Australian Artists of Textile Designs
Florence Broadhurst – Artist
Risk-taker par excellence, style maven extraordinaire, her most exhilarating legacy is a design archive making waves around the world today. But this is where her legend begins.
Born in 1899 in a remote rural corner of Australia’s Queensland, Florence’s death was a violent murder at the age of 78. In between, she lived a series of vivid, fantastic lives.
Collette Dinnigan – Artist
Collette Dinnigan, a luminary in fashion design renowned for her exquisite work in textile design, lace, and embroidery. We are thrilled to have Collette as a distinguished artist within our collection, a partnership that has flourished through shared creative endeavours.
Chris Stone – Artist
Chris Stone Chris Stone Chris Stone, born in Leicester in 1950, has built an illustrious career as a textile designer, his artistic journey taking him
Kate Ceberano – Artist
Kate Ceberano, the Aussie music legend known for her electrifying contributions to the industry, has now extended her creative prowess into the realm of textile design, striking an exciting collaboration with the Australian Museum of Design (AMoD). This partnership has unveiled a limited edition line of art, napery, and soft furnishings, each piece a testament to Kate’s multifaceted talent and artistic vision.
Margaret Clark – Artist
Margaret Clark Margaret Clark As an acclaimed Australian illustrator, Margaret brought whimsy and charm to life through her enchanting ‘Federation Fairies’ series. Created in the
Roberta Montefano – Artist
Roberta Montorfano Roberta Montorfano Roberta Montorfano , an artist with Italian-Mexican heritage, has been a dynamic presence in the world of textile and graphic design,
David K Miles – Artist
David K Miles Clippling supplied by: Graeme Hutchinson who worked with David K Miles In the 1970’s there was a very small group of individuals
Donald Bruce Clark – Artist
Donald Bruce Clark Australia’s original artist and producer for Napery sold exclusively to David Jones and Grace Bros. A collection of his work is now with Australian Museum of Design part of Australia’s largest body of design history.
Lloyd Foye – Artist
Lloyd Foye was selected to illustrate this culturally significant artwork collection. One of his strengths was the ability to draw people. When you look at the faces in the artworks, it is clear he was the obvious choice. The facial expressions drawn in Lloyds notorious line style, show more emotion than even a photograph could capture.
Noel Lyons – Artist
Noel Lyons Biography “Australians decorate for a perpetual summer, and do not favour sombre colours” Noel Lyons Noel Lyons (1936-1995) was an Australian textile and
Commissioned Artists & Designers
During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, textile design houses worked in collaboration with various artists and designers to create patterns for wallpapers and fabrics. This practice was widely accepted within the industry, and it marked an era of innovation and artistic exploration.
In these decades, design houses recognised the value of diverse, eclectic, and sometimes unconventional artistic perspectives into their collections. To achieve this, they actively sought out talented individuals who could contribute unique patterns and designs. These artists and designers were often hired as freelancers or on a project basis.
What distinguished this period was the prevailing norm that these collaborations didn’t necessarily involve crediting individual artists for their work. Instead, the resulting patterns and designs were considered the intellectual property of the design company itself. This practice allowed the companies to maintain a cohesive brand identity while benefiting from a diverse range of creative influences.
The anonymity of the artists behind these patterns was, in a way, a testament to the primacy of the design house. It underscored the idea that the company’s vision and brand took precedence over individual recognition. Artists and designers were willing participants in this arrangement, often motivated by the opportunity to see their work reach a wide audience through the production and distribution capabilities of these established design houses.
As a result, the textile and wallpaper industry flourished with an array of captivating, diverse, and often groundbreaking designs during this period. The collaboration between design houses and the talented artists they employed, even if uncredited, played a vital role in shaping the aesthetic landscape of Australian design history and the world of interior design.
Largest body of Australian designs
Unseen by the public for more than 50 years
There’s nothing like a revival…