Anu Raina

Anu Raina Collection - Fashion Show – Sept 2010

Q So who is Anu Raina?
I am an emerging Textiles Artist / Designer.

Q Where in the world are you?
I am based in Toronto, Canada.

Fall 2010 - Screen Print Fabric

 
Q When did you decide to become a maker?
Having moved to Canada in July 2004, and with the arrival of my second child in 2005, I took a break from my career to take care of my kids. In July 2008 I happened to visit the Crafts and Design wing at Sheridan College. I was completely blown away by the creativity and the talent of the graduates. I felt challenged and knew it was my calling. I enrolled in the Textile design program right away. It’s a 3 year intensive program. I got an advance standing for the first year and graduated in June 2010 with High Honours and a Top medal.
 

Silk Screen Print Scarf

 

Q What made you choose the materials that you work with?
My work is mostly Textile based but not completely restricted to them. For me it’s more about expressing my inner self, medium just becomes a tool to achieve this goal. But Textiles do work like a blank canvas for me where I can go crazy creating different textures with free hand drawing and many other printing techniques that I learnt at Sheridan. The beauty of Textiles is that you can cut, sew, manipulate it and actually wear your own art work.

 Burnt Holes Silk Dress

 

 Burnt Holes Detail

 

Q What other materials would you like to work in?
I do like to work with discarded materials. One of my recent Autobiographical pieces titled “Chapter 2, Page 1” was made with discarded embroidery punch cards and fishing line.

Chapter 2, Page 1 – Mixed Media

 

Q Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get inspired by anything / everything around me but mostly by my own journeys in life.
 
Q What motivates you?
A strong urge to transform my emotions into a visual language.
 
Q Do you create your work in a studio base or a home base?
My work is mostly studio based. After graduating from Sheridan, I got lucky to be selected as an artist in residence at the prestigious Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. It’s a very inspiring place and I get to share the studio with incredibly talented people.
 

Anu Screen Printing at her Harbourfront Studio

 

Q Crafts in the 21^st Century – what does this mean to you?
Craft to me is art perceived by heart and conceived by hands. I believe it is not bound by time. It’s a timeless endeavour. Ingenious handcrafted objects have been unearthed by archaeologists from the prehistoric times.

How do you sell and promote your work?
As I have just started, I primarily promote and sell my work via my website and a few boutique stores in Toronto. You can see my work on my website / Blog ( I share my inspirations and concepts on my blog) http://www.anuraina.com/

Hand Dyed, Silk Screen Print Scarf

 
Q What is your typical working day look like?
There is no typical working day for me as I don’t have a 9-5 job. Making art is fun and I love to have fun any time of the day.

Q What is your working style?
My working style is very abrupt and impulsive. If I don’t feel inspired I don’t work for days but when something inspires me, it just consumes me completely. My work tends to be complex, layered and sometimes obsessive. For example I recently made a piece of wearable art (a jacket in the shape of a stealth bomber) with over 10,000 staples and actually ended up spraining my wrist.
 

Stapled Series - (jacket, shoulder bag and back pack bag)

 

Stapled Jacket – part of the Stapled Series

 
Q 3 words of advice for an aspiring Craft artist/maker...
Passion / Perseverance / Faith
 
Q Who is/are your favourite artist(s)/maker(s)?
There are different things I admire about different Artists / Designers. I love Canadian Fibre artist Dorothy Caldwell’s work. There’s something very spiritual about it. http://www.ccca.ca/ I love the lightness and beauty of Virginia Johnson’s prints. I wish I could inject some of it in my own work which tends to be on a heavier side. http://www.virginiajhonson.com/ I love the weaving techniques of Caitlin Earskin Smith. www.scattermint.com. I am inspired by the dedication of Arounna Khnnouraj to her craft. (she is a mother of two kids as well) http://www.bookhou.com/ I feel spell bound by Ray Materson’s work and admire his courage http://www.raymaterson.com.%20i/ totally love the inventive approach of Canadian artist / designer Denis Gagnon. http://www.denisgagnon.ca/

 Staples – Detail

 

Q What music do you listen to?
I love listening to Alanis Morissette, Joan Osborne, James Blunt, AR Rahman, Krishna Das and Rasa by Kim Waters.
 
Q 3 likes and dislikes?
I love simple hearted people, hot soups and my family. I abhor slugs and Potato bugs, falling sick and missing a bus.
 
Q What do you do to relax?
I cook for my family, surprisingly it works like a complete stress buster for me.

