kate B. Textile Design is owned and operated by designer and maker, Kate Busby. Kate is a trained textile artist, and a founding member of Toronto’s Contemporary Textile Studio Co-operative. She is a graduate of the Crafts and Design Program at Sheridan College, and holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto with a specialist in Visual Studies, and a major in Art History.
"My passion for craft stems from my desire to create intimacy between people and their belongings. I believe that the appeal of the craft object is in its inherent narrative; the story of the maker told through the creation of their work, and the continued evolution of the object as it is used and loved by its owners. In our present culture, quality and beauty are being overlooked and demand to follow changing trends results in goods that are quickly bought and discarded. As a textile artist I strive to create well-crafted functional objects that will be considered modern-day heirlooms. It is through durability and a lasting aesthetic that a relationship is formed between the craft object and its user, allowing the object to take on new stories, and new meanings.
My work is created through the process of collage, and is based on a foundation of repetition of shape. Combining bold colour and a playful mixture of prints, including vintage, hand dyed, hand printed, and a range of textured fabrics and hand stitched embellishments, I create surfaces that can be explored and appreciated through touch as well as through sight. My work references traditional craft practices, such as quilting and embroidery, but plays with scale and colour to introduce contemporary aspects to established designs."
