N.Z. DESIGNS TAKEN OVERSEAS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29830, 24 May 1962, Page 10

N.Z. DESIGNS TAKEN OVERSEAS

Mr Brendan Hanwell, chief designer of Riccarton carpets, has spent the last 12 years interpreting traditional and overseas patterns for New Zealand homes and directing a studio of nine designers in the creation of an indigenous school of carpet design. j

There are few places where he does not see his own designs. On a trip to Wellington he saw his designs at the aerodrome, in the bedroom, lounge and foyer of his hotel, in the aisle of a theatre he visited in the evening, and later in a coffee bar.

The Riccarton studio is a link for the pooling of ideas from overseas, but it is not a one-way traffic. Last year a modified version of Riccarton's ‘ ticker-tape" design turned up in Denmark, presumably through Kidderminster.

“It is important that we cater to all tastes, because carpet design must be a democratic art.” Mr Hartwell says. "At the same time we strive to help people towards good design. We are finding New Zealanders becoming more and more design conscious in the home."

The favourite design in New Zealand remains the floral, as it was 30 years ago.

but the modern floral is becoming less representational and much more restrained. A design for Axminster carpet originates as an artist's freehand sketch. The finished design is transmitted to graph paper with a myriad of tiny squares. Each square represents a single tuft of ■ wool. Operators have to match every square to a thread of coloured wool. The threads are woven together by the loom. Mr Hartwell studied his art at one of the larger studios of Kidderminster and has visited many coun-

tries In search of design ■ ideas. Now he is about to J go to Wellington in another a branch of the Felt and Ttx- ■ tiles group. He will be succeeded »t 2 Riccarton by Mr S. New- a som, who has been there for ■ some years and : who is an ■ expert in Persian carpets a Mr Hartwell’s tnain advice ■ to intending purchasers is: ■ “Make sure your liking for J a design is not juat a tern- a porary infatuation.- You s have to live with a carpet ■ design for a long time, so J it is important that you can a respond favourably to it s day in, day out, for years." ■