Gwynneth Burns

2022 Senior Exhibition Artists

Gwynneth Burns

Art + Design: Textile Design

About Gwynneth Burns

Gwynneth Burns is a native New Englander with an infatuation for the art of designing. Art and the act of making were introduced to her at an early age. Gwynn spent her childhood visiting art museums and took dozens of art classes accumulating a wide array of creative skills and developing an extensive visual library. Following her passion for the creative process, Gwynn enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2017, majoring in textile design. At school, Gwynn refined her skills and focused her studies on surface design. She utilized CAD/ digital design, traditional hand techniques, and unique processes she picked up along her creative journey. Gwynn is particularly interested in novelty prints, florals, paper good design, and interiors. After graduating in the Fall of 2022 with a BFA in textile design, Gwynn plans to enter the surface design industry. When she is not designing her heart away, she spends her time with friends exploring New England & beyond, volunteering, visiting museums, and practicing magic.

Statement

As I started to develop my senior caption project, I immediately knew I wanted to explore the metaphysical. Magic, witches, crystal, and other celestial themes have always inspired my work and surround my life. It has become a significant source of inspiration, and acts as a topic of interest and fascination. At UMass Dartmouth, I focused on surface design, creating various repeat patterns for different applications from interiors to apparel. Making a print collection is like magic to me, watching it grow from concept to sourcing inspiration, drawing motifs, puzzling it all together, and finding exuberant color combinations. So, when given the creative freedom for my capstone, I decided to combine my metaphysical interest with the magic I found in the textile design creative process.

I took my design process to the next level by producing the products I was designing for. The Art Nouveau, Rococo, Baroque, and Flower Power art periods inspired my illustrations and rendering style. I am influenced by traditional printing methods to depict line quality. I find the aesthetic of celestial-themed designs in the marketplace to be dated and dark. Lacking colorful, fun, and assorted designs in metaphysical themed goods. I wanted to create a collection of goods that reflected the joy, peace, and love people find, myself included, in their spiritual community/ practice.

The first piece I created for my Age of Aquarius collection is a multi-use tarot cloth. Tarot cards are an ancient divination tool used by people for centuries to gain insight into their lives. A reader's tarot deck is a sacred item and requires care, love, and protection. Tarot cloths are used to protect the deck from other energy and physical damage. These cloths are traditionally made of pure and natural fibers, such as silk, and create a sacred space for the card to be read. I wanted the cloth to appeal to tarot readers and the average consumer of commercial goods. My solution is a multiple-purpose silk cloth that can be used as a sacred tarot cloth or worn as a scarf.

Tarot Cloth Pink (detail), from the series, Age of Aquarius, 2022, reactive dye on silk satin fabric, 22x22in

The cloth’s imagery and motifs take inspiration from the natural world, incorporating the four elements. Each corner is represented by motifs symbolizing the elements, a mermaid sea scene for water, a campfire for fire, flora and fauna for the earth, and a dove flying in the sky for air. At the center of the design sits a circular mandala that represents the coming together of each division promoting peace among each element.

A large part of my collection focuses on stationery goods. I explored my drawing skills to depict a twelve-part zodiac series for greeting cards and stickers. Mimicking traditional print-making methods such as etching and woodblock, I drew twelve cards using old botanical imagery and vintage photos that I collaged together for each zodiac sign with their assigned flower sourced from the Biodiversity Heritage Library of public domain images. I then drew the design's digitality using line and cross-hatching techniques with a digital pen and tablet.

The collection also includes four repeat patterns for wrapping paper and wallpaper. There are four designs representing each element, earth, water, fire, and air. Each design includes motifs of the flower and symbol associated with each zodiac sign.

I designed the Age of Aquarius collection with the intent of making all the designs multipurpose, extending the life cycle of the design. The tarot cloth can be used for a scarf, the cards for an art print, and the wrapping paper to line drawers or for wallpaper. The complete collection encompasses the aesthetics of the new age reimagined in a brighter, more colorful nature; with products you can surround yourself in your day-to-day life.