Alicia Rowbotham is a British visual artist and textile designer exploring the creative potential of materiality within contemporary interiors. A Central Saint Martins alumna and recipient of The Clothworkers Company award, she specialises in bespoke design and making, working across textiles, artworks, and objects. Through her London-based studio, Alicia repurposes surplus materials from the UK textile industry, transforming them into thoughtfully crafted pieces that merge traditional craftsmanship with modern design. Her work reflects a deep appreciation for process, material innovation, and the narratives woven into the objects we live with.
Can you share your experience in the design industry and how you came to work with surplus materials?
I first became fascinated with the textile industry during my time at Central Saint Martins, where I studied woven textile design. My research focused on both the global environmental impact of the industry and the rich textile heritage of the UK. I later discovered that my own family had a history of running textile factories in Yorkshire, which deepened my interest in the field.
Early on, I became drawn to the idea of repurposing surplus materials in innovative ways. The materials I work with—often called pre-consumer waste—include materials that have been dyed incorrectly or the ends of warps from industrial looms. I began building relationships with textile mills across the country, collecting surplus silk, wool, and other high-quality materials that would otherwise go to waste. Since then, reclaimed materials have been at the heart of my practice, shaping everything from artworks and objects to bespoke finishes for interiors.
Your work merges traditional and contemporary elements, particularly in your striped pieces that resemble fabric swatches. Can you tell us more about this process and how you developed it?
My background is in woven textiles, a highly technical and methodical craft that takes years to master. I've always been drawn to the idea of blending traditional craftsmanship with a bold, contemporary aesthetic.
The technique of yarn wrapping is traditionally used in textile design to experiment with colour ratios and stripe patterns on a small scale. Typically, these wrappings are just a few inches long, serving as a guide for woven fabric palettes. I wanted to take this concept and amplify it, scaling it up into large, striking compositions that celebrate the impact of colour and proportion.
The colours in my work are influenced both by my own observations of nature and by the surplus materials I source. The silk I use arrives in large, matted bundles, which I meticulously sort, comb through, and organise by colour. Each piece contains tens of thousands of silk threads, individually wrapped around wood to create vibrant, structured forms.
How do you approach colour in your work?
Moss 1 & 2
I love exploring colour and proportion, especially how colours shift depending on what they're placed next to. The way hues interact can completely transform their appearance, creating unexpected depth and movement. This interplay is at the core of my work, allowing me to experiment with bold contrasts and subtle harmonies.
What excites you most about working with materials like silk, wool, and cast aluminium?
I'm drawn to materials with traditional associations of luxury, like silk and wool, and enjoy contrasting their softness with my bold, contemporary aesthetic. The ultra-modern finish of cast aluminium adds another layer of contrast, creating a dynamic interplay between texture and form.
Aluminium is particularly exciting to work with—it's versatile, easily shaped, and perfect for custom designs. Plus, it's 100% recyclable without losing quality, making it a highly sustainable material choice.
How did you transition from wrapping threads to layering sections, as seen in your new work Blue Meadow?
I'm drawn to the bold, graphic quality of the silk wrappings, and I love how they contrast with softer colour gradients and textures. In my studio, I experiment with a range of textile techniques, often taking elements of traditional craftsmanship and reinterpreting them.
For Blue Meadow, I layered appliqué silk threads onto canvas, creating dense, striking fringing. Each colour is carefully trimmed into alternating layers, forming a gradient effect.
What do you hope viewers take away from your work?
Ultimately, I want my pieces to invite reflection on how we interact with materials, how they shape our spaces, and how we can approach them with greater intention.
What's it like bringing your work together with Christopher Pike's wood sculptures in a gallery setting?
I always design my work with the gallery context in mind, so it's exciting to see it come together as a collection. I think my pieces and Christopher Pike's sculptures complement each other beautifully. We both work with natural materials— I use silk and wool, two of the most versatile fibres, while Christopher works with wood, one of the most adaptable materials. Both our practices explore ideas of repetition and proportion, creating a harmonious dialogue in the space.
Alicia Rowbotham and Christopher Pike is now showing, until 20th February 2025.
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