FK chats to Melbourne based artist Lauren Nicholson, who’s imaginative work can take you to faraway places. Lauren recently debuted at the Melbourne Markets!

How would you describe your style of artwork and how has this evolved?
Stylistically I like to play with symmetry and repetition while feeding my addiction to various colour combinations and at the moment this is taking the form of digital collage which I sell in limited editions.
This style has evolved through a lot of experimentation. I do a lot of random mark making just exploring colour and shape and then more realised illustrative work. Concurrent to this I’ll play around with imagery I have found in second hand books – I like to bring these old and forgotten things back to life. Finally, everything is scanned and then reworked in Photoshop which involves more experimentation which I find to be a really rewarding process.

What is your background and when did you start illustrating?
I’ve drawn ever since I can remember and think I’d been illustrating long before I realised that was what I wanted to do – I studied visual art after high school and was about to do a fine art degree in print making when I decided that illustration would better suit me and have just finished my bachelor studies in Melbourne. I have also recently completed NEIS which has given me a clearer idea of what is involved in running my own small business as I am now out in the big wide world.

image credit – by photographer Mark Lobo from A/W Melbourne Finders Keepers 2013

What inspires your work? and where do you head for regular inspiration?
I find I am often inspired by places and landscapes – real and imagined – and the idea of adventure, and escape. This may have something to do with not travelling for quite a while and way too much day dreaming! I guess this also ties back to a love for the natural world and a curiosity of the unknown.
I also find books to be a great source for ideas or just to get lost in. Anything second hand on far away places, or anything obscure or full of old photography wins me over. I love Perimeter Books in Thornbury for a good art book fix and online I regularly check booooooom! Some artists/illustrators I am currently liking (from a long long list) are Laith McGregor, Kaye Blegvad and Julia Pott.

What materials do you prefer to work with and which ones would you like to explore more?
My favourite materials are watercolour and ink as I love the unpredictability and have had a lot of happy accidents. I am also very fond of paper. I am interested to see how my work translates to textiles and clothing and hope to explore this through screen printing in the not too distant future. Also making work on a much larger scale is something I’m excited to try.

image credit – by photographer Mark Lobo from A/W Melbourne Finders Keepers 2013

Describe your workspace and surroundings and what your creative process is.

A good mixture of order and mess depending on how I’m feeling. and coffee. I am just about to move into a new studio in the city sharing with Andrea Innocent, The Seven Seas and Cat Rabbit which I am really excited about! I haven’t been a regular in the city for a while so I’m looking forward to rediscovering it and working away through winter. So at the moment my work space is a bit of a blank canvas that I look forward to filling it up with new ideas.
My creative process involves lots of looking through old books, cutting and pasting, drawing and experimental mark making usually in watercolour and then lots of time at the computer mixing it all up in Photoshop. I am addicted.

What advice would you give others wanting to follow a similar path?
I’ve found that good opportunities have presented themselves through hard work and have found Melbourne to be a great place to be creatively. I would also say to just go ahead and do what you love and do it now – there are so many platforms for illustration, which I think is really exciting.

What has been your favourite project or exhibition and why?
A collaboration I have recently been involved in was creating album artwork for a DJ/Producer from London in which I worked with my friend Stefan Nott who is a multi talented designer/art director. The finished artwork is in watercolour with a focus on texture and colour. I really like the relationship that exists between art and music and look forward to doing more of this kind of work.

What aspirations do you have for the future and what would be your dream project?
This year I aim to do a lot of drawing which will hopefully culminate in a new body of work for a solo show. I am also planning for an international residency next year, I am dreaming of Reykjavik or Tokyo!
My dream project would be to create the artwork for Meredith / Golden Plains, the funnest festival around.

www.lauren-nicholson.com

FK chats to Trent of  bike accessory label Cyclesign based on South Coast, NSW. Taking used road signs to a totally new level!

Tell us about your label Cyclesign and what the concept is behind it?
At Cyclesign we make bicycle reflectors from used road signs. There are two styles of Cyclesign Bicycle Reflectors – The Cyclesign Wheel Reflector and the Cyclesign Rear Reflector. Each Cyclesign is made in Australia from 95-98% reused material, and no two Cyclesigns are the same.

