back to my roots
In a life before Instagram, I had a blog. It was home to my photographs and words, alongside things I saw and liked…which just so happened to be its name.
Things I Saw and Liked was an accessible way for me to stay connected to my creativity at a time when, in 2010, my life turned upside-down following the birth of my daughter.
My daughter, and blog, were the starting point for a new way of life.
I created a business making textiles for children. I undertook everything myself from the making of the products to the styling, photography and promotion. I sent my wares all over the world and had wholesale customers.
As my business grew, I had a decision to make - I either needed to expand or stop. Although my business was right in that moment, I knew it wouldn’t feel right forever and I realised that my new enjoyment was in styling and photography. So, I switched focus and I have been doing a mixture of photography, styling and words ever since. My passion for textiles is unfaltering and this now takes the form of art-based pieces; I enjoy combining all of my crafts in my creative practice.
I have been stuck in a love-hate relationship with Instagram ever since I started using it. Back then it was, seemingly, a small community of like-minded souls. There didn’t appear to be any negativity, it was simply a place to share nice photographs and it helped me connect with people at a time when I felt quite isolated, forced prisoner by nap times and routine. As the negativity crept in, I became caught in a cycle of deleting accounts, taking a break, then being lured back, just to start all over again.
Today Instagram can feel like an over-saturated, money-making machine driven by an algorithm which wants to bombard me with eating disorder content. It tells me I am old, fat and unfit; I must change to be socially acceptable. It is much harder work to find the positives in that space but I believe they still do exist. I continue to make connections with people that I would never have otherwise met and it can be a source of real inspiration. I am also immensely grateful to it as a tool, for assisting me in what I have been doing for the past 14 years.
At some point along the way, my blog was shelved in favour of the immediacy of Instagram. I have realised that I miss it and that there is a place for both. Here it is.