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Dan Maier FSDC

Stitched & Constructed Textiles

About Dan
Dan creates bespoke art for the public realm and private clients. She first became known for her Knitted Chandeliers which sold internationally for over a decade. Her intricate to atrium scale commissions include artwork for interiors, cruise liners, window displays, theatre and public art.
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Dan has been making since she was old enough to hold a pair of scissors. She didn’t feel brave enough to do a sculpture degree, not believing (aged 19) that she was a fine artist, so opted to study Textiles at Central St Martins. However, it became clear that her internal desire to create three dimensional forms was irrepressible and the result has been a journey from knitted sculptures to lighting design and beyond. She has delivered an incredible variety of commissions from atrium scale to intricate pieces, all of which she relishes.

A Christmas window commission for Wallis in 1993 led Dan to develop these textile sculptures as light-shades and so her Knitted Chandeliers were born. First clients included Harvey Nichols and Liberty with John Lewis, Heals and Purves & Purves following, along with numerous stores around the world. This design swiftly achieved both national and international press acclaim, starting a revolution in contemporary lighting design. Both quirky and classic, the Knitted Chandelier seems to evoke an uncanny loyalty from customers who continue to return over 25 years later. Several of Dan’s designs were best-sellers and over time, retailers were commissioning exclusive designs and Dan became adept at working to tight briefs and budgets and streamlining production, with the majority of designs still being hand made. This journey led her to explore a wide variety of materials and processes which she continues to draw on for her commissioned work, ever rising to the challenge.

In 2020, during the Covid lockdown, Dan was commissioned by Enfield Council to design an art crossing for Southgate where she took a bold graphic approach. Her design was so well received, she was subsequently commissioned to create artwork for several public buildings including 3 tube stations. Dan works both hands on and uses digital technology where needed for large scale projects. She draws, paints, sculpts paper and acetate, uses machine embroidery and wire and is a keen up-cycler, minimising waste in all she creates. Always up for designing a show-stopper, Dan prides herself on a meticulous and pragmatic approach. She has a reputation for innovation, high quality, reliability and integrity.

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Notable Commissions


  • Transport for London: Window Art spanning over 40 metres on Hatton Cross Station, Heathrow
  • MSC Cruises: Wall art for exterior of ship spanning 100' high promenade deck - stainless steel 44 fish ranging from 80cm - 4m long
  • Transport for London: Passimeter installation for Hounslow West Station
  • Royal Caribbean International Cruise Liners: 18 themed pieces for 3 ships: Independence, Liberty and Oasis
  • Art crossing for Southgate high street (Enfield Council)
  • Campervan exterior design (private client)
  • Window art installation at Southgate Tube Station (TfL) Enfield Winter Lights Festival

  • Window art installation at The Southgate Club for Enfield Winter Lights Festival

  • 8 metre diameter fabric UFO for Burnaboy's world tour - opening gig at The O2
  • 15 metre wingspan hawk in fabric for 50 year celebration of the UAE in Dubai
  • The Midland Grand Hotel, St Pancras: 22 x 11' high knitted sculptures for 100' high Grand Stair
  • Royal Shakespeare Company: Animal puppet-costumes for The Canterbury Tales
  • The Old Vic: 2 x 4.5m high collapsible vases & 2 x 3.5m radius fans for Aladdin with Sir Ian McKellen
  • Royal Festival Hall: 20 bespoke lampshades for The International Poetry Festival
  • Bristol Science Centre: 14 super-sized lampshades
  • Ideal Home Show (Daily Mail Group/AMV Advance): 3 hats worn by Carol Smillie for national ad campaign -adverts in newspapers, magazines, on 48 sheet bill boards & posters on buses and London tube trains
  • Heals (5 stores): 3 x window & store displays: Flock backdrops, linen hangings & 1.5m acetate chandeliers
  • Wallis (25 stores): 75 Silver Knitted Chandeliers (textile hangings) for Christmas windows
  • Peter Jones: Millenium display – 100' high stairwell installation & light sculptures for spiral staircase & perfumery department. 10' high fabric sculptures for Chelsea Flower Show window display.

Clients include

Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Heals, Purves & Purves, The John Lewis Partnership, Geary’s, Rodeo Drive, L.A., Wallis, V&A Museum, The Big Breakfast, Channel 4, BBC, The Daily Mail Group, The Times, AMV Advance, Royal Caribbean International, The Mansoujat Foundation, Saudi Arabia

Press

Dan's designs have been featured in numerous media publications including: BBC, Channel 4, The Observer, The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent, Design Week, Blueprint, Evening Standard, Marie Claire, Brides, Perfect Home, Ideal Home, Esquire, The Londonist.

Lectures

Dan has been invited to give lectures and workshops all over the UK and abroad including at the following institutions:

  • V&A
  • Royal College of Art
  • Central St Martins (University of the Arts London)
  • Middlesex University
  • Craft Central
  • Missenden Abbey
  • Mansoojat Foundation, Saudi Arabia
  • Traidcraft, Cambodia
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