You mentioned in your caption when you entered our Design Competition in 2022 that your entry was inspired by some travels to WA. Tell us about how the natural landscapes you encountered inspired this art piece.

I’m absolutely obsessed with Australian native plants and I knew that WA was going to give me that nature hit I was dreaming of after two years of lockdowns. The carpets of bright red Sturt peas and rolling hills of paper daisies were the key inspiration for my design. It was the sheer amount of flowers that was truly mind-blowing, I’m talking literally carpets! It was wonderful because I’m a bit of a maximalist, so what’s better than one Sturt pea? 100! 

 But in fact the “hills” in this design actually came from a picture I took of sand on a beach where the waves had left this interesting overlapping pattern that looked like rolling hills. The best part of traveling is to take inspiration from everything around you, big and small.

Wildflower Hill is SUCH a charming design with its many sweet little flowers and joy-inspiring colour way. The detail of the piece blows us away! What helps you get into the creative zone that you need to be in to work on such an intricate piece?

I’ve always loved making intricate pieces, I started off my love of textiles with beading and lots of hand embroidery. It’s a meditative process, where I can let my mind drift away and just get lost in the colour and shapes I’m creating. So, all I really need to get into the flow is time and enough space in my day to lock in and work away. 

What does it mean for your design to have been chosen to be part of our 2023 collection?

It’s such an honour! Focusing on my own work is something I find myself having less and less time for, so to find my own time to bunker down is rare. Plus, I’m always evolving my design aesthetic, I never stay too long on one path, so to create a design that I truly love is very rare. So, for the Bravery team, the public, and myself to connect with my piece is very special.

We are BIG believers in the power of art and that the joy and wonder it can inspire shouldn’t be underestimated. How do you hope a design like yours will make the cancer journey a little less horrible for those who wear it?

I can’t even begin to imagine how hard the cancer journey must be. Though I do know when I come across an artwork that speaks to me, it only makes me happier. And I know that when I’m in nature and surrounding myself with native flowers I’m in a happier place. So, I genuinely hope there is someone out there who can feel joy through this piece.