Forge Dublin to Connect Designers and Manufacturers

Forge is a creative initiative started by three design led businesses; Rosemary Ryan of The Malthouse Design Centre , Elizabeth Fingleton of Klickity and Simon Keogh of Urban Assembly.It is a one day design forum taking place on Saturday, November 2nd, which aims to connect product designers with Irish manufacturers to promote collaboration among them.

 Forge aims to establish clear routes to market for product designers by capitalising on existing Irish manufacturing bases leading to mutually beneficial relationships. This one day event will offer a platform which helps manufacturers expand the possibilities beyond their everyday operations to discover a new pathway to growth through collaboration with designers. There are significant opportunities to share design and manufacturing insider knowledge, co-create products and work together to bring them to market.

 Forge acts as the starting point to achieve this through informal group discussions and presentations from experienced designers and manufacturers. Speakers on the day will include Paddy Tobin from Nadura Design and head of the design programme at GMIT Letterfrack, Furniture designers Peter McCann and Steurt Padwick and founder of the very resourceful website, FindItMakeIt, Tara Whelan.

 

Forge will take place in The Coachhouse, Dublin Castle this Saturday, Novemeber 2nd. Tickets are available to buy from the Forge Dublin website at a discount price of €50.00 if booked before Thursday 31st. An event all designers and manufacturers should not miss.

 Hope to see you all there,
 Gráinne
www.grainnelyonsdesign.com www.facebook.com/grainnelyonsdesign 
www.twitter.com/glyons

Glow Getter - My First Solo Trade Fair

I am both really excited and nervous to be taken part in my first solo trade fair during  this year’s Irish Furniture and Interiors Fair at the RDS, Dublin from the 6^th-8^th of October.  I will be using this as a platform to launch a number of new products which I have designed including the new collection of “Glow” lampshades which I launched during the summer.

“Glow” is a flat pack, reversible lampshade which have been inspired my Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes. The self-assembly lampshade consists of 12 individual modules that slot together to form a 400mm sphere structure and requires no additional fittings for assembly.

“The planar modules used, produce forms that appear complex yet have a basic underlying principle. The “Glow” lightshade was created through an exploration of a particular process rather than a predetermined outcome.”

Made using polypropylene, it is 100% recyclable. The white polypropylene has been treated with a coloured backing meaning that the internal surface of the light glows in colour. The coloured backing also allows the light shade to be reversible and can be changed to suit the user’s mood. 

Material: White Polypropylene

Internal Colours: Black, Grey, Purple, Teal and Red

Dimensions: 400mm diameter

The very latest collection I have designed is the “Joyn” modular candle holder system which has been designed so that it can be joined and arranged like a puzzle in many variations. For anyone attending the show, this will be the first opportunity to see the Joyn collection which will go on sell the end of October and with some luck at the Irish Furniture and Interiors Fair will be on sale in a number of different stockist throughout Ireland in time for Christmas.

Its modular shape has been design so that it to work with a number of different shaped surfaces with endless arrangement possibilities. Joyn is available in two different styles; one holding 3 tea lights and the other holding 4 tea lights and a pillar candle in the centre. The candle holders will be sold as individual holders or as a set and will be available to buy from my website www.grainnelyonsdesign.com . Made from birch ply, it has been treated with a fire resistant lacquer for the user’s safety.

Material: Birch Plywood

Dimensions: 170mm x 170mm

The Gráinne Lyons Design stand will be situated at in the New Design Ireland section in the Main Hall at stand ND1. The New Designer Section in the Fair will give people attending the opportunity to keep a head of all the latest products being produced by Irish designer makers.

The Irish Furniture and Interiors Fair will be taking place in the RDS, Dublin from the 6^th – 8^th of October.

Hope to see you all there,

Gráinne

Reversible, Self-Assembly Lampshade Range

The latest collection to be launched by Gráinne Lyons is the “Glow” lightshade. “Glow” is a flat pack, reversible lightshade which have been inspired my Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes.

