The Muse Within: A story about Charliee Presley owner Christina Sankari
May 2018
On my way to meet actor, writer, business owner, and creative machine Christina Sankari at one of Sydney’s busiest cafés in Alexandria, I hear her voice cheer from a silver hatchback. She is focused on a video call, complete with gestures, and there is no distracting her story. When she finally sees me, a moment of silence stretches between us: long enough for it to become awkward, and awkward enough for us to share a moment of laughter.
Christina steps out to join me. Even with the summer heat, she is wearing a midnight-coloured jumpsuit, and matching black sunglasses resting on her dark wavy hair. It’s a good thing our lunch is indoors.
‘I was updating my best friend about a new job I just locked in. I needed to do it before I head off to L.A. next week.’ She explains herself.
If there’s one thing to know about Christina, it’s that she is constantly immersed in creative work. Many will find her face familiar from a recent—funny, but controversial—Australian lamb ad about gods and religious figures gathering together for a meal; her Greek background making her portrayal of Aphrodite all the more befitting.
Then there is her business, Charliee Presley, that is making quite an impression across the Sydney creative scene: one of her first collaborations was with clothing brand Tigerlily Swimwear using her 'dried flower bouquets' to style their event.
I ask if she puts a label on her craft.
‘Truthfully, I've always loved to create and the best way I could describe it all is being a maker, using my hands has always come easy to me, helping me get out of my head & allowing me to get creative.’ Christina begins.
We took a seat by the window and distraction draws her face to a twenty-something year old guy taking our order.
‘…I was at an audition with that guy.’ she whispers after he walks away.
‘Did he get the role?’ I ask.
‘Honestly, I don’t remember. I just recognise his face.’
It’s a stark reminder of the grind actors go through for industry roles.
Christina’s passion for acting was set alight at a very young age, performing in every school production she could join. This then led her to study acting in several private theatre and screen institutions such as the Actors College of Theatre & Television in Sydney.
‘When I’m performing, nothing seems to compare. The moments I can muster everything I know and express it tangibly, I feel so… alive.’
After she explains her relentless schedule, I begin to wonder not how Christina has time to do so much, but how she has time to do anything else. Creativity can be addictive after all.
Creative expression is a prevalent part of the human experience. In philosophy, it usually falls within the field of aesthetics. Yet, its ontology continues to be ambiguous: from Immanuel Kant stating in the Critique of the Power of Judgement that these things can’t be measured in naturalistic constraints such as science, since it derives from a metaphysical territory[1] , to more contemporary philosophers argue that creativity is acquired through naturalistic methods such as psychology and anthropology. Theories come in plenty, but a process can be found in the synergy between inspiration, imitation, and imagination, which result in a new creation.
The creative process is different for everyone, but from my experience, inspiration sometimes comes likes a wild river: unannounced, untamed and abundant. While at other times I have to persist in simply trying to find a drop. Once inspiration has struck, there is a wrestle in trying to imitate someone else’s work, which some might argue is inauthentic, but this still allows anyone to increase their skill. Finally this is coupled with our imagination, which ultimately leads us to create something new. The muse within us doesn’t create from a vacuum.
Against this pursuit for creativity, come hindrances. For Christina it came as the spectre of anxiety.
‘I was in an extreme low point in my life. I didn’t feel inspired to create but there was still an undeniable need to use my hands to make things. I then allowed myself to fall into a pattern of being disheartened and negative. Ironically, experiencing that place of darkness pushed me to find the light. I’m a firm believer that we can create something new from the dead things in our lives.’
And from this, Charliee Presley was birthed. No imagery is more precise to explain Christina’s work than dead twigs, dried flowers, and withered ferns carefully gathered as revitalised bouquets that will surely catch your eye.
There will be moments when we find our creative passions marcesent, but perhaps this moment is part of the process; if not, then take heed that death is surely not the end.
‘Charliee Presley is my expression of worship. Most of the time I don’t know what I’m doing. Everything is improvised. Everything about it is still being revealed to me.’
There has never been an exclusivity of worship with religion, even though the sentiment remains prominently tied together. But the food for thought here is that our passions, creativity, and focus culminate with what we worship.
Christina pauses, admiring the blooming flowers just outside the café.
‘Every time I make something, I want someone to say that it was made with love. Charliee Presley is for that one person, because each bunch is as much a gift to me as it is for someone else.’
[1] Immanuel Kant, Kant’s Critique of Judgement, translated with Introduction and Notes by J.H. Bernard (2nd ed. revised) (London: Macmillan, 1914). 12/08/2018. <http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/1217>
To see more of Christina's work: visit http://www.charlieepresley.com/
Written by: S.I. Finlayson
Editor: Jenny Jaakkola
Photographs provided by: Ashleigh Brisenden - Instagram @ashleighbrisenden
Model & Subject: Christina Sankari