Tea with digestives

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Wednesday 10 July 2013

About me : my design portfolio

Introduction

I am a self taught designer and maker. I have always been involved in some level of designing and making thanks to growing up in a make do and mend and be creative family. 

Following careers in medical science and teaching I am now following my passion to work creatively. I now sell my handmade items at local craft markets and on line and a gift shop.

examples of my involvement in creative projects 2000- 2012

(1)  between 2000-2002:  I exhibited and sold my mixed media at London's Spitalfield's Art Market and had 3 exhibitions of my work. The work involved hand dyeing my own tissue paper and using recycled papers and magazine pages to create art that has a personal development theme.

(2) I designed a children’s duvet cover, called “love to learn” for Fou Furnishing which has been sold successfully by them. This company specialises in luxury high end organic bed linen and uses certified organic textiles.  I approached my design with the view to pleasing children and also creating a design which would reflect the high quality of the fabric and embroidery workmanship which is part of the Fou Furnishings style. My winning design represents the things that fascinate young learners like animals, numbers and celebrates the way their enthusiastic minds make connections between things with their imaginations for storytelling. 

my duvet design from the Fou Furnishings website 
www.foufurnishings.com


(3) I won a prize for my design for the Soil Association “design a T-shirt competition” My design is called "Organic adds up" My explanation for the design I submitted is as follows, "Supporting organic is about getting the balance right the way mother nature intended without the use of artificial factors. The mathematical logo idea came about of my science background and though fictional the equation works  it because it looks striking and makes you think about what it could mean. I choose colours which would have a broad appeal and could be used on t-shirts or bags"

(4) My entry to “The British Sari Story” competition run by Bridging Arts is in a  book published by the Victoria and Albert Museum called “British Asian Style”. There is a page about my inspirations my design based on dandelion flowers and seed heads. 

(5) I have also contributed several craft projects for a published book “101things to do with glitter” by Momtaz Begum-Hossain, published Autumn 2012. One of my designs for the book was used on the front cover ( blue lace paper notebook)





The book cover with my notebook design project

a popular project from the book  mini affirmations message board 

(6) In 2002, I won a Millenium award with which I run two workshops for local residents in Enfield which culminated in an exhibition of their work which was based on using creativity through art to aid personal development and achieve their goals.

(7) I have made several wedding bouquets from fresh flowers and also jewellery and beads. This one was made with broken jewellery and donated beads.


recycled jewellery and vintage button bouquet designed and
 created by Fatema Hossain
(picture taken Alexandre Pichon )

fresh flower bouquet designed and created by Fatema Hossain
(picture taken by Jolekha Shasha)


Cards , Children's t-shirts, art & accessories

tea cups greeting card hand drawn and painted greeting card

tea time treats collage and painted greeting card

hand drawn tea time greeting card 

hand dyed and hand drawn child's  tea shirt

hand drawn tea cup design ladies vest top


textile and fabric brooch with a cell design in a mini petri dish
this is one my science and art designs


paper flower fridge magnet made with recycled pages from old library books


paper rose fridge magnet 



adjustable bead and textile ring with mohair and beads

I enjoy drawing freestyle mark making in black ink as well as painting with a freehand style using mixed media, watercolour and acrylics mainly on paper and fabrics.


I am available for commissions to make one of cards, children's t-shirts, at work and accessories.  Please contact me via my folksy shop or twitter.

In case you were wondering "Rara Avis" is Latin for something special, unique, rare and can refer to a special person or a special item.