Flora Hand Painted Artwork by Neisha Crosland. Image credit: Radu Palicica.

Textile designer Neisha Crosland has spent her career creating repeating patterns to apply to products ranging from textiles and wallpapers to tiles and fashion accessories. Fascinated by the ways in which a design can metamorphose depending upon its application, Neisha has become interested in a more conceptual approach – taking pattern from 3-D objects back to its singular form.

In a reversal of her usual practice, to anticipate the alchemy of a pattern which would then be applied to an object, Neisha has now considered how a motif can be brought to life as a work of art in its own right.  These unique hand-drawn and hand-painted portraits of pattern have been specially created for a selling exhibition at the Afridi Gallery in London, until 12 November.

Gardenia (Lavender) Hand Painted Artwork by Neisha Crosland. Image credit: Radu Palicica.

Shahbaz Afridi explains, ‘Neisha’s designs have worldwide appeal and it’s been fascinating to work with her on this very special exhibition. We’ve tried to bring Neisha’s designs back to their purest forms, and although we see echoes in the motifs that are reminiscent of the Classical, the Mughal, the Ottoman and Modern eras, Neisha’s reworking has made them uniquely her own.’

The pattern portraits will be displayed against a backdrop of the Gallery’s antique and contemporary carpets, collections of 20th century furniture, objects and lighting, revealing the dynamism and complexity of these extraordinarily lyrical works of art.

Tiger Moon Hand Painted Artwork by Neisha Crosland. Image credit: Radu Palicica.

Neisha trained in textiles at Camberwell School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. In 1994, she started her own eponymous textile label designing and producing scarves for international fashionable shops. In 2006, she was honoured with a Royal Designer for Industry Distinction (RDI) and in 2017 University of Arts London made her an Honorary Fellow in recognition for her work in textiles. Her book Life of a Pattern was published in 2017.

Neisha recently designed a range of cushions for prison charity Fine Cell Work, read more in our previous article, Neisha Crosland & Fine Cell Work.