@unpicking

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1. What's your story? Where are you from?

I found embroidery the same week I finished school in 2015 and my love for it basically took off from there. It’s been almost 2 years since then and I can’t believe that it has become what it has! I live in Narara, a small rural suburb on the Central Coast of NSW. I love it here. I travel to Sydney quite a bit to go to uni and coming home is just a relief. It’s mostly bushland and just really quiet.

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

My aesthetic… I’d say it’s colourful and bold. I don’t incorporate patterns or crazy fouro colours into my work so I’d also say it might be a bit on the plain side, but I like it like that.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

I like working with fabric and hoop most of the time. Just because it’s easy to me. But every now and then, for a bit of a challenge, I’ll try to embroider an item of clothing and that can be fun! It’s pretty difficult to manoeuvre clothing around your hands while stitching, but the outcome is always worth it! And wearing your art is pretty cool when you think about it.

4. What is your artistic process like?

It’s pretty organic. I’m sitting on the couch and an idea pops into mind. I get up real quick, go to my cabinet, pull out a hoop, fabric and all my other embroidery equipment. I just start drawing, hoping I can sketch up what I was picturing in my mind. If it looks good after the sketching process, I start stitching!

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

I can say with certainty that the amaaaazing and very hardworking embroidery artist Sarah K Benning inspired me to give embroidery a go, but after that initial learning period, my lounge room pretty much became my inspiration. I have a few plants here and there, mostly Cacti of course. I try to draw them from time to time hoping to stitch them some day.

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

Art has really influenced my perception of things. For instance, when I’m walking to uni, and I come across a really pretty plant, or a weird-looking cactus, I think instantly of how I would embroider that plant onto fabric, what techniques I would use, what colours I’d choose for it.

7. Where did you study?

I haven’t studied anything art related as of yet, but I did take visual art and textiles in high school which was fun. I am actually currently studying though - A Bachelors of Social Science majoring in Criminology! I will graduate at the end of next year.

8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hmmm. In five years time, I’d hope to be working in a satisfying full-time job relevant to my university degree. I love all things legal, sociological and psychological, so I am pretty sure there will be a broad range of things I can apply for once I graduate! Oh and of course I’d like for myself and my boyfriend to own a home by then, preferably a house on a farm with our 30 dogs and cats ;)

9. What about in ten?

That’s a weird one to think about! I’ll be 29 in 10 years time… Which means I’ll probably have a few kids and more dogs and cats by then. Hopefully, and all I can wish for really, I have security and stability in my job/family/etc.

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. But I do feel some sort of achievement when my art makes people happy.

11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?

That’s a hard one. I have a massive sweet tooth for all things lollies, chocolate and chips. If I had to pick one favourite food, it has to be Wagon Wheels or Pancakes with syrup and ice cream!

12. Favourite book?

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. Typical, but such a beautifully written story (which made me cry a few times throughout).

13. Favourite genre of music?

I can’t really pinpoint a favourite genre of mine as there are so many that my favourite artist belongs to… But my favourite bands/artists are Arctic Monkeys, Rihanna, Childish Gambino, Spooky Black and pretty much all 80’s songs.

14. What are your hobbies?

Obviously, embroidery is my number one hobby, but besides that… Not much else! I’m a typical introvert, so in my spare time, I’m happy to just roll around on the floor playing with my cat, cleaning, and watching loads of Netflix. I love Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Louis Theroux and pretty much all crime documentaries.

15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?

Well, I’m only 19, so realistically, if I didn’t choose to be a full-time artist last October, I’d still be working part-time in the Deli at Coles!