Clothing Show –Sept 2010

Shuyu Lu

 

 Antenna Head (hand embroidery, cotton and solid fleece)

 

Q So who is Shuyu Lu?
I was born and raised in China and I am currently a textile artist-in-residence at the Harbourfront Centre Studio in Toronto. I came to Canada to pursue an art education at the OCAD University and graduated in 2009 and received a BD (Bachelor Degree) in Fibre.
 
Q Where in the world are you based?
I am living in downtown Toronto now, a very dynamic multiple cultural atmosphere city.

 

Birdie Cushion (Screen Print on Cotton)

 
Q How did you decide to become a maker?
It took me for awhile to figure out that I want to participate in the craft field, and eventually consider myself as a craft maker. Here is the long story: I was studying advertising in the first year in university and I realized that I am not into the program at all; I am not an advertising person style. When I was struggling at that time, I saw the MAAD (Material art & design) program thesis student doing the fundraising sale in the lobby one day; they made things like the little crochet creatures, purses, dyed scarves, ring, coffee mugs, etc. I spent quite a long time there, picking up everything and look at them, that gave me delight!
To make some beautiful things by your hand and sell them, people happy because they like it; as well as the makers happy because they know people like it. Things become simple and back to the original way, is it the most wonderful thing? I bought a crochet birdie ornament from the sale and I think that might be the reason that finally made me decided to change my program! Indeed, if you don’t like something but you are still doing it, it will be a torture and pointless. I have no regret that I’m doing craft now, it is the best thing I’d like to do as my career.
 

My Childhood, My China - 2009 (screen print and hand embroidery on muslin)

 

Q Do you create your work in a studio base or a home base?
I work in the studio mostly. I am the current textile artist in residence at the Toronto Harbourfront centre. The craft department there provide a studio each for the textile, glass, ceramic and jewellery, for the emerging artists and designers. The studios also create a strong craft community and good working atmosphere there. It is a great transition place for those who just graduated from school and start the independent craft career like me.
I work at home too since I need to spend lot of time for hand embroidery. I know it’s not a good habit but it’s enjoyable—pick a good movie and start embroidery.

 

Welcome to the Village No2 – 2010 (hand embroidery on toile fabric)

 

Q What made you choose the materials that you work with?
In the second year of MAAD( Material art and design) program in OCAD university, students have to take all fibre, ceramic and metal intro courses. That allows us to have a chance to experience the different materials of these categories and then choose the one that most suitable (or comfortable) for each student to focus. My works express my feeling about differences in culture, as well as nostalgia for my own Chinese heritage. My works are mainly focused on screen-printing and embroidery and they help me to visualize the concept freely, easily and directly.
 
Q What are you working on at the moment?
I finished school last year and I had a few series of work so far. They are all made from a narrative perspective expressing my feelings about cultural impact. In my new work, I will continue to develop this concept. I’d like to bring the old and the traditional into contemporary pieces, meanwhile showing where the Western & Eastern elements melt together – their melting point.
 

 New Treasure - 2009 (screen print on cotton and silk organza, hand embroidery)

 

Q Crafts in the 21^st Century – what does this mean to you?
Craft is everywhere in the 21^st Century. Craft shows in the furniture pieces; craft shows in the fashion, craft shows in the industry products, craft shows in the art galleries, craft shows in the luxury culture, etc. The term “craft” has the different meaning than the old time - craft is not just represent the traditional skill and have to only come with the functional things; but also, craft acting as a medium to reflect our social value. It’s blurring the boundaries between art, design and craft today. Like me and my studio fellows, we make craft-art pieces and meanwhile we make craft-design items. However, we have to admit that it is really a niche market for craft; it’s very unique but small. It always needs people and the society’s appreciation and support. Craft melding into the different disciplines is the way to survive.
 
Q How do you sell and promote your work?
I mostly participate the sale shows and juried exhibitions to get exposure at this early stage. I also sell some of my functional items (toy dolls and cushions) in Distill  and Bounty. They are two of the biggest stores in Toronto that provide a selling opportunity to Canadian artists.
 

So Far, So Close – 2010 (screen print and hand embroidery on silk organza)

 

Q 3 words of advice for an aspiring Craft artist/maker...
Passion, love life & appreciation.
 
Q What inspires you?
My Chinese background, childhood, nostalgia, the impact of the different cultures, urban life, my working environment…
 
Q 3 things that you hate?
Maybe I say something that I don’t like? Hate, Beet, No time to sleep

 

So Far, So Close [yellow] – 2010 (screen print and hand embroidery on silk organza

 

Q Who is/are your favourite artist(s)/maker(s)?
It will be a long list for this question!

