Friday Follower - Davia

This week's Friday Follower is Davia McMillan, a very talented lady from Melbourne. Read on to discover how so.


Who is DaVia Designs?
DaVia Designs is my trading name. It's a name that allows me to create just about anything. Over the years it has been clothing, theatre costumes and set design, sculpture, mosaic garden art, water features, painting and illustrations and once upon a time, whole gardens constructed out of Tupperware.

My actual name is Davia McMillan and I am the sort of person who can't resist a challenge to transform something into a work of art. It is almost impossible to get me to sit still as I am always looking for the next project.


What do you design and make?
In recent years I have concentrated on my paintings as a personal passion and am now using these paintings and textile designs to create limited-edition, handmade handbags and accessories. Every design utilizes one of my original paintings and is numbered to ensure its status as one of a limited-edition and is personally signed by hand for authenticity. I also produced a range of greeting cards. I have several other products in the pipeline but I am keeping them secret for the moment.


What inspires you?
I get very excited about vintage textiles and wallpapers by the likes of Florence Broadhurst and William Morris but also by antique Russian, Persian and Indian fabrics, some developed in the 17th Century. I am particularly attracted to florals that contain many colours and involve deep contrasts, The works of Antoni Gaudi also never fails to inspire but I guess my main inspiration in life and my love of painting has come from my father, Allan Wolf-Tasker, who is also a successful painter.

Do you have professional training?
I have a Bachelor of Arts -Fashion/Textile Design.

Is DaVia Designs a full-time occupation for you?
Yes, I work at it 5 days a week and sometimes on the weekend. I paint whenever I get the chance. I also teach a children's art class after school on a Tuesday.

Would you share something interesting about you that isn't common knowledge?
When I was sixteen I dreamed of being an airline pilot and even racked up a couple of hours in the air and got into a civil air training academy but when the time came to choose, the art and fashion won. And I still haven't been overseas; this is soon to be remedied with a trip to Italy and Spain.

Wow! That's passion choosing art over flying. Thanks Davia and I hope you get overseas soon!

Davia has a fairly new blog so do visit and share the love. Her work is available for purchase through her Etsy store or selected Melbourne shops (see blog).

Images are courtesy of DaVia Designs.