Work occupying a space where sculpture and jewellery intersect with gothic storytelling

By: The Lace Ledger

We sat down with Margot, the creative force behind @a_familiar_spirit, whose self-described Anne of Green Gables sensibility threads tenderness, dark romance and imagination into work that feels viscerally symbolic.

Throughout our conversation, Margot reflects on the thriving alternative scene stretching coast-to-coast in Canada, while likening her creative process (and creating in a macro sense) as an act of rebellion in an era increasingly shaped by automation and AI before touching on the wider constellation of dark artists who came before her and work in tandem now, connected less by trend than by a shared devotion to making that resists erasure.

Below, Margot shares her story in her own words <3.

1. Your work feels layered, as though it’s in conversation with both history and instinct. Can you take us back to your artistic origin story and the moment you realized making was not just an interest, but a necessity?

My work is very much a conversation, with myself, with past interactions, with dream scenarios and with people that were once immensely integral to my life that are now no longer around. Kind of like, the things left unsaid go into my work, you know? I don't think I could ever pinpoint the moment I knew creating was a necessity, as it simply always has been.

From growing up poor, fat and strange with a brimming imagination, I just knew the things I yearned for were out of reach, so I had to make do, I had to create something or do without. Making has been a constant. I like to think of myself as a gothic Anne Shirley, whisked away with my imagination with no other choice than to paint the everyday with the sparkle of my dreams.

2. Gothic aesthetics often arrive early or not at all. When did you first feel drawn to a darker aesthetic, and how did that sensibility evolve into the visual language of @a_familiar_spirit?

One of my earliest memories was going to stay with my grandparents for a few weeks in the summer when I was maybe 4 or 5. My Grandma took me to the shop to pick out a new colouring book and as I was walking down the aisle past trains, Barbie and princess castles I saw a book cover with vampires, bats and monsters. I often think back on moments like that and sigh contentedly "it all makes sense.”

As I got older I was exposed to The Addams Family and The Munsters reruns after school, which I devoured. Once the movie came out in 1992 when I was 10, this sensibility was firmly cemented. Everything I've created since then has been influenced by darker aesthetics and punk rock ideals. I suppose I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to that.

3. Canada’s gothic scene has shifted noticeably in recent years. From your perspective as a Montréal-based artist, how have you seen the space evolve?

I've lived in Alberta, British Columbia and now Quebec with a move to the Maritimes on the horizon in 2026. What I've learned and experienced in all of these locations is that the goth scene is thriving in each community. Though I fully admit to being a hermit that doesn't really participate in person per say, I am an observer and what I see is always encouraging. Montreal has a thriving scene of creators and markets that really get lots of support; they reach out, they want to collaborate and we raise each other up. There are glorious weirdos everywhere in this country and they support each other fiercely, it's lovely.

4. Your collections feel cohesive in style while emotionally varied, almost like reliquaries rather than décor. How do you think about the body of your work as a whole, and what threads tie each piece back to the larger world you’re building?

I'm very attracted to certain motifs; anatomy, funerary symbolism, fairy tales, mythology, nature, victorian or medieval motifs. I find I return to them over and over which I suppose makes for some cohesiveness, but it's not truly intentional.

I'm often working on 10 or more pieces at a time, all varied in subject matter. Once a common thread starts to emerge or I find myself compelled to complete certain pieces over the others I start focusing on the pieces that go together and create a story while the other pieces get shelved for a while to inspire future collections.

5. Pearls, spikes, glitter, bone-like forms — your mixed-media choices are elite.What draws you to these materials, and how do you decide when contrast is the point versus when restraint is more powerful?

I have always referred to myself as a magpie, I'm drawn to sparkly shiny things. As a maximalist, I want to add MORE but I'm also a huge fan of balancing what could easily be considered 'too much'. I look to artists and designers like Alexander McQueen, Iris Van Herpen, Chelsea Wolfe, where their worlds are so rich but there is a modesty folded in, that restraint speaks volumes and it allows breath to permeate the piece without choking it.

Furthermore, as a "dark artist" I very much like to play with light. My subject matter can often be dark, but how light interacts with the piece is a big component of my work, the contrast is important. If I'm looking towards a hard subject, I want the gravity, but I also want the levity. Whimsy matters...a lot actually.

6. Your pieces seem designed for spaces with personality. Can you tell us about your studio environment and how the physical space you create in influences the work itself?

I create in my home, which is full of thrifted furniture, twinkle lights, and art collected over the years from friends and people I admire. It's like if a scrapbook manifested itself as an old Montreal apartment. My work spaces are a chaotic mess, but having the room to dedicate to my chaotic messes is a privilege I treasure. I used to let my projects spill throughout the house but now I have zones that are specifically for creation and other reserved for everyday life, otherwise it becomes overwhelming and it actually negatively impacts my creative flow.

