HAWTHORNE & HEANEY

Embroidery Specialists

Sport

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke

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Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery

Over the last couple of weeks we have been working on a special project with visual artist and founder of Acrylicize, James Burke. Working with his multidisiplinary style he was creating a new piece in preparation for the ‘Superstar Showcase’. Burke’s work examines the relationship between us and the digital world, drawing upon our need for approval in form of the 5 stars.  This new piece reimagines some of Burke’s earlier pieces on a similar theme.

 

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand EmbroideryThe Constant Need For Approval, 2018
280 x 53cm, Acrylic, LEDs, powder coated aluminium

 

Burke also likes to challenge the way that we consume art, bringing pieces out of the gallery and into the rest fo the world. He champions art in work places and common space for wider consumption which is one of the objectives of his studio, Acrylicize. This playful, open minded attitude is what makes this new piece a great fit for the upcoming showcase.

 

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery

Superstar Showcase is being held by Creative debuts X Adidas Originals. For this event they have gathered 25 artists, of which Burke is one to create a piece which incorporate or is inspired by Adidas’s classic Superstar trainers. This is where we come in, as we provided the embroidered elements of the stars created out to the Superstar’s laces.

 

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand EmbroideryConstellation, 2020

Adidas Superstars & laces on canvas

 

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery

We experimented with using the laces directly and taking a feel for them through the embroidery, but settled on using the laces as directly as possible. The stars are made up by weaving the laces back and forth on themselves to form the legs of the star whilst replicating the fastening process as we are used to seeing it on trainers. The piece has loose laces which join each of the stars to the next in as if formed from one giant lace with the trainers themselves clinging on to what is left of the laces at the end.

 

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery  Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery

With all embroidery pieces, there is always a lot of sampling and preparation before working on the piece itself. This helps is to work out how it is best to approach the piece and achieve a consistent finish. Here are a few behind the scene, making of the piece which might shed a little light on the process.

Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery  Hawthorne & Heaney in Collaboration with James Burke London Hand Embroidery

To see more of James Burke’s work, check out where else you can see his pieces on his instagram. Also see the 24 other amazing pieces by debut artists in the Superstar Showcase on now at Adidas LDN, Oxford Street.

 

Hawthorne & Heaney at Goodwood’s Eagle Sprint

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Hawthorne & Heaney at Goodwood's Eagle Sprint London Hand Embroidery

Embroidering onto already made up items can be tricky, but at Hawthorne & Heaney we pride ourselves on giving these more challenging pieces a go. One such piece is the race suit we embroidered for Hawthorne & Heaney’s director Claire who participated in Goodwood RRC’s Eagle sprint a few weekends ago.

Hawthorne & Heaney at Goodwood's Eagle Sprint London Hand Embroidery

There were quite a few additions made to the suit including the Heaney Motors Logo on the back and personalisation on the front

Hawthorne & Heaney at Goodwood's Eagle Sprint London Hand Embroidery

We even managed to add some patches to her race boots!

Hawthorne & Heaney at Goodwood's Eagle Sprint London Hand Embroidery

All the embroidery is to fire retardancy specs as is the purpose of the suit so special requirements can always be taken into consideration.

Hawthorne & Heaney at Goodwood's Eagle Sprint London Hand Embroidery

And here it is in action!

images curtsey of @clairehawthorneheaney and @heaneymotors

Hawthorne & Heaney at the Brighton Speed Trials 2017

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Here at H&H we thought you may appreciate a little reminder of the summer to ease the transition.
A few of us at Hawthorne & Heaney are quite keen on or cars which may have been alluded to recently by the appearance of the Heaney Motors Ford Galaxie 500.

H&H were given the opportunity to sponsor this beautiful American muscle car which took part in its first race at the Brighton Speed Trials 2017.
The vintage and muscle car scene is an excellent opportunity for customisation and modification and not with just the cars !

Our driver, with an existing addiction to vintage motor patches, jumped at the chance to have bespoke overalls made. With a vintage American style font to match the car made in a patch for the back (patches are important here so that the integrity of the fire retardant suit is not compromised).

H&H also strayed a little from embroidery and worked together with Kituoutkustoms to create a vintage decal for the car. We sourced some vintage look machine turned light gold vinyl which was cut with a black to create a shadow. The effect worked with the nature of the car and was such a pleasure to work on with the car wrap specialists in Hoddeston.

The race day was the last real day of Summer and was such an enjoyable event. With an eclectic mix of cars both vintage and modern and the Heaney Motors Galaxie certainly stood out in the crowd !