Creative Secrets with Jinny Holt from Mum’s Shed

Jinny Holt from Mum’s Shed

Jinny Holt

Jinny Holt is a Powertex tutor and Powertex Design Team member but she has a range of extraordinary creative talents. You can find examples of her fantastic art and crafts at Mum’s Shed on Blogger and Facebook as well as reading her Powertex UK blogs.

 I asked Jinny if she would share some of her story and answer some questions about her many passions and interests. As you can see on her Facebook page, she believes that being creative is not just a hobby but a way of life. Have a browse around her gallery for fabulous makes.

Powertex Hat by Jinny Holt

Hi Jinny,

Thank you for taking the time to chat about your creative life. I’m looking forward to knowing more about you and your art. Here we go…

Were you encouraged to create when you were a child? Do you have any memories of childhood arts or crafts?

Yes, I was creative as a child. My first memories of being creative was art lessons, I loved them and when I was at home as a child, I was always colouring in and drawing pictures. I remember as a child if I was ever ill and had to have the day off, I would be really upset and cry!! 

I suppose my mum and dad buying me pens and pencils and colouring books was my encouragement. 

Dragon by Jinny Holt

It’s fantastic that you knew your love of art while you were so young. How did you find your way to continue with art as an adult?

My love for art went onto secondary and upper school. There I also learnt pottery. I loved working with clay and I remember my teacher was fab. I went on to do O level art and passed that. At this point in my life I wanted to be a social worker and went to college with this in mind! I did not do any art at college and in my first year met my husband and gave up college after my first year. 

 

As an adult and early on in my married life I was creative with decorating and painting furniture. Then I had kids and this gave me ample opportunity to draw colour and paint as well. I also tried my hand at cross stitching when the kids were in bed as I found it relaxing and therapeutic.

 

I then played around with card making, scrapbooking, water colours, encaustic art, felt making, mixed media and jewelery making but these never lasted more than a year. All of these crafts I enjoyed and they were a good source of therapy. I then moved on to polymer clay and this craft I have been doing for about 8 years. 

Necklace by Jinny Holt

I know you as a Powertex tutor and Powertex Design Team member. You mentioned your many creative interests so. what art or crafts are you spending time on now?

I found Powertex after being told about it by a polymer clay artist. Tracey (Evans) was at Exeter Westpoint at a craft show and once I saw what you could do with Powertex I fell in love with it. That was about 3 or 4 years ago. I love the fact that all the crafts I have previously tried can be used with Powertex and that you can use a variety of household objects, so better for the environment. 

 

Figure by Jinny Holt

Do you have any artistic or creative heroes? Who are they and why?

I am inspired by lots of artists and not all are mega famous ones!! One being Georgia O’keeffe, I love the way she paints her flowers and skulls and I find her a very interesting character. 

Do you have any other crafts you would like to try or creative skills you would like to learn? What’s on your list?

Recently I have dabbled with painting furniture and one day I aim to powertex a big piece of furniture. I would also like learn how to weld and do sculptures. That is something I have wanted to do for years. But for now I am happy sculpting with powertex!

Table by Jinny Holt

Most artists and crafters have a sense of the benefits of having creative time in their life,  What does it mean to you?

I really do find being creative a therapy and I am lucky that in my day job as a support worker for young adults with additional needs, I have seen how letting them be creative has been therapy for them. 

I honestly do not know what I would do if I could not be creative, it would be like having no air to breath. 

Thank you Jinny for taking some time to share your story. I love that you have had so many interests as many of us try all kinds of creative hobbies before we find the things that really work for us. Our creativity can really feed on our varied interests.

If you would like to know more about Jinny and her work you can check out her Mum’s Shed blog or follow her Facebook page. Lastly, take a look at this masterpiece by Jinny, beautiful.

Large vase by Jinny Holt

You can also read interviews with fellow Powertex tutors, Donna McGhie and Anna Howlett on this blog. If you are a Powertex tutor or artist and you would like to tell the story of your creative life then please get in touch!