Makers Dozen Questions – Above the Canopy

Tell us a little bit about your label (art) and what you do?

I knit necklaces, all handmade in Sydney from the base piece to the pompoms and fringing.

What inspires your work?

Nature and culture; being above a canopy, on top of a mountain, inside a jungle, visiting the earth’s diversity of nature and culture.

What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I’m currently Freelancing as a Graphic Designer and Photographer www.thisislizdesign.com after recently finish up my role as Senior Graphic Designer and Photographer for LUSH Cosmetics Australia and New Zealand which I was there for almost 3 years. Prior to that, I was Freelancing as a designer in London, before returning home to Sydney to work for LUSH, which is also when my knitted necklace creations began.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

When I wear one of my necklaces out and about, people often stop me on the street (sometimes multiple people within one day) to ask me about my necklace (where did I get it from, what is it? Is it a collar, necklace, part of my dress/top?).

As I’m just starting out, (www.abovethecanopy.com.au website is due to launch before the 17^th November 2015) I’m looking forward to more positive feedback from a broader range of people and more memorable responses, most people’s reactions to them are “Very creative”, “Cute!” “Cosy and comforting” (that’s a lot of C’s aha)

One thing you can’t live without?

Music

What gets you up in the morning? 

To feel the sun on my face and fresh air (the simple things really make me happy). The drive and passion to work hard and accomplish more for myself, and others through my necklaces and freelance work.
I also love breakfast so eating and coffee is a great motivator to get up in the morning ☺

How would your best friend describe you in 3 words?

Pro-active
Sincere
Freaking adorable (and that’s a quote)
Creative (I did 4)

What is the next skill you want to learn?

I’d love to be able to be a Ranga Mumma in Boneo one day. Orang utans are a fascination of mine. I met two in Borneo this year! www.thisislizdesign.com/portfolio/photography-borneo/

What is your dream project?

Above the Canopy – I’ve been knitting these necklaces for 3 years now just as a hobby, so to finally be rebranding them and being able to run the whole labels from the product to the presentation through online and print material with the experience I have in Graphics and Photography, it’s a dream to be able to build and control the whole thing exactly how I would like it to be presented to the public, and it’s so much fun! (Sometimes I work until 4am without even realising it’s so late, because I’m just so into whatever I’m doing; taking photos, knitting, updating website, etc)

Favourite or most inspirational place in Sydney?

I really love the Blue Mountains if that counts as being apart of Sydney (Sydney’s backyard?) but we are so lucky to be living in Sydney, I’ve lived in London previously for a couple of years and on my return back home to Sydney, it has really opened my eyes to so much beauty that Sydney holds, especially the architecture, the coastline, the mountains, the countryside, the weather, the sounds of the birds, even just the streets of the suburbs, there is beauty in everything, we just need to be open enough to seeing it and appreciating it.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? 

To let nature take it’s course.
(That one’s a heads up to Mum, she has a few good one-liner advice nuggets but this ones always stayed with me the longest, it applies to so much in life and it’s great to remind yourself to just relax and not force things, grow more organically and everything will be fine.

What advice would you give to new, aspiring Makers? 

Go away so you can come back.
It’s hard to be creative all of the time, it’s great to have a fresh perspective on what you’re working on, especially when you have creative blocks, so being able to go away from it (preferably to nature, as that’s the most natural, purest state we can be in) opens the mind to new ideas and motivations when you come back, especially if you don’t go to work, then you can’t exactly leave work, so you need to find that time for balance so you don’t completely drain yourself, giving you the strength to go on as you must never give up, just always be doing and expanding and creating and most importantly, having fun!

And most importantly, what would your ultimate karaoke song be?

The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen

Want more?!
Above the Canopy in store now at Work-Shop Makery, 106 Oxford Street Darlinghurst NSW