A Marine Biologist, maybe?

So, who knew what to tell the School Guidance Officer when asked what career they had in mind in Year 9?

Not me, I vaguely remember something about legal secretary or Occupational therapist, but there may also have been marine biologist tagged on the end!

I have been happily nestled in the ‘artistic’ box since childhood, with a mother who illustrated book covers, was a graphic designer, and built miniature architectural models of new building projects for a living. Our school holidays were filled with ‘still life’ set ups on the dining room table and palettes of watercolors with fresh water at the ready.

When we left home each of were given volumes of ‘scrap books’ showcasing years of our art work, and she was proud of the preschool Potato People as much as our Year 12 submissions. I went on to do a Foundation Degree in Fine Art in Oxford, followed swiftly by a multi-disciplinary degree in World Museology Studies (Archaeology, Art History and Anthropology), when my Art Teacher brazenly told me no one would be pounding my door to have a commission made!

I am however, a true believer in closed and open doors, and I found myself in the incredible world of Museum Studies and I was smitten.

I gobbled up Anthropology books, bought the newest edition of books I already had hoping to know more, and travelled to Albania to excavate and record finds. I joined 3 archaeological units across the UK and dug away at Iron Age settlements with vigor, with freezing fingers, mud covered clothes, and along-side the hairiest and maddest looking people in England. I usually stuck out like a sore thumb, arriving in Zara slacks and my racing red Hunter Wellingtons, and was designated the worst jobs on site.

Inevitably I realized I wasn’t cut out for this muddy caper, and moved back to the Art scene, my fling with Archaeology was over.

I feel head over heels in love with Art History, delving deeply into post World War art, throughout Europe and the USA, intermittently working on Renaissance assignments for credit. But could hardly bear to be parted with the Fauvists, cubists, Neo-Expressionists and the Abstracts. It was there I saw the means by which to gather the disciplines of the degree together and unravel great chunks of cultural history at once.

I buried myself in its layers of psychology and became captivated, I travelled to Paris so that I could see the real masterpieces up close and touch the architecture, and I trained to London as often as I could to attend renowned Exhibitions, simply to walk through great lofty-ceiling rooms with walls covered in history changing art.

Besides the gift of love, and genuine and conscious parenting, I am totally indebted to my parents for the gift of my University Education.

It was in Museology, that I discovered my young adult self, and went on to volunteer in every Art Catalogue library I could find; the thirst was so great that even the monotony of databasing was overlooked. I graduated and began working as the PA to the Director of The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts within days and never looked back.

Well, not until I departed the Dover shores and said G’Day to the Harbour Bridge!

                                                                                  

From Robert & Lisa Sainsbury Collection

1880-81
Edgar Degas
Bronze, fabric
Height: 99.1 cm
Acquired: 1938
UEA 2                    1907
Pablo Picasso
Gouache
62.9 x 46.4 cm
Acquired: 1939
UEA 8

Fast forward 8 years to the dawning of Milly Molly Mandy, with two kiddies in tow and one supportive husband who knew art was literally racing through my veins.

I spent maternity leaves painting, sketching, decorating bedrooms, rearranging furniture and dreaming of projects, and it was not until our youngest (third child) was 2 that I found I could take Milly Molly Mandy where it was organically heading. Which is where I am now.

I have had the privilege of honing my natural talents of drawing and combing color and pattern through fabric. I have discovered that skills I took for granted such as having an eye for design, did not belong to everyone, and it’s really as simple as that.

Working with the sewing machine has been trial and error and I am not technically trained as some of my colleagues, but I do have one of those sickeningly talented Mother’s, who can turn their expert hand to anything, for a tutor.

The trick for me is to hone in one the gifts I have, to experiment only within reach of those natural gifts, and to keep the designs so simple that it comes to life.

I often let the product guide me, and patterns are usually brought to life through just the very inkling of an idea. In keeping it all simple, I will madly sketch to develop a soft toy character, with enlarged features and plenty of detail. I then begin to deconstruct the sketch and simplify it right back to basic outlines and bring a neat, whimsy little creature to life through the texture of fabrics and colours as opposed to the detail of the toy.

In this way, I have been able to create unique products, created at Milly Molly Mandy from conception through to manufacture.

    

I have a casual couple of dearly talented ladies, whom I can call on when large wholesale orders arrive in my inbox, but mostly it is just I who am left to beaver away day and night for my customers, which is only possible because the designs are simple and the passion is strong.

I cannot see an end to this endeavor, and truthfully that possibility startles me, so I will continue in this vein to conceive, create and conquer the world of children’s soft furnishings so long as you will let me!

Warmest wishes,

Shannon xx