Nicola Dobbs

For this project I am exploring Dundee’s rich textile history involving female Jute Mill workers. These women made up most of the workforce in the Jute Mills and were the backbone of Dundee’s historic textile industry. These women became the main providers for their families instead of men and in turn created a generation of women that were outspoken and independent – often described as loud, bright eyed and bold. Ultimately my goal is to capture the loud and outspoken personalities of these women through my work.

For my visual research for this project, I investigated less obvious imagery, seeking out things that are typically overlooked like peeling paint, rough textures, and graffiti from the existing Mills and their surrounding areas.

I extracted fun and vibrant colours, marks and textures from my imagery and incorporated them into paper collages and drawings, developing them further digitally to create both stand-alone designs and repeating patterns.

For this project I have created two collections of digitally printed textiles for domestic interiors. First is an energetic and spirited bedroom collection consisting of duvets and pillows, along with the ‘Disrupted Grid’ collection consisting of large scale, bold geometric wallpapers.  I’m designing for domestic interiors because I like the idea of reclaiming space in the home and paying homage to the female Mill workers who helped redefine the idea that women are solely domestic objects.