Art, Identity & Dressing for the Everyday: A Conversation with Minna Gilligan
Melbourne-based artist, mother, and all-round visual muse, Minna Gilligan is known for her technicolour dreamscapes—both on canvas and in her wardrobe. But life lately has looked a little different. Since welcoming her beautiful baby into the world, Minna’s relationship to getting dressed has shifted. Comfort, function and identity now dance together in a delicate daily balance.
So we sent her a few OBUS pieces to slip into—items we hope bring beauty, ease and a sense of self to the swirl of motherhood.
We caught up with Minna to chat about personal style, post-baby dressing, and how the act of getting dressed each day can become a form of creative expression—and care.
Q+A with Minna Gilligan
Q1. Your artwork is so joyful, layered and expressive. Has becoming a mother changed how you approach your creativity—or the time you get to spend on it?
A: Becoming a mother has completely changed everything for me. Respectfully, I had no idea what I was in for! Inevitably it has for sure changed how I approach my creativity. Time and also energy are so hard to come by these days. If I get a minute to myself, I will probably sit on the couch and literally stare into space and appreciate the silence rather than be productive. I know it’s temporary, and that I will gain more of myself back over time, but it’s challenging to come to terms with my identity now that the thing that was the biggest part of ‘me’ is by the wayside. For the time being, at least! The best advice I’ve received is to embrace it and just fall into the chaos of it all and know that my art practice will be there when I have the capacity to return. In the meantime, there are little projects I’ve insisted upon to use my hands and brain a bit. Like this week I made mini party hats for all my son’s toys as his first birthday is coming up!
Q2. We’ve always loved your fearless relationship to colour. What draws you to a piece of clothing when you’re shopping or curating your wardrobe now?
A: Thanks! Colour has been ever present in my world! I used to be drawn to clothing purely for pretty patterns and delicate fabrics. Now I still have that penchant, but it’s widened to include a lot more practical pieces for every day wear. I don’t just sit at my desk and draw and cut out pictures all day now… I have to be on the move, playing on the floor, lifting the pram in and out of the car, getting drooled on. Lately I’ve been drawn to pieces that have some of the ‘old me’ in them – bright contrasty check or gingham pattens (hello Kindred Tale Dress!) but in more versatile cuts and fabrics. And, I’m wearing pants now. I never used to wear pants. I found a pair of jeans at the Op Shop that I have been alternating with my Obus Organic Traveller Wide Leg Pant in black. They’re so comfy and I can pair them with a colourful stripy long sleeve and have an easy outfit put together for the days when I’m just surviving..!
Q3. What did you love most about the OBUS pieces we sent you?
A: I love how all the Obus pieces I received can be mixed and matched. The seasons are always so carefully curated that all the separates can be interchanged. From a skirt, a pair of pants, a top and a cardigan I could make like 8 different outfits (sometimes incorporating some other items from my wardrobe!). You don’t have to think too much about it and at the moment that’s always a win for me!
Q4. How do you approach getting dressed on days when you don’t feel particularly inspired—but still want to feel like yourself?
A: It’s been challenging, as I do see dressing as part of my art practice in a sense – and I haven’t felt very close to that part of myself since I became a Mum. But when I do decide to make an effort despite feeling either self-conscious about my changed body, uninspired or just energy poor – I never regret it. I’ll go for pieces that make me feel put together easily, which is where pants have come in! From someone who exclusively wore dresses and skirts.. who knew pants were such a great item!? Ha. Not having to bother with tights in winter with dresses and skirts also makes pants more attractive too. So while pants are new to me, popping on a pair with a long sleeve and a cardigan is enough to feel presentable enough to feel a little bit like myself again. Also doing my hair and makeup helps, too!
Q5. What’s something you’re currently trying to make space for—creatively, emotionally, or even in your wardrobe?
A: I just want to make space for enjoying this time in my life. It’s so special to have a young child and to be around them watching them grow and while I miss the space I used to have for my creativity and identity, I want to just be okay with it falling by the wayside for the time being. Little moments of me are enough to keep me going for a bit longer until things naturally balance again. And in my wardrobe? I’m just trying to make space, generally. Like physical space. It’s so cluttered. I need a big refresh and clean out… alas I’ll probably just use any time I have to stare into space..
A riot of colour. A reverence for the feminine. A fearless embrace of the maximal. Thank you, Minna, for bringing your multicoloured mind and open heart to the OBUS Lovers blog. We’re proud to be part of your ever-evolving visual language—and honoured to dress you in the days between paintings, parenting and poetry.