A Collage from our John Booth Workshop Made into a Playful Rug Design

Following our design session with artist John Booth as part of London Design Festival last year, we’re sharing the selected design that was made into a woven rug⁠.

During the workshop and after learning about John Booth's analogue approach to his bold, colourful designs, we were encouraged to get our hands busy making collages through cutting, gluing, and drawing.

⁠A collage by Szonja Gibarti was selected and after bit of design development and selecting pom colours with rug designer Gill Thorpe, the rug was ready to be made into a flatwoven piece by the weavers we work with in India.⁠

⁠‘‘I grabbed the colours that I was most inspired by, pink and red and started to make compositions.⁠ John Booth mentioned that he never makes through rendering, he just sketches something up and that’s the idea.

⁠I think that’s something that has stopped me drawing in the past, because I was always insecure about submitting something that’s not perfectly rendered. ⁠It broke down a wall and I just started sticking down ideas and making loads of drawings.’ Szonja Gibarti

⁠What we loved about this project was the freedom that John’s approach to design brought to others. John reminded us to sit and make and be led by colours and materials, and to not overthink it! The playfulness and nuances found in analogue design is what makes a really wonderful and unique piece, which is totally reflected in Szonja’s rug.⁠ A reminder to stay playful!

Scroll down to see the story in pictures.