What is your background and how did you started working with Cyclesign?
I am a furniture and object designer and for sometime now I have been making furniture from used road signs. In the production of these pieces of furniture there were always off-cuts from the road signs that could not be used. Cyclesigns were made to make use of these off-cuts in an innovative way, making the most of the reflective nature of road signs.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively?
My creative motivation is continually changing, but when I was designing Cyclesigns I was aiming to design a bicycle reflector that is as sustainable as possible. One great strategy for sustainability is reuse, and Cyclesigns are made from 95-98% reused materials.

What is your creative workspace like, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
My studio is at my home in Thirroul on the South Coast of NSW. My studio looks out into the bush and I find that this quiet and beautiful place gives me the space that I need to think. I hope to build a big shed in the coming years, to store my ever growing road sign collection and to provide the space needed to assemble Cyclesigns and other projects.

What do you love about working with old road signs? And what are some of the challenges?
The nicest thing about working with old road signs is that each piece that is made is unique. We cut Cyclesign parts in Sydney and assemble them in the studio in Thirroul, but every part that is cut from a road sign will always be different from those that were cut before. In this way, each piece is unique and I love to see the way that every Cyclesign evolves from this random approach.

What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see Cyclesign in the future?
At the moment I am working on a series of furniture project that explore Australian identity in design. This process is informing a Masters that will explore the idea of designing Australianess.

www.cyclesign.com

From top left: lavallier, Mabel, Limedrop, marcello neckwear,
Marcue, Massuri, mattt, Me We Design & me and amber.

From top left: Meow Girl, Milk and Masuki, minnette vs. corey, not Tuesday, ModViking,
OK OK, Oktoberdee, One Sunday Morning and Only midge / Attic accessories.

From top left: paper boat press, Phoebe Lamps, Paperklip, Pom by Pomegranate,
Pop Plant, postpress, Pouch Handmade, pretty parcel and Pretty Pickings.

From top left: Pure Pod, Rebound Books, Renée Treml, rose jewellery, rockrose handmade,
Rowie Designs, Saturday Lollipop, Roger & Peach and Scoops Design.

From top left: Sharon Muir, SEPULVEDA, Sian Thomas Ceramics, Silvermonk, Sailor Sam,
Sands Made, smug designs, Son Valise, Sollis Jewellery and Sunday Morning Designs.

From top left: Surfing Sloth, Supertrooper Studio, Sweets Workshop, Temono, The Gently Unfurling Sneak,
The Print Society, the Raisin did it, The Professor’s Daughter and The Storybook Rabbit.

From top left: Tinker by printink studio, two layers of cells, Victoria Mason Jewellery, Vintage Prints, zoemou,
Whimsy Milieu, Whiskers Lane, Vinyl Design, Write To Me Stationery and Youlley and Fortmann Designs.

]]> http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/blog/2013/05/sydney-aw13-designers-announced-l-z/feed/ 0 http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/blog/2013/05/sydney-aw13-designers-announced-l-z/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sydney-aw13-designers-announced-l-z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFindersKeepers/~3/ovbgeOZ1_VU/ http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/blog/2013/05/sydney-aw13-designers-announced-a-k/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 21:47:40 +0000 Finders Keepers http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/blog/?p=15513 Following up from our post about the debut & new stallholders for the upcoming AW13 Sydney Markets - here is the amazing line-up of Sydney Markets stall holders broken into A-K & L-Z (post to follow). PLUS we have 6 amazing feature stalls listed below. More features to be announced …

Following up from our post about the debut & new stallholders for the upcoming AW13 Sydney Markets - here is the amazing line-up of Sydney Markets stall holders broken into A-K & L-Z (post to follow). PLUS we have 6 amazing feature stalls listed below. More features to be announced soon are also a vintage emporium by our friends at frankie magazine, our music line up, our food trucks and farmers lane participants! So stay tuned for further news and announcements over the next few weeks in the lead up to the Sydney event.

Featured Stall: Angus & Celeste
Angus & Celeste are excited about our next visit to the Finders Keepers to show our new jelly mould hanging gardens and wall clocks to Sydney! We have been working hard on a huge array of new patterns across our home-wares and jewellery, so expect of lots of colour. Be sure to pop in for a visit!

