Photo courtesy of the Christchurch Press.
What do you make?
I make little artifacts that are real world representations of imaginary game worlds and the creatures that inhabit them. The pixelmice are escapees from a pixelart lab, translated into the material world by knitting one stitch per pixel of their digital selves. I use a bit of electricity to light up their noses, and sometimes they materialize as functional items like catnip mice and scrubbers.
Why would you buy something handmade?
Rather than handmade for the sake of it, I would buy because I fell in love with a particular item – like the perspex Pacman necklace I got at Craft 2.0 a couple of years back, or the Lego necklace where the colours of the blocks were so artfully matched. I love that through special curated craft events I have the opportunity to buy original, unique items straight from the maker.
Where else might we see your work?
I am selling some soft circuit flower kits on Felt, which are suitable for anyone who wants to try out sewing with conductive thread, and will be listing the other items in my range. I am currently working on a long overdue web presence, so watch this space.
How did you get into your craft?
I got into textile crafts growing up in rural towns, where nice ladies taught me knitting and spinning skills. I started to knit properly in 1986, because I really wanted a batwing sleeved colour block sweater dress. Noone would make me one, so I had to learn how to design and knit my biggest fashion statement of the 80s myself. After that all I wanted to do was study textile design.
The interest in soft circuits that I often incorporate into my work came from years of tinkering with electronics and robotics. Which in turn came from an obsession with cyberpunk fiction, Star Wars, and wanting light up rave gear. A few years ago I read about the work Leah Beuchley (the inventor of Lilypad Arduino sewable components) was doing at MIT with conductive thread, fabric and electronics parts, and saw a way I could merge my two seemingly disparate directions.
Do you have formal training or qualifications in your craft?
Yes, after high school I did a 1 year full time foundation course in art and fibre craft, which got me into the 3 year Craft Design (textiles) programme at Otago. It was amazing to have that time to concentrate on developing my design theories and work. I majored in constructed textiles – woven tapestry and knitting.
Is there a philosophy behind your work?
Sort of “form follows function” contradicted by “cute needs no explanation”. I usually put eyes and ears on functional items like wash cloths, as a nod to the Japanese animist idea of Kami, or the essence/spirit of things. I grew up watching a lot of cartoons, and I really wished my teapot would talk to me, and that radishes had a spirit, like the one in “Spirited Away”.
I will admit to being quite influenced by Takashi Murakami’s “Superflat” philosophy. I like how he sees the marketplace as a channel for getting artistic concepts out into the world, and the flattening of artistic hierarchies e.g. ‘high art’ vs ‘low art’.
My work is also affected by Tatsuo Miyajima’s “On three concepts” – Keep changing, Connect with all, Goes on forever. He is a Japanese conceptual artist who uses LCDs. Actually it was seeing his work in person that sparked the electronics focus for me.
What are your favourite materials, tools and/or processes?
Tools: Soldering iron, light up knitting needles and crochet hooks (for knitting in the dark), spinning wheel, iMac. Materials: First and foremost, NZ wool! - yarn and fleece. Then conductive thread, electronics components, Arduino lilypad. Processes: Knitting, spinning, electronics, mechatronics, pixel art, woven tapestry.
pixelbrid.felt.co.nz
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