ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
MEET THE MAKER :
JAMES GALBRAITH KIRKPATRICK
Founder , fáilte
fáilte IS THE BRAINCHILD OF JAMES GALBRAITH KIRKPATRICK . HAVING GROWN UP WITH CREATIVE PARENTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT OFTEN HOSTED DINNER PARTIES , HIS PASSION FOR CURATING SPACES AND DESIGNING PIECES THAT WOULD IGNITE CONVERSATION AROUND THE TABLE WAS BORN . LIVING AND WORKING IN MAIDSTONE , CRAFTING HIS PIECES OUT OF A BEAUTIFUL AND QUAINT STUDIO , insideKENT WENT TO TALK TO JAMES ABOUT HIS CERAMICS JOURNEY .
WORDS AND IMAGES BY ASHLEIGH BRITTEN COLLECTION IMAGERY BY JAMES GALBRAITH KIRKPATRICK
Could you tell us how fáilte was born and the meaning behind it ?
Originally , I wanted to start a homeware brand and had ideas of opening a little shop that supported other artists , I quickly came to realise that it was just so time consuming , and I wanted to spend that precious time focusing on producing my own work ; fáilte studio was then born . fáilte translates to welcome in Gaelic , paying tribute to my Celtic heritage .
The conception of fáilte studio came from my passion for simple living , also contributing to an immersive home ; the more exquisite it looks , the more exquisite it will taste . Having worked as a chef and studio host for designer Thomas Heatherwick , my practice was always about making food a full sensory experience , and that ’ s reflected in my work ; I create hand thrown objects that elevate a feeling or atmosphere .
Where did you study and how has that influenced your ceramics journey ?
I studied Fine Art at Central St . Martins . I found uni difficult , with independent study you have to be very disciplined ; I was young , and in hindsight probably not in the right headspace . However , I do feel that it taught me a great deal in regards to relying on my own creativity to produce a body of work , instead of relying on a brief . This way of working , though it had its difficulties at the time , has shaped the way I work today . It helped me gain the necessary confidence in my ability as well as enabling a space to critique and analyse what I had produced . That said , I ’ d love to go back as an older , wiser version of me and give it another shot , or study something else .
One year , my mum bought me a birthday present for a weekly pottery class in Aylesford where I went and completed two hours a week over the course of six weeks . It was a little daunting to start with , and I soon realised that two hours a week just wasn ’ t enough to build the necessary skills or muscle memory needed to produce pottery , but I also quickly realised it was the best way for me to learn ; you have to get to grips with how clay works and the only real way to do that is to practise .
Once I ’ d finished that course , I bought myself a wheel and decided to teach myself as I went along , this coincided with lockdown which gave me plenty of time in the studio . I feel as though my creativity had taken a bit of a sabbatical from my time at uni up until then , so it was great to finally have it back .
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