Fabia Goff – Interior fabric and prints 

Fabia Goff is a lino print and fabric artist based at 67, The Old High Street.  Her work celebrates the natural world in print, lino, tapestry and fabric.  There’s anything from the Folkestone tea-towels to custom-made wall-hangings and upholstery.  Fabia can be seen creating at her work-bench by the window, ready to talk to anyone interested in her work.  Folkelife went along to meet the artist.

“My vision for this space is for it to be my studio, consultation area and shop all in one.  There is a banquette area at the back where we can sit down and discuss your interior designs.  All around the walls are my hand-made wall hangings, tea towels and cards.  The area through the archway is a tiny room full of fabrics – a sort of ‘wander’ inside my head! At the front of the shop there’s my big lino-cutting desk where you can see the magic happen.  I think it’s really important to show art being created in the Creative Quarter.  There are so many artists here, and instead of hiding behind our studio doors, I want to sit in the window and show people how I make my pictures.”

diversifying my practice

“I think you have to have a multi-level plan to work as an artist.  There isn’t just one route that will lead to a comfortable, stable salary.  So as well as using this space as my studio, I’ll be running workshops here for others who want to try lino-cutting themselves.  The banquette area will be multi-functional.  One day I could be having a consultation with a client wanting my fabrics in their home, and the next day this area extends to a workshop for 6 people.  It might look small in here, but there’s a lot of ways I can use the space to work for me.”

catering for many

“I make tapestries, wall hangings and huge prints which are great as statement pieces in lovely homes.  To make sure though that everyone can appreciate my work, there are tea towels, pins and badges, cards and smaller items that have similar themes.  I frame my prints so that you can buy something ready to put on your wall.  And there are framed lino-prints of mine here too which are an investment, but then original art is an investment.  I love meeting people who buy my work.  It’s special to meet the person who’s made what you’re going to hang in your home.”

train station

“I have used arches across the shop that help delineate the areas.  I’m trying to go for a train station vibe because we’re near the route the train would take down to the Harbour.  These things go in stages; I’ve been working down here at the Harbour for a number of years, and each year I have added to what I do.  I shared a hut at the Festive Marketplace one year, and have shared this shop here on The Old High Street for a year.  Now it’s time to go out on my own and show my work in my own setting.  I can’t wait to see how this goes and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”