One to Watch - Lexi Cave
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Where did you study and what is the course title?
BA (Hons) Textile Design, Norwich University of the Arts.
Name of your lecturer/course tutor?
Kate Farley
I create textiles that translate sensory experiences into immersive visual and tactile forms, exploring how colour, texture and materiality can communicate emotion, atmosphere and memory.
A line about how it feels to have been picked by the judges
I feel incredibly honoured to have been selected. It is very rewarding to have a project that I
have invested so much time and energy into being recognized by industry professionals.
Please tell us a little bit about the project that caught the judges’ attention.
SIGNAL /:/ NOISE explores the sensory experience of attending a Radiohead concert through textile design. Inspired by the themes of chaos and control found throughout their music, I translated sound, rhythm and atmosphere into textile form through print, weave, embellishment, ceramics and photography. The project combines expressive mark-making, concert photography, digital manipulation and material experimentation to create immersive textile outcomes that capture the intensity and emotion of live music environments.
How important is colour in your work and why?
Colour is central to my design process. It is often the first thing I respond to when experiencing music, environments or imagery. Throughout this project, colour became a way of translating mood, energy and emotion into textile form. I used bold, saturated colours alongside darker, more controlled tones to reflect the tension between chaos and control that sits at the heart of the project. Colour helps communicate atmosphere before any pattern, structure or material is noticed.
What is your main source of inspiration?
Music is one of my biggest sources of inspiration because of its ability to create emotional and sensory experiences. I am particularly interested in how sound can be translated into visual and tactile forms. Alongside music, I draw inspiration from live performances, lighting design, photography and the ways people interact with immersive environments.
What makes you happiest/most fulfilled in your creative process?
The stage where experimentation starts to become something unexpected. I enjoy testing
materials, layering processes and seeing how ideas evolve through making. Some of my favourite moments happen when a technique produces a result I wasn’t anticipating, leading the project in a new direction.
Creative high point?
Seeing my final collection professionally photographed was a real high point. After spending
months developing samples and refining ideas, it was incredibly rewarding to see the work
presented as a cohesive body of work. It allowed me to appreciate how far the project had
developed from the initial concept.
Creative low point?
Managing such a large and ambitious project across multiple disciplines was challenging at times. There were moments where I struggled with motivation and time management, particularly when balancing weaving, print development and documentation. However, those challenges ultimately helped me become more organised, reflective and resilient within my creative practice.
Where do you want to be in 3 years’ time?
In three years’ time I hope to be working within the creative sector, ideally combining my interests in textiles, education and public engagement. I am particularly interested in opportunities within museums, galleries and learning environments, while continuing to develop my own creative practice alongside this.
What is your favourite colour and why?
Blue. It has always been the colour I return to most naturally in my work. It can feel calm and
controlled, but it can also become intense, atmospheric and immersive depending on how it is used. Throughout SIGNAL /:/ NOISE, blue became an important way of communicating mood and emotional depth.
Contact details:
Instagram - @lexiecave_design, https://www.instagram.com/lexiecave_design/
LinkedIn – Lexie Cave, www.linkedin.com/in/lexie-cave-6ab496337
