Meet The Artist
Eleanor is a textile designer and maker, drawn to the quiet language of Japanese textile culture; a tradition rooted in mindfulness, the beauty of everyday objects, and the lifelong pursuit of craftsmanship.
Influences
Her work follows the rhythm of the seasons. Using dye plants grown in her garden in Worthing, she explores an Anglo-Japanese approach to textile design through natural, plant-based dyeing. Working with both freshly gathered and dried botanical materials, she creates a nuanced palette of tonal golds, yellows, oranges and soft, earthy browns. Tataki Zome (flower pounding) forms an integral part of her practice, using blooms from her own garden as well as surplus flowers from local growers.
From these textiles, Eleanor creates wall hangings, framed works, and pieces for the home; upholstered room dividers, lampshades, and fabrics designed to be used and lived with. She also sells lengths of fabric for others to incorporate into their own projects.
Origins
Her love of textiles began in childhood, sewing alongside her mother and aunt. She later studied design and engineering at university, before following a social justice thread throughout her career. She has worked in both India and the UK with women who have experienced trafficking, involvement in the criminal justice system, or homelessness; first through sewing and textiles, and later through baking initiatives. Today, she works within the NHS, continuing her commitment to marginalised communities.
Following a course in Shibori - textiles called her back, offering both creative freedom and a sense of quiet escapism, during the pandemic.
Discovery
Since 2019, Eleanor has studied Shibori dyeing techniques at Morley College in London. She continued her learning in Japan, studying with indigo artisan Takayuki Ishii and at the Shibori Museum in Kyoto under master practitioners. Alongside this, her practice has been shaped by ongoing self-directed study; reading, experimentation, and the development of her own techniques through hands-on making.
More recently, she travelled to Guatemala, where she visited a natural dye garden run by a women’s cooperative near Lake Atitlán. There, she deepened her understanding of natural dyeing processes, with a particular focus on the use of natural mordants and locally grown plants. This experience continues to inform both her growing practice and her evolving dye garden at home.
Environment
Sustainability sits at the heart of her work. Wherever possible, she sources vintage and second-hand fabrics, and works with reclaimed or antique furniture for upholstery. Her preference for natural dyes and processes reflects a conscious move away from synthetic, chemical-heavy methods used in large-scale textile production. By working with plant-based colour and low-energy, low-water techniques, she creates textiles that are not only beautiful, but intended to be as gentle as possible on both the environment and the home.
Wherever possible, she seeks out opportunities to learn from different cultures, allowing those encounters to gently shape and inform her work.
You can follow her process on Instagram and Facebook, and watch her practice evolve with the seasons.
For sales, please use the enquiry form.