One Dot Does Not a Pattern Make - Sarah Campbell Designs

This is a blog written by Yellow House's newest signing -  Sarah Campbell.

Sarah is renowed for her surface pattern designs and here are her thoughts on pattern and how patterns are everywhere in our lives. It makes interesting reading. 

A little while ago I was asked to give a lecture on the principles of pattern.

I called the talk ‘One dot does not a pattern make, Nor one straight thread a warp‘, the rhythm of my lines being based on these of Richard Lovelace:

‘Stone Walls do not a Prison make, Nor Iron bars a Cage;’

from his poem ‘To Althea, from Prison’ written in 1642 – all too apt for these days of isolation and the arrest of the usual day-to-day.

 My workshop students will have often heard me talk about, and seen me demonstrate, pattern as the accumulation of marks. Following this idea, a pattern is a gathering of many single marks organised to make a whole – just as a community is built of many individuals co-operating to make a cohesive entity.

These months are particularly momentous for societies around the world, pivoting on the current and unprecedented pandemic. Both globally and in each of our own more personal communities, co-operation for the greatest good – for survival – is paramount. The welfare of the community is dependant on the health and goodwill of the individual. We are connected, whether apart or together.

I’ve based this blog on my slightly poetic reflections about pattern that I read out at the talk. 

pattern as pulse – continuum 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

pattern as rhythm – beat

                                                                                                                     

pattern as accumulation – many marks make the whole

 

pattern as community – co-operation

pattern as celebration – joy

 pattern as comfort – depend upon it

    

pattern as structure – organisation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 pattern as beauty – look at the flowers

                                                                                                                         

pattern as decoration –  repeat again

                                                                                                                 

pattern as identity –  we belong  

                                                                                                                      

pattern as protection – moths and tigers

                                                                                                               

pattern as messenger –  nature beckons, nature warns    

                                                                                                                  

pattern as salesman –  look, love, wear 

pattern as predictor – of behaviour

                                                                                                                                                                    

pattern as revelation – negative – or positive?

 

pattern as life – infinitely renewing

                                                                                                                             

Here it is as uninterrupted text:

pattern as pulse,    continuum

pattern as rhythm,    beat

pattern as accumulation,    many marks make the whole

pattern as community,    co-operation

pattern as celebration,    joy

pattern as comfort,    depend upon it

pattern as structure,    organisation

pattern as beauty,    look at the flowers

pattern as decoration,    repeat again – for fun

pattern as identity,    we belong

pattern as protection,    moths and tigers

pattern as messenger,    nature beckons, nature warns

pattern as salesman,    look, love, wear

pattern as predictor,     of behaviour

pattern as revelation,    negative – or positive?

pattern as life,   infinitely renewing

This is sent from my so-far-so-good cocoon – separate, protected, alone but not really isolated I hope, and busy thinking, reflecting, making, doing, inventing, painting, planning – and maybe even sorting out some of the thousand boxes!

Take great care of yourselves, wash your hands, keep your distances, be very precautious, be sad, be glad, be kind and be well. Let’s hope for a far more equitable and imaginative society for all of us when we emerge.