Many thanks to Shannon at strange fragments for bringing the amazing work of Florence Broadhurst to my attention. Oh be still my heart. How much do I love her pattern designs? It's amazing how fresh and relevant her work is. The fabulous, silhouette motifed wallpaper and textile designs fit right in to all the flat pattern we're in love with today. And the geometrics are so perfect for the sassy, hollywood regency thing some of us are particularly enamored with at the moment. So very cool!
In doing some more exploration I discovered the book Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret and Extraordinary Lives, as well as the 2005 documentary Unfolding Florence: the Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst. Here's an excerpt from rotten tomatoes review of the film: "in 1977, when the flamboyant designer Florence Broadhurst was found murdered in her studio, few people claimed to know the real Florence. Florence's career culminated with her recognition as a world-renowned wallpaper designer, whose signature use of color and shapes is as popular today as when she was in her prime. But then, invention and reinvention were the keys to Florence's existence. Born in the Outback of Australia, she became a singer in Shanghai, proprietor of a fashion boutique in London, and an Australian painter. She was also a socialite, lover, wife, and mother with just a few name and identity changes in between." I can't wait to see the film and get the book. In the meantime, I'll just have to enjoy these fabulous patterns.
Oh! These patterns are so beautiful! Be still my heart is right!
Posted by: paper lily | August 09, 2006 at 12:36 PM