RUN IT UP. x Gawa Culture - Article
Annika Hernandez Talks Gawa Culture – Make People Happy, Do Good for the World, Create a Legacy
Article editied by Alice Blunden
Artist Annika Hernandez shares her story behind the unique rug brand adding colourful character to homes and offices around the world.
Who is Annika?
Annika is the Australian-born, Filipino-raised creative brain behind Gawa Culture – a unique handmade custom rug business based in Western Sydney. Inspired by her father and his eye for Filipino-inspired interior design, Annika developed an artistic interest from a young age. She relocated back to Australia when she was 14 and continued to welcome creative inspiration from her surroundings. From the Harbour Bridge to the Opera House, Sydney's stunning architectural scene left Annika in everlasting awe. Realising she had an eye for design just like her father, she pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design in 2019. Funnily enough, the artist at heart ended up working in HR, which reiterated her desire to pursue something more design-related.
“I always knew I wanted to pursue something in design, more in the homeware space like tiles, furniture, lamps […] Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would get into tufting or designing rugs.”
What is the story of Gawa Culture?
Annika’s creative business, Gawa Culture, is proof that it’s never too late to start something new.
“It is funny because if you had asked me a year and a half ago what tufting was, I would not be able to tell you.”
The journey towards designing and creating uniquely-styled rugs was anything but linear. In fact, when Annika first dreamt of starting her own business, she had her heart set on pottery – a fun (but expensive) hobby that never quite eventuated into a usiness reality. Working a job made it difficult to pursue and develop a business plan, but Annika tried to see it more as a ‘creative outlet’ and a ‘switch off’ from her regular day job.
One day, while scrolling through Instagram, Annika came across an ancient form of textile eaving known as ‘Tufting’ – it was love at first sight. A couple of years ago, tufting as an art form was considered so rare that it found itself on an endangered crafts list. However, with social media increasingly housing a variety of interior design takes from abstract clay pottery to wicker weaving, tufting resurfaced as a popular homeware trend in 2022.
Within a week, Annika had searched the rug-making craft and bought all the essential tufting supplies. From there on, it was a slow process. Annika worked tirelessly for up to six hours a night, experimenting with failure and learning how to perfect the art.
“Honestly, every day was a struggle. I did not even know where to start, how to start, or what to make.”
So how did Annika make it work?
Despite the struggles, the young artist thanks her boyfriend (Hamilton), family and friends for remaining supportive throughout her journey. Annika says she would not be where she is today without her boyfriend Hamilton. He continually pushed her to keep going, whether through a late-night phone call when deadlines were rapidly approaching, being a shoulder to cry on during stressful times, or being the marketing genius behind the business. Her siblings – Nico, Yanna and Angel – were also crucial contributors in the mechanics of Gawa Culture. They helped wind up yarn, detail rugs, build frames and, most importantly, keep her company. Additionally, Annika cites her friends as her ‘family’; they provide ongoing support by sharing her posts, offering advice and recommending her work to their local networks – shout out to
@kreezyvisions @plantsgrow @milleniavintage
Ultimately, the working mechanics behind Gawa Culture rely heavily on a supportive network of people who value creativity, kindness and growth. Of course, creativity can be an individual venture, but it’s the connections we have and the people who help us along the way that really bring a dream to life –
“It takes a village to raise a business… Here I am!”
says Annika.