INSPIRE: The Road Less Travelled...Tracy Dix

This week, we meet academic-turned-sock sculptor, Tracy Su-Lin Dix of Sock 'N' Soul. She's been on quite a journey - from Shakespeare to sock-maker to the Royals - and her sense of humour shines through in her work.

Give a brief description of your career path up before you started your creative business.

I was on the path to becoming an academic when I completed my PhD on banqueting in Renaissance drama in 2008. I’d taught at university level for several semesters and worked at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon for a few years as a guide. I found it all fascinating and never got bored of working, but gave it all up for other reasons.

Having applied for countless teaching and research jobs, I’d become increasingly demoralised when I got little response for all the work and years of study I’d put into building up an academic profile. I’d had to move further away from Loughborough where I studied, so I wasn’t able to continue teaching and receive professional support through that channel anymore. I began to realise how isolating this career path could be, and how difficult it would be to achieve a balanced life in a field that was becoming increasingly competitive and cash-strapped. The budget for university arts departments has now been drastically reduced, so I believe the decision I made back then was the right one.

What prompted you to pursue a creative career?

I’d always been creative. I can remember making stuff with my cousins at an early age and really wanting to attend an art school when I was a child, but I was pressured to go to university. Although I thoroughly enjoyed being a student, I didn’t really know what I wanted career-wise, so I followed my heart and kept on studying the things I found fascinating. My PhD topic really captured my imagination too – I spent hours reading about Renaissance cooking, gardening and dining practices, then pictured how it all came to life in drama, the mass media of the time. During a period of enforced unemployment after I graduated, I turned to making things to keep myself busy. My husband and I had a DIY wedding, making invitations, preparing the food, packing favours, sewing bunting and decorating the house with the help of family and friends. Our guests said it was the most joyous wedding they’d been to and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

My commissions are great for special occasions, like marriages...

Inspiration came and went, I played around with a few business ideas and threw them out when they outlived their practicality. Then, Sock ‘N’ Soul (first called Su-Lin Designs) came up, and it just felt like the right idea. So, when the thought of a creative career came about, I was once again guided by instinct. However, I’m unlikely to have turned my hobby into a career without the support of my family and friends. I made some characters for Christmas in 2008 and was delighted by the responses I got when I gave them away as presents. Everyone contributed ideas for new characters, product ranges, names and potential formats for the business. I’ve started to introduce different materials into my work, so this helps to keep things fresh and as interesting as the day I cut up my first sock.

Births...

What was the most difficult thing about this decision? And what was the easiest?

I was sobered by the knowledge that I probably wouldn’t be able to return to academia if I didn’t fully commit myself to it, but I’ve always been good at looking towards new possibilities rather than dwelling on the past.

Deaths...

I love the excitement of new projects and learning, so I knew I had to give this a shot, and, if nothing else, get it out of my system.

How supportive of your decision were your family, friends and (former) colleagues?
My husband has always been fully supportive of whatever I do, and knowing that helps enormously. He’s attended craft events with me, does my bookkeeping despite having a full-time job himself, and has always helped me keep a clear head on my flighty shoulders. My parents indulged my passion, as they have with my other decisions in life, though they’ve always encouraged me to find more stable employment. My in-laws have also been great – both sets of parents have helped my husband and I financially. Without it, I would not have been able to go down this route. Friends and other members of my family have listened, saw the rationale behind my plans and have supported me in every big and little way, from helping at craft fairs, buying my work, introducing me to opportunities and helping to spread the word by commenting on my blog or posting ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ on my social media pages.

How has pursuing a creative career been compared with your previous career? What are the challenges, and what are the highlights?

Being an artist and academic are pretty similar. In both situations, I’m fully responsible for my own decisions and structuring my time. I’ve suffered from guilty-conscience overdrive in the past, so it’s important to remember to take my time and not rush into things. It’s been a challenge producing affordable items that retain my individuality and artistic flair. Sometimes, this means putting a lot of hard work into a new range, then discovering at fairs that its appeal is not right, but it’s all about accumulated experience. New customers are thrilling, and, with every request I get for a commission, it feels incredibly special to know that someone’s so impressed with my work that they’re willing to part with their hard earned cash for it.

Have you had any regrets about choosing a creative career?

None whatsoever. I’ve picked up countless skills from doing so, which I probably wouldn’t have had the drive to acquire without this strong belief in my work. My creative career has given me the fire in my belly to learn about sales, marketing, prototyping and other commercialisation processes that I never knew I’d be interested in. I fully believe in living a life without regrets and could never have dealt with the ‘what ifs’ that would’ve haunted me had I not at least tried to make this work.

What has been the best thing about your decision to pursue a creative career?

I felt as though something magical started to take hold when I came up with designs inspired by the things that meant most to me. It was as if the passion that I’d lost for an academic career was rising like a phoenix out of the ashes. Darn Stuff embraces the materials that I take delight in. I’m always collecting fabrics, bits of ribbon, buttons and anything beautiful that might come in useful one day. I also like to think that my stuffed animals evoke the chaos and adventure of the great outdoors, rather than staid taxidermy, so the name helps to rev-up that personality. Also, I’ve been dancing since I was four, and met my husband breakdancing, so Sock ‘N’ Soul is my little tribute to that part of our lives. I’ve derived inspiration from sources too numerous to name here, so I keep a blog to tell my customers these stories. It’s led to one heck of a journey full of self-discovery.

Unless you prefer to get fresh with a bboy...I know I do.

Or a poledancer, because you can!

What are your plans for the future?
Having explored the options of wholesale supply to large retailers and visited factories overseas in the last year or so, I’ve decided to regain control over my work and experiment with new materials.

Having sewn, embroidered, sculpted, painted and crocheted my work, I’m proud to call myself a multimedia artist

I currently source as much as I can from UK suppliers, I’d like to research the traceability and environmental impact of my materials more thoroughly and improve their quality. I also work for Warwick University, where I plan to take on a new marketing role to give an extra boost to my income and experience, so I can take my time to get to know my customers.

My ambitious project for this year is to recreate a balcony scene with the royal family for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I made Will and Kate for the royal wedding and people seemed to like that, so hopefully this idea will go down well.

Look out for my expanding collection in 2012!

Call-outs are welcome and all rescues or rehabilitation efforts (i.e. workshops) are happily considered. More information is available on my website, though these days you're much more likely to catch me at the following trendy spots:

Blogger
Etsy
Facebook
Flickr
Folksy
Twitter

It's never too late to give your old sock a new lease of life!