A few months ago I featured the stunning house of designer Bec Kirby, and it’s one of my favourite home tours to date (judging by the amount of shares and views it’s received, it’s one of yours, too). Her minimalist style is calm, considered and clutter-free, and I love the way she focuses on shaping spaces that feel as good as they look. So, I was very excited when she launched a new venture called Soosumsee, which sees her making and selling hand-tufted cushions, wall hangings and rugs that combine eye-catching motifs with soft, neutral colours.
Crafted from organic and cruelty-free materials, Bec’s creations are not only beautiful but also carry strong personal meanings. Some are based around negative experiences which she’s turned into something positive; others were sparked by treasured memories or conceived as odes to particular artists. Drawn from ‘favourite things, not-so-favourite things and pure serendipity’, her first collection, The Series of Eight, was released in autumn and sold out within hours. It’s since been followed by another, with more in the pipeline, and she’s also working on a number of bespoke commissions.
Keen to find out more about Soosumsee and the story behind it, I chatted to Bec about the tufting process, where she finds inspiration and the therapeutic power of getting creative….
Hi Bec! Please can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?
“Of course! I’m a designer and I work at a small studio in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. I live just outside the city and I spend all my spare time making things. I’m also an excessive list maker and I can’t sit still!”
Have you always been creative?
“Always! My Dad and Grandad were both incredible at drawing and some of my favourite memories are sitting at the dining table with my Dad as a kid, painting and drawing for hours on end. Nothing else really clicked for me at school – I was terrible at maths (and still am), I hated science, I couldn’t do history very well due to having a poor memory, and I had little interest in the rest except for art. I feel at my happiest when I’m making things.”
How did you get started with hand-tufting?
“About a year ago I got really obsessed with punch-needling but the process was super-slow. I loved the outcome, but it took so long to get there. After a bit of research I found the tufting gun, which is essentially just a large electrical version. So I was familiar with the method, but I’d never used a piece of machinery like that before. It’s definitely taken some getting used to, and a lot of trial and error with my materials, but I’m at a comfortable place now and getting one was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
What appeals to you about the craft?
“I love that there are no limits. I can go as large as the frame I build, so the possibilities seem endless. And to see something you’ve drawn from your own ideas in rug, wall-hanging or cushion form is really exciting!”
How would you describe your creations?
“A combination of the weird, the scary and the wonderful.”
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
“A handful of places really. Some of the pieces have been inspired by personal experiences, people and places; others by folk art, and Outsider and Vernacular artists such as Bill Traylor and Marcos Bontempo. I love the work of Fransisco Toledo and the darkness in his pieces, too. They’re a reminder that inspiration doesn’t always have to come from positive influences. In fact a few pieces from The Series of Eight were inspired by horrible recurring hallucinations I used to have as a child. I can still remember them vividly and they were terrifying. But recreating them and turning them into something physical was a nice way of getting my own back for all those sleepless nights.”
Do you have any personal favourites from your creations so far?
“My favourite is Things from His Shed, because of its meaning. I lost my Gramps to Covid last year and I’ve been visiting my Nana every week since. Each time I seem to come home with something from his shed to help with our ongoing house renovation – circle saws, sandpaper, basically anything tool-related – and I’ve spent more time in that shed than ever before. Some of the motifs on the piece are things that remind me of him, which I came across whilst rummaging about. The domino symbol, for example, references a domino I found in his toolbox (both he and my Nana played for years). Interpreting them on a wall hanging was really special.
“I also love Isolation Chair, 2021, just because. I really want to make it into a real chair!”
It sounds like the creative process has proved quite meditative and therapeutic for you…?
“I wouldn’t say it’s meditative, because it’s not very calming when things go wrong! But in a different sense, it’s been an absolute healer for me. It’s allowed me to focus on something and express my emotions in a different form. I didn’t realise it right away but after losing my Gramps I felt a lot of anxiety. It’s not something I’ve ever struggled with before, so I really didn’t know how to control it. Making things has helped in more ways than I could explain, and I owe a lot to it.”
How about the name Soosumsee – is there a particular meaning behind it?
“There is! It’s a Toronto slang word for the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. I use a lot of different mediums within my work, so the name represents that.”
What’s next for Soosumsee?
“I have some exciting projects that I’m working on behind the scenes, but as for a set plan, there isn’t really one. Soosumsee started as a creative outlet with no restrictions, and I like it being that way. So, I’ll continue to do what I do and see what comes of it.”
Finally, do you have any advice for others looking to launch their own creative venture?
“Soosumsee has done so much for me this past year. If anyone else feels like they need that creative release, then I’d say just go for it!”
Thanks Bec!
You can see more of Bec’s work here. It’s also worth keeping an eye on the Soosumsee Instagram feed for details of upcoming releases, as they tend to sell out very quickly.
All images by Bec Kirby
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