Leela Frankcombe
Textiles
Maker Member
Leela started her career as a scientist, graduating from the ANU with a BSc (Hons) and then completing a PhD at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. She worked as an academic in the field of climate science, both overseas and in Australia, for nearly 15 years before leaving academia in search of a better balance between work and family life.
The move into a more creatively expressive career was unplanned and happened by degrees. After taking up knitting as a hobby after her PhD, Leela moved into designing and publishing her own knitting patterns, initially also as a hobby. She now works part time as a knitwear designer, specialising in the brioche knitting technique.
"Where is the line between a hobbyist and an artist? Is there a line? When does craft become art? Why do we make a distinction between the two? Knitters generally put themselves into the hobbyist/craftsperson category and yet there is so much creativity and artistry in knitting, surely it deserves a place amongst the arts.
Art doesn’t only belong on walls and in display cases, sometimes it can be worn!"
Online Resources:
Website: https://leelamaryknits.com/
Instagram: @leelamary