Local Love | Miss K
In this strange new world we’ve found ourselves in, I think it’s more important than ever to support local businesses. For the first few brands in this series, I obviously looked towards my friends, and wanted to share their talent with you.
So, let me introduce you to Kirsten from Miss K. I’ve known Kirsten for years, but only recently did she let us see just how talented she is. She only started her Instagram account a few months ago, and since then she’s created original prints, candles, macramé, and a host of other beautiful crafts. I sat down with her and asked her a few questions to learn more about her creative process.
Why did you start crafting?
Most adults have crafted at some point in their lives and this usually starts at play school. I was no different to most people and started my passion for arts and crafts at a young age. From an early on it was clear that I had a natural talent and enjoyment for all things arty and this has carried on throughout my life. I find the process of creation to be an important part of my personal life journey.
What was the first craft you learnt?
I would have to say finger painting!
Did you study or are you self-taught?
From around the age of 6 I started private art lessons with an art school until I finished high school (I also did art as a subject at school).
After high school I studied Graphic Design at Ruth Prowse School of Art and did a scholarship exchange in the UK to study illustration.
Which craft do you enjoy creating most?
My first passion is painting. Recently, however I have fallen in love with the art of macramé.
What inspires your work?
Whatever I see and feel at the time is my inspiration.
We are greatly influenced by our surroundings. Unless it is a commission, I just do whatever pops into my head and I feel inspired to do at the time.
Arts and crafts also go through trends and seeing what others are doing can inspire new and adapted ideas and encourage you to try new crafts.
How to approach a new design? Do you have a process, or is it organic?
It depends on what it is. Generally, I have an idea of what I want to create and I will do some research around the process if I am unfamiliar with it and it requires specific material or techniques. Artwork is mostly an organic process.
What piece of advice can you give to new crafters and creators?
Try everything! You never know what you might have a passion for or what you are good at creating.
Sometimes it can be a fail and you will learn that DIY is not always the best option, but just go for it and make sure you have done your research if it requires more advanced skill work. Pinterest and Youtube are wonderful tools for learning new crafts and often have more affordable substitutes for materials needed. Practice makes perfect, so if at first it wasn’t the showstopper you intended it to be, you can always work at it until it is.
The most important thing is that you should love what you are crafting and enjoy the process. If it makes you happy does it really matter what the end result is?
Where can my readers find your work?
Online shop coming soon, but for now, find me on Instagram and Facebook.
Kirsten has very kindly given me a beautiful hamper of her crafts worth R800 to giveaway to one lucky (Cape Town-based) reader. (Sorry, rest of SA, but we need it to be close to us because it included a plant.)
Pop over to my Instagram or Facebook page to see the giveaway and to enter.
