We love Etsy, it’s filled with handmade joy. We’ve been allowed to rummage through their blog archives and share our findings with you. This month’s post comes from 2010 and features an interview with the terrific MaMagasin! Enjoy!
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There’s no getting around it — Sarah Fordham, a.k.a. MaMagasin, has fantastic breasts. I would love to say that they first piqued my interest, but it was her Envelope and Chintz designs that first drew me in. They are so up my alley, I can’t even begin to describe it.
Upon discovering her artful mammaries however, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to interview this lady for the UK Edition. Who transforms an innocuous household object into a boob and, my goodness, why? Sarah’s aptitude for taboo subject matter appears in contrast with many of the quirky and cute-as-pie motifs in her shop, but a common thread connects it all. J’adore. Welcome to the mélange of MaMagasin.
Tell us a wee bit about yourself.
Hello! I am Sarah and I’m 27 years old. I’m originally from “The Garden of England” (a.k.a. the Kent countryside). I studied Fine Art in Leeds and now live in Manchester with my other half. I have a love for dogs, the Pixies, rummaging through old junk and anything remotely granny-ish. I work part time in a chocolate boutique, and when I’m not there I am sewing at home.
How did you first begin your foray into the world of artistic embroidery?
During my time at university my tutors told me that I couldn’t paint so I spent a lot of time wondering where I fit into the art world. I generally felt more at home object-making and liked the freedom of working in different mediums.
For three years I looked at taboo subject matter and tried to find ways of representing it without using shock tactics. I ran with the simple idea of using traditional craft methods to depict taboo imagery and ended up teaching myself tapestry. I would love to say the first thing I cross-stitched was a picture of a kitten in a basket but I think it was actually an image of a sexually transmitted disease! I looked at pictures of them as they appear in cell form under the microscope (they appear as pretty patterns really) and made these into little cross-stitch pictures. I also recreated prostitute calling cards into large hand-sewn tapestries.
Three years of filthy subject matter has made me rather shock-proof. Going to the local market while I was at university to buy old porn magazines (to sew from, obviously) was probably my darkest hour… who am I kidding? It was a hoot!
Read the rest of this article at the Etsy Blog!
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