The guest on The Fine Line on Tuesday 17 June was Caroline Searle, a woman of many creative talents including weaving, jewellery making, paper crafting and French Flower beading.
Caroline hails from Western Australia and like so many travelers passing through central Australia en route to Darwin, their van broke down in Alice Springs and whilst waiting for it to be repaired, ended up staying a week, fell in love with the Alice and so stayed. That was 19 years ago and Alice has been Caroline’s home ever since.
Over the years Caroline’s interest in crafting objects of beauty has inspired her creativity and she spoke of how she always has several projects on the go at once from paper craft, dyeing, wire jewellery, weaving, sewing, mosaics, cross-stitch, beading, card making, silk fusion and one of her great loves scrapbooking.
It’s her wide interest and boundless creativity that has had Caroline described as a ‘Jack of All Trades’, although she personally prefers to be known as a ‘Jill of Many Crafts’. No wonder that Caroline has over time, also ventured into ceramics, spinning, printing, woodwork and drawing and says that there are still so many new things she’s like to try out, only she just haven’t got around to them all yet.
Caroline is one of the many innovative tutors at Central Craft and shares her knowledge and skills in her many creative disciplines saying ‘I find there is something special about running workshops; I get to share my love of crafts and be a part of the joy and enthusiasm as others gain new skills while creating pieces of beauty.’
Caroline sells her unique hand-made craft work at the Central Craft retail outlet and previously for many years at the Todd Mall markets. She has also exhibited her craft in local exhibitions and described one of the highlights of tutoring at Central Craft is at their hive of colourful creativity during their annual Beanie Festival workshops. This year Caroline will be tutoring in her exquisite beadwork, from the fanciful and fun beaded beanie critters to her beautiful beaded French Flowers.
Jen Standish-White talks with a ‘Jill of Many Crafts’, local creator and craftswoman Caroline Searle.
Broadcast: Tuesday 17 June 2014 at 12 noon on 8CCC Community Radio 102.1FM
Producer and Presenter: Jen Standish-White