What artist isn’t inspired by the ethereal beauty and spirituality of Tasmania? From the moment Mainlanders alight from the plane, the environment begins to lathe off the sharp, scratchy patches of their brittle urban spirits; anointing them with the balm of an ancient landscape. Many get carried away and start plotting new careers as viticulturists or raspberry farmers. For designers, it is a haven where they can dream unfettered by the endless noise of the city.

It is an ideal base for textile designer Yolanda Zarins, who handprints and dyes fabrics from her studio in Southern Tasmania. Her work is heavy influenced by her surroundings.

‘I’m happiest on bush wanderings, bursting with admiration for my surroundings and full of ideas. Many of my textiles pay homage to the natural landscape in Tasmania, fragments of which often live in my imagination for months, before translating onto cloth. I delight in glimpses and memories of a wild land finding a final home indoors, becoming part of an interior environment’.

Yolanda is also a member of the school of conscientious Australian designers who place as much weight on producing ethically sustainable designs as on beautiful or saleable ones. After graduating from RMIT in 2013, she launched her eponymous label and hasn’t looked back. Wherever she sources her fabrics, she ensures that the working conditions of those making the raw materials are respected. Producing a product with love and kindness are key tenets of her business strategies.

Having been involved with the VIVID design competition in 2015, Yolanda returns to Decor + Design Melbourne July 21 – 24 in Melbourne as an exhibitor on DESIGN: Bazaar, which is a feature of the show which encourages work from independent studios. She regularly works with clients to create bespoke items and work around their ideas. Yolanda will be at Stand DB6 at D+D 2016 or you can contact her via info@yolandazarins.com