Makers Part 15

Humans used to be thought of as occupying an existential space between animals and gods. Our bodies display our affinity to animals, while our minds possess intellectual and moral capacities seemingly beyond the reach of physical objects. For me this suggests that we identify with animals (we are mammals) as well as gods (we are immortal, immaterial souls). The use of animal iconography in art and decoration is an example of our strong affiliation and identification with the wild that has long been lost in ourselves. My next maker Roza makes wearable art which straddles functionality and costume and perhaps imbues its wearer with the magical raw power of the wild we were once much closer to. You can find her work in her etsy store Shovava. 

Can you tell me a little about your background? 
I was born in Kazakhstan into a family of artists; at 15 I moved to NYC where I was educated and worked for 8 years. Now I live in Australia. 

What do you make?

I make mostly women's clothing and accessories. I hand paint original art, then digitally print or screen print it onto my pieces. The items you see here are my original designs and the only of their kind wearable art.

                 

What attracted you to this particular medium? How did you get started?
I began by combing thrift stores looking for vintage and oversized men’s t-shirts that I would reconstruct into fitted women’s tops. After finding the right garments, I'd hand paint them so that they were truly “one of a kind” works of wearable art. I've always loved making things and wearing my own designs.

                                                             

How long have you been making?
About 3 years now.

How does your practice fit in with your everyday life? Do you have your own studio space and when do you work and where?

Aside from few freelance projects, my company has become my full-time job. I do have a studio space here in a beautiful jungle in Australia. 

What are the best and worst aspects about working with this medium?

I consider myself very lucky as I make living by giving other people pieces that I love making. Things can be unpredictable when you are working for yourself, but good always outweighs the bad.

                              

Who or what inspires you?
I observe nature and find inspiration in the smallest details. Maybe it’s a butterfly’s wing or the patterned cell structure of a leaf. Maybe it’s a feather or a raven perched on a tree limb. I take in what I see in the natural world and then create my pieces.

                                                     

Do you get creative blocks? If so, how do you deal with it?
Almost never. I pretty much always have too many ideas...the challenge is to narrow them down to something that will work. There's a difference between just being creative for yourself and staying creative while making living from it too.

What other mediums would you love to explore?
I'd love to get into Eco textile dying used by India Flint.

India Flint demonstrating eco print techniques

 

What do you hope to do next with your practice?

At the moment I am working on my website Shovava.com and hope it will be as functional and beautiful as my clothing;) Next art project will be about recently extinct animals such as Dodo bird and Tasmanian Tiger.

Thank you Roza! Are you a collector? I am interested in hearing your story, so please contact me.