#053

Stay flirty, stay playful, stay COY

Interview Amy Willing & Bernadette Fingleton
Images Claire de Carteret

On the last day of our Makers Market, we want to introduce you to one more stall holder. Claire de Carteret is studying Fine Arts and Arts at COFA, and on the side she runs jewellery business COY. We asked her about the inspiration behind the name, her process, and why she can never follow a recipe.

I always like to start with the question: who are you?

My name’s Claire, and I grew up in the Central Coast and moved to Sydney two years ago to go to uni. I’ve always just really loved making things with my hands, whether it’s cooking or gardening, and so jewellery making came kind of naturally I guess. I do have to say that I was inspired by my little sister, because otherwise she’ll be mad at me. She started making jewellery, and then I was like ‘oh that’s so cool’ and I started from there.

How did the label Coy come about?

I had the name before I had the idea of what I wanted to do with the name.
Coy is an attribute that I find within myself and I just really like how it’s flirty and playful, but its really about having fun and is quirky.The term doesn’t have any definition of quirky to it, but I like adding that to the mix and creating my own version of the term, ‘Coy’.

What sort of process do you go through to create a piece of jewellery?

It varies. Sometimes I see something on Instagram or on the internet or in a magazine, and I get super inspired and I try to make something similar. Most times, though, I sit down with an idea of doing one thing and then I end up with something completely different. I just start playing with the clay, or with the beads or the wire, and then I’ll be like ‘ohhhh this colour and this looks cool,’ or ‘I’m gonna move it this way’. I’ve kind of given up on the whole drawing and planning part of it. I did it at the beginning because I thought that was how you had to do it, but now I just go along with whatever comes out.

So what can people expect from your stall?

I really want to do some new things. I’ve been moving away from the polymer clay, which has been really hard because I love it and it’s so colourful and bright. It embodies a lot of what the brand is all about, but the clay has been problematic, it’s broken a lot and I just can’t trust it as much. I’m starting to move towards resin, beads and maybe even some embroidery things. Also ceramics and pot plants.

MMM we love ceramics.

Yeah I’m obsessed.

Do you have any kind of rituals to get you into a creative headspace?

I like being productive with my TV watching. I like to watch something while I do it, or listen to music or a podcast.

Any recommendations?

Ohhh… I just finished listening to ‘Dirty John’ – an investigative, journal crime type thing. It’s super interesting. And I’ve also listened to S-Town – have you heard of it?

Do you have any heroes, creative or business or otherwise?

I really love Beyonce. Not for any good reason, but just because I started loving her when I was at 8 and I just continued.

Creatively… there are just so many artists. I’m inspired by both my parents – they’re both artists. And my sister as well. There is a lot of creative juices flowing in my family – everybody’s doing something.

Where can we find you on Sunday morning?

Either going to work or in bed or eating breakfast. I’d love to say that I’m off to a farmer’s market with a straw basket and a baguette under my arm, but that’s happened about once in the past year. I wish it happened more often.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on this project called ‘Fork’. I interview artists in Sydney and the hope is to create an archive of their ideas, their processes and document their ways of thinking. We really dissect it. They’re long interviews, I sit with people for an hour and a half. It’s mostly about documenting their political views and how the world around them affects their practice. It’s busy but it’s really fulfilling and a great learning experience. //

Find Claire at her stall today (Sunday December 17) at the 107 Objects Makers Market. Follow her on Instagram at @studiocoy_.