Curator

Milliken commissioned me to put together their activity for the London Design Festival around the theme of Creativity in the City, to coincide with the launch of my third book, Urban Potters: Makers in the City. I put together a programme of activity that included an exhibition of work by the four London-based potters in the book, Matthew Raw as artist-in-residence running a series of workshops and demonstrations, an exclusive preview of the Design Milk Made in London film featuring ceramicist Chris Keenan, and of course the book launch which included a talk and drinks afterwards. The showroom was packed all week, with a record 200 people visiting the throughout the week. “Thank you so much for a great week of events at the Milliken showroom,” said Lucie Parkin, PR for Milliken. “The exhibition looked fantastic and I thought Matthew Raw was really great.”

For Desso / Tarkett’s 2017 Clerkenwell Design Week activity, I commissioned Kia Utzon-Frank and Faye McCaul to create a stunning window installation, combining Kia’s patent pending Louver Twisting Comb system, a frame made from recycled yogurt pots, and 21,500 dichroic rods that Faye knitted into a screen that changes colour depending on the light and angle it is viewed from. I also worked with Desso to create a programme of activities for the space. We hosted a ‘fika’ ritual – a cake and coffee break that is an important part of Swedish culture – for which Kia made a series of sculptural cakes covered with Tarkett’s flooring designs and featuring an ‘ombre’ flavour profile that changed in intensity from rhubarb compote to white chocolate and rum ganache depending on which slice you tried. I also chaired a panel event on Designing for Wellbeing in the Workplace, for which I was joined by interior designer Emma Morley, deputy editor of OnOffice magazine Charlotte Taylor and Elinor Huggett, Sustainability Officer for the UK Green Building Council. “

We could never have dreamt of working with the sort of emerging talent Katie commissions and curates for us. Her endless enthusiasm and inspirational ideas help us to deliver really outstanding campaigns.” Louise Palmer, PR for Desso

In May 2016, I was commissioned to curate a small exhibition and a programme of talks and workshops inspired by my recent book Makers of East London for Desso as part of their Clerkenwell Design Week activity. The exhibition featured products from the book and highlighted the craft movement in the capital. Workshops from Kyla McCallum and Daniel Heath enabled visitors to get involved in paper folding and screen-printing and a panel event with Novocastrian’s Richy Almond, Hampson Woods’ Jonty Hampston and The New Craftsmen’s Natalie Melton explored the quest for identity through craft and the handmade. Finally, I commissioned Kyla McCallum to create a stunning window installation for the Desso showroom, bringing to life the art of pleating.