You are a multidisciplinary artist who works with mediums such as sculpture, printmaking, experimental textile, clothing and object design. What is your favourite medium and why?
It is hard to choose one as I really like having a multi-dimensional approach to making. This allows me to take an idea and test it and expand it into lots of different variations. Currently, I am enjoying exploring ceramics and trying some new experiments with clay and glaze. I will always love sewing and constantly return to that as a process that is really grounding for me and connects me to my ancestors.
What challenges do you face as a creator when maintaining authenticity in a highly competitive industry?
I have had moments of feeling discouraged in this industry but ultimately I try to focus on continuing to innovate and to trust myself. I rely on my intuition, a playful approach and deep sources of inspiration to guide me forward, and I think that is what makes my work genuine and keeps my audience engaged. I work hyper locally and in very limited quantities. It is a personal approach that I hope people are drawn to, and that it fosters a deeper connection. There is pressure to constantly produce and show your work in order to stay relevant but sometimes my art needs privacy and time to evolve. Allowing myself to disappear for a little while and work with patience and commitment results in a more authentic and fully realised outcome.
How does the summer season inspire your artistic process?
I have an obsession with colour, and the energy that is created by combining colours, and summer gives you an entire spectrum to draw from. In summer, our bodies have more freedom in our clothing, shedding layers to allow for breeze and movement and ease, and these are all things that inform my designs. I do most of my collaborations and photoshoots in the summer, when it’s easier to be outside and in nature. There is something really lovely that happens when you have the gentle, warm support of nature, and can bring the pieces outside and see how they react to their surroundings.
Myfawnwy design is highly recognisable. What are the key considerations when designing clothing with your marbled patterns?
I usually begin by developing the imagery and pattern I want to use, and then consider what it could become. I like to frame my imagery with the cut of the garment, and to be very intentional with my colours. The clothes I make are often oversized, so you are fully enveloped in the textiles and the energy of the designs. Because everything is hand printed, I end up utilising the scraps and off-cuts in different ways, and have developed full clothing collections and other items using just the leftovers.
The last question: you have been working on the new Stripes collection. Can you tell us a bit about it? What was the story behind it?
This specific collection emerged out of a technical experiment and also out of a deep interest in the history of pattern, both in the human world and the natural world. Stripes are an ancient pattern with such an interesting and storied history. I wanted to create my own version of stripes using marbling. Marbling has a voice of its own and is difficult to control. The irregular patterns and vibrations of the linear colours that emerged from this experiment captivated me and I have been making hundreds of variations. I am currently working on another evolution of the marbled stripe for a new accessories collection that is coming soon.
