Artist Highlight: Minifi’s Oddities

15 Mar

Fiona Holmes is the artist behind Minifi’s Oddities, specialising in original illustrations and linocut prints. We sat down with Fiona to chat about what inspired her creativity, how 'hands-on' craft brings her closer to folk traditions and how the linocut process helps her to reconnect with herself.

Northern Folklore Archive: Have you always been a creative person, or did someone/something during your life spark this creativity?

Fiona: I have always loved to draw, my mum used to tell me that she could sit me down anywhere and as long as I had a pencil and paper I was happy. I always wanted to create art full time so I made sure I sketched as much as possible.

Linocut Printing is such a beautiful process, do you find having a more 'hands-on' craft brings you closer to folk traditions?

I really love Lino, I didn't used to but one year I house sat for one of my university lecturers (not mine) and she was a lino printer with a full studio.

She said I could use it and learn whilst she was away. So I taught myself that year and ended up using lino prints in my final show. I very much love how 'rough' and naive it can come across. I still love to hand press my work rather than use a machine but it definitely takes longer, haha.

Quite a lot of creatives enjoy that exploring 'folklore' in their craft helps them to slow down and reconnect, do you find the linocut process helps you to reconnect with yourself in such a busy modern society?

It is weird as there were not a lot of modern artists doing folkloric lino printing when I started.

It is really nice to see folklore getting such love. I love researching and retelling folklore in my own way. The actual act of carving really helps me centre myself and slows my breathing. I have a few mental health issues but they are definitely quieter when I am creating.

Are there any folklore stories or creatures that you feel inspires your art the most?

I am a massive fan of water based folklore and love Yukai.

Lastly (and I'm asking this to everyone) one of the Northern Folklore Duo is a huge film fan, so this question is purely for him... what is your favourite film?!

Haha, I love Guillermo del Toro as a director and Tim Burton obviously, but I would say The Devils Backbone is up there for me.

It was lovely chatting to Fiona, her artwork is truly beautiful. If you like her work, you can find more here -

www.minifisoddities.com

https://www.instagram.com/minifis_oddities/

https://www.facebook.com/minifisoddities