Bridging the space between art and functionality, the four designers and woodworkers who make up Kirralee and Co. have burst onto the interior design scene with their reclaimed timber homeware.
Working from a solar-powered shed near Ipswich, Queensland, they come together to create design-orientated, minimalist and sustainable solutions for living and decorating in the home. Their user-focused functional sculptures manage to both embellish a room and elevate the useable area, creating eye-catching spaces in which functionality is never sacrificed to style.
The timeless quality of the minimalist lines and mid-century design results in wooden pieces that grow and change as we do, enhancing both our living spaces and lifestyles.
The pieces are created from locally sourced unwanted wood, with which the designers interact intimately when designing. Each item is crafted in response to the wood’s natural character, bringing out its inherent strength and properties. From eye-catching wood grain to a poetic imperfection or a distinctive curve, the finished object is a direct response to the original material.
Founding member Kirralee Robinson began this particular journey in January of 2018. She started creating collage works from timber and cotton string, building on her previous woodworking experience in the belief that timber never stops teaching. She was particularly entranced by her engagement with the built environment and began taking night art classes, which challenged her to extend her creative perceptions into a three-dimensional space.
From here, Kirralee and Co. were born, marrying environmental and social values with intelligent design. If you’d like to find out more or browse through their creations, have a look here http://www.kirralee.co/gallery.
In her personal work, Kirralee questions the very nature of shapes. She asks: what is the quality of shape? What are the elements of shape? How can they be manipulated while maintaining the integrity of shape?
Her abstract pieces deconstruct and reconstruct shapes and their elements, bringing into focus the interaction amongst shapes and spaces, as well as exploring the interplay between different mediums.
Kirralee’s photography displays similar inspirations, searching for lines and dimensions in everyday objects, their shadows, and their synergy with their environments.
Does the magical world of Kirralee and Co. entice you? Fear not! Kirralee herself will be hosting a workshop at Artisan (45 King Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006), on the 29th of June from 1 pm. Budding designers will practice metal bending and working with reclaimed timber components as they design and create their very own brass and timber bangle. You’ll get to experiment with a variety of workshop tools, like a mandrel, vice, Dressel and drill press, and play with materials such as steel wool and epoxy glue.
All the materials, equipment and tools will be provided, as well as some light refreshments. For more information about the workshop, go to https://artisan.org.au/blogs/workshops/brass-bangle.