Artist Interview Series: Sartoria
Nothing gets the show started better then a…
I mean, you get to see some pretty epic ice skating (I would have fallen at least 5 times already), a wide array of LOVELY long johns that just so happen to be the focus of this interview. Along with some other equally lovely under garments 
I know we’ve just pulled out of the big holiday season, but there is a holiday looming in the not so distant future. For some, it’s a dreadful day, for other’s, its a lovely day FULL of romance, sweet smelling flowers, delicious candies, and for the lucky one’s: a heated-hot-steamy-passionate………Valentine’s day (dinner?) I don’t know what category you fall into, but Valentine’s day has always held a firm number 2 in my favorite holidays.
Why? Well, it’s a nostalgic thing for me… I never had a valentine growing up, I always had crushes I wish would have done the steamy and romantic things I wrote/willed them to do. Valentine’s day meant awesome crafts with bright colored paper, glitter, and a party. It was picking out Valentine’s day cards for your classmates, writing their names out, attaching candy, and always giving extra to you besties. It was trading those silly cards on the bus ride home for your favorite rugrat character. It was getting to college and buying all your girlfriend’s a sexy pair of underwear, but giving them the granny pannies first. It was also coming home to a mom who made a big deal about Valentine’s day and telling/showing you how much she loved you and how badly she wanted to be your valentine!! To me, it’s a day about love…every shade of love.
Now, I don’t know if I made this obvious, but I love underwear. I love undies, leggings, long johns, SOCKS, and a good sports bra. When I first came across Sartoria, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought I was looking into an old circus…but better, it was vintage-looking-repurposed charm, with new-kid flair, or at least that’s how my mind categorized it. Not only are you drawn to the crazylovelythings adorning the models legs and bottom, Sartoria does an EXCELLENT job with her photography, pretty much shooting her pictures as her items should/would have been shot “back in the day”. Without further ado, meet Sara of Satoria, and her wide array of warm-wears…PERFECT for the love(s) in your life!!
Also, I thought it would be good to mention that, “All pieces will feature special VALENTINES DAY PACKAGING and WOOL FELT HEARTS APLENTY”…right in time for the big day! She even welcomes custom orders!!! SO AWESOME!
1. Who are you/tell us a bit about yourself?
I live in Toronto Ontario Canada. I work in a shared art studio where five of us work and create autonomously and I live in a very vibrant and sometime chaotic house with 4 friends. I am continuing to negotiate the transition between being young and being an adult and feel really lucky to have the space and freedom to do this!
2. What are some of your favorite things to do?
I ride my bike a lot and sometimes its out of necessity but then sometimes its the best thing to be doing. City side streets, especially at night, are my favourite. I also like many things to do with food and plants….farmers markets, harvesting, cooking, preserving, fermenting.
3. What’s sitting on your desk right now??
1. landline telephone
2. daytimer
3. jar of tea
4. sewing machine
5. scissors
6. thread
7. super8 camera
8. dark chocolate covered espresso beans
9. handmade socks in need of darning
10. longjohns ready to be sewn
4. How would you describe your artistic style?
Old fashioned mixed with some urban grit and modern day overwhelmedness.
5. Where did the inspiration come from for the things that you make and sell?
It was directly linked to my own need for functional things to wear that would make it fun and warm to bike through my first winter in Montreal (the first city i ever lived in). Now it is also tied into a deep deep inclination towards reclaiming/scavenging/reusing/recycling….well, and making beautiful things with one of the most amazing fibres.
6. If you had to be trapped in a book, which one would it be and why?
I think being trapped inside The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt would be ok. I feel like there would be endless adventures to be had if I was Ludo’s friend….and hopefully some of his genius would rub off on me.
7. Where did the inspiration for your shop name, Sartoria, come from?
Sartoria is Italian for ‘tailor’s shop’. It’s also a play on my actual name.
8. What drew you to creating?
Maybe it was partly out of a need for resourcefulness…I grew up in the country and we played with what we had around us….but also I think my hands work well to make what I dream up in my imagination…….it is a natural expression.
9. Do you have any other job aside from your awesome shop?
Not any kind of steady thing but I do other things sometimes. Last year I styled a friends photoshoot for her new album….and did a lot of mending and alternations….and sometimes I sit really still and people practice their painting.
10. What words of wisdom would you give to someone wanting to make their passion their livelihood?
It’s really easy to have anything said along these lines to sound cliche……but I know that one of the best things to do is to increase acceptance of yourself and your ideas and your process and your plans and your way of finding your way. This little human is on to something!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qR3rK0kZFkg
