Gaby Devitt
Artwork for Gaby Devitt
Details
How would you describe the work you do and why?
I hand-weave bespoke fabric pieces for the home, from fabrics by the meter, cushions, footstools, and lampshades to other woven accessories, all crafted on a large AVL floor loom in my Forest of Dean studio. Each piece is designed and made by hand using responsibly sourced natural fibres, such as pure new wool and mohair tweed, giving every item texture, warmth, and character you won’t find in mass-produced homewares. I also offer a bespoke service, collaborating with customers to design fabrics and finished pieces that reflect their style and space. I believe homes should feel cosy, welcoming, and full of story. Through my work, I bring craft and tactile texture into everyday spaces, creating pieces that are as meaningful as they are beautiful, celebrating handcraft, quality materials, and thoughtful design.
For you what does being an artist mean?:
For me, being a weaver means working with intention, curiosity and care, using my hands and materials to create something that has both beauty and meaning, choosing to make things thoughtfully.
Describe what you call yourself/your practice?:
Gaby Devitt, founder of Livinloom, hand-weaves bespoke fabrics and homewares from her Forest of Dean studio. She creates small-batch woven fabrics and home pieces, offering both ready-to-buy items and a bespoke service for clients and interior designers. Alongside this, she also runs Livinloom Home, a curated shop in Ross-on-Wye, where her woven pieces are displayed alongside ceramics by Karen Tacey, bringing together a collection of high-quality, handcrafted homewares. Through her studio and shop, Gaby combines making, design, and display to create a space that is both beautiful and meaningful.
Your practice & activities include e.g workshops, teaching:
My practice centres on hand-weaving and textile design, with a focus on creating woven fabrics and bespoke home pieces using traditional loom techniques. Alongside making, I share this craft through workshops and teaching, offering hands-on weaving experiences that introduce people to the materials, rhythms, and processes of the loom. These sessions are designed to be accessible, creative, and grounding; whether for beginners or those looking to deepen their knowledge of textile craft.
CV & Education, relevant & leading to your artistic practice:
My practice is rooted in a background of formal training at Hereford College of Art, alongside hands-on experience in textiles and weaving. I trained in woven textiles, developing a strong grounding in loom weaving, fabric construction, colour theory and material knowledge. This education gave me both technical skill and an understanding of how traditional craft techniques can be applied in a contemporary context. After graduating, I was fortunate to meet an established weaver who welcomed me into her home studio once a week. Working alongside her allowed me to deepen my technical knowledge, learn new approaches to the craft, and experience a different, more intuitive way of working; an influence that continues to shape my practice today.
Exhibitions in the last 3 years:
Severn Sisters ‘Sleepwalk’ exhibition Work featured at Derwent House Living Forest Makers Marker which takes place late November - Ruardean Herefordshire Art Week - Livinloom Home
Your gallery outlets/stockists:
Livinloom Home - Ross-on-Wye Derwent House - Witney