Spotlight on Zosia Krasnowolska

 Hello Zosia

What is your business called?  

It is called Otulina.

 

Here is our business card:

How did you come up with your business name? 
My friend, a poet, came up with it. We called it "Otulina", which is a bit similar to the Welsh word "cwtch" - the Polish words that it's derived from have very nice connotations - "tulić" means to cuddle, and "otulić" means to tuck somebody in, to cover them with something warm. "Otulina" also means "insulation" or "an area of forest protecting a natural reserve".

Where are you based?

I am based in Abertillery, Gwent.

What is your craft?

Felt-making.

Where do you craft?  

I craft in a very messy non-photogenic room.

How long have you been crafting?

Since November last year. 

What other crafts/skill do you have?

Some knitting skills- I like making oversize scarves, like the one in the photo above.  I also like analogue photography.

Have you got any special qualifications or are you self- taught?

I have been taught by a self taught friend :-)

What inspires you?

Nature, photographs and films, any colours that I see around me in a given moment. Here’s an example of a pouch I made watching a Pedro Almodovar film:

 

Do you ever get “artist block”?  

Every week!

What do you do to get out of an “artist block”?  

Ignore it.

What keeps you going? 

A mixture of boredom, wish to express myself and curiosity.

What others artists inspire you? 

My friend Helena, any felt-maker I can spot and some painters and photographers as well. I’d love to recreate a Joan Miro painting in felt one day.

Do you listen to music while you work? 

Sometimes. I often watch films.

What music do you listen to? 

Depends on my mood, mostly folk and rock.

Where do you sell/exhibit?

I've recently started going to local craft fairs, here is a photo from my stall at Ty Ebbw Fach in Six Bells:

 

I exhibit on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/otulinadesign that I share with my friend Helena, who taught me how to felt. She also makes some amazing hand-beaded jewellery. I’ve just set up my Etsy page as well: http://www.etsy.com/shop/otulina

 

What gets your creative juices going? 

Nature:

What is your all-time favourite creation? 
A shawl whose design I based on photos from the Hubble Space Telescope:

What do you do if something you make doesn't turn out how you envisaged it?

Either take it apart and start again or leave it on the side for a while and wait for better ideas.

Do you do this full-time, part-time or just as an hobby?

Part-time, hoping to turn it into something more serious one day – but at the same time I realise it’d be close to impossible to make enough money just on felt-making (considering how long it takes me to complete one piece).

Do you recycle? 

I do, and try to get recycled materials from others.

Do you use materials made by other artists?   

Yes, I recently got some great threads from a fellow felt-maker Christina and used them in a glasses case:

 

Does the Welsh landscape/Culture inspire you?

I'd like to make a shawl based on some views from South Wales.

What is your favourite colour? 

Almost impossible to tell – maybe blue?

Does it feature a lot in your work? 

Hmm, not really... I love mixing lots of colours.

Do you have a favourite subject? 

I like abstract subjects the most.

Do you have any pets? 

I’d love to have one but unfortunately I don’t.

Where have your items been sold to? 

I have sold to private people at craft fairs.

What is the most unusual/furthest place your items have gone? Nothing unusual so far – but I helped get my friend’s shawl from Poland through Italy to New Zealand.

Do you think you value your work enough- do you find pricing hard?
I find it incredibly hard, I'm worried about overpricing, but on the other hand it costs me so much time and energy that I'd like my prices to be fair to me as well.

What was the first thing you sold? 

A black and yellow shawl with a yellow rose design:

Do you remember what it felt like? 

Great! I was really proud of myself.

What gets in the way of your artistic endeavours? 

Laziness and everyday worries.

What is your favourite tool? 

Wool.

Anyone else in your family or a close friend who enjoys crafting? My mum used to knit a lot and she’s great at sewing and embroidery. My grandmother used to make embroidered tablecloths.

Any other links you like us to look you up?  

A mention on a blog by Julie Barnett (it’s an answer to Julie’s appeal to crafters, so not sure it counts ;-)

http://julzcrafts.wordpress.com/

Show us some of your work in progress   

A recently made shawl under construction :-)

 and here it is finished:

Anything else you want to share?

A nuno-felted scarf on a piece of silk with an exotic flower pattern, inspired by the colours of Yellow Submarine :-)

 

A photo from a felting workshop I ran with my Otulina friend Helena (she’s the short-haired person in the middle, I’m the one in a yellow shawl on the right)

 

My tags, designed by me and my boyfriend: