How long have you been an artist?
I have loved drawing, painting, making...creating... for as
long as I can remember and am lucky that I have been encouraged to do that all
of my life. And I don't need to get
too specific about how long that is but let's just say that's a long time.
Where is your studio...and could you describe it?
I have always carved out a space for myself to create
wherever I've been. At the moment it is
a lovely sunny second bedroom that occasionally has to be slept in but usually
can be “creatively messy”. I crave
natural light and have moments of being organised but can adapt to mess. In Nepal I worked from a small desk with very
limited supplies but had the compensation of being able to look out of my
window to see the jungle and monkeys and langurs and magnificent tropical
flowers.
What materials do you like working with the most and why?
I love polymer clay.
I have worked with it for over 20 years and am still enthralled by its
potential and capacity to inspire and delight.
I love the infinite range of colours I can make with a few basic blocks
and now have a huge folder full of my colour recipes. I love seeing people in classes suddenly
aware of what they can do with polymer and I love that I am still learning and
exploring. I get a real kick out of
millefiore caning although I am exploring textures more now.
What on your workbench at the moment? i.e. what are you currently working on?
For the last few years I have been in Nepal and very engaged
with the women from Samunnat. I have
only done a little of my own work but not many of my earring holder ladies or
other figures. And now people are saying
Where are they!!?? So I have a
scantily clad, half formed woman on my desk waiting for both a face and
garments. She will wear a sari and carry
a thing made from a bit of bead weaving I scrounged from one of my current
favourite places – the Broken Hill tip.
I have the leftovers from a ladybird class I did on the weekend and the
beginnings of a necklace I am making in response to a few requests.
If I am organised, some of the galleries that carry the work
of the Samunnat ladies have some of my work as well. Or at least a promise that they will get some
THIS YEAR!!! These include Flourish Arts
in Birchgrove, The Art Vault in Mildura, Red Earth Opals in White Cliffs and
Art Back Cafe in Wentworth. I also hope
to set up my own etsy store before I die but at the moment sell most things to
friends and family. People who buy my
creations seem to end up being friends anyway.
Who is your favourite artist and why?
Impossible to name just one polymer artist! Heather, you were the first real live polymer
artist I met and I was fascinated by what you made and loved your classes. I adore the work of Tory Hughes and working
through her Five Simple Directions Creative Development was a real turning
point. I love the work of Dayle
Doroshow, Kathleen Dustin, Cynthia Toops, Melanie Muir and Laurie Mika. Cynthia Tinapple is like a guru. I have just bought myself a necklace by
Genevieve Williamson whose work is so different to mine but it resonates
deeply. I find my mum, who works in
textiles, a constant inspiration. And
finally, those magnificent women I work with in Nepal.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
As well as the artist above, I am inspired by students in my
classes. So much creativity. And I love going to galleries and museums to look
at the work of non polymer artists too. I know it is a bit of a cliché, but I
am very inspired by Nature. However...Nepal is probably my most
consistent and powerful source of inspiration. I am absolutely transported by
the colours, textures, landscape and traditional jewellery there. Living there
I was constantly scribbling in a little book full of notes and ideas and
possibilities. A few of which have seen the light of day! And it happens every time I travel there. The same thing is happening as I
immerse myself more in the desert landscape out here. Totally different but so
rich.
Have you had a mentor in your creative life? What did you gain by their mentoring?
For a few years ago I met weekly with my gorgeous friend
Shelley and (as Luscious Ladies) we made having fun with polymer an
absolute priority. We did some teaching
together and she inspired me to be braver than I would have been. Nowadays, I chat occasionally by email with a
couple of people in the non polymer world for whom creating is also as
essential as breathing. Tory Hughes and
Cynthia Tinapple who I have mentioned before have also been profoundly
important (without either of them knowing it!) and the ladies in Nepal teach me
as much, if not more, than I teach them.
Do you teach your
artwork to others?
I adore teaching (and teach both adults and children) and
teach when I can. I stay in Nepal two times a year for a couple of months or so
at a time. Most of that time I am working with the Samunnat ladies. It is much
more collaborative than teaching. Then
back here I teach regularly at Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery and am also
teaching in Sydney, White Cliffs and Adelaide.
There are plans afoot for classes in Mildura and Wentworth and look,
give me an airfare and I'd travel!
Details of classes are on my website.
What particular piece that you’ve made is your favourite
and why?
I've chosen one figurative and one jewellery piece. Both grew in response to a challenge and I
like that. The necklace happened when I
ran out of clasps in Nepal and wanted to come up with a design that didn't need
clasps. The original sold off my neck to
an effusive and persistent lady in Kathmandu who didn't listen to my hesitant stuttering
line about keeping it for myself.
Torycinthe, the figure, has a long story way too boring to go into here but I may put it in my blog one day. Let's just say that she too, has borne adversity with dignity and creativity and I find her inspiring in her own inanimate way.
What would you say to others to encourage their own creativity?
I would say first of all that I passionately believe that
EVERYONE is creative. I also think that
a first step is to stop comparing what you do with other people and just to do
what you are happy doing. Explore to
find out what that is. Set aside a small
space and bit of time to just play with ideas. Don't set a ridiculous goal but
just start small. A good start is the
Creative Sparks books by Cynthia Tinapple and Dayle Doroshow.
I think creating is as essential as breathing and that we
are made to create in some way. I could
go on and on (you've guessed that already) but have seen how creating
transformed women who saw themselves as helpless victims into strong, feisty,
confident women who are taking more control of their lives in a very difficult
situation. I see creativity bring
respite and refreshment to people whose lives are spent in service and
struggle. I see creativity bring great
joy and laughter and am quite unashamedly evangelical about the need to have
creativity in your life.
Details for Wendy Moore:
PO Box 463 BROKEN HILL
Email: wendy@afterthemonsoon.com
Website url www.afterthemonsoon.com
Blog url http://afterthemonsoon.com/blog/
And about Samunnat - the ladies in Nepal
www.acolourfuljourney.com
www.acolourfuljourney.com/blog
etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SamunnatShop
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