Esther Witherall
A devoted stay-at-home mum for over two decades, Esther Witherall decided it was time to reignite her passion for print and textiles and start her own business.
Artist Esther Witherall hasn’t been in textiles for very long. “Although I always loved pattern, print, colour and interiors, I spent the last 23 years raising my four children as a stay-at-home mum. I could see the time was fast approaching when they wouldn’t need me in the same way, and I felt I should get prepared for that!” So in 2019, Esther took the plunge and went to Plymouth Arts University to complete a degree in Surface Pattern and Textile Design.
“Studying through lockdown had its challenges, but I can wholeheartedly say it was the best decision. It reignited my passion for print and pattern, and I was determined to use what I learned at university to carve out a business for myself. One that meant I could be flexible with home life, but also start to bring some income into the family home by doing something I love,” Esther explains.
After graduating in 2022, Esther was awarded a residency space at The Printery in Plymouth. This meant she could continue screen printing and focus more on her future direction. “In 2023, I stumbled across a studio space in Yealmbridge while getting some art framed. I hadn’t been looking for a studio but the opportunity was too good to pass up.”
Esther is now screen printing fabrics for all manner of things – mainly soft furnishings, such as curtains and cushions but also tablecloths, napkins and tea towels.
She takes on commissions where clients bring her the ideas or colours they want for their homes, and she prints the fabric in the pattern and colour of their choice, and she often makes up cushions in their bespoke fabric too. “At the studio, I have a shop section with a small range of printed products, such as cushions and lampshades, along with gift items that I have designed here but sent off to be made, like mugs, notebooks and cards.”
“Having lived by the coast my entire life, my designs can naturally fit into spaces that have coastal colourways. My love of colour adds a pop of vibrancy to the calming sea tones,” she adds.
Esther also runs screen printing courses. “There has been quite a lot of interest in learning to screen print locally, so I have been teaching people how to create repeat patterns, exposing silk screens and then using their designs to print continuous patterns on lengths of fabric. These are great days,” she enthuses.
Esther Witherall
A devoted stay-at-home mum for over two decades, Esther Witherall decided it was time to reignite her passion for print and textiles and start her own business.
Artist Esther Witherall hasn’t been in textiles for very long. “Although I always loved pattern, print, colour and interiors, I spent the last 23 years raising my four children as a stay-at-home mum. I could see the time was fast approaching when they wouldn’t need me in the same way, and I felt I should get prepared for that!” So in 2019, Esther took the plunge and went to Plymouth Arts University to complete a degree in Surface Pattern and Textile Design.
“Studying through lockdown had its challenges, but I can wholeheartedly say it was the best decision. It reignited my passion for print and pattern, and I was determined to use what I learned at university to carve out a business for myself. One that meant I could be flexible with home life, but also start to bring some income into the family home by doing something I love,” Esther explains.
After graduating in 2022, Esther was awarded a residency space at The Printery in Plymouth. This meant she could continue screen printing and focus more on her future direction. “In 2023, I stumbled across a studio space in Yealmbridge while getting some art framed. I hadn’t been looking for a studio but the opportunity was too good to pass up.”
Esther is now screen printing fabrics for all manner of things – mainly soft furnishings, such as curtains and cushions but also tablecloths, napkins and tea towels.
She takes on commissions where clients bring her the ideas or colours they want for their homes, and she prints the fabric in the pattern and colour of their choice, and she often makes up cushions in their bespoke fabric too. “At the studio, I have a shop section with a small range of printed products, such as cushions and lampshades, along with gift items that I have designed here but sent off to be made, like mugs, notebooks and cards.”
“Having lived by the coast my entire life, my designs can naturally fit into spaces that have coastal colourways. My love of colour adds a pop of vibrancy to the calming sea tones,” she adds.
Esther also runs screen printing courses. “There has been quite a lot of interest in learning to screen print locally, so I have been teaching people how to create repeat patterns, exposing silk screens and then using their designs to print continuous patterns on lengths of fabric. These are great days,” she enthuses.
.jpg)
