A PR entrepreneur by day and a weaver by nature, Catriona Pollard is a maker on a mission
Working an office job can be taxing at best, so it’s important to have a creative outlet to provide relief from the daily grind. For Catriona Pollard, this came in the form of weaving.
With a solo exhibition under her belt and local retailers now stocking her creations, Catriona is just getting started.
“I have a busy and at times stressful role running a PR agency, but I’ve always been interested in design,” she says. “I booked into a week-long basketry class, picked up a vine to weave and was hooked. For me, it’s about the combination of nature, imagination and beauty that attracts me to sculptural basketry.” Although mostly self-taught, Catriona sought the help of makers including Tim Johnson, Robyn Djunginy, Meri Peach and the acclaimed late-Australian basket artist, Virginia Kaiser.
Initially pigeonholing basketry as a hobby, Catriona soon developed and matured as an artist, citing her natural surroundings as a primary influence on her work.
“Nature is where I find beauty, peace and energy,” says the designer. “For me, the power of natural beauty energises me and makes my soul sing. The type of art I do isn’t about perfection; it’s about exploration and play. I use materials to tell my stories, and I use nature as a way to connect with people that goes beyond physical beauty, but touches them in a personal and profound way.”
Sticking with an all-natural approach, Catriona only uses materials that are organic and harvests plant material and garden waste to weave her sculptural baskets and vessels. “Most of my work contains nothing but the plant fibre,” she says. “There are no glues or synthetic dyes, and most don’t even use anything to bind it together, such as thread or wire.”
With a goal to continue generating one-off, handmade pieces, Catriona brings a fresh approach to an ancient technique. Thanks to a growing appreciation for all things niche, this maker’s organic creations are sure to become a must-have for those who appreciate design with a lot of heart.
For more information
theartofweaving.com.au
Originally from Home Design magazine, Volume 19 Issue 2
Written by Annabelle Cloros
