Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 26
Occupation: Artist.
Instagram: @tomattonmoore
Hometown: London.
Studio location: London.
Describe what you make: I make hand-tufted rugs.
DESIGNER OF THE DAY
Designer of the Day: Tom Atton Moore
After making waves at Jermaine Gallacher and Gallery FUMI in London, the up-and-coming British artist Tom Atton Moore has landed stateside with a solo exhibition at BC in Los Angeles that spotlights a series of hand-tufted rugs inspired by chemicals swirling at the surface of a countryside pond. Making each rug takes two weeks—he hand-tufts, latexes, dries, pins, binds, and shaves vintage deadstock yarn with sheep shearing clippers, a meticulous self-taught process learned by watching YouTube videos—and shows his early expertise at artfully capturing fleeting moments of everyday beauty that may otherwise be overlooked.
BY RYAN WADDOUPS February 02, 2022
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The most important thing you’ve designed to date: Probably a very small weaving on a self-made loom; it opened up my world of what art is. A lot of art can feel unapproachable or have a barrier between the viewer and the piece but by using yarn, I realized art can be tactile and more approachable.
Describe the problem your work solves: I like this question because I don’t want my work to solve anything. I want it to continue to blur the boundaries of art and design. I leave my work’s “placement” down to the viewer and how they see it. Some people have said that they would love them on the floor, which is fine, and others say they feel more like paintings and that they must go on the wall… which is also fine.
Describe the project you are working on now: I don’t want to focus on a full project until I really have to. I want to allow myself time to play around and experiment with what a rug is. My current work has all been fairly flat, so I want to see how new textures and lengths of yarn change the pieces’ depths.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: I just had the opening of my solo show in L.A. at BC, called “Eden.” It’s on until Feb. 20. I’ll also be at Felix Art Fair in L.A. at Maximillian William’s room from Feb. 18–20.
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What you absolutely must have in your studio: My tufting gun, hoards of yarn, and biscuits.
What you do when you’re not working: I’ve been in L.A. for the past five weeks, and it’s turned me into a dog dad. My entire time is spent looking after the new love of my life.
Sources of creative envy: Joan Miró, Deborah Remington, and people with big old houses.
The distraction you want to eliminate: Video games.
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Concrete or marble? Concrete.
High-rise or townhouse? Townhouse.
Remember or forget? Remember.
Aliens or ghosts? Aliens.
Dark or light? Dark.
