tell us about your background
i’ve always tinkered with art and craft for as long as I can remember. both my parents are creative and have always encouraged this with me. one early memorable gift from them was a large cane picnic box brimming with creative inspiration, from paper doilies to twine to ear cleaners! ivy lane allows me to express this creativity away from my market research desk job.
tell us about what you create
perhaps this early mixed-bag gift from my parents was what installed the ‘make something from anything’ mantra as ivy lane art pieces are exactly this. I find bibs and bobs from second hand shops and things I’ve collected to create unique art canvases and frames (glass taken off). A ceramic dish or chopsticks may take centre stage of the artwork with material and ribbon often featuring. All pieces have an element of upcycling and often have a vintage feel.
what made you start making your pieces?
whilst browsing in an op shop i found myself considering the art possibilities with necklaces and ceramic dishes. once i’d thought of how to turn this into art, i haven’t stopped looking at all the different items in these second hand stores and the various ways they can be upcycled to create something visually appealing to hang on a wall or stand on a book shelf.
What materials do you use?
canvases and frames are my base while materials (off-cuts and cutting up of old clothes) and/or paint will generally be the first element of the art work. generally there is a centre piece object which draws the eye in, while other items such as ribbons, beads and straws will accompany it.
tell us about your creative process?
i will often start with one item and play around with adding other pieces to see what fits and what doesn’t. i’ll often know straight up if it will be a canvas or a frame piece of work due to the size of my item (e.g: a paperback book cover is more likely to fit on an A4 frame). this helps to start laying things out as the size restriction is in place. i’ll always consider different textures, colours and types of items for the art work to ensure it is an exciting visual feast with dimension. this process continues until i’m happy with the final result.
why did you choose in.cube8r?
there is nothing quite like in.cube8r – a funky, inspirational space with all sorts of different artists just giving it a good go. it’s also located in a very central location and is always open – which maximises potential for sales.