thedarkwoods's Profile

Bio

A 34 year old artist living in one of Melbourne's more leafy suburbs, the spirit of Miss Havisham and Mr.Fagin imbibes all I do.

Since childhood I have been fascinated by the worn out and run down. A patchwork scrap here, a torn lace shard there...some rhinestones might be missing from a pendant, there may be age spots on the book papers...my work celebrates the imperfections that make things truly special.

I've been collecting things for over 15 years with this aesthetic in mind, compulsively building up a treasure trove of materials that would otherwise have been thrown away.

Each piece is completely sewn by hand using vintage, thrifted, antique and reclaimed fabrics and materials. A lot of the fabric is hand-dyed using a series of experimental techniques in mixing, blending, drying, dying, over-staining and rinsing. I use as little water as possible- Australia is a desert country and is suffering terribly under a cloudless sky, and I always strive to find the greenest path.

The textile pieces are designed to capture the aesthetics of the Make Do and Mend mantra used with significance in the Great Depression.

While care is taken to ensure every stitch and bead are secure and construction is solid, my methods and techniques are designed to emulate the rough naiveties of home-spun things.

Wonky stitching, different colour threads and imperfect materials are all part of a look that makes no attempt to replicate the generic mass-perfection of straight lines and exact stitching, rather echoing the credo of humble handmade.

The survivalist code of 'make do and mend', the inspiration of the past and the faith to create our heart's desire against it all are three things that most influence my work; we must always be involved in making our own reality.

Please see my shop policies for any further information, and don't forget the most important thing- to have a handmade day!

Female, Born on April 4

Favorite Materials

velvet, felt, rust, sparkle, dust, chimneysweepings and cobwebs