July 10, 2025
As a student of Fibre Arts Take Two, I’ve learned so much from these incredibly generous artists. Each has been a valuable part of my journey helping me see what’s possible. At the same time, it’s been my own choices, courage, and determination that have brought me to where I am today. I am doing the work, walking through those open doors, and continuing to move forward.
And to you, reading this: don’t be afraid to take that next step for yourself. Learn what you can, seek out those who inspire you, but always remember, it’s your hands, your heart, and your persistence that will carry you where you want to go. You’ve got this, make it your own.
Creating with Courage: Adventures in Fibre Art with Clarissa Callesen
After what felt like a lifetime in the rag trade and fashion industry – a chapter of textiles I never thought I’d revisit – a friend encouraged me to take Clarissa’s Creating with Courage course, my very first Fibre Arts Take Two course.
Creating with Courage did exactly that – it gave me the space to return to what I’ve always known. This course reignited my love for textiles and introduced a new language through soft 3D form. It reopened the door to working with discarded materials and helped me re-see the potential in discarded items. More than anything, it unlocked and nourished my way of thinking and making. All factors that echo my Malawian upbringing, where everything is repurposed, reused, or transformed into something meaningful.
Clarissa’s focus on turning waste into art aligns with my values of sustainability and transformation, and it gave me permission to work boldly and experiment fearlessly.
Perfectly Imperfect: Discovering Your Visual Language with Lorna Crane
Lorna’s Perfectly Imperfect course was the starting point for me in discovering how my art could tell a story. Her teaching gave me the courage and tools to let go of set expectations and trust my voice.
Her emphasis on letting go – the freedom to deconstruct and reconstruct, to work beyond outcome, and to find my own visual language – has truly shaped how I work today.
This course helped me unlock a deeper understanding of how memory and art are beautifully connected. For the first time, I created a book inspired by a personal experience – a trip to the Bungle Bungle ranges, and in doing so, I realised that my art could hold my stories. It was a turning point in recognising that personal memory could be both the anchor and the message in my creative work.
The courage to weave memory, place, and story into my work is vital to my practice. It’s all about telling the story – I want my art to mean something to someone; it’s not just about form.
Finding Fragments: Respond, Rework, Repair with Shelley Rhodes
Shelley’s Finding Fragments course was an important step in my journey. What resonated most for me was her emphasis on decay, experimentation, and she encouraged the idea of rework and repair.
Her teaching encouraged me to work with experimental imperfection not just as a visual element, but as a metaphor for time, erosion, and memory – themes that I will always continue to explore through my work.
This course also helped strengthen my love of sketching and recording memories while out in nature. Sketching is and always will be a way for me to bring ideas to life, to document my process, and to stay connected to place as I work.
It reminded me that fragments, no matter how small or weathered, always have a story to tell.
Out of This Earth: Earth Pigments, Soya & Cloth with Claire Benn
Out of This Earth was truly transformative for me. I took leave from work so I could fully immerse myself – and I’m so glad I did. It helped me reconnect with my long-lost love of mud and introduced me to the world of pigment earth on cloth.
Claire pushed me to go further, to take risks, and to hold myself accountable in my creative process. Her teaching style is both firm and deeply intentional – something I’ve come to value immensely.
Working with natural pigments and earth lies at the heart of my practice today. It’s my way of grounding, of belonging – a process that helps me bridge the two continents that have shaped me: Africa and Australia. Through it, I continue to find home within myself.I’m deeply inspired by Claire’s reductive, considered approach. “Refine, refine, refine” has become an ongoing mantra guiding me to strip away the unnecessary and allow the essence of my materials and ideas to speak to my true identity and purpose the same – this will give your motifs a powerful meaning to you and your audience.
Beyond Technique: Masterclass & Mentorship with Claire Benn
Claire’s Beyond Technique has been an incredibly important part of my journey, and I know her teachings will continue to guide and support me for many years to come. I got so much out of this course because I was ready to do the work.
This isn’t a course about technique – it’s about mastering yourself as an artist and as a person. It’s about cultivating discipline, making the right decisions for yourself, and owning them with integrity.
Claire’s framework has given me structure for understanding where I am, where I’m heading, and how to navigate the path ahead with honesty. Her mentorship has helped me step into my work with greater purpose and professionalism. I’ve learned to sharpen my self-critique, refine my composition, and approach my art with deeper authenticity.
The impact of this course has reached far beyond my studio walls. As a result of these teachings, I’ve revamped my website, reclaimed and organised my studio space, created a short film, and am in the process of launching a small but meaningful bespoke homewares brand – things I never imagined I would do at this stage of my artistic career.
These incredible artists will always be part of my village and I am deeply grateful for the doors they have helped open – but remember it’s your own hard work, curiosity, choices, and persistence that takes you further and makes you a better artist.
A Note of Gratitude
During my time with Fibre Arts Take Two, I had the privilege of crossing paths with so many incredible artists, students, and members of the FATT team. Whether I was filming online courses around the world, supporting students through their creative journeys, or collaborating with the wonderful team behind the scenes, each connection meant the world to me.
I want to especially acknowledge the incredible FATT team – the creative cogs who work tirelessly to keep everything moving with care and integrity. Having worked there for two years, I saw firsthand the love, grit, and dedication poured into every detail.
Being part of that community has been and always will be a precious chapter in my personal growth. I will carry those friendships, shared moments, and that deep sense of belonging with immense gratitude as I continue along my road.
Pausing to Reflect: Questions That Matter
As artists, we don’t just work with materials – we work with time, truth, and memory. These questions are an invitation to pause, check in with where you are, and open space for what might be waiting to emerge.
- Where are you in your creative or personal journey right now? Are you in a season of growth, rest, searching, or transition?
- Are you standing in your own truth, or still shaping the courage to claim it fully?
- Have you taken the time to truly name your creative identity? Or are you still trying on versions of yourself that don’t quite fit?
- Are you creating from a place of intuition, or are you still caught in the noise of comparison?
- What kind of guidance do you most need at this moment: mentorship, skill-building, or simply space to hear your voice?
- Who makes up your creative village? Who lifts you, who listens, who challenges you gently, and who might you still need to invite in?
- Are you holding back out of fear or waiting for permission that only you can give?
- What part of your practice have you been avoiding – and why?
- What values shape your work, and do they show up in how you work, not just what you make?
- What small act of creative courage can you take this week – even if it’s quiet, even if it’s private?
And lastly…
- What would change if you gave yourself full permission to follow what’s pulling at your heart, even if you don’t have all the answers yet?
Feel free to drop a note by clicking on the link below. I would LOVE to hear from you, and if you have any questions on any of the courses I have taken as a FATT Student, I am here for you.
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