Entering into Sienna Martz’s home studio, you might find her working in the midst of bolts of silk, piles of wool, styrofoam, yarn, or even thousands of q-tips. Not exactly what you might expect to find in a sculpture artist’s studio. But this 24-year old is no ordinary sculpture artist.

Growing up with a composer and fine artist father and a mother working in fashion magazines, Sienna was imbued with a passion for art and interest in fashion at a young age.  The idea of creating things (paintings, sculptures, etc) was always just “second nature” to her and the thought of being a professional artist didn’t occur to her until later.

While studying at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Sienna was introduced to new materials and methods of sculpture using fibers and textile techniques. For her “the methods instantly clicked” and soon she found herself moving her sculptures away from traditional spaces and onto the body, entering the world of wearable art. “It’s incredible to make a piece that can move and interact with a space using the body as its outlet.”

“River of Red Silk” by Sienna Martz. Hand dyed silk, twill, and silk rope

These days, her artistic process is largely experimental, spanning different methods and materials to produce pieces that range in size from hats (like the one she wears below) to 40 foot long hanging installations (also below). Each one can take her 50 to 600 hours to create. And though it can be a long and frustrating experience to produce something she’s happy with, Sienna loves what she does. “It’s not a job for me. It’s my passion, an outlet for self-expression and thought, a way to communicate without words…and a way for me to relax.”

But being an artist isn’t Sienna’s only line of work. As we discovered from her Backstory, Sienna also has a nine to five job as a Trend Concept and Fashion Research Assistant for Deb Shops Inc. In her words, “both worlds feed each other significantly.” Being able to keep a close eye on high fashion influences and shapes the wearable sculptures that she creates. A prime example can be found in piece she was asked to commission for the Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum in Seoul, South Korea.

Entitled River of Red Silk, her hand-dyed silk evening gown is currently shown in the center display case of the “Wearable Art: Inspiration in Thread” exhibition. The exhibition, which offers a window into global fashion through contemporary fiber artists and fashion designers from around the world, also represents two firsts for Sienna. It’s her first time showing her work internationally and the first time one of her pieces is displayed in a museum.

Now she’s working on her next piece, a commissioned wearable for cellist Daniel De Jesus, which he will wear while performing and which represents his album, Fuente de Amor.

“Persephone Headpiece” by Sienna Martz. Self Portrait. Hand dyed silk organza.

How did you hear of about.me and what made you sign up for it?

I stumbled upon about.me through a friend’s profile I found surfing online. I thought the layout was perfectly simple and to the point. I quickly made my own account but wasn’t quite sure who would even see it. To my surprise, by being able to track my viewing statistics I realized how many people were able to see my profile from around the world! I thought it was so incredible that I quickly made my friends accounts and sent them the link saying I didn’t want someone else to snatch up their names! Now all my family members have their own about.me profiles too.

What’s your favorite feature on the platform?

My favorite feature about the platform is how simple the layouts are for the profiles! There is no room for fluff; it’s just straight to the point.  The platform makes it incredibly easy to find inspirational people and instantly get a feel at who you are looking at and why. Creating a profile is very simple too which is always a plus from my point of view! The discover page and search engine also make it easy for me to discover individuals in my field of interest from around the world.

“19,200” by Sienna Martz. Hand knotted polypropylene twine.

How are you using the platform on other digital mediums?

I’ve used the about.me platform on my Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, and I’ve shown it to business individuals  in replacement of my business card. I was so excited to see the new app, Intro, where you can turn your about.me page into a shareable digital business card! I always seem to forget my business cards and this app has become incredibly handy!

Have you used about.me to connect with others on the platform?

I’ve used about.me to communicate with artists and organizations about artistic opportunities. However, I generally like to browse what other individuals are doing around the world and become inspired! It’s an incredible resource for the creative mind!

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Eliana Arredondo is the Community Manager for about.me. She is a graduate of Stanford University.