Kildare textile artist is inspired by animals

A textile creator who designs through the eyes of the animals who inspire her is set to feature at Gifted, the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair, at the RDS from November 30 to December 4.

In the spirit of keeping her supply chain local, she has turned her attention to Ireland’s only native sheep breed, Galway Sheep, to create a 24-inch framed piece inspired by their nearly 360-degree vision.

She also works within their range of colour perception – largely greens and blues, as they do not have receptors for the colour red.

For this Dáthanna na t-Íarthar sheep range, Amy uses natural dyes to evoke the markings found on flocks, and her pieces feature distinctive yellow ear-tags with QR codes that link to her supply chain.

She also crochets designs using the distinctive wool.

Additionally, inspired by the UV-centric vision of bees, she has created a fabric which appears white in daylight but reveals illuminated honeycomb structures under ultraviolet light.

“It is my mission to work in collaboration with nature towards slower fashion, with the idea that the human perspective is not the only viewpoint,” said Amy.

“There is a world of intelligence out there that we don’t have immediate access to, and that is what I try to evoke.

“Ultimately, my goal is to cut through the unsustainable practices of the wider fashion industry.”

Ireland’s largest collection of sustainable Christmas gifts will be featured at Gifted, the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair, which takes place at the RDS from November 30 to December 4.

Gifted is the ultimate destination for anyone interested in design, craft and unique independent brands and will attract an expected 35,000 visitors over five days.

Over €5 million will be spent at the traditional opening to the festive season in Dublin, featuring over 500 designers, makers and artisan food producers.

Gifted will also feature Ireland’s largest collection of sustainable Christmas gifts for both adults and children.

The Sustainable Edit is a collection of sustainably produced beauty products, clothing and gift ideas as well as some incredible vintage clothing.

The Fair also features contemporary Irish jewellery, fashion, accessories, ceramics, interiors, art, photography and children’s gifts.

Gifted also hosts over 100 artisan food producers and you can meet experts who can help you source the tastiest festive fare.

It will also host a series of free workshops, presented by Irish makers, where visitors can make their own crafts such as mini-terrariums and weave their own Christmas decoration.

There will also be a series of children’s workshops over the weekend where kids can make their own Christmas decorations. 

There will be 10% off everything at Gifted on the opening day, Wednesday, November 30. 

Gifted, the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair, will take place at Dublin's RDS from Wednesday, November 30 to Sunday, December 4.  Full details and booking can be found at www.giftedfair.ie.