves with Joy.
My design background informs and influences all of our work, from a love of composition and visual space, to the energy and freedom of abstract line work. I love exploring the tactile qualities that gypsum creates with intricate textures that become hugely abstracted when scaled large over our scarves. The gypsum creates a signature palette of chalky, natural tones, which work well on silk and cashmere.
Our Ideas are inspired by nature and always start with drawings, with the landscape around my studio near The River Thames being an especially strong influence. The colours change through each season and are inspirational in so many ways.
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My paintings can be found here https://www.tamarawilliams.co.uk/
ABOUT JOY
Whilst I was working out what I was going to do with my life after University I worked in the scarf department at Liberty’s, which set me on my career path of working in fashion and textiles. After ten years of working in retail I then jumped to the other side and worked for an Italian printer from Como developing scarf collections for retailers.
In the last few years I have been working freelance, using printers in Europe and India, to develop beautiful scarves for galleries and museums to tie in with their exhibitions.
Ruby Kite is my dream! I have always wanted to produce beautiful artworks on unique products using the best qualities of fabric.
I love the idea of creating something special which may cost a bit more, but you will be able to keep wearing it and enjoying it for many years.
FEATURED MAKER 2024
This month we are very privileged to be the featured maker at The Bluecoat Gallery in Liverpool. Here is a snippet of the feature. The full interview is on their website, along with a selection of our sea-themed scarves in the summer show. Such a beautiful gallery filled with arty treasures.
What inspires your work?
Being outside, whether in the countryside or in a city. Looking, thinking, and imagining. Stepping outside the world of art allows you to think freely. Daydreaming is the best form of inspiration for each of our colour stories.
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Describe your workspace.
I moved to the riverside about eight years ago. We were fortunate to have a space that we could re-design to accommodate my painting and printmaking. I converted an old garage into my studio. At the time, I was still consulting for my design agency a couple of days a week. It was before Joy and I started RubyKite, so the space was more design than art based.
I found a huge wood top table which I rebuilt to create a space for boards and panels underneath. It became the centrepiece of the room, surrounded by other worktops and a wall filled with shelves for my little paintings and books. When we started designing our scarves the space evolved. The big table is now covered in layers of paint and ink, my Mac is relegated to the back of the room and my books have been replaced by paintings and fabric swatches. I do like to be surrounded by finished paintings. It helps to inform new directions.
It already had large east facing windows at one end, which make the studio light beautiful in the mornings. And I look out onto apple trees and fields which are filled with buttercups and ox-eye daisies in the spring. Just about perfect for all that daydreaming!
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What is your favourite piece or design you have made?
That’s a tricky one. Joy and I both like different colour combinations. Joy is all about colour whilst I’m into neutrals. It’s great to have different starting points as it challenges us both to think about what works and what doesn’t.
So, to answer the question, my two favourites are ‘Tree’ which is our very first design and a true neutral with contrasting yellow edging. And ‘Rockpool’ with its subtle tones of slate, ochre and stone. Both images were created on cast plaster with layers of texture and mark-making.
Joy’s favourite is our latest design, ‘Northern Lights’ with all its bright pops of pink, lime and orange against an inky blue background.
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Who has influenced & inspired you?
My earliest memories are of the illustrations in many of the older books my parents collected. I loved the storytelling and greatly admired the work of illustrators such as Eric Ravilious with his Imagined modernist landscapes and detailed wood engravings. As a teenager I became interested in Bauhaus, especially in the geometric patterns created by textile artist and printmaker, Anne Albers. I also connected with the use of typography and word play in design. The work of brilliant graphic designers such as Milton Glaser, Saul Bass, Alan Fletcher, and Peter Saville informed my choice of career. The way these designers combined graphic imagery with powerful words to communicate their ideas had a huge impact on me.
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About Bluecoat Gallery
Established in 1959, Bluecoat Display Centre has championed the lasting value of contemporary craft and design from our gallery in Liverpool for over 65 years. We display and sell unique, hand-crafted work by over 250 talented and exceptionally skilled independent British studio-based artists working in ceramics, glass, jewellery, metal, paper, textiles and wood.
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