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Daphne
Mitten |
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Daphne spent two years at Elam School of Art, Auckland
University from 1967-68. She opened her first shop, above Browns Mill in the city, when she left art school. She went on to became a partner in the Tigermoth Co-operative - a group of independent designers who flourished in various forms from 1969 through to the mid-70s. |
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After going overseas and seeing traditional textile processes in North Africa and SE Asia, she travelled to the Melanesian Islands and absorbed the influences of traditional textile design and manufacture. Daphne started her home studio/workshop in 1988 with the help of a QEII Art Council grant and set up a sales room and exhibition venue for textile artists in West Lynn, Auckland. In 1991 she was commissioned to design fabrics for costuming used in "Voyages" audio-visual for Expo '92 in Spain. She has been visiting tutor at various New Zealand Polytechs. Daphne has designed a variety of clothes and drapes including tablecoths, mats, curtains and cushion covers. Currently she is focusing on swimwear. She often combines screenprints with painting, using metallic inks and vibrant colours. "On these islands, ringed by ocean, it's only natural that I like to design clothing, interiors and landscapes that reflect the environment."
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