7. Walk us through your creative process, from first spark to finished piece. How do you move through ideation, moments of doubt and creative blocks — and what’s usually playing in the background while you work?

It's a long and meandering road from concept to completion. I hoard inspiration online in saved folders on Instagram, Twitter and secret boards on Pinterest but rarely act on that inspiration immediately. I like to let the ideas steep like a strong cup of tea as I consider how I could approach the project, what materials might I use, what might I need to create in advance to begin it. I often get stuck at finishing a piece. That is where all the biggest hurdles wait for me, decisions I may have put off, or new ideas that have occurred to me and I have to untangle the mess in my head before I can move forward and finally release the piece out into the world with a social media post. Some projects can be completed in around a month from concept to completion, while others can take upwards to two years.

As for what's playing, it will be Chelsea Wolfe, Emma Ruth Rundle, King Woman, Castle Rat, Twin Temple, Featooth, Khan, or a 90s mix of grunge, trip hop and Canadian alternative rock bands.

8. Many emerging artists struggle with permission — to be strange, dark, or uncompromising. What advice would you give to up-and-coming creators who feel called to gothic or alternative work but fear it won’t be “marketable” enough?

This is something I struggled enormously with. In a previous life, I worked as a tattoo shop manager, I was surrounded by many talented, trained and disciplined artists. It made me feel deeply inadequate in my artistic skill and vision. But that was me getting in my own way. I had to tell myself paying for an art education is not the only avenue to be an artist, making is what makes you an artist. I had to get over myself and my own limitations I had set on myself. I had to allow myself to play and take pleasure in the act of making with no demands or expectations other than the making calmed my brain and nervous system.

The beautiful thing about making is that there is always going to be some community out there that appreciates what you are putting out, so it doesn't matter if it is goth enough or even marketable. The making is what matters first and foremost. Especially in a world spilling over with AI slop, being a real human making something will resonate with someone. I think we'll see a huge resurgence of "art & crafts" much like during the industrial revolution. People yearn for authenticity and connection. Also, making anything right now is a middle finger to AI, so if you're struggling with imposter syndrome create out of spite. Spite is truly one of my biggest motivators.

9. Every artist exists in a constellation. Which other gothic artists, designers, or brands are currently inspiring you, whether locally or internationally?

I absolutely love thinking of this as a constellation! I've mentioned a couple artists above, but currently I look to Ann Carringtion, she creates these found object sculptures utilizing old brooches, silverware and more all fused together, she's possibly best known in the gothic realm for her spiderweb sculptures but I take great interest in all her work, it's fascinating and immensely inspiring.

I'm a huge huge fan of Emily Weatherall’s embroidery work, not that her work is specifically gothic, but pulls from darker fantasy stories, medieval motifs, and whimsical imagery. She inspired me to pick up my needle and embroidery floss this year.

Danielle Flynn of Star Strung Jewelry creates the most magical pieces of gothic and witchy jewelry and home decor. Jai Sallay-Carrington (@jscreatures) creates otherworldly ceramic sculptures. I'm especially enamoured by their work with animal heads, I very much want to get into ceramics in 2026 with them, Moira Ramone (@moiraramone.ceramics) and Lindsay Keating of @cabinetofcuriousclay all lending heavy inspiration to me in that medium.

There are so many I know I'm missing to name, but I'll close with Katie of @thistlethistle, whom I 'm very much missing the presence of . Her contributions to the art world were significant and it feels like there is a great big hole of wonder and whimsy with her absence.

10. Looking ahead, what decor or visual trends do you see emerging for 2026? Are we moving deeper into romance, ritual, maximalism — or toward something quieter and more intimate?

I hope we dig deeper into whimsy and romanticism. The world is a dark place and though I adore the dark aesthetic, I don't like the foreboding cloud of doom hanging over us. I think we'll be digging for connection, beauty and purpose, rejecting the fear and over-consuming emptiness the powers that be want to spur on in us. I hope we'll see a return to being a bit more analog, thoughtful with how much time we spend on devices. I think we're due for an arts & crafts revival that brings human connection and creation to the forefront.

When the world is so bleak, looking at ways to make it better, more beautiful and with more meaning will take precedence over everything we've prioritized over the past 15-20 years.

Engaging with the work of @a_familiar_spirit reveals gothic creation as an ongoing practice rooted in curiosity and care. Margot’s pieces invite viewers to consider how objects can hold meaning when they are shaped slowly and with purpose.

For more conversations with artists redefining gothic art today, subscribe below to receive our free monthly digital issue, delivered to your inbox.

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