My Story

My mum and dad were hippies and we had an unstable, not very safe, but beautiful life surrounded by family and the best friends anyone could ever have. But when I was four, my mother married a zionist jew and I was hurled unwillingly into his repressive, far right, fundamentalist sect. I was encouraged not to learn about myself or the world around me, we were isolated from the people I knew and loved and from the world. I went from being a creative, artistic child, to a young adult who really didn’t know anything about myself or life. I had to begin to learn about myself in my twenties and it took me longer than most to find meaningful, personal direction. I lwasn’t confident enough to see myself as a creative person, so instead I studied Psychology, which was a depleting choice. After a number of years of housing insecurity and distress with work in the welfare sector, my mental health declined very sharply.

I stumbled upon ceramics while working at a Mental Health Day program in Moonie Ponds somewhere in the 90’s. I seemed to have a knack for engaging participants in art activities because we noticed that they seemed to enjoy drawing and painting and spontaneously drew pictures of their life experiences. I decided we should make a big clay mural where they could make clay paintings of anything they would want to have in their ideal wold. I became so completely hooked on the medium, a few months later I quit my job in a great big ostentatious flood of tears and went to tafe to learn about clay!

Making things out of clay brought me groundedness, facination and joy and helped me rediscover the freedom, excitement and pure happiness I lost during my childhood. In my late twenties, I learned how to play, have fun and create just for the sake of playing, having fun and creating. I came to the realisation that I can’t be separated from my creativity again, because without it I have no happiness.

During the difficult years, when I struggled to understand my experiences and my mental health issues were untreated, Zen Buddhism was the philosophy I turned to for insight. Wabi Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic and philosophical concept that celebrates the beauty of imperfection, impermanence and simplicity. It places value on the natural, aging and weathered quality of objects and embraces the idea that nothing is ever truly permanent or perfect. Wabi Sabi has deep roots in Zen Buddhism, emphasising mindfulness and acceptance of the present moment. The Wabi Sabi way aligns with sustainable practices by favouring items which age gracefully, reducing the need for constant consumption and disposal. It’s focus on minimalism and unadorned beauty supports me in my search for a simpler and more meaningful existence, but above all, it teaches me to forgive myself for my flaws and weaknesses.

I built my first house in Clunes in 2016 which was a deeply grounding and empowering experience. I held down a part time job at a gaudy commercial art gallery in Daylesford for a few years and managed to save up for my first kiln. The strong sense of place I developed to my new home and life in Central Victoria created an interest in working with the earth on which I reside and I went on field trips with my maremma Cece to find local clay and kaolin deposits to work with in the little studio I set up in my front room. I spent a few years making minimal, small batch coil pots with rustic speckle glazes which I sold at art markets, mostly in Melbourne.

On the art market circuit, I became inspired by some of the textile artists I met and felt an overriding urge to become one too! So this past summer, I ordered a crappy beginner sewing machine from Spotlight and taught myself how to sew. I love the process so much that I’ve decided to expand my small creative business to include a small range of my hand stitched, linen garments.

I’m only happy when I’m sitting on my bum making things and hanging out with my maremmas (Cece and Benji), so that’s what I have to offer. Contemporary, minimal, timeless treasures to wear, personalise your home, engage the senses and invest the ordinary moments in your day with belonging. I hope you can join me on my creative journey and that you love my handmade treasures as much as I loved making them for you! After all, art and life should always be a part of one another.