Aberdeen-based Alana is considered to be a talented artist who is able to take ordinary objects or figures and transform them on paper or fabric into something extraordinary. She describes herself as “a quirky colourful individual who flourished in the quiet country.”
A graduate of Gray’s School of Art where she studied textile and surface design, Alana’s tutors considered her to be an exciting student to teach. She has innovative and fresh ideas and possesses a highly individual and imaginative use of colour. Her final show at university stood out amongst a group of high-quality students.

Alana was delighted to be accepted onto the MA course in Textile Futures at Central St Martin’s in London and describes her aims on the course to ‘create something extraordinary and challenging.’ She aims to bring ‘fabric to life with outbursts of colour, pattern and quirky illustrations.’ After graduation she sold a collection of her works to an Aberdeen boutique and exhibited in the Wallace Gallery in London.

Alana is one of a growing number of Scottish textile designers supported by a Dewar Arts Award to develop their terrific creativity. Central St Martin’s is the place to study fashion and is extremely difficult to gain entry.

Alana writes that an integral part of her course was to understand how science and design can be combined, which led to her designing a moving toothbrush which speaks the words ‘up’ and ‘down’. After successfully graduating with an MA in Textile Futures Alana plans to develop her ideas of pop-up wallpaper and kinetic textiles for fashion and interiors.