The most inspired one is Zhang Xiaogang – the Chinese contemporary artist. He was born in 1958 and was influenced by a period of Cultural Revolution during his youth. His surrealist paintings are a perfect reflection of the period. It conjures the depressive atmosphere of the time. Dorie Millerson’s needlepoint is also a favourite. Most of her work is tiny and deals with memory, nostalgia, defining home and identity. The lace work brings her memories and moments of attachment to life with their delicate shapes.

Also here are the other artists I like: Ron Mueck, Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara, Julie Moon, Lyn Carter, David R. Harper, Ai Weiwei.
 

Q What do you do to relax?
Take a walk in my neighbourhood and shopping at the vintage stores.
 

Welcome to the Village – 2010 (hand embroidery on toile fabric)

Jay Anderson

Cute Scottie Dog - Card illustration

 

Q. How did you decide to become a maker?
I think it’s always been in my blood – perhaps it’s because I grew up with Mums and Grans (editors note: Grans = Grandmothers) who made everything from Christmas decorations to toffee apples.


Q. What made you choose the materials that you work with?
I work very intuitively and get quite involved with a project and materials that relate to it and then I’ll take up something new that my mind’s been mulling over for a long time. I think a lot before I do any work and then I leave it to my intuition. 

 

Kirsty Cat - Fun Card Illustration

 

Q. Crafts in the 21^st Century – what does this mean to you?
I’ll begin by saying I’d like to be an optimist about there being a resurgence towards applied arts. In some of the art colleges crafts / applied arts, I feel, have not been given the gravitas behind them that other disciplines get. For example, ceramics, furniture and certain forms of textiles are being ‘rationalised’ within the art college syllabus whether it’s for health & safety reasons, costs or lack of uptake. But you won’t get an uptake if there is a lack of facilities and opportunities at school level. If it’s not recognised then the need for crafts and applied arts becomes an ever-decreasing circle that’s self-perpetuating. It’s a bit sad really, if there’s less and less engagement to develop these skills at an early age and there’s less and less places available to progress to … well the rest is as we see it today.

My final observation is the lack of inheriting craft skills from previous generations. It was a natural process – people (mostly women) made things whether out of necessity or cost factors and children learned from their mothers and grandmothers. This doesn’t happen as much now - the average person now lives in a cheap quick mass produced world or uses their free time with gadgets (and I’m thinking TV, computers etc) that take them away from the need to create. I understand why this is so, as we know, women’s roles have changed dramatically in the last 20/30/40 years. Most are in some form of employment so it’s difficult to free up the time or have the mental energy or the money to be a maker let alone a professional one.

However, I do see a development from small pockets of creatives (whether trained or self taught) who are pulling together, not unlike a cooperative, and are beginning to make head roads into establishing coordinated events that may drive people into taking up the need to make and create. We need to have environments like Greenwich Market in the cities and major towns of Scotland. I shall now take a deep breath and get off my soapbox! Long live the makers!

The Outsider – Mixed Media Collage

Q. How do you sell your work?
I sell work through various sources as I have only just begun to ‘do it for myself’ so I use Etsy, http://www.etsy.com/shop/ziggyandfriends as well as http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinescot. I’m building some connections with independent shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh and locally in Fife and am about to embark on my first craft fair in Edinburgh through The Spider and The Fly


Q. What is your working style?
It changes all the time. I’ve done some commissions where I’ve created expressionist/abstract works of art and then I’m using the finest fine line pen to work on great detail. At the moment I’m enjoying clean illustrations with limited colours as well as deciding to make a rabbit and finish off my stencil artwork based on a Russian bear and Communism. Working style hmmmm… a bit mixed really!

 

Moon 3 – Mixed Media Collage

Q. 3 words of advice for an aspiring Craft maker...
Believe in what you do
Don’t wait for tomorrow
Be true to yourself

 

Strawberry Textile Design – Gouache & Cartridge Paper

 

Q. What inspires you?
That’s a hard one to answer because it’s so eclectic. The last exhibition that inspired me was the Charles Avery at Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. I love Andrew Joyce’s work at the moment. I love seeing my friends’ work. Loving Swoon at the moment too. But it can be a photograph or a texture or a conversation …….


Q. Who is your favourite artist/maker?
Too many to list … I’ve already mentioned Swoon but I find it very hard to name one or two.

 

Take Me – Silk Screen Print on Silk Fabric Using

Q. You walk into your bathroom and see a crocodile in the bath tub....what would you do?
How do you know I have a crocodile in my bathroom????! I say ‘good morning’ of course!!!