Artist Feature: Meet Katie from Dopamine Divas

We want to showcase our Artist Studio members and we couldn't think of a better first feature than Katie Dexeter from Dopamine Divas!

We met Katie a little while ago when she first came along to one of our workshops...we loved her colourful and fun personality instantly! A true creative heart wrapped in a Yorkshire accent, full of humour and kindness and when she came along to our House of Horrors, Halloween party as the most adorable yet creepy clown doll we knew we needed to get to know her more!

Tell us a bit about you:

I'm mostly chaos. I'm neurodivergent, I've been sewing since I was very young, and I've

always been one to march to the beat of my own drum, ever since I was a child.

‘Growing up’ hasn't changed that at all.

You'll usually find me laughing too loudly at something only I find funny. I’m a maker, mender, and general chaos coordinator.

Tell us more about Dopamine Divas:

Dopamine Divas is a sustainable clothing brand, taking unwanted textiles and up-cycling them to make bright, fun clothing and accessories.

We also run workshops teaching people how to repair, rework and recycle their clothing, and encourage them to make better informed choices about the fashion they choose to wear, and hopefully inspire people to look at sustainable clothing in a different way.

It doesn't have to be beige and boring!

Whats your favourite thing to sew, a full product or a detail perhaps?

I don't have a favourite item to make per se, but I do love the process of taking a boring item of clothing and giving it a new life. I'm always surprised by how certain things, old jeans are a great example, can be turned into something totally different.

If you could design and make for anyone who would it be?

I absolutely LOVE Chloe Hayden, an autistic actor & disability activist. She has a really

quirky style and I could definitely see her in Dopamine Divas clothes.

I'd also love to make something for Hannah Spencer (Green Party MP). Again, I think that she's very much the kind of person I'd love to see wearing Dopamine Divas clothes!

(Drop me a message Chloe & Hannah!)

Tell us about your up coming pop-up shop:

2 whole days giving a taste of what the autumn & winter months will see from Dopamine Divas!

Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September at Arch 64 in Worcester - just opposite

Foregate Street train station.

I will also be running an upcycling workshop, where people can experiment with various techniques to make a finished item of clothing that they will

wear and love!

What can we expect to see in the pop up and what might surprise people:

There may be a special collection in keeping with the spooky season for the goth babes…

Do you have a favourite quote or saying that inspires you? Or a bit of wisdom for other creatives?

“You work better when you're not trying to be perfect!”

I am very hard on myself, and in the past that has kept me back, however I'm learning that it's ok to not strive for perfection. Looking at my work this way has actually meant that I am able to be more relaxed about when I am doing, and embrace the creativity within my work more openly.

Find out more about Dopamine Divas and follow along with Katies journey on Instagram @dopaminedivas or via her website: www.dopaminedivas.co.uk. You can also find her stock in The Red Brick Market, Birmingham.