Our story

Interior of a rustic workspace with a woman standing at the open door, holding a dog leash, overlooking a small courtyard outside.

Our studio is based in the cow shed, one of a series of converted farm buildings at Culverton Farm. We share the site with the Repair Shop, Wood working workshops and the resident chickens and roosters in the communal garden. Pigeons skit around the C18 barn with its crumbling facade and the corrugated iron roof over the original thatch.

This area of Buckinghamshire has historically been linked to the crafts industry. Wood turners, bodgers and furniture makers, lace and needle makers. As you travel around the hills and valleys of the county, wardrobe lane and needle makers house are evidence of this past craft lineage. Our workshops reflect this rich cultural history and aim to keep people connected to these skillfull craft traditions.

  • Outdoor space with a large wooden beam, black curtains, a fabric chair with black and white stripes, and a decorative panel with red, white, and natural wood sections. Brick wall in the background.

    Black Swans Studio

    We work from a shared art and design space located in what was the cow shed of a beautiful C18 barn on Culverton Farm near Princes Risborough, at the foot of the Chiltern hills.

    The workshops founded by Lisa Vaughan and Karina Thomas play a key part in the spirit of Black Swans Studios. Offering a range of textile and craft courses we encourage connections, creativity and learning with a chance to slow down, laugh, reflect and nourish the soul in an environmentally sustainable way.

    Lisa and Karina met whilst studying textiles at the Royal College of Art. They both set up their own design practices in London after graduating whilst also both teaching at UK universities. They bring this expertise to the exciting workshops on offer at Black Swans Studios.

  • Karina showing weave samples

    Karina Thomas

    I am a textile designer whose practice is rooted in the exploration of material, structure, and surface. I graduated from the Royal College of Art, where I specialised in Constructed Textiles, initially focusing on fine-gauge knitting before expanding my practice into woven textiles for interior environments.

    My work investigates the language of textiles, using technique, tension, geometry, repetition, and colour as tools for expression and design. Through an understanding of both knitted and woven construction, I explore the tactile and conceptual possibilities of textile surfaces, creating work that balances technical precision with artistic enquiry.

    As a passionate advocate for colour, I was a member of the International Colour Authority (ICA) for ten years, contributing to the forecasting and analysis of global colour trends. Alongside my professional practice, I have taught at several leading UK institutions, including the Royal College of Art, and served as Senior Lecturer in Textiles at Bucks New University for twelve years.

    Today, I combine my independent studio practice with community-focused creative work. Together with my business partner, Lisa Vaughan, I co-run Black Swans Studio at Culverton Farm in Princes Risborough, delivering textile and craft workshops that foster creativity, connection, and wellbeing through making.

  • Lisa at her desk at Black Swans Studio

    Lisa Vaughan

    I established my embroidery studio in London with a setting up grant from the Crafts Council after graduating from the Royal College of Art. Specialising in hand and machine embroidery I exhibited in London and New York selling my illustrative embroidery to stores and interior designers.

    Past clients include; Designers Guild, Barneys NY, LA & Japan, Christopher Farr, Takashimaya, Kate Spade & Vogue.

    My textile practice maps the emotional and physical experience of walking through nature. Using transparent layers and stitched lines, I trace paths walked or imagined, embedding collected ephemera and impressions of mood, season, and place into each piece.

    Stitching becomes a meditative act—echoing past footsteps across familiar routes, open fields, and woodlands. Repetition in stitch reflects changing seasons, shifting perceptions, and evolving connections with the landscape.

    Pockets filled with stones, leaves, and grasses carry memory and meaning. These small fragments speak to biophilia—our instinctive bond with nature, as vital as air. My work seeks to bring that connection closer to the spaces we call home, offering moments of reflection, grounding, and quiet renewal.

    I exhibit my work through Contemporary Applied Art.