Meet Penny

Penny Maltby is a British textile artist and straw worker. Her work explores traditional craft through a contempory lens. Working with natural fibres and heritage techniques she is based in Oxfordshire.

Penny made our extraordinary straw head piece in the campaign shoot and we were thrilled slash relieved when she replied to our email with the subject “Straw Bear Costume” and agreed to make us the head piece.

How did you get into working with straw?

My background is in textiles and I have always enjoyed hand embroidery and basketry, there are so many crossovers in terms of techniques especially when it comes to 3d and constructed textiles. Many years ago I studied for a city and Guilds in stitched textiles and during this time found that I was drawn to hand making, hand stitching and traditional crafts. I had also dabbled in basketry and somehow all these things converged together with straw. Being able to work with natural materials is also a huge bonus, connecting me to land, place, communities, rural traditions and stories.

What is the best part of working on a project?

A new project is both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, but I love a challenge especially with straw, it can be very physical and I enjoy the processes from the preparation to the design, the sampling and then the making. I have been fortunate enough to work on a wide range of projects and like to do a lot of research, testing and sampling before I start the actual piece. I learn so much from working this way and have books of notes and sketches as well as plenty of successful and unsuccessful test/sample pieces. The thinking through the making is very satisfying when it works!

What is the worst part of working on a project?

Sometimes starting out can be tricky especially if it is something new, during the process there may be quite a few problems to solve but mostly these are doable. Once a piece is finished and sent out; there is always a very nerve wracking bit waiting to see if everyone is happy with the result!

If you could make anything out of straw, no limits, what would it be?

Ooh thats a tough one, I’m up for trying out most ideas so if you have a mad idea for straw or are ‘straw curious’ do get in touch and lets see how I can make it come to life. On a personal level I would love to do a big installation in somewhere unexpected.

If you weren’t an artist, what would you like to be doing?

Before being an artist I had career in hospitality for 20 years, it gave me a fantastic training for running events, but in my heart I was always a maker and probably should have studied embroidery or textiles the first time round. In my spare time I cooked a lot and organised crafty evenings for friends and family; lots of homemade gifts were made and given. Eventually I decided to pursue my creative side full time and went back to uni to study creative arts as a mature student when my children were younger. I loved it, especially making with my hands and I haven’t looked back. So luckily I am doing something that I love.

What, where & who inspires you?

Inspiration comes from so many things, walking in nature, my old sketchbooks, museums – I love The Pitt Rivers Museum and the V and A. Visiting exhibitions of all different types can bring in new nuggets of an idea, a shape, a material, an object, they can set me off a new path. I also listen to lots of podcasts particularly around crafts, textiles and heritage.

What is one place you visited last year that you felt inspired by?

I was fortunate enough to live in Australia for a few years and last year went back for a visit. The landscape there is always inspirational, the colours, the big sky, the indigenous crafts and the local cultures. I spent a lot of time looking at weaving, basketry and bark painting in the museums – pure bliss.

Thanks Penny for your time. Penny’s work can be found via @ministryofstraw