Molly Mahon started off by printing sheets of paper on her kitchen table, making small batches for shepherd’s huts and cloakrooms, but when her kitchen became more of a workshop she converted her garage into a studio for her designs and has her papers and fabrics printed commercially. Believing her house to be ‘perfectly imperfect’, she feels homes should be a colourful reflection of the people who live there. With children, dogs and various other pets she likes to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere for friends and family that is a home, not a showroom. Molly’s block print designs and vibrant colour palette are perfect for making beautiful, colourful, joyful spaces that will stand the test of time, the feet of children and the paws of animals.
Based in Sussex, Molly is inspired by nature, her travels to India and things that she notices in my daily life. She turns her images into repeat designs and both carves them into a blocks herself, as well as using artisan block makers in Jaipur where she works with two specialist businesses who print some of her fabrics using traditional techniques. 5% of her profits are plowed back into the local community health care system in Bagru where some of her fabrics are printed.
Block printing is art that has been practiced for centuries. The block, which can be used for paper or fabric, is pressed firmly and given a good thud with the fist, then lifted briskly to avoid smudging. The finishing process depends on what is being printed – paper can be hung and dried, but fabric needs to be heat set, washed and ironed.
Molly only uses water based products and if at all possible natural dyes. Some of the base cloths are certified organic. In addition to using specialist artisans in India, Molly uses a growing number of British boutique producers, depending on the skills needed for the product she is producing. The relationship she has with her makers in both the UK and India is hugely important to her and she is very selective about this. The common thread running throughout is quality, passion and craftsmanship.