Meet Kelsey Ferchau

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Ferchau.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I come from a very creative family, and my siblings and I were always encouraged to use our creativity to express ourselves in whatever way we could. For as long as I can remember I have always loved clothes and bright colors. When I was a small child, my mom patiently let me dress myself, and I’m told that even if I was mixing plaid with polka-dots, I always had a good reason as to why. As I grew older, becoming obsessed with sharing my sisters’ clothes and also sewing and making my own became a passion and a hobby. My grandmother and my mom taught me how to follow pattern instructions and basic sewing machine and hand sewing skills. I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer. After getting accepted into ASU, it came time to decide what I wanted to major in. I knew I wanted it to be something artistic, but “fashion designer” didn’t feel right anymore. That’s when I found out about ASU’s Fiber’s program. Fibers? Like, cereal? Nutrition? Or fiber-optics? My classmates and I would get asked this all the time, and the answer is in fact, no, but fiber/textile art. Throughout my time at ASU I learned so many skills and techniques I was so proud to know: weaving fabric on a floor loom from start to finish, printing textiles with various mediums, and natural dying processes. The only issue here was that as I was getting closer to graduation, I didn’t necessarily want to be a gallery artist.

After I graduated ASU, it was very much a “NOW WHAT?” situation. I got a full-time job in retail management, but I vowed to myself to never stop creating no matter what that meant. I applied to several internships and apprenticeships and the following winter in 2013 I became the first ASU student to be accepted into Philadelphia’s Fabric Workshop and Museum’s commercial screen printing apprenticeship. This experience was one of a lifetime that I will never forget. It was a full four months of living in the heart of Philadelphia learning the ins and outs of gallery operations as well as commercial screen printing techniques. When I returned to AZ in April of 2014, paying my bills became very important, so I returned to retail management. As the years have gone on, I proceeded to keep my promise to never stop creating. I have taught indigo dying workshops and weaving and printing workshops for children at the Phoenix Art Museum.

Textile art can be a very messy and space-consuming craft, so after realizing I can’t turn my apartment’s guest bedroom into a full-blown screen printing and dye studio, I happened upon machine embroidery. Within the last few years, low-waste and eco-friendly products have been so important to me, and I decided a long time ago if I was going to own a business I wanted it to be as low-waste and sustainable as possible. Because, really, why make anything now that could just end up hurting our planet in the long run? Owning something handmade brings such joy to both parties, so it is all a win-win. So this brings us to now: I am married to my best friend and most supportive husband, living with my two cats, making low-waste custom embroidery in this sweet desert of AZ.

Please tell us about your art.
Currently, I make machine embroidered patches and custom embroidered accessories and apparel, as well as accessories for pets. Focusing on keeping everything low-waste, and only using sustainably- sourced materials, the objective is to make you smile or relate to the subject matter in some way to remind you that you’re not alone. All of my designs are first hand drawn by me and are inspired by real-life events or things that have happened to me and people I know. I plan to add more products in different mediums that I am also passionate about which is weaving, indigo dying, and screen printing. I’d like to think of my embroidery as small works of art, that can be adorned to clothing or carried with you that serves as a function to brighten your day or anyone else who sees it. It is not meant to be something that is mass-created, and everything is made to order to also reduce waste. I have always wanted my art to be more than just a thought or a concept that hangs on a wall. I want it to serve a purpose while attempting to help the world in some way even if it’s small. In the future, I plan on being able to donate and recycle all fabric scraps and threads that are used in the processes. I also aspire to spread the word and educate about living a more eco-friendly, low-waste, and sustainable lifestyle.

What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I think conditions for artists today have vastly improved even if it feels slowly but surely. Social media and the internet have been huge tools for artists and creatives on spreading their art. There’s something really special about appreciating art or something that is handmade in any form and then also appreciating the people who create it. There is so much judgment in this world, and I truly believe that there is creativity in everyone, but there are a vast amount of ways of expressing it. Phoenix has for sure come a very long way, and I think events like First Fridays, Phoenix Flea, Farmer’s Markets, and other artisan markets around the valley have been encouraging because they appeal to everyone. Local businesses and community outreach is huge too. When you can go to a market or a local shop and find something that is original that not a lot of people may have it feels exclusive and personal instead of having something that is mass-created.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
www.etsy.com/shop/stitchesbykmac 

www.instagram.com/stitchesbyk.mac

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/stitchesbykmac
• Email: stitchesbyk.mac@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/stitchesbyk.mac

 
Image Credit:
All product images were taken by J & A Photography AZ

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.