- Review your Community of Practice work from Semester 1 studio (or previous iterations) – this is the starting point for thinking about your current context. If you were going to be placed in a community of like minded practitioners, where do you feel most at home? Where does your inspiration come from? – images, conversations, experiences etc. Are there other designers / artists / craftspeople whose work sparks your imagination? How?
After finishing my first day on my internship at Din + Bloom I concluded that was the environment I wanted to work. I the idea of being an in-house designer has never appealed to me, (however being an in house textile designer is vastly different to being an in house designer for a company). I like working in fast paved environments, it makes the day go by and most of all i want to be challenged and create new designs and products that i wouldn’t otherwise do in my own time. My first semester assignment was poorly put together collection wise, and I conclude it was mostly from a lack of direction. The theme of the project was to explore your own style, mood and new materials. However the best work i’ve ever produce is not for “me” but for a client. The designs I did for Din + Bloom are some of my best work. I would like to work in a commercial environment,, this is not something new for me. I worked for three years as a graphic designer in a web/app design studio. I would like to return to this.
What are the most enjoyable projects you’ve undertaken thus far in the degree? How would you describe them? What are your favourite approaches to working – do you like to get stuck in with a tightly developed brief, or do you like to wander about with your ideas?
The kids assignment and Linen house (as opposed to My Local and Test Pattern, both experimental based work). I like to have a brief to work to, a focused market to research and explore. I also work best digitally. Which means no mixing paints or slowly exploring ideas. I want to get my ideas down fast, colour test right away and produce outcomes that day.
- I’m your long lost relation with a trust fund – I’m giving you a million dollars to set up your ideal studio practice – what would you do with the money and why?
Hire a business consultant, an account manger and one other designer who’s style, aesthetics and skill set is VASTLY different to mine. I’ve seen many students/people go out and start up their own studios only to fail. They collect their friends and other designers to partner up with. If i was ever to start my own studio/business it would be some one with a business background. It would also set up in shared space to be cost effective and the rest of the money would go into savings 😉