AROUNNA KHOUNNORAJ
MARK MAKING & TEXTILE DESIGN
Artist Arounna Khounnoraj is well-known for her beautiful hand painted textile designs and patterns. She uses ‘mark making’ as a painting technique to achieve organic, sometimes repetitive, sometimes whimsical brush strokes that she then replicates on fabric for accessories and home goods for her shop, Bookhou.
In this workshop we’ll explore the practice of mark making (as well as Arounna’s favorite tips and techniques) to create a custom textile design using the curated tools & materials that she works with in her own studio.
Mark making is a term used to describe the different lines, patterns and even textures we create in a piece of art. It can apply to any art material on any surface, though for this project Arounna is working with a specialized fabric paint on canvas. Arounna uses mark making in her textile designs throughout her work - on bookbags and totes, for pillows and clothing, it’s found in the wall collages that adorn her studio and throughout her sketchbook as she puts brush to paper to practice her creativity. Mark making is so diverse! It pushes us out of our creative boundaries and gives us a wonderful opportunity to play and explore.
Arounna co-founded her company, Bookhou, with her husband John in 2002 to showcase their individual and collaborative work. Bookhou itself is a collaboration of the couple’s two last names embracing a similar philosophy to their studio practice. The team runs a multidisciplinary studio in Toronto that emphasizes natural, handmade materials and small production pieces ranging from textiles to fiber arts to furniture. Bookhou has both a brick and mortar shop as well as a strong online presence from which they share their explorations and creations.
This workshop includes:
- a detailed, digital workshop led by Arounna
The tools & materials included in this kit:
- a half circle canvas cross body bag with brass details (designed by Arounna and sewn in collaboration with To The Market) roughly 10x8" in size
- an accompanying canvas pouch with brass details roughly 4x5" in size
- a length of vegetable tanned leather cording, adjustable to one's own personal cross body length preference (in collaboration with a leather studio in the US)
- black opaque fabric paint
- two specialized paint brushes chosen by Arounna
We can’t wait to see how you are inspired to create using this new technique! Be sure to share with us your process and your projects by tagging @bookhou and using #thecraftersbox. Happy making.
Arounna Khounnoraj's
Podcast Interview