Libby de Souza

Tell us a bit about yourself and your creative path. Where have you studied? Worked?

It all started with my first day of pre-school when I saw the craft table stocked full of pencils, paper, textas, stickers and cups of detergent water mixed with food dye for blowing bubbles. I turned around and said ‘LATER MUM’ before making a beeline to the first available seat at the table.

Years later, I studied a Bachelor of Visual Communication at Newcastle University. During my second year, Carl and Lara from Zookraft invited me to exhibit as part of the first Look See exhibition for the Look Hear talks. This was a pretty big influence on my creative path, because here were two professionals demonstrating so wonderfully what it means to be active in the design community, and giving students opportunities to take part. I’ve been a part of the Look See exhibitions every year since. They’re still my biggest creative role models! After finishing up studying, I moved to Sydney as a freelancer, taking on different opportunities including working freelance in-house at Australian Geographic. I am currently loving working in Melbourne for creative product agency, Buzz Products.

How did land your internship at the Jacky Winter Group?

Sometimes, the stars just align. My long-term man-friend, Adam, was offered a job in Melbourne after I had been freelancing in Sydney for about 12 months. Moving to Melbourne had always been a dream for us, but this was the catalyst to get there. I applied for the Jacky Winter Group internship while still in Sydney, we moved to Melbourne then two weeks later I had an interview. I cannot tell you how stoked I was when they rang me to say yes! It was a dream come true getting to work with Jeremy and such an amazing calibre of people, and in hindsight, the gang at JW are some of the first friends I made in Melbourne.

Tell us about the current exhibition you’re apart of and how you got involved?

I’m currently exhibiting a piece in a group exhibition at Rooftop Artspace (Rooftop Bar) titled ‘Obsessed’. It’s a collection of risograph prints curated by Bonnie Eichelberger, all on the theme of obsessions. Mine reflects on my intense big-kid love of all things Toy Story. Bonnie was an ex-Jacky Winter intern herself, and we met at one of her exhibitions last year. She now works for The Hungry Workshop with Adam. She invited me to exhibit, and of course I said yes! I had never done risographs before, so the prospect of that was super exciting!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on some more contributions for the Makers Society blog, who recently published the Hot Cross-Stitch Buns embroidery pattern I designed for Easter. I’m continuing to hand-make my ‘Let’s Go Camping Neckerchiefs’, which are currently being stocked in my favourite local store, Five Burroughs, on Lygon St. Plus plans are currently underway to start a casual craft club with some mates!