Inside Design with Bethan Gray
Exhibition runs: Fri 26th April – Thurs 9th May 2013
Inside Bethan Gray’s Designs – In conversation with Johanna Agerman of Disegno magazine Wed 1st May 7pm – 8pm
Location: Gallery & Project Space
Welsh designer, Bethan Gray, will present Inside Design, an exhibition of her work at Great Western Studios, the West London hub for the creative industries. The second in a new series of exhibitions exploring work from a range of designers, it will explore Gray’s emphasis on understated luxury and longevity, highlighting the importance of high quality material and craftsmanship in her practice.
Alongside well-known pieces such as the Brogue Table, nominated in 2012 for the Elle Decoration Awards, Gray will showcase previously unseen pieces. Currently being developed with a world-renowned stone specialist, a first-time range of home accessories made of stone will be debuted.
The exhibition will provide visitors with an insight into Gray’s approach to her craft. By deconstructing the design and manufacturing processes that go into the creation of each piece, Gray will reveal the rich, intricate details so typical of her designs.
Gray’s strong Welsh roots are at the core of her passion for working with natural materials. Her great great-grandmother was a cabinetmaker – an extremely rare role for a woman in the 19th Century, and her grandfather worked as a forester. These strong family influences, combined with a childhood in Wales, can be credited for nurturing a love of crafting objects carved from wood and natural materials.
Following her graduation from DeMontfort University, Gray was awarded a Habitat New Designers’ Award by Tom Dixon in 1998. This marked the start of a career spanning over 15 years during which she has designed for some of Britain’s best-loved retailers, including Marks & Spencer, Conran Shop, and Habitat, where she was Head of Furniture Design. Noah, her 2011 collaboration with John Lewis, is now one of John Lewis’s best-selling furniture collections, helping to re-position the company as a high street leader in contemporary and affordable designs.
Last May, Gray launched G&T, her own brand and furniture collection which, with its clever use of materials including leather, marble, and wood, is a true reflection of her design attitude. Combining intriguing details with historical features common to Welsh cricket tables, the Brogue and Carve tables are not only functional but a celebration of the finer details presented in Gray’s work. Bethan Gray’s typical warm and contemporary approach to furniture has made her one of the UK’s most celebrated designers.
