Find out about the girls behind Hey Maker!

Here's Belinda Smith's interview.

Tell us a little about your creative life.

I am an artist and designer. My work is usually inspired by craft practices and the natural environment whether it is a public artwork or a small artwork for a gallery or for home. I love working with textiles, clay, yarn, timber and paper. At the moment, though, my kids (2 1/2 and 4 months) are taking up a lot of creative time. I also love working with other artists; talking about their work and assiting in finding them creative opportunities. I hope Hey Maker! can become a hub for creative opportunity for many artists and craftspeople in our area.

Where do you live and why?

I live in Murwillumbah with my landscape architect husband and we have had our two daughters here. We feel very much at home here with the mountain ranges out of our kitchen window and the myriad of birds that come to our garden to sing.

 

What is it you make?

Mostly I design public artworks but I also turn my hand at lots of domestic crafts such as knitting, crochet and sewing. I always love the opportunity to work with clay too.

Where did you learn these skills?

Formally, I studied design at QCA and learnt a lot on the job as a designer for Urban Art Projects. My practical skills are self taught or learned from family and friends, especially my mum and dad.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Everyday life, my surroundings, landscape and culture (mine and other cultures too.)

What is your fondest childhood memory of making something?

Sewing was always a regular activity at home but I always loved pottering in the shed with my dad. We would make stuff from wood and he’d show me how to use his tools.

Do you find time to be creative every day?

Sort of…..a lot of creative energy goes into mothering but I try to crochet, sew or garden every day. Cooking is a creative outlet too.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a creative career?

After a year studying farming business at uni I failed. I moved to Melbourne to study interior design and this was the beginning of my creative career. I have I have been fortunate to have worked in London in a designer furniture store, in Melbourne selling beautiful textiles and Brisbane as a designer in the fields of landscape architecture and public art.

Who is your creative hero?

Ceramacists Lucie Rie, Marea Gazzard and Gwyn Hansson Pigott to name a few.

birthday presents from some local heros! Nikki Shippard of Birchseed and the basket by Julia Barron

 

What would you love to learn to do within the next year or so? What creative skill / talent?

I have been thinking a bit about leather lately and growing plants for natural dyeing.

Please share some of your favourite web wanderings.

I regularly look at these ones

http://www.purlbee.com/

http://smittenkitchen.com/

and sometimes check on these ones and love what I find

http://abigaildoan.blogspot.com.au/

http://textileartscenterblog.com/

A new discovery this week is
http://sweatshopparis.blogspot.com.au/
I am inspired to teach sewing to kids!

Follow a link to Belinda's blog to see more of her work.