The Wicklewood Blog

‘When I was younger, I really loved making things, more than drawing,’ says artist Rose Electra Harris, ‘I used to ask my Mum to do my colouring in for me as I found it really boring.’ A school art project on India lit a spark, ‘I loved delving into a subject and place’ she says. Rose went on to study print-making at Brighton Art School where she ‘found her feet’ in a creative sense. A residency at Print Club London swiftly followed, cementing her decision to pursue her art full time. ‘I feel lucky that when I am making work, I generally feel happiest,’ she says.

Rose’s vivid, expressive pieces have long captured our imagination - her expert eye for a vibrant palette chimes with our own aesthetic. Primarily a print maker, Rose’s work combines etching, screen-printing and mixed media, on a varied scale. After a visit to her wonderful studio last year, we knew we had to have her as a Wicklewood House Guest. So, with the pause that lockdown brought, we managed to pin her down and quiz her on her creativity...

WW: What inspires you?

REH: The everyday. I find domestic spaces really interesting, seeing how objects around the home respond to one another, how people choose to express themselves through their homes or things they surround themselves with. The home can be an extension of ourselves.

WW: What is your creative process?

REH: My aesthetic is vibrant, surreal and dreamlike. I tend to start with an object that really interests me, either because of its function or design and from there I work my way out, creating a slightly distorted interior that becomes an oasis of colour and pattern.

WW: What is your philosophy on colour?

REH: I try to be impulsive with colour and don’t like over thinking decisions when combining them. It’s a learning process and it doesn’t always work. Matisse is my biggest inspiration, so I reference him a lot but never try to imitate his work. It’s about balance - I learnt from Matisse that the inclusion of black can be integral when balancing lots of colours. Since lockdown I have been creating more mixed media works and so am really enjoying layering colours and combining materials like gouache and pastels.

WW: What draws you to interiors?

REH: The interiors that I draw don’t exist. I might take elements from places I’ve seen or things that inspire me, but it’s how I put them together that really excites me. I am really obsessed with bathrooms! The home is really important to me and I feel fortunate that I have grown up in a place I think is beautiful. My family is very creative; my dad is an antique dealer, my mum a designer and my sister an interior designer. The interior feels very personal.

WW: What projects do you have coming up?

REH: I have a really exciting project with Partnership Editions and a clothing brand coming very soon. Watch this space...

WW: Finally, what is your dream Wicklewood cushion combination?

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Maya Oversized  Oblong Cushion - Wicklewood Red cushion - Antigua Stripe Cushion