Artist in Residence: Sally Veer

Sally Veer, an Australian textile and water colour artist, creates unique bed linens, curtains, and home art pieces from hand. Passionate about a circular economy, she recycles and reuses apparel to form the foundation for each of her artworks.

To celebrate our Re-Worn capsule collection launch, we partnered with Sally to craft a one-of-a-kind textile artwork from recycled Assembly Label clothing. We asked Sally to reflect on her own principles of circularity and share with us her creative process.

Can you tell us about your creative process?

Often, I will begin with pencil sketches or watercolor painting, experimenting with scale, shape and subtle shifts in tone and colour. Intricacies of composition, seam placement and texture are then considered as a work and is pieced together. Each textile has a narrative and a curated balance; a fine stripe in a certain direction, a hint of color or unusual texture is introduced as it carries the eye around the work. New works don’t deviate too much from the old, however each is given its own personality, dictated by a constantly evolving collection of fabrics, whether it be cutting room surplus, gently worn garments or carefully sourced vintage finds.

Where do you find inspiration for your textile pieces?

Environment, art and architecture mostly. There are incredible rugged land and seascapes where I live, and although it always feels cliche referencing these environments, they have always given me a sense of calm and I try to convey this feeling in my work. I will also refer to the works of artists such as Anni Albers, Louise Bourgeois and Agnes Martin, among others. Modernist Architect and Gees Bend Quilters also play a part.

Can you speak on the process of conceptualising the Re-Worn art piece?

When beginning a new panel piece, I like to go back and reference traditional Korean Pojagi patchwork. I analyse what I enjoy about it, then consider how to make it contemporary and my own. I rarely work with silk, so it was exciting to receive amazing silk shirts in beautiful oyster greys in the Re-Worn box. There was a certain synergy integrating sanded back satins with pure linen that I really enjoyed. The Assembly Label fabrics were beautiful to work with and it was refreshing to have some unexpected fabrications.

What does the Re-Worn program mean to you?

Re-Worn is something that really hits the emotions for me. I find a huge amount of pleasure creating something meaningful or useful out of what could easily have been discarded. I once completely deconstructed an old VHS recorder I found on the street to re-use every tiny component in an embroidered wall hanging. So, to give the fabric of these garments a second life makes me feel like I am on the right track, creating items with longevity with a focus on traditional craftsmanship.

What practices of circularity do you have in your own work and world?

As a child I was raised to be resourceful and appreciate well-made items. My family instilled these qualities and nurtured my love of creativity. My grandfather was always mending and tinkering, he restored from ruin an old singer treadle machine that I would learn to sew on. Over the summer my Oma would visit from Holland and she would hand sew new outfits for my dolls from pillowcases or linen that were beyond repair. These experiences rubbed off and from a young age I was always making things with my hands. Now, as a mother, teaching my children an appreciation for quality over quantity and a respect for nature is important. A lot of their well-worn and loved clothes have circulated into my work, or if they are ‘too far gone’ even turned into strips to tie up beans in the veggie garden!

What does the future of sustainability look like to you?

In the past the term ‘sustainability’ has been so often overused and undervalued, almost thrown around like a catch phrase rather than genuine concern. Thankfully there is more accountability happening now and brands are questioning the broader industry, about what sustainability really means and how to become a part of the system in a positive way. From a consumer perspective, I believe educating the customer to make smarter choices is the most important direction. Understanding and appreciating the benefits of natural fibers and looking at all facets of the industry, back to how a fiber is farmed and what practices can be improved to make this more regenerative. As a designer, I think it’s important not to become complacent. Finding ways to pull apart the system and analyzing how we can deliver quality products, that endure, serve a purpose, and beyond that, have a system such as re-worn for extending the life of that item.

Sally Veer’s Re-Worn artwork will be displayed in our Queen Victoria store in Melbourne for the month of July before touring as part of our brand’s on-going Re-Worn pop-up activations.