About

Mainsail Studio began to take shape in 2013 as means to combine my love of sewing, graphic design and soft sculpture with the memories of my childhood. Everything I make is created from concept to finished project in my Northern Virginia home studio.

When I was a kid I loved to draw all the stereotypical things you’d expect from a child in the 80’s who loved Lisa Frank. Unicorns, rainbows, cute animals, flowers, bright colors….I loved it all. But drawing pictures was never enough. I wanted to hold the animals, be the butterfly… I guess I never really grew up - but I did figure out how to turn my illustrations into something more.

My desire to create comes from the joy I feel when I see little kids interact with my creations. I love giving them ways to surround themselves with the softness of my blankets, to kiss their unicorn goodnight, to hold and play with the animal dolls. I take pride in the fact that almost everything I make is completely OOAK and handmade from concept to final piece. A child with one of my creations has something special, something that is just for them. I hope these items might provide comfort when the outside world gets to be a little overwhelming.

They say that in order to be a “real” artist in my 40’s, my style should have developed into something more sophisticated or meaningful than “cute stuff”. Maybe that’s true, but I can’t imagine doing anything else. Sometimes I feel as though I can’t even sleep until I find a way to bring the things I imagine to life. I guess you’d probably call me a maker, rather than an artist. Whatever I am, I like to think I’m a creator of magical things. Somebody who can make a butterfly land in your hair, send a unicorn to protect your room or give you wings to fly.

Thank you for being here.

Wendy Sloan