As Charleston, the Bloomsbury home of art and crafts, holds the exhibition ‘Post impressionism living Omega Workshops’ 14 Sept 2019- 19th January 2020 . I interviewed one of the designers selling in their shop, Debbie Siniska.
I know you as a Hooked rug maker, Can you tell me did you train in textiles?
No, I’m self taught
Did you go to art school and what did you study? If not what did you do when you left school?
I used to practice drawing at life class, but never went to college. I did a City and Guilds in Feltmaking. My very first job when I left school was for Barclays bank in a tying pool, it was deathly boring
Rug hooking is a very old rural craft born out of necessity. What got you into hooked rugs and why?
I was interested in learning to weave, but that didn’t quite do it for me. One day whilst foraging for fabrics, I came across some old hand tools, and began to make hooky mats, its recycling in its purest form.
Have you ever worked for anyone else, or done any collaborations? If so, with whom?
I have been part of Creative Partnerships, a government initiative, in schools. I was also sponsored by Brighton and Hove City Council and Kent County Council, with the War on Waste team, to take my ‘Creativity in Schools’ textile eco-art project into primary schools in Brighton and Hove, and in Kent, which was televised on local TV, and culminated in a public exhibition of children’s work in Brighton.
How do you get your commissions?
People see my work at shows and commission me. I also get commissions via my website . http://www.debbiesiniska.co.uk
One of my most recent largest commissions was a 7’ x 4’; Treescape, which I made for a friend of mine who had just retired
What is a typical day for you?
No two days are the same for me – If I am teaching at a school that day, the morning will sometimes be prep – I often have work on the frame, so I may do a couple of hours in the workroom. I have to attend to emails and also spend a lot of time searching for teaching opportunities, and contacting galleries. If there is hand stitching to do or assembling prints and cards, I can work listening to great music or watching a film.
What do you love most about what you do?
Making, and watching pieces come to life on the frame. I love hand stitching and working with colour.
What do you dislike most about what you do?
I don’t really dislike any of it, It’s all your own work and it’s what you make of it!
What made you want to start your own creative business?
I couldn’t work for anyone else – if I wasn’t following my own creative passions, what was the point of anything. Being true to my own instinctive creativity is what keeps me going. Sometimes its not all about the money!
Can you describe your creative process?
For my own work, I get an idea, an image in my mind, anything can inspire me, music, nature, colour, texture, stories, bonfires and people. This idea stays with me, and I start to search for textiles in the colours I need – I wait and watch for an image to come to me, then I will set my frame up and chalk out my design. If I am working on a green man, or animal, I always begin with the eyes. If they work, then the rest of the piece does!
I do love hares, the green man, birds, fishes, plantlife, sky, trees – lots of my inspiration comes from nature, of course.
If I am commissioned, I have already spoken at length with the client, and if we agree, I can begin with confidence that I can create what they are asking for. The best commission is from someone who likes my work and trusts my judgement!
What are your biggest challenges?
Working to commission is always a bit nerve racking – talking about your work to 250 people, while you are being filmed, that’s quite challenging. Making decisions about a certain colourway, when nothing is working, and putting the right price on a piece of work, when its taken a month to create! Working on your own, in your studio, making all the decisions is hard sometimes. Lastly, trying to find time to experiment and go off on a tangent, a rare thing for me.
In what way has social media impacted on your work
I am on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/debbiesiniska/this helps me chart my pieces of work, and I get feedback from other artisans that I follow – and sometimes I get commissions/sales from Instagram. I advertise workshops, and of course it’s a great way to see what other people are doing.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in your field today?
Starting out, starts with learning your particular craft, and having a passion for it – go to textile shows and events, and talk to the makers. Don’t be put off by mistakes, see a project through even if you don’t think it’s working – because it just might. Sometimes great things happen when you least expect them.
Compared with when you started, do you think it is easier for designers to set up on their own nowadays or more difficult? Why?
Everybody’s doing the ‘creative thing’ these days – I try to be true to my ideas when I work, and not be too influenced. Sometimes people cannot tell the difference between mass produced or hand-made, and won’t pay the price for pure artisan hand-made piece of work. There is a certain saturation point and seeking of approval that comes with social media. In the end it all becomes a blur. Creating/designing something new is becoming harder and harder.
One of the reasons I am interviewing successful women who are over forty is that they have often had to take a career break, or had to slow down to deal with child care and or aged parents. Have you ever had to deal with either of these of issues and did it impact on your creative life or business?
As a mum I had to care for both my parents, whilst running my shop and working as a maker, and teacher. At times, it was impossible to keep focused and find the momentum to continue creatively.
Have you exhibited? If so, where?
I have been featured in the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph newspapers, My work has been exhibited in the V&A, I appeared on channel 4 TV with Kirstie Alsopp, on her Homemade Home series 2. I created several Bloomsbury rag rugs for the Tate Gallery shop in London to accompany an exhibition of Bloomsbury art.
I was commissioned by Charleston Farmhouse, home of the literary and art group of the 1920’s and open to the public, to create a facsimile of an old Bloomsbury style rag rug, that now lies in Maynard Keynes bedroom in the house. I take part in Brighton Open Houses, and am part of the Heritage Crafts Association.
Have you written or contributed to any books if so which ones ?
I self published my books Rag Rugs Old into New. Most recently I contributed projects to ‘Craft’ by Dorling Kidersley, and have also had projects in several other project based ‘how to’ books in the past. I created projects for two craft magazines, and was sponsored by a couple of beadwork companies.
What are you currently working on?
My next two shows coming up this month, and in November. I also have three commissions that I am currently working on.
What is next?
I want to exhibit with my daughter, who is a painter, and do a ‘makers’ book for kids.
Do you teach or run workshops? If so where and to whom?
I run my own textile workshops in East Sussex, and I occasionally teach for the National Trust and in adult residential colleges, including West Dean College near Chichester. I also teach in schools, and sometimes visit a school for a day for arts week/green week/eco week. I currently run Eco Art Club, at two primary schools in East Sussex. I have done, and will be doing many one day workshops for the WI, these are great fun, and I get asked to talk/teach for the Spinners, Weavers and Dyers and Embroidery Groups.
Thank you very much
