Chelsea Massey 28 ‘Being creative keeps my mind from spiralling… if I didn't have stuff to make I think It would just eat away at me…’ I met Chelsea ten years ago at the start of my undergrad, and it makes me smile just writing about her. I first ‘saw’ Chelsea on a Facebook page set up by our student digs before we all moved in. For any person stepping into the world of undergrad, it is a wonderful, terrifying and at times bewildering experience. You walk into a new home, a new city, a new way of living- It's a bit like walking into a social experiment- who are going to clash? Who are going to be immediate friends? I'm amazed it hasn't been turned into a reality show yet. As I was scrolling through my potential BFF’s, one picture immediately caught my eye… a girl bear hugging Jared Padalecki, star of Supernatural and Gilmore Girls. Be still my beating heart! I have never be so drawn to somebody and felt so jealous of them at the same time! I messaged fangirl style, asking if the photo was real… I got a fangirl response, yes it was, and was I a Sam or a Dean girl? So then started a friendship I cherish deeply- we lived together in second and third year and I did indeed find one of my best friends- a quirky, kind, and loyal one at that. Whether it is someone to belt out 'Carry on Wayward Son' to, or to have a rant about life, Chelsea is the girl. Thank goodness for comic con photo ops! I love her to bits, and I know I have a special friend for life, and a shorthand which only comes with living with someone [she is also one of the only people I can still message with a Supernatural gif and for her to immediately know what I mean!] A graphic designer, Chelsea is a fierce and unique creative. She works for Twinkl and is also involved in the likes of Doodle Club, a popular event in Sheffield. How would you describe yourself? I would describe myself as a creative person that can't sit still. I like to experiment and try new things. I hate to be in a routine. I'm also a pet loving cat momma of two. How would others describe you? I'm told I'm a little bit quirky (putting it nicely!) because of my interests in all things spooky but also all things nerdy. I like to help whenever I can. So I hope people would describe me as helpful and friendly. You are a huge lover of animals! What do animals offer to our lives? Now that's an easy question on the surface… absolute pure joy! Pets particularly give us a reason to get up every morning, they need food or walking or attention (most of the time in my case, just attention, on a slab of more attention...) This is so true. When I was ill with my mental health, Ronnie my cat would meow at me to get me up and about! They make us smile, make us laugh and somehow always seem to know when you need them most. Even just videos online of a monkey goofing around or a cute little otter relaxing on his back can bring you the happiness that sometimes you need. We lived together in Liverpool- and you fell in love with it as much as I did! I grew up in the very small touristy town of Conwy and when I went to Liverpool for my BA in Graphic Design. I kinda just got blown away by everything. Sure it had a lot of the independent shops and galleries that Conwy had, but everything was four times the size! It felt like I stepped into another world. We had so many adventures! The nightlife was something I haven't found anywhere else, everyone was always out for a good time and the music scene is just something else, it's incredible. So yes, I love Liverpool. It was always good fun and I hold it deep in my heart. We basically met because of the TV Series, Supernatural. What does the show mean to you? Supernatural…well, it went on so long that it saw me through high school, college, my BA and my MA! It had its ups and downs like any show lasting 15 years, but to me it means so much more than just a show. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry… And you were more than your typical fan…you have the tattoo to prove it! I went to several conventions when I was in my teens and I have so many amazing memories of just being with my family and enjoying singing and dancing with them, laughing at the amazing cast and it gave me something to look forward to every year. And, like you say, I met you over Supernatural - it's one of those shows that brings like minded people together and makes unbreakable friendships. For that alone, I’m grateful for the show! What led you to graphic design? In high school I had a graphic arts teacher that really understood my love for typography, photography and layout. She encouraged me to collect bits of designs that I liked and analyse them. Teachers like that are worth their weight in gold Still to this day I have large collections of this stuff that I'm always adding too. Things like beer mats, clothes tags, leaflets. She really helped me to find what types of design I like and try and figure out what I admired about it. I think that's why physical print designs are my favourite projects to take on because I like tactile designs that I can hold in my hands. Did you enjoy school? No, not at all. I enjoyed college and I enjoyed university but I hated school. I didn't get diagnosed with dyslexia until seven years after I left school. It’s worrying the amount of people who discover this later in life… When I was diagnosed, everything just clicked into place. I'm really good with images and visual elements, but when it comes to writing and reading I am terrible at it, so that made school very tough. I would study and none of it would sink in. Now I know why, but at the time it really got to me. What led you to living in Sheffield? In 2016 I went to Offset that was being held in the Crucible Theatre. I think it was the first and last time it was held there but I truly had such a great time. I couldn't afford to go to the main event in Ireland and it seemed a perfect opportunity to see what it was all about. And you fell in love with the city too? I got to meet some amazing artists and designers that all live here and I realised what such a creative, friendly city it was. Long story short but after that, I introduced the city to my sister, who is also a creative, and she came here to study illustration. I followed her up here a year into her studies. You and your sister are very close. What does family mean to you? It means a great deal to me. I currently live with my sister in Sheffield and we are pretty much inseparable. How about your parents? Our parents are still in Wales but we keep in touch almost every single day. I don't get to see them as much as I would like to because it's a long journey without a car…but we take turns coming back and forth from Wales and take trips together every year, so we're very lucky. They never fail to make me smile and I just love them so much. You say you have a love for ‘spooky’ things- can you tell us a bit more about that? Yes, I have a little side business that I've been running for just over a year now called 'Ghostly Outfits'. I make mostly little clay outfits, hats, scarves, headbands… you name it! I do them all for these wonderful little ghosts made by the York Ghost Merchants. What are they? They're highly collectable ghost figurines that I just absolutely love. One day I just started making little outfits for my own collection and I just fell in love with the process. I then ended up selling them on my Etsy because I ran out of ghosts to dress up and they started to sell. Now it's become my way to relax and to make a little money in my spare time. A lot of people find them a little odd, maybe even a little bit morbid, but I just find them wonderful. You have spent a lot of time at conventions… Yes I love them, they let you meet super talented people who you admire. The community around them is what makes them so special. I keep in touch with a lot of people I have met at conventions and it will forever surprise me just how much I have in common with them. What is your ideal weekend? My ideal weekend.. I would say a little trip away to a gorgeous little apartment where I can design or make my little ghost outfits and then wander out in the afternoon exploring in the sun - with lots of great food. Greek is my absolute favourite at the moment! Deep question next which I find myself asking most people at the moment…the world is in such a mess- how do you find hope? That's a tough question, I suppose I surround myself with like minded individuals who give me hope that one day we will be able to make a change for the better. Being creative keeps my mind from spiralling too - if I didn't have stuff to make I think It would just eat away at me. Film: The Crow Song: Machines- Biffy Clyro Stage Show: Derren Brown- Svengali TV series: Supernatural Book: Sandman Slim- Richard Kadrey A final word: Hygge
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