Meet the Maker - Makaira Designs

As a part-time finance manager, Sheridan Purvis spends her days wrangling numbers. When she’s not in the office, however, the Maryland mother-of-two switches her focus to an equally tricky, yet far stickier topic – resin.

Sheridan is the creative force behind Makaira Designs, a local business producing gorgeous resin-coated homewares.

A lifelong lover of arts and crafts, her passion morphed into a burgeoning side business after she was introduced to the colourful medium.

“I did elective art classes all through high school, mainly focusing on oil painting and sculpture. After finishing I created pieces only occasionally until finding my love of resin,” Sheridan said.

“I started Makaira Designs about two years ago after doing some initial larger wall art pieces with resin.

“I wondered what else I could make using resin that would be more affordable for the purchaser and be able to be used or displayed in the home, so I did some YouTubing and came across the resin on cheeseboards, tables and various homewares. This is where my love for creating resin homewares began.”

Creating one-of-a-kind custom pieces including eye-catching artworks, cheeseboards, serving platters, side tables and even a lazy-Susan or two, Sheridan’s products certainly make a striking addition to any home.

While not always the easiest medium to work with, Sheridan said she gets a lot of satisfaction out of creating something unexpected and is always looking for new applications for her art.

“Resin is an unpredictable medium that doesn’t always do as you would like it to,” she said.

“It is also very sticky and hard to remove if you get it in the wrong place. But at the same time can give you some beautiful and unusual pieces.

“I love finding and blending new colours. I love the way you can overlap different colours and the chemical reaction between the different colours, which creates a 3D effect and beautiful pieces of lacing.

“I don’t think I have a favourite piece as such, but I do love all the green and blue tones together. I also love creating the river tables.”

Sheridan has been selling her amazing resin homewares at the Handmade in the Hunter Markets for the past 12 months. Check out her latest creations at upcoming markets, which will be held at Kevin Sobels Wines from 9am to 3pm on August 15, 22 and 29, and September 12. For future dates or more information visit www.handmadehuntermarkets.com.au