My name is Kirsty Ida Brown and I'm a Textile Artist.
As an artist, I take my visual inspiration from Scotland's natural environment, I borrow my materials from nature such as Scottish wool and I borrow colour from nature through natural dyes.
I strive to work in line with nature and have a positive impact on the planet.‘Biophilia’ is the fundamental truth that people need a relationship with nature to be happy. Having a connection with nature has proven to be a significant factor in improving mental health and wellbeing and I hope my work promotes this connection and highlights the importance of respecting nature.
2024
I'm continuing to grow ida design and am excited about adding some of my watercolour prints to my shop. Also, in September I will be starting an MSc in Art Psychotherapy at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.
Hand felted Bookmarks
Hand felted and sewn purses
Watercolour of Helensburgh Reservoir
2023-2024
Through being a Creative Associate with Albatross Arts I was able to facilitate a range of workshops. Leading a wet felt workshop for volunteers of Alzheimer Scotland, facilitating a range of mixed media workshops for children and providing a workshop for Dyslexia Scotland's annual youth day.
Alzheimer's Scotland, wet felting workshop
Children's mixed media workshop, Rhu
Dyslexia Scotland annual youth day
2022 - 2023
I spent time building my small Business 'ida design' I experimented with different products I could make with wet felting and naturally dyed wool, staying in line with my sustainable values. I launched my online shop, attend lots of markets and got my products stocked in shops such as the Scottish Design Exchange.
WASP Spring Market, Glasgow
SDX Edinburgh
2018 - 2022
I attended Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee. I specialised in Textile Design and in my final year I found my interest in the process of felting. I was lucky to attend London New Designers in 2022 where I exhibited my final degree project which focused on the beauty of 'awakening' and 'sleeping' nature. Promoting the sustainable material of wool that I had naturally dyed.
'Awakening'
New Designers Exhibition, London
