Diva Keith
“When working with textiles I use unwanted post-industrial and post-consumer fabrics and reimagine them into unique, interesting and functional pieces of art.”
“Currently I am Upcycling Ambassador at the TUCC shop where I reimagine and transform tired, vintage furniture and unwanted, deadstock textiles, giving them another life. My work currently focuses on upcycling textiles and furniture, but if given the chance I’ll reimagine anything if it encourages circular thinking and engages users into considering repurposed possibilities.”
“Collection 1 Reimagined Sophistication: Tweed has been dyed, embroidered and printed to create a sophisticated kilt design.
Collection 2 Refound Blue: Tweed with light printing adorned with felt and embroidery. Inspired by verdant mossy growth.
Collection 3 Refound Oatmeal: Herringbone and barleycorn woven tweed, layered with needle felting and embellished with embroidery. Inspired by protruding plants.
Collection 4 Reimagined Utility: Made with Halley Stevensons Waxed Cotton, designed for the practical yet adventurous individual. The collection communicates with the materials purpose in outwear and in the workplace giving a utilitarian impression. The collection utilises Black Watch tartan, a significant print in Scottish history.”
Diva Keith
Upcycling Ambassador at the TUCC shop
BA (Hons) Textile Design
Duncan Of Jordanstone College of Art
Statement
“I am a mixed media, circular designer based either in the TUCC shop or making at home. When working with textiles I use unwanted post-industrial and post-consumer fabrics and reimagine them into unique, interesting and functional pieces of art. Recently my practice has developed into upcycling and reimagining vintage wooden furniture, giving forgotten pieces some TLC and transforming them to continue their life.
My Graduate project repurposed waste textile off-cuts, using natural fibres that are biodegradable, water resistant and locally manufactured. The thinking protested fast fashion and synthetic materials, and communicated the benefits of thinking circular and thinking local. I drew visual, textural and compositional inspiration from the natural environment and in conjunction, a local oil rig site.
My approach was driven by experimental, process-led development and explored a plethora of fabric manipulation techniques. The collections feature mid-long skirts, the silhouettes a salute to traditional Scottish womenswear, and waxed cotton has advantages of tackling the erratic Scottish climate. I produced 4 collections, 3 in Harris Tweed and 1 in Waxed Cotton, and in further detail via my Linktree on Graduate Showcase 2021.
Currently I am Upcycling Ambassador at the TUCC shop where I reimagine and transform tired, vintage furniture and unwanted, deadstock textiles, giving them another life. My work currently focuses on upcycling textiles and furniture, but if given the chance I’ll reimagine anything if it encourages circular thinking and engages users into considering repurposed possibilities.
In my spare time I can be found felting or at my sewing machine creating a bag or garment, or I sometimes crochet… I picked the skill back up when in lockdown, but I had learned it from my gran when I was a child.”
Materials and Techniques
I am tactile and texture driven but as a future designer it is crucial to take accountability for the lifecycle of materials. The materials I source are important as they carry my message of circularity.
Materials
Waxed Cotton, Harris Tweed, Linen, Wool, Cotton, Denim, Leather, various paints & varnishes
Techniques
Embroidery, Felting, Hand Stitching, Machine Stitch, Printing, Dying, Sanding, Painting, Carpentry, Upholstery, Piping, Pattern Cutting, Stenciling, Spray Painting, Patchwork & Upcycling techniques
Awards, Exhibitions and News
Exhibitions
Première Vision with Harris Tweed Hebrides, 2021
Lacuna Festivals, Clash, 2022
Lüuma Collective, Seamless Transitions, 2022
Residencies/Experiences
Cyprus 2021, 7 person artist group for Grampus Heritage Traditional Skills painted a 28meter Lefkaritika Lace pattern on a concrete wall in the quint village of Pano Lefkara. The project explored culture, tradition and the craft of the local people whilst aiming to encourage tourism in the local area. We were working with the community listening to stories of the lacemaking craft, where it was done and who for and translating that into a permanent visual feature artwork piece.
Catalonia 2022, as a 4 person artist group we lived on an off-grid olive farm learning local traditional skills, crafts and stories. We produced and executed a 12 metre mural which was inspired by the local environment and renewable energy sources which utilised the local Riba-Roja d’Ebre river to create an innovative hydroelectric dam. We incorporated upcycled and found materials within the design to give it a 3D tactile perspective. On our final day we presented our artworks to the local Ajuntament and community, hosting an evening in the sun discussing our ideas and themes.
Our work for this mural, its influences and reflections were featured in Lanzarote’s Lacuna Festival exhibition under the theme clash. You can view our conversation here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He9Pi9AIDuI&t=2470s
During this time we also learned about and created Cap Grossos, a paper mache mask used in traditional Catalonian festivals. Our masks are now used by the local children in the festival parades, chosen by the local Ajuntament.
Exciting News
During my time as Upcycling Ambassador at Tayside Upcycling & Craft Centre a Community Interest Organisation, I have witnessed the teams incredible success, together with a cohort of circular artists and designers we have saved over 20 tonnes of furniture and 1 tonne of textiles from landfill.
Effects of during and after the pandemic
“The pandemic was a tricky time. I contracted Covid-19 near the end of my 3rd year in Textile Design at DJCAD; luckily the project we were working on was paper based therefore the work wasn’t highly disrupted, it was a few months later, entering my final year that I felt the restrictions. Altogether we were granted access to the workshops for a handful of months, but we made it work. There was a large sense of community within the university – we were all in it together. With this in mind, I still found joy in my final year at university to deeper develop creative practice. It was the end of the experience which felt robbed, to not experience a physical degree show and to showcase a years work to friends and family.
But as we move on from the pandemic, I have moved into a creative job which started and flourished during the 2020 crisis. This job allows me the chance to engage with fellow creatives, many of which really grew their practice during the pandemic. If anything positive came from the pandemic I would say it allowed more people to follow creative paths.”
