DORTA Studio

DORTA is a creative project exploring how handmade crafts and the things that inspire them can help support our mental wellbeing. It's run by me, Bethan, from Manchester (UK).

Background:

DORTA first began as a nail art business after I graduated from The University of Manchester with a degree in French and Spanish, during which I studied the visual communication of culture, identity and trauma. I learned to knit and crochet during the COVID-19 pandemic when I was unable to work with my hands on a daily basis, and found it offered a similar sense of calm, release and expression as nail art had.

My crafting and nail art practices are informed by my interest in the intersection of creativity, communication and identity on an individual and community level, as well as my own experiences of the wellbeing benefits of handmaking.

The Stitching Circle:

I started The Stitching Circle as a space to share and explore these ideas further in a sociable setting, and to find creative connection again after winding down my nail art business. The group has since become a collaborative project between our members.

Other projects:

Also happening under the DORTA project are a newsletter on the relationship between nail art, crafts and mental wellbeing, and upcycled jewellery workshops where we use secondhand beads to explore playful self-expression through colours and shapes.

You can find further information on Instagram @dorta.studio