Shayla Bond Merges Heirloom Craftsmanship With Modern Design
The artist and founder of ESBE Studio talks past inspirations, her creative process, and the future of quilts
Growing up in Nova Scotia, Shayla Bond honed her artistry and sewing skills under the guidance of her creative craftswoman mother. A decade after earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion and Textiles from NSCAD University, she launched ESBE Studio—keen to draw on her experiences in fashion and marketing. Today, Bond brings to life a modern take on the classic heirloom quilt as she explores her calling to work with textiles.
Through an interior design lens, Bond reimagines quilts as practical, timeless pieces for the home.
“I envision ESBE as a brand that positions quilts next to those in the home design space,” she shares. Currently working with a range of interior designers, Bond is already seeing a shift in quilt’s identity: “Designers often tell me that it doesn’t feel like they’re commissioning just a quilt, but rather an art piece.”
Happy Correlates, 2024.
Shayla Bond launched ESBE Studio in 2023.
Photography courtesy of Quinn Creative.
Photography courtesy of Quinn Creative.
Now based in Toronto, where a quilt-art scene is quickly emerging—Bond divides her time between ESBE and creating fibre-based fine art, as she envisions how quilts can move from surface to surface. Finding true fulfillment in her craft, she shares that she remains faithful to methods like sketching on graph paper, fabric piecing, top-quilting, and working with batting. Crafting exclusively with linen, her process reflects a strong commitment to sustainability, from choosing cotton threads over polyester to sourcing organic materials whenever possible.
In her latest works, you’ll find geometric shapes and colours come together in perfect harmony. “I love repeat, colour, space, and precision, which works well with quilting,” she explains, “balancing the familiar with the unknown is what I aim for, and invoking that emotional response.”
For her framed fine art, Bond uses numeric input to create pixelated compositions. From there, she carefully selects colours to match the target aesthetic.
Bond’s cushion details present beautifully on a cherry wood bench.
Throughout her journey as an artist, Bond bridges the gap between her craft and her art. From traditional methods used for ESBE to a digital approach in her fine art, her work emanates the deep sense of nostalgia that she feels.
