Skopelos Fabric Collection by Katarina Roccella

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way - things I had no words for.” - Georgia O´Keeffe I was born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, where I live with my husband, who is Italian, and our three kids that are the true inspiration for my work. I have a Masters degree from the Faculty of Applied Arts, and have started on my PhD thesis in Applied Arts and Design, through which I get to explore even more within the fields of painting, graphic and textile design.

I was raised in an artistic family, so being “crafty” and creative is something that kept me company since my early childhood. My father is a painter, my mother is a ceramic pottery artist, and my sister is a production designer. Growing up in such environment, I often had opportunities to create and design and have continued throughout my life with an array of mediums like drawing, illustrating, calligraphy, graphic design, linoleum printing, photography, and more recently, sewing. I find inspiration everywhere and I love taking many pictures of things that move me, either by their shape, texture or color.

When I took the role of a mother, I found I had very limited time to dedicate to art. So, being home often and with a need to create, I discovered the world of fabric. I began to sew after repairing my mother’s vintage sewing machine and soon upgraded to a Serger. The first results were encouraging, pushing me forward to try more complicated techniques and garment pieces. In a few short years, I was led to drawing and making my own patterns after much practice with making unique and fun pieces of clothes for my daughter. My pattern label, “Like Flowers and Butterflies”, was born in 2006. Lately I am lured by quilts and quilting. I love making quilt blocks and having made a few quilts on my own has given me the desire to try and experiment much more in this field.