You probably think you’re seeing a pattern with my New Designers posts and you would absolutely be correct with that theory – I am absolutely obsessed with mark-making. Designer three is no different. Internet, meet Abbey Costello, the Staffordshire lass looking to bring some colour and fun to your home.

Costello’s textiles and prints are inspired by artistic processes such as collage and mark-making, resulting in fresh and sophisticated designs intended for modern interiors. Blending traditional techniques and digital imagery, each creation has a strong emphasis on layers, texture and tactility. Overlapping shapes and colours provide a DIY feel but ultimately each piece brings a refreshing burst of abstract expressionism.

Talking about her design process Costello states her work often begins with large-scale and expressive painterly marks, which in turn are used to create collaged compositions. Her drawings are then tweaked digitally to create surface pattern, placement prints and textile designs. In my opinion, her placement and colour choices are simply glorious, what do you think?

I caught up with the lady herself ahead of her New Designers One Year On showcase to find out the important stuff (read: favourite shape).

Can you describe what you do in one sentence?

Fun, refreshing print design with a focus on shape, abstract composition and colour.

I’ll be showing a new collection of prints as well as some fabric accessories including pouches and cushions. I’ve focused on creating a bold collection with a really strong colour identity. I’ve got a great space at the exhibition and really want my work to tell a story and showcase my brand.

My work always starts with collage – I spend a lot of my design time creating textures and surfaces which I then cut and paste. I mostly work from small groupings of everyday objects like vessels, bowls and plates. It’s a very organic process and I work quite playfully and intuitively.  My final colours usually develop when I’m digitally reworking the collages and help to link together shapes and compositions; because of this the colours can change quite dramatically from my original collages.

Iris Apfel – I feel like she’d appreciate the colour!

Circles – they’re the nicest shapes to use in compositions and I always find using them helps bring the final piece together.

I’m really looking forward to the opportunity for networking, I’d like to start conversations with retailers and brands about potential collaborations as well as find stockists for my prints and fabric products.

To see more of Abbey Costello, pay a visit to New Designers 2017. Abbey will be showcasing her work during Part Two of the exhibition, taking place at the Business Design Centre, between 5th July and 8th July. Entering its 32nd edition, the New Designers exhibition brings together design education, design consumers and the design industry to celebrate and recognise and the next generation of graduate designers.

AND NOW FOR THE DISCOUNT! With code ND508, purchase day tickets to New Designers 2017 in advance for just £10.50* instead of £16 on the door, or a VIP Tickets for unlimited access across both weeks of the show for £21* instead of £30 on the door. Book online now at https://goo.gl/FJ8S5d

*£1.50 booking fee applies per advance ticket purchase, offer expires midday 18 June 2017