Olivia Mai / Owl

Midwife, Artist, Designer and Poepke Magical Merchandiser, Olivia Mai made one of her signature stuffed owls for Mind Mend.

Tartan Mind Mend: Tell us about what you do that defines being a creative to you.
Olivia Mai: I do not know that I would call myself a creative these days because my day job, which takes up a lot of my time, requires me to problem-solve in a clinical manner. But when I do get to wear the creative hat, I make collages and I sew (mostly going cross-eyed making tiny clothes for my daughter's tiny dolls). I used to weave and would like to start again, I can knit plain and would like to learn purl and I would also like to learn furniture restoration and punch rug hooking. In short, I am a creative person whose work is defined by what I can make by hand.

Tartan Mind Mend: What creative pursuits, little rituals, or things to look forward to, helped you to keep going during lockdown?
Olivia Mai: I moved house with my family during the second lockdown and I quite like moving house because it means I have a clean slate with which to make a new home. You know me, I love visual merchandising and interiors, so my lockdown project has been placing our furniture and artworks and then rearranging them into different spots as we get to know our house better. We recently had our shelves put up and that was very exciting for me because I got to place all of our (I mean my) knic-knacs. You know I appreciate a good shelving display! But sometimes I have to tone it down because I live with children who break my things and it has been noted, in the past, that our house looks like a shop.

TMM: Tell us about your re-imagined Tartan piece and what inspired you.
OM: I made a musical owl with my Tartan samples and off-cuts. This is an owl toy I make as a gift for the newborns of friends. I sew bells into the inside so the owl doubles as a rattle and I hope it is a fun thing to shake. I usually make the owl out of felt and entirely by hand so it was a little challenging to work with silk this time but with some guidance from Sally, it was not too difficult to coax my sewing machine to stitch silk together. There are still many hand-sewn elements, some wonky, which, I hope, gives the owl more personality.

TMM: How has the lockdown affected your creative process?
OM: Lockdown halted my creative process in that I had to juggle work, parenting, home-schooling, and finding time for myself to just breathe, that I had no real time to sit down and clear a space for myself to make anything.

TMM: When the world opens back up, what is the first thing you would love to do?OM: Get a massage and a haircut and start hugging friends again - I miss being touched and touching (hope not creepy).

TMM: How has your vision of the world changed after being a midwife and watching so many lives enter our world?
OM: This is such a complex question because as a midwife in a public hospital with a culturally and linguistically diverse population, you see many questionable and wonderful things but I will focus on the part of your question about "watching so many lives enter our world". The moment when the baby's head is crowning and the woman is breathing her baby out and then the baby is expelled into the world crying, placed on her chest and the woman is overwhelmed and crying and the dad is emotional too and, let's face it, basically everyone in the room is some-sort-of-crying, that is my most favourite time of my job. In that moment, the world is full of potential and love and hope springing in all directions. My other favourite moment which restores my faith in the world is when Muslim fathers whisper blessings into their newborns' ears - the passing on of tradition is so special. I cried the first time I saw a father do that and it made me realise what a privilege it is to be a witness to a birth, yes, but also the transformation of lives.

TMM: Is there a common thread between the many hats you wear, being an artist, designer and midwife?
OM: I love this question because, yes, there is a common thread - I enjoy working with my hands! As a midwife, I use my hands everyday. I palpate a woman's belly to gather information about her baby, and if she is interested, I guide her hands so she can feel the baby's position, where its bottom and head are, for herself. I hold hands with women, I hold heat packs to their backs. No wonder midwives were considered witches, we can know so much with our hands. As a craftsperson, I work with paper, scissors and glue to create collages, spending many hours manipulating the cut-outs with my hands until a harmonious picture takes shape. I love hand-sewing and making a slow thing, like the musical owl, because so much of my everyday life is rushed. I think hands are magical.

100% Organic Silk
Gentle Hand Wash Separately
Do Not Tumble Dry

Due to the handmade/second hand nature of this item any imperfections are considered intentional and are unique characteristics of this one of a kind piece. Over time changes may occur. Handle with care. No exchanges or refunds are available for Tartan Mind Mend charity auction items.

@hioliviamai
www.bonoui.com