We recently connected with Hannah Sandler and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
A body of work that I hold near and dear to my heart was one that I developed as a product of my Senior Thesis entitled ‘reJoy’. reJoy is the conscious pursuit to seek and create appreciation for small moments and details in life, and this body of work explored the relationship between our memories, environment and attention through an optimistic eye and value-based narrative. One specific project that stemmed from this thesis is ‘reZero’, one that is both conceptually and structurally meaningful to me as not only a designer but as well as a human.
‘reZero’
Trends in conceptual garment making serve as a catalyst for shifting the way we create and consume. Cross-functional garments that operate between interchangeable parts and materials is the future of designing for longevity. Timeless patterns combat our human tendencies to fall to boredom, resorting to waste production. reZero optimizes both surface and structural design from the pattern making stage and use of recycled fibers with the focus of bringing playfulness to sustainable fashion. Made from a single piece of fabric, designed for multiple purposes.
Through the lens of zero waste design, reZero channeled my innermost desires and hopes for a world where aesthetics does not have to be compromised for sustainability. I have always had a strong appreciation for fashion as being a means for personal expression and an outlet for strengthening and practicing self-confidence, but I believe that there are more sustainable ways that we can be creating and consuming. Tieing in crocheting, sewing, surface design and pattern making, this project not only challenged me but opened the doors for new developments in finding possible ways that production can become more valued and maximized.
Hannah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a maker of many things focused on evoking passion, innovation and meaning by design. the connection between tactile and digital worlds is at the heart of my work where fine craft, fine design and fine art intertwine. Fueled by challenge, creativity stems from seeking new ways to create and invent something from nothing. I strive to evoke confidence and playfulness to elicit joy. Inspiration derives from my environments, worldly experiences and most authentic inner self. The power of unexpected color, fine detail, contrasting texture and meaningful pattern inspire my cross-functional thinking driven by an appreciation for all things beautiful and special. utilizing design as a catalyst for shifting and sharing perspectives, the work radiates optimism and intention in an uncertain world.
It all began in 2020 when I learned to crochet as one of my foundation Fibers classes at SCAD. It started as a curriculum lesson and quickly transformed into something much more. Serving as a lifeline during quarantine and difficult times, I started to lean into the comfort that crocheting provided me and the creative permission that it granted me to show to the world. With what started off at small shoulder bags grew to become tote bags, and then hats, sweaters and more. As I continued to take more fibers classes, my Instagram page @art_shtuff served the purpose of documenting my exploration and sampling. It wasn’t anything fancy at all, but it was a way for showing where I came from and where I was going.
Today, my account is the same. I don’t post the same thing and I use the same underlying motive to fuel what I create and post which is to try new things and document my exploration. I use my business with not the sole purpose of to sell, but on a deeper note to inspire, connect and illicit joy. I have big hopes to integrate more funding, planning and projects into my business, but for the time being it is keeping me motivated to explore new terrains with new forms and mediums – and for me, that is what being a creative is all about!
I love to create products that make people comfortable in their own skin and bring joy. Using mainly bright and bold colors and mixing textures and materials is a way for me to communicate a sense of happiness and true jubilation to my audience. Whether that is crochet goods like scrunchies and bags made from pre-loved yarn, or mixed media illustration, I try to keep ethical and pre-loved production in the forefront of my work and focus on an appreciation and attention for detail. I am excited about the creative process and trying new things to see if they stick or not and I believe that is what sets me apart from other creatives. Not too tethered by the idea of failure, I try to just put content out into the world that I enjoy and feel inspired by with the hopes that I can connect with others and create something of meaning. Embracing the learning process, I know that I have a long way to go with developing my persona online and growing my business, but I see that not as a deterrent but rather as a motive to keep going.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Being a creative is such a privilege and I am so blessed to have the opportunity, access and tools to being able to express myself in that realm. With creative minds comes creative power which I believe is very strong and needed in our technologically advancing world. As makers and designers, we have a role to shape the future that is being molded and we have a responsibility to design a brighter and better future. I am fuelled and inspired by challenge, and finding new and innovative ways to change the ways that we create and consume.
How did you build your audience on social media?
The greatest piece of advice that I have been given by mentors and other professional creatives is to be completely and utterly authentically and unapologetically yourself. When my public image was starting to develop on social media, I was having a difficult time trying to ‘compete’ with other profiles and creatives that seemed to be posting content that was trendy and seemed to be gaining traction online. While it is important to keep up with the trends and use them as a tool for navigating sales and product development ideation, I had to train myself to ignore the voice in my head that was constantly comparing my performance to others. I kept going back to the importance of posting content that I found interesting and creating products that I wanted to make. I try to embody individuality in what I am creating and posting every day and will continue to be true to me in my practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hannahsandler.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art_shtuff/?hl=en
- Facebook: NA
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ hannah-sandler
- Twitter: NA
- Youtube: NA
- Yelp: NA
- Soundcloud: NA
