Meet the Maker: Adelle Hickey, Hearts of Ireland

Posted 28.07.21

Adelle Hickey is an Irish designer, printmaker and DCCI member who runs her business, Hearts of Ireland, from her studio in Dublin. Adelle has had a successful career in the fashion and film industries. Her research work in Design History and Material Culture has inspired her unique collection of cards, notebooks and prints. Her work embraces centuries of Irish visual culture – archaeology, mythology, needlework, Celtic symbols, wildlife and flowers, and is available to purchase from her website adellehickey.com.

What's a typical day in the studio like for you?
A typical day starts off with communications, checking emails and messages.

Printing usually starts at 10am. The hand-carved blocks, trays and rollers need to be clean, the colour inks required for the order are mixed. Orders are usually a mixture of hand-printed cards and prints. For the prints, the card used is cut to size and a frame is used for centring the design. Each printed design takes about two hours to dry, so the drying rack is carefully stacked.

Depending on the orders, the printing might be done in two stages. Afternoons/evenings are kept for packaging and correspondance.

What do you like most about your work?
Hearts of Ireland explores hand-printed designs in very vivid colours. Printing these colours always cheers me up, and I hope that this approach has the same outcome for the customer.

What do you like least about your work?
I prefer making the work to packaging the work.

What's your favourite craft item in yoru home?
A silver ring made by and Irish jewller, Brian Hackett.

What other maker in your disciploine do you most admire?
JANDO, without a doubt.

What advice would you give someone who is considering this craft career?
Go for it. If you genuinely love designing and making, and want to work in the craft industry, then follow your gut instinct.

What's your favourite time of the day?
11am, Fresh Café.

How do you switch off?
Yoga and a long walk. I have great friends who I walk with.

How do you start your day?
With gratitude, I genuinely remind myself of how lucky I am and how much I have.

What's the first thing you do when you leave the studio?
My studio is in my home, so there is not a direct cut off, but cooking a nice meal is a great way to switch off.

Favourite book?
To Kill a Mockingbird

Favourite film?
Conema Paradiso

Best concert you have ever been to?
David Bowie: Milton Keyes

Favourite meal?
I love Turkish/Greek food

Music when you're working?
No

What do you listen to?
The radio