Eleanor Pritchard

It was the twice yearly Midcentury Modern fair in Dulwich yesterday. A regular event for St Jude’s, it’s always busy and a great chance to catch up with people but there’s always a risk - that we see something on another exhibitor’s stand that is going to make a dent in our takings.

Yesterday I’d barely started setting out our wares when I spotted one of Eleanor Pritchard’s blankets and put in an order.

Working from the Cockpit Studios in South London, she creates bespoke hand woven designs and samples her limited edition fabrics which are then mill-woven in Wales. Her colour palette is beautiful. Colours subtly gradate through strong patterns - often with bolder colours threading through.

I love the colours and patterns of traditional Welsh blankets (we often have these on sale at St Jude’s) and Eleanor’s work has strong links with this tradition.

Looking at Eleanor’s website it’s clear why her work is so individual. A drawing of ox-eye daisies and and a photograph of one of her storyboards created for an architectural commision for the new central office of the National Trust show the influence of landscape and plantforms in her colours and designs. Find out more at www.eleanorpritchard.com

Cockpit Open Studios (Deptford) is on 17th and 18th May 2008.