MEET OUR MAKER #6: HEATHER MCDONALD

1. What do you make?

I’ve worked and studied across quite a few different practices which focus on hands-on making, from garment manufacture to jewellery and prop making, but I’ve recently been rolling all the skills I’ve learnt along the way into my sculpture-based art practice.

2. What’s the key to making it (i.e your success)?

To be sure of yourself and your ideas. I find that as long as you are making something that interests and excites you, then your work will resonate with others one way or another.

3. What’s been your biggest challenge?

Trying to weave all the different fabrication techniques, materials and mediums that interest me into one not only understandable but enjoyable (for myself and viewers) visual language. Less is not always more!

4. What’s the one thing you know now that you wish you’d known when you started out?

You don’t need to know absolutely every technique and way of working to be able to start something – it’s better to learn the foundations and take what you need as you go, rather than trying to perfect every element before getting started on your own project. Everything will begin to feed into and inform each other, but none of that can happen unless you get stuck in.

5. What’s your favourite drink?

A Hemmingway Daquiri, I’m a big fan of sweet and sour so the grapefruit/maraschino mix makes it a winner for me!