Image @outerleaves
By Anna Rodway

With a surge in home décor trends (hello Ultrafragola mirrors, Marcel Breuer chairs and Caprani lamps), the abundance of online marketplaces and a collective enthusiasm to support local businesses; artists and makers have had to pivot and respond in accordance with this ever-changing landscape.

It would appear that creators have had to be more innovative than ever to face the currents of this brave new world.

One such creator, Simone Scandrett, made the decision to ride the wave and begun crafting quirky sculptural pieces under the name, Outer Leaves. I was lucky enough to chat with the up-and-coming artist, covering her art installation Melon Gods and Flower Spirits, sustainable production and her biggest challenges of the last year. Enjoy!

Anna: Could you tell me about your background as an artist and how the intersection between art and nature is at play in your work?

Simone: I am a Melbourne/Naarm based artist practising across multiple mediums (painting, sculpture and textile). My work is deeply rooted in a sense of spirituality about nature, with a belief that all natural things are mystically interconnected, beyond (but not disassociated with) a shared cellular ancestry. This belief has been enforced by my university studies in science, which has opened my eyes to the elegance of the natural world.

How did the art installation Melon Gods and Flower Spirits evolve?

This installation was set up in my backyard in the middle of the Melbourne lockdown of 2020. I was really enjoying the ephemerality of flowers and plants at the time (I would pick things from my garden each day to have in my room) and I started playing with this ephemerality and the plant life cycle in my artworks. Melon Gods and Flower Spirits evolved from there, coupling this urge to be outside and in nature with the textile work I was making at the time.

And from there, customers were knocking on your door for the unique, playful sculptures that starred in Melon Gods and Flowers Spirits! You have called the series of new sculptures Outer Leaves. What is your process for creating these art pieces?

Aside from commissioned work (which is based on the preferences of the customer), I usually follow my intuition and play with colours and colour combinations. The most creative process of Outer Leaves is dyeing my own fabrics. The fluid blending of colours feels deeply free and feminine and is often met with unintentionally beautiful results: you're never exactly sure what the resulting textile will look like until dyeing and washing and drying is complete (a cumulative process of approx. 8 hours). After this, there is quite a formulaic cutting and sewing of the fabrics which stays pretty consistent across all the sculptures. The mix of practical and spontaneous keeps the work interesting!

Do you find that sustainable practices enter your work when creating the sculptures? Do you think there is more of a desire for this now amongst consumers?

I like to think anyone starting a small business, sourcing materials locally, and making things by hand is sustainable simply because it is encouraging slower consumption of meaningful items that will hopefully be kept and enjoyed for a long time. A lot of my business is with other Melburnians, so waste associated with travel and distribution (that is common to larger businesses) is minimised or null. If my items are travelling internationally, I like to send my items with courier companies like Sendle who offset their carbon emissions.

With production I try to minimise waste where possible, I dry my fabrics in the sunshine and buy materials in bulk to save on packaging. I definitely think consumers are increasingly mindful of sustainability, and I think there is a warmth towards buying handmade items that has also revealed itself in recent years.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing independent artists this year?

Predominantly, the continued closure or limited capacities of galleries and spaces that commonly allow artists to show their work to the public. The positive that came from the crisis of the last year or so (which I seemed to have accidentally reaped the rewards of) is a consumer interest in decorating personal spaces with interesting things to brighten the day-to-day. Post-Melon Gods and Flower Spirits I began receiving custom orders for the sculptures almost immediately, with people wanting to use them as a decorative cushion. It was both surprising and thrilling.

Illustrator friends of mine also saw an increase in print sales as people were desiring beautiful artistic brightness on their walls. I think commercial interest in art and artistic objects has really increased amongst the general population here in Melbourne, outside the typical 'art collector'.

Any other thoughts you would like to share about your work and your next projects?

I will say that my main challenge has been coming to grips with commercialising my artwork and trying to develop more of a "business-mind", which I can tell you has not come naturally! Along the very unexpected journey of the last year, I have discovered I love my handmade objects inhabiting people’s homes (perhaps even more so than the walls of a gallery).

Check out Simone / Outer Leaves here.

A-Z of Simone Scandrett