Today, Kanat is a professional fibre artist whose work is commissioned across the globe, she’s also this year’s MECCA holiday artist—chosen as part of our ongoing program with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) to support, feature and promote women in the arts. Recently we visited Kanat in her home studio to chat about her creative process, the day her career switched directions and what it’s like being this year’s holiday artist.
As part of this collaboration, Kanat’s colourful designs are splashed across our limited-edition holiday packaging, store windows and website, plus four of her pieces are now on display at the NGV. It seems fitting that Tammy’s bright works were chosen to celebrate Christmas—they’re brimming with energy and colour, the perfect wrapping for our line-up of holiday beauty.
“I’ve created four works for the NGV collection: The Pines, Web, Nurture and The Harp—all made from fibre and different textures including wool and silk and linen,” explains Tammy, sitting in her light-filled studio space with spindles of twine and off cuts strewn around the floor. “The pieces are sort of organic shapes and they've got very emotive, powerful colours running throughout them,” she adds.
Previously a jewellery designer, Kanat designed pieces and ran her own business for twelve years before a house renovation changed her path. “We were renovating the house and I was looking for a textile art piece, and I couldn't find anything so I thought I would make a piece myself,” she reminisces. “I took myself off to the wool shop and I came home and just fell in love with the process of the weaving; I found it calming, meditative, it had all colours I could play with and it just felt like I'd been there before.”