Featured Stall: Bespoke Letterpress
Bespoke Letterpress is one of Australia’s leading letterpress studios designing and printing couture letterpress stationery. We print the old fashioned way, using antique cast iron letterpresses, printing on imported luxuriously thick cotton paper, mixed with patience, perfection and a whole lot of love.

Featured Stall: Made590
Since 2009 Made590 has been a sponsor of The Finders Keepers Market and this coming month we will be packing up all our wonderful, weird, colourful and fun things for you see! Made590 is situated in Newtown and is known for our collections of giftware and Australian made clothing. We have worked on a special range of clothing which we will be releasing exclusively at the winter market on may 31st and June 1st, as well as bringing along lots of our stand-out and one of a kind homewares, stationary and gifts. To find us just look out for our rabbit mannequin, who is always a big hit.

Featured Stall: Maya Muse
This Autumn/Winter at the Finders Keepers Market Maya Muse Textiles is excited to bring you lots of new products! You will find new tote bags, cute zip bags and larger cushions, as well as old favourites like cosy door snakes, warming wheat bags, tea towels, door stops and more. All Maya Muse Textiles products are lovingly designed hand screen printed and sewn in Sydney using 100% linen.

Featured Stall: TMOD
TMOD for the first time will be creating a experiential shop at the Finders Keepers market. Giving customers a chance to interact with all of their fun playful stationery and lifestyle products. Scratch it, Rip it, Sew it, Make it, Paint it, Open it, Twist it?! Expect to be delighted with cards you can scratch, rip, wear as hats or fold into planes. Bags you can make into dolls. Wrapping paper you can reuse as a game. Paint kits which can transform spaces, chalkboard stickers and DIY macrame kits. TMOD will keep you coming back for more.

From top left: 4 leaf clover, AHD PAPER CO, Alice Nightingale, Amor Amor, AND O DESIGN,
Anrol Designs, A Skulk of Foxes, a thoughtful spot and Beau Wylie.

From top left: benconservato, Blue Caravan, Beneath The Sun,  Blueberry Paper, Bonny Lad,
Bob Window, Boxy, Captain Robbo and CERTAINCERTAINTY X MR.EDWARDS.

From top left: Cherish Vintage Treasures, chocolate brownie, Craft Schmaft, Crayon Chick,
Daisy and Moose, Das Monk, Days of August, Desire Books, Emily Green and Fictional Objects.

From top left: Fox and Beau, erinswindow, Everingham and Watson, evyie, Fable Baby, Feloffa Designs,
FINE CLOTH, Gaye Abandon and Ginny & Jude Designs.

From top left:  Hannakin, Herbert & Friends, harper & edie, Jennifer + Smith,
Kai Kai,  jesikajack, Jubly-Umph Originals, Katrina Freene and Kanimbla Clay.

From top left: KeepResin, Kim Wallace Ceramics, Kimono Reincarnate, KINDLING, Kirbee Lawler,
Kinetic Patterns, Kitty Came Home, Klei, Knit Knit and Kristen Doran Design.

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Because this line-up is soo very big, we have broken it down into categories. First up we have highlighted the very exciting debut stallholders for the Sydney Markets. If you haven’t heard, Finders Keepers are now offering first time Finders Keepers designers a sponsored opportunity to showcase their wares at the markets – a lot of which are releasing their very first ranges through us.. how exciting is that?! Each market we will be offering a limited amount of stalls the opportunity for a discounted stall space to help support the little guys. Here at Finders Keepers we are growing every year, and sticking to our roots we are here to support talented emerging design.

Next we have highlighted the new designers to Finders Keepers, and following on we have lots of your favourites that have participated in past Finders Keepers, some never been to Sydney and some with whole new work to showcase. Look out for the following blog posts broke down in A-K & L-Z as well as our feature stalls info.

If you would like a closer look at some of these designers and their work, never fear their profiles will be live very soon over in our Design Directory so you can have a sticky beak and get your wish lists ready for the upcoming AW13 Sydney Markets…

From top left: Bless this Mess, Bricks and Paper, by marie-nicole, elly&eve,
Knot Another Etsy Store, Elm Design, Kitchen Ink Sydney, ena & albert,
ink & weave, Kristy, Lee Jewellery Design, Leonie Evans and LM Studio.

From top left: Marley & Lockyer, McKean Studio, Niharika Hukku Ceramics,
Papette Boutique, Pete’s Glasses, Pleasure Little Treasure, Third Bird Printsmith, shuh.,
Shnookies, Rabbit Trap Timber and tsai Design.

