We'll be posting interviews with Australia's best textile designers all week.
Check the sidebar (it's on the left of this post) for quick links to each profile.
We're updating twice daily!
Today, we spoke to Moyra Proudfoot from Surface Art...
You're designing some lovely fabric and crafty things now, but what were you doing before this crafty life? I have always worked in textiles, originally studying in Scotland . After leaving college, I had a similar business designing and printing fabric. Then, I moved to Australia and worked for a Company for a few years as a textile designer. Following this, I set up on my own again in 2000 .
Do you come from a long line of crafty people? Have you always made things? My mum always made things, and my sister and I always knitted and sewed things for our dolls when we were little.
What other jobs have you had? I've only had one job, working for Ken Done for a few years, otherwise I've worked for myself.
Is fabric design your crafty dream come true - or did you arrive at it unexpectedly? I think I am very lucky to be doing what I do.
How much time do you spend on your craft? How do you manage the craft/life balance? This is a full time business. I spend probably 60+ hrs a week on it.
What do your family and friends think about your crafty life, your blog and your work? My husband Mike is really supportive and helps me when we get busy. My friends are the kind of friends who are always there too.
Who inspires you? Crafty or otherwise, and why? I think anyone who goes out and does what they want, whether in textiles or in any area, is an inspiration. I think the fear of failure stops a lot of people from achieving. But not going out there and trying is the failure!
What will you be working on in the coming twelve months? Is there something you really want to do - or an area of your work you want to improve or learn more about? We are working on our new range for Winter 2009, and developing an accessories range, so that's exciting.
What do you find difficult about this crafty life? And what is the best part? I think that you want to be successful and for people to like what you do. However, as business grows ,so the problems grow. The time to design is actually a small percentage of time spent working. Most of the time is spent organising it all.
Do you find it difficult to balance the creative with the commercial when you are designing? I think that we have moved away from the crafty side, and we are definitely more commercial than maybe I ever intended to be. A part of me sometimes wishes for a more simple life, but I reckon I will have that later on in life ,where I will have a small studio somewhere in the country and just paint all day. Nice.
Do you have time to make things for yourself?
No no no!
What's your view on the Australian Craft Movement - there seems to be a lot of people following both Contemporary and Traditional craft here. In your opinion, is it different to the US Craft Scene? I'm mostly familiar with the British Craft Movement. I think there is a lot more support in the UK (for crafters and artisans). The UK has a really good grant system and there seems a much more apparent diversity of things going on. I think people talk much more about "design" here rather than "craft".
You're designing some lovely fabric and crafty things now, but what were you doing before this crafty life? I have always worked in textiles, originally studying in Scotland . After leaving college, I had a similar business designing and printing fabric. Then, I moved to Australia and worked for a Company for a few years as a textile designer. Following this, I set up on my own again in 2000 .
Do you come from a long line of crafty people? Have you always made things? My mum always made things, and my sister and I always knitted and sewed things for our dolls when we were little.
What other jobs have you had? I've only had one job, working for Ken Done for a few years, otherwise I've worked for myself.
Is fabric design your crafty dream come true - or did you arrive at it unexpectedly? I think I am very lucky to be doing what I do.
How much time do you spend on your craft? How do you manage the craft/life balance? This is a full time business. I spend probably 60+ hrs a week on it.
What do your family and friends think about your crafty life, your blog and your work? My husband Mike is really supportive and helps me when we get busy. My friends are the kind of friends who are always there too.
Who inspires you? Crafty or otherwise, and why? I think anyone who goes out and does what they want, whether in textiles or in any area, is an inspiration. I think the fear of failure stops a lot of people from achieving. But not going out there and trying is the failure!
What will you be working on in the coming twelve months? Is there something you really want to do - or an area of your work you want to improve or learn more about? We are working on our new range for Winter 2009, and developing an accessories range, so that's exciting.
What do you find difficult about this crafty life? And what is the best part? I think that you want to be successful and for people to like what you do. However, as business grows ,so the problems grow. The time to design is actually a small percentage of time spent working. Most of the time is spent organising it all.
Do you find it difficult to balance the creative with the commercial when you are designing? I think that we have moved away from the crafty side, and we are definitely more commercial than maybe I ever intended to be. A part of me sometimes wishes for a more simple life, but I reckon I will have that later on in life ,where I will have a small studio somewhere in the country and just paint all day. Nice.
Do you have time to make things for yourself?
No no no!
What's your view on the Australian Craft Movement - there seems to be a lot of people following both Contemporary and Traditional craft here. In your opinion, is it different to the US Craft Scene? I'm mostly familiar with the British Craft Movement. I think there is a lot more support in the UK (for crafters and artisans). The UK has a really good grant system and there seems a much more apparent diversity of things going on. I think people talk much more about "design" here rather than "craft".
Surface Art
Website
awesome reviews pip well done. I got your message today for the facebook walking team and you were right purple was an unlucky colour to wear today come and find out why when you have a sec
ReplyDeleteLoving these interviews Pip, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much ladies!
ReplyDeleteIt's been really great interviewing everyone - so much to learn about people, huh?!
xx