Kirsty Elson A little home by the Sea

Kirsty Elson lives and works in Cornwall, her inspiration comes from her surroundings and her materials are recycled treasures collected from the local shoreline. I find her work such a joy to look at and take in, I got in touch to discover a little more.

When did you first know that you were destined to be an artist and what training did you undertake on your path to where you are today ?

Art was always my favourite subject at school and after completing a foundation course I did a degree in illustration. Those really were the best years of my life, but it became clear that I was never going to pursue a career as an illustrator. In those days it would have meant living in London (and I’m a bit of a country girl!)  I went through a variety of pretty crummy jobs and before I knew it, a decade had passed. It was only after my eldest son was born and I was turned down for a job as a postman(!) that I started making cards (using tiny slivers of driftwood) to make a bit of money. For quite a few years it was very part-time, but as my children have got older, I’ve been able to dedicate more time to the business.

Can you describe a typical working day for you.

Mornings are quite manic here before 9am with my daily swim and school runs, so I have my breakfast and do a bit of admin or packing up any orders before going out to the garage and immersing myself in making. Mostly I have no idea what I’m going to create beforehand –  I have a rummage through my driftwood collection and wait for inspiration to strike! I’m a bit spoilt in that I have 2 workspaces: the garage for cutting, sanding etc and a room upstairs in the house for painting and all the nice fiddly bits! I down tools when my youngest gets home from school, then later on in the evening I’ll spend time on social media (though I dip in and out of it during the day as well.)

I love the fact that you utilise recycled objects in your work. How did the idea for your work first take shape ?

I’d been making a few things from driftwood (cards, 3D boats etc) but one day I chanced upon a block of wood on the beach which was house-shaped, with a sloping roof and everything. When I got home, my partner cut me a bit of reclaimed slate for the roof and I secured it with a couple of rusty nails which doubled up as chimneys. As time has gone on and my work has developed, I’ll use anything I find in the street or wherever. My little boy is always on the lookout for treasure for me!

Where do you see your work going and do you have any future plans for developing your work in a different way ?

At the moment I’m really happy doing what I’m doing. I do try and push the boundaries and try new things. But one day maybe I’ll have a lightbulb moment and my work will take me in a completely different direction. You just never know!

Talking of lightbulbs, check out these fabulous Lighthouses.

These harbour shots remind me of beach holidays and summertime coastal days out I’ve enjoyed in the past.

Your art pieces are very visually stimulating and when I look at them, I can almost start to build stories involving the scenes you’ve created. Have you ever thought of making a book or an animation using your work ?

It has been suggested several times and I would love to be involved in an animation especially, but there are no concrete plans yet!

I imagine being a sole maker that there are times when you simply sell out and have to restock your Etsy shop. Do you ever get bored with the making process or does that fact that each piece is different, keep it fresh and stimulating ?

The wonderful thing about working with driftwood is that each piece is unique so I never make exactly the same piece twice. I’m also incredibly fortunate in that people send me stuff too, and often it’s the kind of wood that I wouldn’t usually pick up, so it forces me to think outside of the box and that keeps my work fresh and me stimulated!

I love these little scene scenarios, they are like freeze-framed extracts from a children’s film or storybook.

What’s your favourite / least favourite part of the making process ?

My favourite part would have to be the beachcombing bit – especially if it’s a dry day and I come back with a good haul!
Least favourite part is being in my garage in subzero temperatures – I really need to get some kind of heating in there!

Here’s some of the other pieces that Kirsty creates. How great are these sea-creatures! !

Do people send you photos of their homes and ask you to make them a commission ?

They used to! But I decided quite a long time ago that it wasn’t the direction I wanted to be going in. It was too restrictive and I prefer to work from my imagination!

Do you sketch your ideas from your local travels or do the scenes suggest themselves as you are making ?

I’m ashamed to say I rarely draw anything anymore! All the pieces I make are generic, and while I draw inspiration from lots of different places and take lots of photos, the scenes derive from the materials I’m using – it’s much easier to work that way!

What’s the best part about working for yourself ?

I love the flexibility- it means I’m able to go and see my son’s assembly or take a bit of time off if I want to. I’d hate to have to go and work for someone else these days!

I fully understand Kirsty, working for yourself is sooo good for the mind and soul too. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time and energy to answer my questions today. Keep up the inspiring and beautiful work and I hope someday to see it featured in an animation or children’s book.

These final pieces above are amongst my favourites. What do you think readers ?

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