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Natasha at work in her studio, near Hobart. |
Anyone who has ever held one of the exquisite Snow Queen's Garden art dolls has been captivated by the beauty and intricacy of the designs. And now, as she prepares to celebrate 10 years of her designing and making we thought we should find out a little bit more about the Snow Queen and her garden.
Natasha, each and every intricately sewn creation from the Snow Queens Garden, seems to be telling us a beautiful and complex narrative. What elements from your own personal story have influenced these labours of love?
Every piece is a inspired by a moment in my day, a flash of colour, an echo of a memory or the half remember Russian fairy tales of my childhood . At times the work has taken me back to traumatic events in my childhood, but creating a piece became part of understanding these events and moving beyond them. There is literally heart and soul in every item made in The Snow Queen's Garden.
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A unique and new design for Natasha, in time for the Christmas Barn Market and her 10 year celebrations. Image credit: Natalie Mendham Photography. |
The Snow Queens Garden has a large and enthusiastic online following, to what do you attribute your success?
To be honest.. I am not really sure. After 9 years of stitching these little goodies, I am still stunned at how supportive and positive people are about them. Many of The Snow Queen's followers are very talented creators themselves and have an appreciation for the time and effort behind each and every piece.
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Three of Natasha's art dolls, captured by Natalie Mendham for a Barn Market photo shoot. |
Your Instagram images, such as one of a pollen covered bee hovering over a rose, suggest an appreciation of nature and beauty in close-up. Are these photographs inspiration or simply relaxation for you?
Instagram has definitely become a bigger part of The Snow Queen's Garden as Facebook becomes more streamlined to suit big business. I've always had a love of taking pictures, both large and small scale. Improvements in mobile technology have meant I can take reasonable snaps, edit and send all with a device that fits in my pocket. I find myself looking deeper into the world , with it's patterns, textures and colours, and finding new inspiration for future pieces. It's also really soothing to take pictures and find beauty where you least expect it. Inspiration and relaxtion interwoven together like a piece of stitching.
What challenges you most about the Snow Queens Garden?
Time, and finding enough of it, is possibly one of the biggest challenges. As every item is individually cut by hand, then hand stitched, trying to find enough time to get enough pieces made it tricky.
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Natasha puts many long hours of stitching go in to each unique Snow Queen's Garden piece. |
If you could say one thing to each person who stops by your stall, what would it be?
As most of the regular customers know, me saying "one " thing is pretty impossible as I share the inspiration behind the creation of each piece. But to narrow it down, "Thanks for coming today" tops the list!
What can we expect at the Barn Market in the future from the Snow Queens Garden?
December 2015 marks the 10th anniversary since I stitched and sold my first Christmas decoration. In celebration there will be a the release of a new series, with a new matryoshka and new characters. Perhaps also greater use of different materials too.. so many options and ideas to explore.
Happy 10th Birthday The Snow Queen's Garden!
You can meet Natasha and the exquisite Snow Queen's Garden at the Christmas Barn Market on Saturday November 28th.