I am going to write about my arts hero - Inga Hamilton, a fibre activist living in Northern Ireland. Inga dyes, spins and crochets her own yarns, she was taught how to from a very young age by friends and family but only took it back up at the age 30, they've now taken over home and entire life (that I can relate to).
Besides her own yarns she also works with waste products recycling them to release their inner-beauty, challenging public views of what can be recycled - using yarns and laces found in charity shops, plastic, carrier bags, foam and bubble wrap.
A lot of her inspiration comes from nature;
"Mother Nature is the greatest artist, she matches and blends colours in the sky, uses mathematics her shapes and plants and sculpts stones and landscapes with seas and rains"
Alongside nature, laughter is also a great inspiration, both herself and her husband come up many a silly idea and decide to make them "our house is filled with huge monsters and paintings that we've made to make us laugh til we can hardly stand up".
All this can be seen in Inga's Hyperbolic Crochet Reefs, of which I saw myself in Harrogate in 2008, copious amounts of yarn, time and joy must have went into making of it.
When asked about being a good influence to young people she answered that she tries to share her skills as much as possible with young and old alike and tells people "don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something artsitically". I, personally, find Inga a good influence, I can look at her art and feel inspired, she seems like a very pleasant, friendly lady and I would love to meet her over a cup of tea and crochet.
All photos have been taken from www.rockpoolcandy.com
Everyone needs a cheese grater, non?