 “My interests lie in how construction techniques and form can combine to create structures which in essence are quite simple but make the most of visual form. Three dimensional design aims to establish harmony and order in design which generates visual excitement as its purpose. Taking this approach to my designs I am able to visualize the piece as a whole including its visual form from all angles and directions.”

 The self-assembly lightshade consists of 12 individual modules that slot together to form a 400mm sphere structure and requires no additional fittings for assembly.

 “The planar modules used, produce forms that appear complex yet have a basic underlying principle. The fabrication of my design is just as important in my projects as the end result. I aim to evoke a certain unity within my pieces to show that each individual module is important to the structure of each piece as a whole. The “Glow” lightshade was created through an exploration of a particular process rather than a predetermined outcome.” 

 Made using polypropylene, it is 100% recyclable. The white polypropylene has been treated with a coloured backing meaning that the internal surface of the light glows in colour. The coloured backing also allows the light shade to be reversible and can be changed to suit the user’s mood. 

 Material: White Polypropylene
 Internal Colours: Black, Grey, Purple, Teal and Red 
 Dimensions: 400mm diameter 
 Price: €79.95 

 All products have been made using materials which have been sourced and manufactured in Ireland and are available online through Grainne’s website www.grainnelyonsdesign.com.

`Glow` by Grainne Lyons Design. Reversible, Flat-Packed Lampshade

`Glow` by Grainne Lyons Design. Reversible, Flat-Packed Lampshade

`Glow` by Grainne Lyons Design. Reversible, Flat-Packed Lampshade

One Year On

Sorry it's been so long since I have posted on the blog, its been such a hectic start to year but one I cannot complain about.

So much has happened in the last 12 months since setting up the Design-Press and Gráinne Lyons Design that it has proven that hard work, determination and passion will get you on the path to where you want to be. Hard work is the key to success, so work diligently on any project you undertake. If you truly want to be successful, be prepared to give up your leisure time and work past 5.00pm and on weekends.
Have faith in yourself, if you come up with a new idea that you believe in, don't allow other people to discourage you from pursuing it.

Not long after setting up my blog I joined the Malthouse Design Centre where I set up a studio and began working on my own designs amongst a hub of other great young designers. With all the excitement and creativity going on within the walls of the Malthouse I got stuck into work pretty much from the first day. Upon arrival, The Light Fantastic exhibition was in its final stages of setting up and all the designers were putting the finishes to their final prototypes for the show which opened on the 17th of May. And like anyone who knows me, it wasn't long before I was following suit. Three weeks later I had the starting point of a lighting collection on show at The Light Fantastic. The show was a great success for all involved and as there were many people attending within the design sector in Ireland and editors from many of Ireland's leading newspapers and magazine, it was a great starting point for me to network.
Within a couples of months I was selling my finalised lighting collection the "Crochet Cloud" into number of well-known art and design retailers around Ireland including Designist, The Jam Art Factory, The Irish Design Shop and recently The Science Gallery and Dennison Design in Co.Kerry.

Since then the lighting collection has been featured in a number of national newspapers and magazines along with the newest of my products the "Bouquet" wine glass holder. The purpose of the wine glass holder came about when trying to design a product which would target the Christmas market. As wine is one of the top sellers at Christmas and is the gift of choice for many it was a no brainer. I wasn't prepared for the reaction I got and was overwhelmed by the interest. The "Bouquet" was featured in the Sunday Times magazine as one of the top Christmas gifts for 2012 and is currently selling within one of Ireland's oldest family run wine merchants, Mitchell&Sons as well as online from The Corkscrew.

Just last month Gráinne Lyons Design was featured in the designer profile section of Irelands Home, Interiors and Living Magazine and here I am, one year on, and in the process of designing a new lighting range which is coming to its finalised stage and prototypes are being made as I write this(blog post to come). With lots of exciting things coming up in the next few months, one I am particularly excited about is the Furniture and Interiors Fair in October. I will be doing my first solo trade show within the new designers section at the show in the RDS and hopefully another hardworking year will pay off and get me another step closer to where I aim to be both in business and in design.

