Louise Parker
This talented pattern designer has launched her first wallpaper and fabric collection, inspired by the footpaths around her home in rural Sussex
Along-term obsession with pattern (and atouch of ‘post-pandemic FOMO’) inspired Louise Parker to set up her own creative studio, Ray de Soleil, producing hand-printed patterns using arange of materials including potatoes, foam, lino and wood blocks. Her debut collection, The Footpath, is aseries of striking designs inspired by the ‘everyday’ things she notices on her daily dog walk through the West Sussex countryside, from wild pansies to barbed wire fences.
Have you always been creative?
I’ve always had an enthusiasm for making. At school, my maths teacher told me off for covering my book in doodles, and I’ve been seeking the perfect creative outlet ever since!
How did Ray de Soleil come about?
Between lockdowns, my husband booked us on aone-day printmaking course. The focus was herbal prints, like the ones found in old medicinal books. Iloved it. As Covid continued and we found ourselves indoors again, Ithrew myself into it. Iturned the kitchen table into my personal printing studio, making patterned tablecloths and tea towels. Iwas in abit of acareer rut at the time, so Idecided to go for it and start my own business before Ichickened out!
Talk us through the design process.
I t’s messy. I like to sketch elements either on paper or on an iPad, then turn them into arepeating pattern. Next is block carving; I get abad ‘trigger finger’, which means I can’t always carve by hand, so I often experiment. At the moment I’m learning to use amini automated router (a CNC machine). Inormally print onto scrap paper, tweaking until I’m happy. Knowing when to stop is the hardest part!
What inspires you?
Nature. Every day, I take pictures of things that spark my interest, like the stag beetle on the common, the texture of the oak leaves and so on. Ithen simplify them, creating small motifs that Ican carve and print.
What’s next for Ray de Soleil?
Having married in 2019, my husband and I finally went on our honeymoon to Hawaii last year. Itook amillion photos of all the fabulous flora and fauna which Iwould like to turn into asmall collection.
Sum up your style in three words.
Nature-infused, whimsical, authentic. raydesoleil.com
Going off-grid
Reconnect with the great outdoors in one of Unyoked’s secluded cabins dotted across the UK. With minimalist plywood interiors, comfortable beds and huge windows, guests feel as immersed as possible in their rural surroundings. ‘We want people to use nature like they use meditation apps. People are gradually realising that to be switched on, we need to switch off. We’re trying to help more of us understand that nature’s one of the best ways to do that,’ sa
