Upcycled Furniture by Vickie's Originals
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About Me : Vickie Davis
COVER GIRL-NEXT Magazine
March 2007 issue.Don't throw away that chair from the 1950's-1970's, upcycle it and make your home-and the enviroment-a better place.
Story: Victoria Bartle- Photographer Elspeth Collier & Vickie Davis.When she was 21, Vickie Davis had never heard of upholstery. So, when someone asked if she'd like to work in the upholstery field, her reply was a slightly embarrassed: "Um, what's upholstery?"
Fifteen years on, this vivacious single mother who, by her own admission, is completely uneducated and left school the minute I turned 15," is running her own fast-growing business, designing and creating instantly recognisable, funky furniture- all impeccably upholstered in her one women workshop in central Nelson.
Last year Vickie had an exhibition in Cable car lane's Visitor Centre in Wellington, selling six pieces to pass-by, literally off the truck.
She was also in the capital to see her first garment for the World of Wearable Art Awards take the stage in the avant garde section.
Her entry, Seize Her After Dark, was a twist on Julius Caesar with a hint of being conquered, created from Upholster's vinyl.
Upon leaving school, a directionless Vickie stayed in her home town of Westport and became involved with a man who had a serious problem with drugs and alcohol. A rocky, seven-year relationship ensued; at 19, Vickie became a mum when her daughter, Monique was born.
After a particularly harrowing episode, Vickie was taken to a women's refuge and her partner arrested. It was then that she made the life-changing decision to move with her daughter to Blenhiem. "Monique's dad would visit her, but after a year later he took his own life."
Depressed and fatiqued, Vickie attended a course teaching women typically male skills like woodwork. Then she was offered work experience with an upholsterer.
"I started unpicking upholstery, but my employers let me come back for six months, and even set up a playpen for Monique."
Deciding more opportunities might be available in a bigger city, Vickie moved to Nelson. She started 're-using' old furniture, ranging from retro chrome-legged chairs to armchairs and entire lounge suites.
"People would ask:"Why are you collecting this stuff?" because most of it was pretty grotty. I'd say, 'one day I will be an upholster.'
A good friend asked her what she would need to get started, and loaned her the money for the industrial sewing machine, staple gun and compressor she required.
"My priority was to do enough upholstery to pay back the loan. I winged it at first. I had no idea how to give a quote. I certainly didn't have a business plan."
With a play on words about where she lived-Kina Beach-and her enthusiastic attitude, Vickie named her business Couldn't Be Keener Upholstery, and set to work re-upholstering furniture for the next six years.
But became bored with traditional fabrics, and longed to create her own stamp with funky,bright designs. Enter Vickie's Originals, launched in 2003.
"I upholstered enough pieces to have an exhibition in the Mapua Boatshed over a holiday weekend.
"I made the local newspaper do a story about me," she laughs. She convinced a local brewery to donate beer, and friends brought platters. Even the venue was donated."It gave my work huge exposure."
Focusing on "upcycling" furniture from the 1950's to 70's, which usually boasts the good bones of New Zealand native timbers such as rimu, Vickie aims to promote sustainable living-moving away from being a throw away society.
"I typed 'upcycled' into internet search engines and found nothing, so I made it my word and website domain name. Now it's everywhere!
"I won't do the boring stuff any more," she asserts. "I'm influenced by bold, curved patterns that could be Celtic or Maori. I call them 'Aotearoa-inspired' because I'm not trying to make them historically or culturally correct."
Some of her pieces feature pre-woven Maori-design braiding.
"The swirl patterns that I cut from vinyl or leather are designed with the help of a local tattooist."
Every piece is a certified one-off, complete with a brass plaque. Each has a name, such as the Groovy Baby lounge suite in red, white and blue triangles, and the Mansland couch, long enough for a tall man to stretch out on.
Last year Vickie's Originals moved from her home into "a proper workshop and gallery' in Nelson with a can't-miss-it' hot pink painted frontage.
Hot pink is now a signature colour for Vickie's Originals. She transports her furniture in a Dyna truck painted in the attention-grabbing shade. The seats are candy-striped in shimming silver and,or course, hot pink vinyl.
Vickie also turns heads when she's out on her 1967 scooter, mainly because she's made a 'Dyna box'- an upholstered box for her dog (named after the truck) to sit in.
The Vickie Davis style is very recognisable. And with her pieces adorning homes as far as Auckland, as well as in preschools, school libraries, bookshops, bars, cafes and restaurants, it looks like she has the country covered.