First class graduate sews the seeds for success
Since graduating from the University of Hertfordshire there has been no stopping first class honours graduate, Harriet Riddell. She has used her exceptional artistic skills to win a highly regarded design competition, landing herself a job at a top design company and she has gone on to fulfil her dream of becoming a successful business woman.
Hard work meets great opportunities
Harriet undertook a degree in Contemporary Applied Arts in 2009, which she described as being ‘a magical three years.’ She explained that the great teaching and facilities she had at the University, allowed her to experiment and learn through trial and error.
Harriet said: 'My degree has helped me in my career by giving me the chance to be one hundred percent involved with my art and to concentrate on building and understanding what I am good at and how to develop ideas.'
After graduating, Harriet went on to win the highly acclaimed Absolute Vodka design award as well as having her art work showcased at the prestigious New Designers 2012 exhibition, an exhibition for the most talented, newly emerging artists from the UK’s leading universities.
Building skills to achieve excellence
Harriet was recognised for her unique creative talents and was offered a job working for design company Pentland PLC, where she travelled to Hong Kong and designed interior furnishings and wall art for their offices. She was also involved in various projects for well-known brands Kickers and Ted Baker.
She explained: 'I took my sewing machine to a mainland factory and stitched the image of employees making shoes – we went to the jungle, to a local tofu pudding cafe, to harbours and rooftops to create the pieces. I also completed 25 stitched portraits of all the heads of departments, CEOs and Chairman as gifts for the company.'
This experience gave Harriet the chance to build upon her existing skills and gave her the confidence and financial stability she needed to start up her own business, InStitchYou, which has enabled her to earn a living from doing what she loves.
Living the dream
Harriet markets herself as a 'Performance Textile Artist' and uses the technique of free hand embroidery to capture and record real life events as they happen before her.
She said: 'I travel with my sewing machine to public places to draw the moving world around me in stitch. I interact with my surroundings by sewing in unusual places and meet the characters in my pieces. My work involves an audience as I sew from life. I love to draw, I love textiles and textures, I love people and travelling, so this technique enables me to use all my passions.'
Describing her current venture as a 'roller-coaster', Harriet has been working hard to develop her business acumen as well as nurturing her exquisite talent. She undertakes business training courses to learn more about finance, marketing and selling and she visits galleries, stitches portraits at Greenwich Market and works in her own studio on various commissions. She is often commissioned to record events such as weddings and private parties in stitch as a unique way to remember a special day.
Harriet added: 'It is very liberating to earn a living from your passion. Hard work and lots of hours but when you one hundred percent believe and love what you do, you can’t imagine doing anything else.'
Advice and tips
Harriet believes that a positive attitude and determination has been the key to her success. She advises that results may not be visible straight away but with persistence and patience success will surely come.
Harriet’s success is proof that being proactive and going out to look for ways to gain exposure of your talents is definitely the way to move your career forward: 'Keep your eyes and ears open to all opportunities, enter competitions, read blogs with artist business tips and look for funding through the Arts Council. If you seek those who can help you, they will.'
Living a healthy lifestyle is also very important to Harriet. She added: 'Remember to get plenty of sleep, fruit and veg, and exercise also helps to keep me on top of my game.'
Future aspirations
Highly driven and motivated, Harriet is keen to continue her success: 'My future plans are to travel the world with my sewing machine, meet interesting people and record the world and my adventures in stitch.'
Harriet took part in One Year On at New Designers as part of her plans to grow her profile and expand her business further.
Find out more
Find out more about Harriet’s company InStitchYou.
Contact
Louise Barnes, Alumni relations officer
tel +44 (0)1707 281 145
l.barnes@herts.ac.uk