Studio Visit with Nikki Walker & Darya Bing of Walker & Bing
If curious people live interesting lives, then curiosity must be the essence of happiness within fulfilment.
If curious people live interesting lives, then curiosity must be the essence of happiness within fulfilment.
After years of nourishing conversations whilst working together on commercial projects, artists Nikki Walker and Darya Bing decided to merge their skills sets to create Walker & Bing, a multi disciplinary outlet for textiles and fine art, but most importantly their individual creativity.
We recently visited the two women as they passionately discussed their work, listening to each other share research and visual ideas. Walker & Bing may be just one string to each of their bows, but it was evident that this project is fuelled by a curiosity for collaboration and the responsibility that comes with artistic endeavours.
Can you both share a little of your backgrounds, in relation to the work that you are doing within the Walker & Bing project?
Nikki comes from an advertising and textile design background and Darya has a fine art and fashion background. We work together on all aspects of Walker & Bing, starting with inspiration for our collection, design and story, to producing the artwork and curating it.
Our skill sets compliment each other and allow for a natural, open creative environment.
How did you two meet, and what was the common thread that motivated the beginning of Walker & Bing?
We met on an advertising project and then worked together for several years, becoming really good friends. Our mutual love and appreciation for art, fabric and design, with the need to find a personal creative path, have led us to some lengthy conversations about what it is we would like to pursue. We decided that the concept of applying a fine art discipline to multiple textile design projects was a great place to be both creatively and commercially.
“”Our skill sets compliment each other and allow for a natural, open creative environment.
Can you share some of the techniques and materials you are playing with to create the prints?
The art work is mainly done by hand using paint, ink, print and staining. It is then transferred to a digital platform to prepare for print on silk, cotton and wool.
Both also working full time jobs, what does your Walker & Bing project provide for you as creatives?
We have creative control. This is something that you have to be flexible about in terms of working on other creative projects that are often based on someone else’s vision.
We enjoy the freedom to play and explore on our own terms. We are also very grateful to have people appreciating and engaging with our work.
What was the most recent thing you saw/heard that inspired you?
Nikki has been practicing a new meditation called happiness that she really looks forward to doing daily and has recently been inspired by the concept of 15 minute cities - a concept that promotes a city where all your everyday needs are ideally met within a 15 minutes reach.
Darya has been inspired by a podcast by Jordan Peterson, which, alongside other matters, discusses the importance of individual identity and responsibility, prior to group identity, and the need to commit to a positive path which creates a meaning.
Artistically, we both recently researched into vintage florals and modernist fabric design.
Words and photography by Yasmine Ganley.