I thought I might share how my pieces come into existence, so here's a little background on how they come to be.
1. Where my inspiration for my works comes from.
I am an avid nature lover, there is nothing I love better than being on country and being inspired by the colours, textures, shapes, patterns and movement of nature. My favourite subjects are trees, ocean and the earth itself, which I have a lifelong love of. You could find me outside in the garden, at the beach or just generally wandering in the bush from a young age. Being a Minang-Noongar Woman (lower south western australia) means I have a special connection to the land that my ancestors have lived on for hundreds upon thousands of years. I love to tell of my own experience with the land that I am still completely in awe of, even at the semi-ripe age of 36! On Noongar land we have six seasons and each one ignites my creativity.
Other times, I am inspired by the materials themselves, wanting to showcase the sheer amount of wool, jute, cotton, raffia and other various other fibres which I have available to me.
2. I like to source materials for pieces from reputable, sustainable suppliers.
I strive to find suppliers and distributors who share my love of nature by stocking materials that are sustainable, renewable and biodegradable; while also being of a high quality. I do not order from large companies like Amazon or AliBaba or use cheap products that aren't directly from the supplier themselves or from a fair trade relationship a distributor has with a supplier. I look for and find the best materials both from a quality and ethical standpoint.
Some of my work features materials which have been donated to me, that contain man-made materials - in this instance I am recycling what otherwise would be sent to landfill, this way the materials don't contribute to an already growing problem.
3. I learned to create my pieces from many teachers, including myself!
From an early age I was taught the basics of handcrafts from Family, something that had been passed down through many generations. I am a Kinesthetic learner and so I picked them up quickly. This included skills such as sewing, crocheting and basket weaving. As an adult I honed those techniques and built upon them in my own way. After trying them again myself I turned to YouTube for quick tips, then jumped into it using the best method - trial and error.
I quickly developed a love for weaving on the loom and after giving it a try myself.
More recently I have been teaching myself to spin my own yarn. There aren't a lot of guides out there, and those few are in person, so I am learning through trial and error.
4. Each of my pieces is unique.
I often don't reproduce the same work twice so you are sure to get a one of a kind piece for your home. If I create a collection of similar pieces, I make sure they each have variations so that you are not purchasing something for your home that has any sign of being produced or manufactured en masse. I strive to embrace imperfections so that my pieces have a distinct handmade feel about them, so it is obvious to others who see my work that it was created by a human, not a machine.
5. I imagine who will end up with my pieces.
As I create, I keep my ideal customer in mind. I visualise my customer - someone who loves unique pieces, has an appreciation for artistic sensibilities especially when it comes to home decor, someone who understands the culture and history of weaving and wishes to welcome the colours, textures, shapes, patterns and movement of nature into their homes in the form of various fibre works.
What else would you like to know about how my work is produced?
Let me know below.