ABOUT

I am an Icelandic UK based artist, living and working in East Sussex. I studied Art and Design foundation course at St.Eriks Folkhogskola, Stockholm Sweden, followed by Mixed Media Textiles and Art History at the Iceland Academy of Arts, Reykjavik, and BA Hons Printed Textiles at Middlesex Polytechnic, London. After leaving art school I began produced experimental textiles for fashion, furnishing and furniture, focusing on the exploration of geometric patterns developed from drawing. Processes used included dyeing, screen printing, blade and lazer cutting and fabric manipulation. Between 1998-2008 I was co-owning and ran an interior textile and surface partnership “Santos & Adolfsdottir” specializing in experimental textiles for interiors and working with architects, interior designers and private clients. I have also been involved in design consultancy both in the UK and abroad. I have exhibited in design events, gallery's and museums in the UK and internationally and have work in museum, public and private collections. Work has been featured extensively in the global press and publications.

Currently I am mainly drawing, exploring graphite, coloured pencils and ink on paper. I am also translating aspects of drawing into textile ideas particularly focussing on hand tufting as a technique. I have a fascination with the urban architectural space, waste culture, repeat patterns and geometric forms found in the urban environment, which is a constant source of visual inspiration to extract from. I am also interested in the relationship between ornament and abstraction historically and culturally. Tribal textiles and artefacts from around the world, particularly from Africa and the Pacific are used as visual reference and inspiration. Aspects of nature are also very important and always present; horizons, skies, fields, trees, colour, all of which feed into my practice.