Creativity, Clay and Catherine Forristal C: Yeah she did that, but what she did was scenes. She would do a child sleeping in a bed or something, and she would customize it for people. So if they had a dog, she put a tiny little picture frame of them and their dog. She would go to craft fairs and sell them and put their name on it. And so as a kid, I suppose I had access to all of those things. It made sense to start. That continued into secondary school... and I also grew up around a pottery school. G: Do you think with the pandemic, there's been an upsurge in people who are doing creative things, because they're either on PUP (Pandemic Unemployment Payment) or they're working from home? So with more free time and less emphasis on making money, they can now pursue these race: So, Catherine, you started a small business creative hobbies? during Covid-19 as a creative outlet, called Wonky Trinkets. What is Wonky Trinkets? C: I would definitely agree with that. I think [the pandemic has] also encouraged more people who wouldn't Catherine: Ok, I think it’s very nice that you go as necessarily consider themselves to be creative to start far as to call it a small business. I'm a very idealistic dipping a toe into creative stuff. My brother worked in person, and I was like, maybe this is going to be my thing. bars and pubs for the last 10 years since he came out of I was also working a part time job and studying and college. He's been doing woodwork as his passion project trying to maintain some sort of social life. So it wasn't the for the last seven. And over the last seven years, it's really best time to start. But since lockdown happened, I started to grown. He's been doing exhibitions of his work, there are really get back into making art. Essentially, I like [the a lot of independent shops that are selling his stools and medium of] clay, and you know how on TikTok everyone tables and stuff. He's always wanted [for that to] take off. started making those little clay figures? I started making He was like, “Okay, this pandemic. I don't want to work in little funny face ashtrays. I was like, “Oh my God, it's so fun!”. a bar for the rest of my life, so I'm going to go ahead and just give this all my energy instead now because I am on G: So, were you always into making things out of clay or was PUP, I don't have to worry about money at the moment.” it something you picked up in quarantine? Were you only So, yeah, I think [the pandemic has] also given people the inspired, like you said, by those TikToks? space and time to step back from what they’re doing and be like, “Is this actually what I want to do or would I be happier C: I’ve always really liked making stuff with clay. I grew up doing something else? What's important to me and what do with clay all around the place. My mom actually used to I like doing with my free time? Why don't I do more of it?” make door locks. They’re things you can hang on your door And I think the fact that he had the time as a kid and it has your name. to step up and not worry about money and working all the time, and actually do G: Oh, my God, I love those things. I had them all over my something that was his hobby [was really door as a child. important]. Also, that he could make a bit of money without being so stressed out about making a living from it.
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WORDS BY GRACE CULHANE
G: Absolutely. So, yeah, crazy times. Thank you for the interview!
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