A monthly column that keeps its finger on the pulse of Forsyth’s artists and their inspiring stories.
This month’s featured artist, Betsy Simmons Fraser, skillfully blends sophisticated design with handcrafted whimsy offering her customers delightful pieces that inspire cherished memories and a sense of warmth.
Betsy Simmons Fraser | Graphic Designer & Felt Fanatic
How would you describe your work?
A unique, handmade piece can add magic to a room and make your home feel, well…homey! With a passion for graphic design and crafted detail, I create goods, cut and sewn in layered wool felt, that help you make meaningful connections with heart- and hand-crafted gifts and keepsakes. Also, to engage your creative side, I offer Ruby Threadgood patterns and kits that enable the DIY sewist to get “hands on” with home decor.
What influences your pieces and projects?
I want to encourage personal style and design pieces that remind folks of the good life they’re living. Stories are my inspiration, and everything I make has one. I create things that are positive and celebratory, such as a pennant that memorializes a special occasion, a pillow highlighting a favorite season or a banner with a meaningful mantra. Nostalgia also fuels my work. Felt transports me back to my childhood and fond memories of sewing with my mom.
How have you grown, personally, as an artist?
The intersection where crafting meets design has opened up a world of possibilities for me, and I have loved exploring where the combination takes me. My felt work grew from my graphic design. The visual storytelling I enjoy in branding translates to home decor in these goods. This pursuit has also opened up the opportunity to work with different types of clients – such as individuals seeking to capture a memory, or interior designers looking for a bespoke solution to personalize a room.
How do you carve out time to be creative?
Well, that can be a tough one while also managing ever-evolving client work. It takes intentionality and scheduling creative time on my calendar as I would a meeting or appointment. I treat that time as non-negotiable. This is easier said than done for me, I must admit! I have also found, if I’m not feeling terribly inspired, it’s better to take a break for a while rather than force it. The creative energy always returns!
Do you have a favorite story behind one of your projects, and if so, why?
I was asked to create a banner for someone to present as a gift to their family in memory of their brother who had passed away. Part of the legacy of this beloved brother, husband and father, was his tradition of preparing an oyster roast for the entire family on the day after Christmas, every year. The banner read, “The Annual John S. Russell Boxing Day Oyster Roast,” and it hangs proudly above their mantle throughout every Christmas season. Creating a keepsake to celebrate the shared and cherished memories of this family was such an honor and so gratifying.
What are you working on that excites you right now?
As a graphic designer, package design is an area that I get most jazzed about. Designing an object in 3-D is something I am starting to explore in felt as well. Ornament design is an exciting new challenge, and I’d like to offer these trinkets as crafting kits packaged in novel ways to add to their giftability.
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with fellow artists, especially those at the start of their careers?
Throw perfectionism out the window. It just drags you down and leads to procrastination and avoidance. The more action you take, the quicker you learn about yourself and grow in your work. Explore, experiment, get curious, ask yourself, “I wonder if I can do that” and then try it! Who knows? You may discover paths that lead you to new areas of unexpected joy.
If you are interested in learning more about this month’s artist, Betsy Simmons Fraser, you can find her work online at rubythreadgood.com and betsysimmonsfraser.com as well as follow her on Instagram and Facebook @rubythreadgood and @betsysimmonsfrasercreative.
