Next in line, is the talented Jacquie Ramsden - the face behind Ramsden Designs.
Tell us a bit about yourself & your craft.
I’m a mum of two, a uni student and a huge daydreamer. After having daughters I went on a huge pink, girly crafting spree that hasn’t stopped yet. I’d love to be an illustrator but am so painfully shy about getting my work out there I wonder if it’ll ever happen. Funny enough I just did the poster for our first craft fair with Ali J, which is about to be all over Perth.
I’ve always been really creative and have so many ideas all the time it’s impossible to do even a fraction of them. I also can’t stick to one idea or style of art for long because I’ve just thought of something else I’d like to try.
I really love the mundane realities of my everyday life but I don’t think I could ever be happy if I wasn’t doing something creative every day, even if it’s just thinking of a new idea.
What do you cherish most in your life?
My boyfriend and two daughters. Honestly I’d rather live in a cardboard box with them than in a mansion without them. After them I’d have to say my good fortune in life, I am seriously one lucky girl, I wouldn’t say all, but most of my dreams in life have come true. Even ones I didn’t know I wanted.
What could you not live without?
See question above...and chocolate. I’m pretty sure I’d curl up into a ball and die without it.
What was the first thing you ever created?
When I was young, around 9ish I cut up my mother’s good quilting fabric and hand sewed a dress for my Barbie. She was not impressed to say the least. I totally did her a favour though; looking back that material was a terrible 80’s floral print and would look awful on a quilt now.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by anyone who makes beautiful art, especially colourful work or portraits. Contemporary art is pretty much a major love of my life and I’ve always liked Art Nouveau. Artists who I literally worship include Fernanda Guedes, Robert Ryan, Kurt Halsey, Liselotte Watkins and Aaron Jasinsky. But my biggest inspirations are my daydreams, I generally draw all the things I want to be or wish was around me. How that translates into conjoined twins I don’t know but they do have cool hair and are wearing haute couture.
What is the most important thing to you when you create your work?
To make something I’ll still like in a year. It happens all the time, I make something, think it’s pretty good and the next week think it’s total crap and no one ever sees it. I’ve got loads of stuff that never gets seen or is only out there for a little while before I pull it. I’m having this problem now, all my illustrations of girls I’m looking at and thinking ‘meh’ and wanting to pull them off my website and Etsy shop so I can do something else.
Is this your fulltime profession?
It will be one day. At the moment my full time profession is housewife/mother/student/creator and cleaner of mess/procrastinator. If I ever get a full time job again I’ll be so proud of myself, I’m in total awe of anyone with kids who works or fulfils their creative dreams. How do they do it?
What do you think of Australian design?
As good as anywhere else. I’m not very pro Australia because seriously good artists come from all over the globe. I don’t look at it as an us versus them kind of thing, I think we’re just as good as anywhere else.
What made you want to get involved with organising a craft fair?
Dara did. I wanted to be a part of Made on the Left website and concept but the thought of organising a craft fair terrified me. Dara just stepped up to the plate and started the ball rolling and it was either sink or swim for me. Everything is much less painful because the team is so awesome. I’m awestruck by how great they are and every day I look forward to doing something else to help make our dreams a reality.
2 comments:
I find it funny how you say how in awe you are of mothers who work and still create and you say you are far too self conscious to get out there...Yet here you are! You are out there, you are a mum and making time for your art and I am in awe of you!
It's people like you, all of you, who are making a difference and I know there are many artists/ craftists out there breathing 'thank-you'.
Gosh Nichole, thank you. Occasionally I’ll jump off the cliff or run around with a big ‘look at ME’ neon sign but usually convince myself no one is watching so it doesn’t matter. That little profile by Rosanna was one of those times.
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