Helen Prior

Her parent’s 70’s home, with large scale printed curtains and wallpaper, inspired Helen Prior to become a fabric designer and collector. She’s been called “fashion’s best kept secret”. Her print designs and incredible archive of textiles dating from the 1880’s have defined the collections of several world-famous designers

The organic, hand-crafted quality of her ceramics is what first inspired Helen Prior to start using clay as a sketchbook and canvas for her fabric designs. Her process begins by creating clay ‘manuscripts’ that are carved, cut, stamped, hand-glazed and fired. These ‘manuscripts’ became the building block for her creations. This multi-medium approach is what allows Helens forms and patterns to work seamlessly across fabrics, ornaments, wallpapers and furniture.

The subject matter of Helen Prior’s work comes from the sophisticated patterns and rhythms of nature. Layering leaves, flowers seeds. Cross referencing the wild flowers and weeds in her garden with stylized flowers in her textile archive to create hybrid, cross pollinated, super plants and patterns.