Get to know Darcy the artist behind Done By D and the lady who teaches our Eco Dyeing Workshop!

www.done-by-d.com

Done By D on Instagram_ “bout time i post my face_ I’m Darcy (D (duh)). it’s my birthday today.jpg

If you were to describe yourself in 3 words what would they be?

Tenacious, brave, and light-hearted (the hyphen means its only three right?)

Have you always been creative? What has your creative journey been like?

I suppose I always have been a creative person. As a kid my creativity came in the way of singing and song-writing. I still have some VERY funny music videos I filmed on my fancy colour-screen digital camera in 2007! Mum says she had to put me into singing lessons because the endless dribble of songs about nothing were doing her head in. In high school I weaselled my way in to mum’s quilting class and from there sewing has been my creative outlet mostly. Music, sewing, and sudoku!

Photos by: Erda Visuals: https://erdavisuals.com/openhandscreative

How did your business Done By D get starts? Tell us a little bit about Done By D.

I was dealing with a pretty rough patch late in 2017 through to the middle of 2019. I found it hard to focus on anything for an extended period of time, but I was really bored and housebound. I decided to grab scrap fabrics from the aforementioned quilting class, sit at the machine, chuck a podcast on, and quilt until I didn’t want to anymore. It helped to connect the left and right sides of my brain without straining me. From there, friends requested cot quilts, and I started making quilted stubby holders from scraps, and decided I needed to create a seperate instagram for my sewing adventures. Done By D grew and now it’s my platform for sharing my art and self-taught knowledge with the wider community. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come in the last few years, and Done By D is really a crafty microcosm of my growth as a human being!

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Hands-down my mum, Josephine, is THE source of my inspiration. Without her incredible support, and introduction to quilting and the community you can build through craft I wouldn’t be the same maker. I am also incredibly lucky to have some wonderful mentors, and I am surrounded by local makers who blow my mind every day. The natural landscape is also a huge inspiration. I always have WA on my mind.

What is your favourite thing about Natural Dyeing?

My favourite thing about Natural Dyeing is the experimenting! The failures, the stinky messes, the exploded jars. Once I accidentally made a vinegar with a massive SCOBY by leaving a solar dye jar in the backyard for a few months. I am always stoked to be able to replicate a colour, it was one of the hardest things to learn, but the experiments are hands down the most fun.

We believe connection within our community is so important, how do feel about this and what role does it play in your practice?

Inclusivity and community are extremely important to me. I endeavour to make every exhibition and workshop as welcoming and accessible to our community as possible. Connecting with community is such a fulfilling way to share what I do, and its an invaluable resource for gaining knowledge. My practice is grounded in community, and it’s one of the reasons why I love working with OHC so much.

What are some ethical or conscious actions you do in your daily life?

I like to put in the effort every day to make lots of little decisions that benefit others and the environment. Some of the small things I strive for include saving water on my showers, limiting single-use plastics, walking rather than driving, and actively paying-it-forward. I think choosing to do things that benefit others is a most fulfilling way to live.