Meet Kate Ward | Textile Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Ward and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Overhead. Overhead! I am just figuring out how to calculate overhead costs into my business model. Being that I work out of a home workshop, and have no storefront, I have never associated the cost of doing business with MY business. But there are so many expenses that creep in without preamble. Printer ink, for instance. I use printer ink for all of my shipping labels and invoices, but also for personal projects and school materials for my kids. How do I deduce how much each of my hat creations costs in ink? It’s crazy! So many of those seemingly tiny expenses that add up to a whole lot.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I never imagined I’d be cutting rugs for a living! I went to school for elementary education and thought I would teach school. By the time I finished graduate school, I was expecting a baby. I decided that I wanted to switch gears and work from home in some capacity. At that time, working from home wasn’t the norm. I had to come up with something. Necessity is the mother of invention! I was walking down the hallway looking down at the runner on the floor and I decided to cut it up and see if I could make it something wearable. It took a lot of trial and error, but after a few rounds of cutting and sewing, I spent an evening making a basic website, and announced it on my personal Instagram. There were only a dozen or so necklaces on the website, but I sold them all that night! It gave me confidence. The vision was easier than the execution. Some of the biggest challenges have been learning to sew (huge), experimenting with different weights and weaves of kilims (some are too thick, some are too loose), and getting over the fear of putting myself out there. It’s uncomfortable to share something with the masses not knowing how it will be received. I’ve learned to give credit where credit is due and to really listen to feedback (and criticism). I want the world to know that I’m giving it my best shot!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are a lot of variables with this question! But, if we were fancy free and had ideal weather and no budget- the list is long. A day spent at the North Carolina Museum of Art is a wonderful experience. We’d eat lunch in the cafe and wander the grounds and exhibits then head downtown to Whiskey Kitchen and have several cocktails and the salad with fried chicken. Maybe keep it downtown and stay that night at the Longleaf and enjoy an espresso in the morning. They have a darling espresso bar in-house. Back to the art museum to exercise on the trails and work off all that gluttony. Then right back to it! The Standard, Yellow Dog Bread, Bright Spot Donuts, and St. Roche Oyster Bar are some of my favorites. I’d want her to experience Boylan Heights and spend a night there (lovely accommodations), and another night at the Umstead. Remember, this is an ideal scenario! Durham is so close- we could take the train over and meander around, see a show at Dpac. Final night would be dinner at Jolie- the prize of Raleigh, in my opinion. Can you tell I enjoy eating and drinking?!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people I want to give a shoutout to. To spare readers a long-winded answer, I’ll go with my husband. He has drilled thousands of holes in my cuff bracelets, hauled hundreds of boxes into my work space, helped me word dozens of emails, all while working his own job and dealing with whatever current crisis is happening with our three children. It takes a patient partner to be able to pursue creative work and it so often takes a long time to see a return on investment. So, Matt, thank you!

Website: www.orijinal.design

Instagram: @orijinal.design

Image Credits
Emlyn Henley