Moyra Jones is Scottish born but moved to Australia in 1989, and is now based in Adelaide, as the owner-designer of Surface Art, and affiliated clothing company Essaye.
After she arrived in Australia, Moyra worked for another company printing clothing and homewares for many years, until one day she decided to hand in her resignation and go it on her own. It was an enormous decision, and she is the first to admit it hasn’t been easy. But, she says, she hasn’t looked back. In 2002, Moyra started making cushions and skirts from her original print fabrics, and selling them at numerous markets around Sydney.
Always a maker, Moyra remembers using scraps of fabric to make pincushions, and knitting scarves for Mothers Day. She also remembers vividly her mother creating and remaking at the beginning of summer – “she would get us to try all the clothes we wore the summer before and see who fitted what, let hems downs or add some extra contrast fabric to make it longer, but she would always let us choose the colours and trims we liked.”
Moyra has strong childhood memories of her mother’s dresses always being made from beautiful fabrics, and says “perhaps that’s where I get my love of 50s design from”. Now, she takes inspiration from nature, the arts, and different cultures, as well as surface design of the 60s and 70s. Her current designs are both bold and gentle, reflecting her loves of colour, form, and simplicity.
The worst thing about working for yourself she says is “always self doubt. Never quite believing what you do is good enough. But you have to force yourself to move forward and take a chance. The worst thing that can happen is that it can fail and if that happens at least you’ve tried.” Conversely, the best thing is that “I still can’t believe that people like and want what I create, but more importantly that I am so fortunate to be doing something that I love, and everyday I am inspired to get in the studio and make things.”
And the best piece of advice she’s ever been given? “Enjoy what you do; if you don’t, then do something else.”
Surface Art endeavours at all times to lessen its environmental impact. Where possible, fabrics are printed with water-based inks, clothing and homewares are designed and made to be long-lasting, and products are all Australian made, using local printers and makers.
Surface Art is gaining popular acclaim, and has appeared in numerous magazines – Country Style, Home Beautiful, and Better Homes & Gardens, amongst others. You can find more of Surface Art’s beautiful prints and homewares here.
With thanks to Moyra for providing the images, and for the quotes.