Unveiling "Beauty": A Masterpiece Rug by Karen Michelle Evans

Hand-Knotted Rug Inspired by Human Faces and Personalities

Evans' inspiration for "Beauty" stems from the characteristics of our faces and the secrets they reveal or conceal. The design uses bold, contrasting tones of golds, oranges, and purples to add a sense of drama to the features of the woman depicted. The innovative use of twisted silk yarns with long threads and flat looped knots creates a modern abstract pattern when viewed closely.

Committed to environmental responsibility, Evans has chosen to use the finest natural fibers of wool and silk in her design. The wool used is 100% sustainable and a renewable natural resource, recycled into the yarns used in the rug.

What sets "Beauty" apart is its inspiration from individual personalities and the power of the face. The design uses bold tones of purple, oranges, and greys, with body art applied to enhance or camouflage the features of the woman. Textures add a third dimension to the face, with long silk yarns overlapping each other as the strong colours stand next to each other, revealing and concealing the design.

The rug is woven using the Tibetan knot technique to a high quality of 110 knots, using only the highest quality of 100% handspun silks. The design measures 2500mm by 3000mm. The handspun yarn is double-dipped to enhance the colour variations before weaving, resulting in gradations in colour that range from subtle to bold.

The design concept for "Beauty" began in April 2015 and took about seven months to hand weave in India. The project presented rewarding challenges, particularly in working with skilled artisans whose vision of design was rooted in older traditions. Evans had to work with them to understand her visions and to challenge their own ideas of what a rug design was all about. The satisfaction and pride they felt upon completion of the rug was a rewarding experience for Evans.

"Beauty" is a testament to Evans' design philosophy of creating designs that are artistic and based on personal experience rather than just patterns. This approach has led to the creation of a rug that not only has a strong effect on interiors but also opens up new ways of taking old traditions into the modern way of thinking. With the skilled artisans' techniques of hand-weaving, this quality will last for years and outlive machine-made designs.

The design was awarded Iron in A' Furniture Design Award in 2016, a testament to its well-designed, practical, and innovative creation that meets professional and industrial requirements. The award is respected for integrating industry best practices and competent technical characteristics, providing fulfillment and positive feelings, and contributing to a better world.