Kendall’s passion for paper grows

QEST Sanderson Design Co. Scholar Kendall Clarke is fascinated by paper textiles.

This passion and curiosity has given her the opportunity to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan later this year, thanks to her QEST Scholarship which has been made possible by funding from Sanderson.

Kendall will spend time in Kyoto learning how to make her own paper yarn from scratch.

“I wanted to be self-sufficient in my materials, as well as reduce their environmental impact, so I tracked down expert Hiroko Karuno who is going to teach me the traditional Japanese craft of paper spinning and shifu weaving.”

Kendall will also participate in a four-week artist residency in an artisanal paper-making region of Japan, practising her new skills. 

“Japan has a culture of using paper in domestic and architectural settings that we just don’t have in Europe. When I come back from Japan I want to pass on these endangered craft skills to other makers to ensure they don’t disappear and to help grow the interest in paper textiles here.”

As part of her project, Kendall will also research the potential for paper textiles commercially, particularly for interiors, and find out whether there could be a market for such products in the UK.

Sanderson Design Group CEO and QEST Trustee Lisa Montague said the company is delighted to be funding Kendall’s training.

“Kendall’s dedication to the exploration of paper yarns and weave techniques captured my attention. The delicate finesse of her work is beautiful, and her structural layering of yarns gives an architectural strength to the pieces that appear so fragile.”

Kendall’s love of making started at an early age.

“I’ve always made things – I was taught by my grandma how to knit when I was eight years old. I still knit my own jumpers,” she said.

She began weaving when she found herself with kilos of wool from a small flock of sheep she was keeping. She began by weaving rugs, and “got hooked”.

So, she furthered her knowledge through a technical diploma and then an MA, which led her to making art textiles. She now runs her own studio practice from Cockpit Studios, Bloomsbury, making textile works for exhibitions and galleries, including two-dimensional wall pieces and sculptures.

She said the chance to advance her knowledge and learn from the best in Japan is a unique opportunity.

“I wouldn’t have been able to fund this training myself at this point in my career, so having this time to really thoroughly research and learn new skills is amazing,” she said.

“I feel very lucky to be part of the QEST community. And having Sanderson as a sponsor, with their history and commercial knowledge, is an added privilege.”

“The scholarship is not just funding one trip to Japan, it will feed my practice for years to come.”