Kim Norrie

Painting London Happy is inspired by the joyful accidents and ironies I have spotted on my daily adventures in and around London: a beautiful flower box graffitied in the night, a lost pair of gloves placed comically on a fence or a spilt pot of paint left in frustration. 

This curiosity of place began a few years ago: Grandad lived just two streets down from me, we had lunch every day and fish and chips for dinner on a Saturday. Our shared lives was a huge part of my childhood, so when he needed full time care and his house was to be sold, I couldn’t believe the heartache that came with saying goodbye to what I thought was merely a place. The realisation that the objects we used every day would be disregarded; the blanket on the back of his sofa, the funny green square that supported his back and the crazy kitchen carpet, broke my heart.

A powerful awareness of the fierce emotional significance of the objects within a place is what drives my work. It is why the handcrafted techniques and materials I use are so important. They help create textiles which offer a feeling of care and comfort within an interior application.

Growing up in Scotland and having a close relationship to the textile mills there mean I am very passionate about my heritage. While I have moved away from the stereotypical plaids we are famous for, I still employ the traditional techniques I grew up around, alongside my own original processes. By pushing the boundaries of my practice I offer a more playful, updated aesthetic for Scotland. A Knitted wonderland of soft furnishings…but not as you have ever seen them before. A swirling colourful mass of comfort, happily handcrafted for you to treasure, play and surround yourself in.