We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Paul recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

As a textile artist, I get asked often if it is a “real” job, and what exactly IS it that I do.

I have always been crafty and creative. I have had different 9-5 jobs throughout my career, but becoming my own boss has been the best. I went to college and earned a degree in graphic design, and also interned in the same division. Other jobs involved the arts in some aspects, so I suppose I have always been going about the creative route. When I had my daughter, I decided to stay home and focus on my art.

I tend to do a lot- I spin fibers into yarn, knit, needle felt sculptures out of wool, and quite a bit more. I also have other hobbies, and some of them crossover into each other. I have clients who send their wool for me to process into a finished product. This often takes a long time, and covers more hours than a typical 9-5 job. If I make an error, it can be pretty costly, and I can get negative reviews. It can be stressful at times. I am very happy that I can get my work done around the house and work on my customs and not have to go to an office. I also love that I can garden and have time to care for my plants- if I was in an office, I would not have the time. Sometimes, I make less money at a show or on a custom piece than I want, so that is a bit discouraging.

The last time I really had doubts was at the start of Covid-19. All of my shows were cancelled, and I lost a lot of income. Part of the textile industry depends on being able to really see and feel products, to know if they are soft or if they can be matched with another garment. The lack of time to photograph, list, and maintain a website has slowed down my sales. Also, think about the heat and humidity of Houston. Wool isn’t a huge seller here in the summer, so working around that and using plant fibers like hemp, soybean, and other fibers are a must. Sometimes coming across the materials that I need has been slowed down, or some companies have shut down. I also had a shop at the Texas Renaissance Festival for five years, and recently sold it… I have inventory and less shows, so things are a bit piled up here. Figuring out a new balance has been a bit challenging, but I wouldn’t change it at all.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My shop is named after my daughter. Her name is Dahlia and she is pretty wild, so Wild Dalia was created. Over the years, I have shifted from different art mediums and a few different names until I became comfortable with the one I am using today. I focused more on textiles after my daughter was born. I didn’t like some of the yarn options at stores, so I decided to create my own. Some of my first pieces were NOT comparable to anything I would like to work with. Practice, and years of working to perfect my techniques have really shown progression.

I can spin a laceweight yarn with lots of yardage now, and have learned to read knitting patterns to create wearable pieces. I create sculptures with a wide array of textures… I often work with clients to create garments, yarn, sculptures, hand dyed yarn, and other textiles. I think that my friendliness, attention to detail and client’s wishes, and my background in design really help the process run a bit smoother. My w0rk is bright, colorful, and pretty fun. There are a variety of textures, fibers, wools, and a rainbow of hues that can be explored? There are also a million different patterns that can showcase a yarn’s features- it just has to be explored. I am so proud of the growth I have made over the years, and I welcome looking forward to the future of my designs.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Unpopular view- but I can’t knit with non fungible yarn.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Purchase their art! You can make a great impact, even if you can’t purchase their art. By sharing their shop on social media, creating shout outs or live videos at shows, using hashtags, or just mentioning their name while conversing with your friends can be a huge help. Purchase local if you can, lift each other up when someone is difficulties, donate to the arts, attend shows if you can, and just be a decent person. A lot of things have changed recently, and it really is taking a village to raise future artists. Also, realize that artists are just like you and me- we have a life and a lot of things going on. Patience and empathy go a long way!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Sarah.k.paul.13
• Facebook: facebook.com/WildDahliaShop