I seem to have spent a surprising amount of my life in the company of angels.
There are a handful of angels dotted around Belfast, in its art, architecture and public spaces, that have caught my imagination over the years. Not necessarily the sort you would go looking for, but the ones you come across on your everyday routes, and which somehow stay with you.
One of my earliest favourites is a pair of beautiful stone angels flanking the entrance to the Carnegie Library on the Falls Road. Romantic, still, and rather dramatic, they are executed with the most exquisite craftsmanship. The library stands close to an old linen mill where I used to photograph my Irish linen cushion frequently over a decade ago, so I passed them regularly. They have a wonderful, almost otherworldly presence.
Then there were the enormous metal figures suspended high above Shaftesbury Square. Elisabeth Frink's Flying Figures, affectionately known to Belfast as Draft and Overdraft, were a familiar sight on my daily journey to university back in the day. If I was ever stuck in traffic, I didn't particularly mind that stretch. I could look up at them and daydream for a few minutes.
They have since found a new home at the Ulster Museum, where they have once again taken to the air. I'm rather pleased they're still part of Belfast's landscape.
I've had a soft spot for the wonderful Irish artist and sculptor Rosamond Praeger for years. We have a few of her antique plaques and sculptures in the family, although none of her angels. I've always loved the gentle, almost angelic quality of her depictions of children, whether they have wings or not. There's a beautiful kneeling angel by Praeger at my sons' school, another lovely connection between an artist whose work has been familiar to me for so long and the little details of everyday life.
More recently, another little group of angels has joined my daily school run. A bronze sculpture featuring a gathering of figures outside a chapel, including a small child carrying a pair of wings on their back. It's a detail you might easily miss when you're rushing to beat the morning bell, but once noticed, it's rather difficult to forget.
St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast city centre holds another special place in this story. I seem to find myself there roughly once a year, usually for a Christmas carol service or a craft fair. Its beautiful angel mosaics, comprising of 15,000 glass pieces, and intricate architectural details are always worth another look.
My mother was christened there, which gives the cathedral a lovely personal connection. And in my brand's early days, Katie Larmour decorations were stocked throughout the year in the little cathedral shop, tucked discreetly into one corner. It's rather special to think that something I've designed found a home in a building I've admired for so long.
Some years ago, all these encounters inspired me to create an Angel Wings decoration in Irish linen. It was one of my earlier designs, and although I've now retired it as my style has evolved, I wanted to give it a little place here in the journal. I still love the photographs, and the story behind it remains very much part of my work.
My latest angel-inspired decoration takes a rather different direction.
Our new Paper Angel is a nostalgic nod to the little paper angels we made as children in the 1980s. Nothing particularly sophisticated, just a simple sort of origami: pleated paper, folded over in a couple of places, and somehow transformed into something rather lovely. Old sheets of music, scraps of wrapping paper or even leftover wallpaper were perfect for the job. The patterns did so much of the decorative work for you, while a simple wooden bead formed the head. Such an uncomplicated little creation, yet somehow so intricate and full of character.
There's a charming innocence to those simple childhood creations, and I wanted to capture a little of that feeling in linen. Something peaceful, gentle and almost ethereal, with a touch of childlike naivety.
I've always thought angels were particularly fitting for a Christmas tree. They bring a sense of calm amongst all the colour, sparkle and excitement.
I don't know whether I keep passing angels in my everyday life or whether they're following me around. I suspect it's the former. But once you start noticing them, they do seem to pop up everywhere.
And now I have two of my own.
Discover our Paper Angel Christmas decoration.
Katie xox