Culture Night 2012

This year’s Culture Night takes place for one night only, this Friday the 21^st of September. All around Ireland, museums, galleries, historic houses and design studios will open their doors after business hours for a free night of entertainment, discovery and adventure. 2012 marks the seventh year of Culture Night and this year’s programme is the most diverse yet. People of all ages across the country are encouraged to take advantage of this national night and celebrate the art and design Ireland has to offer.

This year at The Malthouse Design Centre, we are opening our doors to every one of all ages to join us in creating a one off design piece where everyone involved will have their personal stamp put on display. A unique opportunity for anyone interested in design.

Photographs of Work

"The Crochet Collection"

As most of you already know I have been hard at it developing a new collection of lighting since joining The Malthouse Design Studio. Although I have had lights hanging in the Light Fantastic Exhibition since May, these models were just prototypes and mock ups of what was to come. I have finally got my finished "Crochet Collection" designed,made and currently on sale in The Malthouse Showroom in Distillery Court, North Circular Road.

The lighting collection was developed through my interest in how flat sheet material can be constructed into three dimensional form through a variety of techniques. The collection of pendant lights achieve their form through a technique of slotting 12 identical two dimensional modules together which have been sliced in a specific manner to create an overall sphere form. This form is create as a result of geometric mathematical systems. To add texture and pattern to the form, a photograph of Irish crochet has been digitally printed and transferred onto the plastic in variety of different colours. The story of my conceptual development can been seen here from a previous post.

Further to the printed crochet pendant lights, a selection of one off lace pendants have been developed as part of the collection also. Using recycled offcuts of lace from Siopa Rince, the same form has been repeat but using physical pieces of lace on plastic rather than a print. Sizes range from 200mm to 400mm for both printed crochet and lace pendants. Printed crochet pendant available in purple,teal,lime,black and grey. Other colours can be ordered and commissions for bespoke pieces are also available.
Hope you all like,
Gráinne




"Crochet Collection" on display in the Malthouse Design Centre



White Lace Commissioned Piece





"Light Fantastic Exhibition" opening night 17th May

Conceptual Development

Iv been very busy over the last couple of weeks pushing towards a solid concept for my new lighting design. After spending hours playing with paper and other flat sheet material to create a 3dimensional form that I was satisfied would work well and be pleasing to the eye I have found it. Taking influence from the mathematical geometric systems and sculpture by George Hart with an addition of sliceform, the finalised form I have produced contains 12 identical modules that are sliced at particular points which slot and interlock with each other to create a 3 dimensional sphere.

Now that I have the form I want to work with, I wanted to take it to another level.
"The language of visual expression defines various morphilogical agents of differentiation"
A combination of many aspects including form,composition and texture make up these agents.Now to introduce a surface texture through specifically choosen materials.
As a lover of fashion and fabrics which was influenced by my time working at Siopa Rince in my teens, fabric is my choosen material. I decided instead of choosing just any fabric I would choose a specific kind of fabric that had a meaning,a story, some nostalga behind it.
My first memory of working creatively with fabric was as a young child staying with my grandmother. Each night before bed we had the same routine, after the 9o'clock news, we would say the rosary together with my grandad then off up to bed. As I lay in bed my granny would sit on the chair next to me and together,everynight we would stitch a new line of crochet to the scarf I was making. From there I was crocheting anything from doilys to cardigans with her.
As crochet is a traditional fabric I am currently in the middle of experimenting with diffrent approches and techniques inorder to make it work within todays contemporary settings and to create fluidity betweeen the form I am working with and the crochet fabric.

Other influential designers that have worked with and been inspired by crochet fabric include Marcel Wanders and Louise Campbell.

Crochet Chair designed by Marcel Wanders

Felt Chairs Designed by Louise Campell

Hope you are all as excited as I am about whats to come :). Will keep you all posted.
Grainne.