From top left: 12-1-2 Koncept, Aija, Almost Art by twice designs,
Cyclesign, Dharf, Family, foolhouse and Four of a Kind.

From top left: Frank + Mabel, Homeworks Design Store, Free Range Living, glitterface!, Freddy Alphabet,
iamto’b, ICE from ASH,In Between Days and Jade Textile Solutions.

From top left: Harvest Textiles & Beattie Lanser, Joyjoie, Kittilä by Tania Tuominen, Love Your Work,
Made Beautiful Design, Mabel Avenue, Milk Thieves Art & Design, miss lilly and MI-WALLET.

From top left:  My Very Own Eye Goggles, Needle vs Thread, My Liefie, Paper Elephant,
Salty’s Short Supply, Rico Designs, Samantha Moses Handmade Jewellery, Sarah&Yvette and Sillier Than Sally.

From top left: Sukumai, Such Great Heights, The Sustainable Design Co, The Home Collective,
Stephanie Vandoros Collections, venice jewellery,  WEFTshop, When it Rains on Sunday and Zillpa.

FK chats to the lovely Georgie of divine Melbourne based label, Georgie Cummings. Who recently debuted at the Melbourne Markets!

Tell us a bit about Georgie Cummings and what we can expect to discover?
I started making stuff for real in June 2012 after finishing an Industrial Design degree. I’ve always loved handmade unique objects so it seemed a natural progression from design at uni. I love making objects that are clean and simple with few but honest materials. It is through the use of these materials that I hope you discover a personal piece that will be loved for a long time.

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are today?
Since I has little I’ve been told I was obsessed with ‘small things’. Making small things, generally animals/creatures, but also being fascinated by the detail, with patience to get the result I wanted. This lead to Industrial Design at RMIT once finishing at high school – a course where luckily it wasn’t all kettles and car styling, but rather a few key lecturers that focused on the connections and relationships we have with objects which has stayed with me ever since.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively?
Materials inspire me, especially seeing them used in ways they weren’t intended or have been used before. Also natural materials, like the vegetable tanned leather that are inherently tactile keep the inspiration flowing.

What is your creative workspace like, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
I work from home and love being so close to the light filled kitchen and backyard so I can go and sit in the sun or do a bit or gardening when I need a break – which may be more of a distraction at times!

What do you love about working with a variation of materials when designing? And what are some of the challenges?
Ceramics opens up a life of experiments, one that I think even those who have been potters their whole lives are still not finished with. I think working with ceramics has perhaps influenced pushing other materials to achieve different effects. I love the variation between the materials and seeing where each one takes me. The challenge is, there are not enough hours in the day!

What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see Georgie Cummings in the future?
I’m currently working on some bag and leather necklace concepts for an upcoming show at the Brunswick Street Art Gallery – curated by Dale Hardiman and Suzannah Henty which opens 3rd May and features emerging local designers and makers.
I’m looking forward to exploring new ideas and techniques I haven’t tried with a range of materials and am excited as to where they could lead. I aim to keep everything handmade in house, to continue making high quality lasting objects.

www.georgiecummings.com
www.facebook.com/georgie.cummingsdesign

FK chats to Martine of  Vintage Prints, an inspiring Victorian based stationery label that just makes you want to write to all your friends!

Tell us a bit about Vintage Prints and what we can expect to discover?
We reuse vintage materials, remaking them into new products, allowing them to be re-loved by a new audience. Vintage Prints is about connections, authenticity, and reliving those fond memories from the past. Customers will often be transported back to happy childhood memories as soon as they see or touch one of our products. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when that happens! Our focus is on the concept of reuse, the vintage source materials and the process of design.
When you visit us at the Sydney market you’ll find lots of original vintage illustrations and maps that you can frame; handmade picture blocks; handmade stationery including cards and envelopes; bunting and garlands made from vintage paper; and limited edition products such as our Pianola Shadow Lights.

What is your background and how did you started working with stationery?
I studied Graphic Design in the mid-1980s and then worked for about 12 years in the industry, before moving into web management. I was trained the old school way – before computers – so beautiful paper and the art of printing are passions. Hence the interest in vintage books.
I discovered a vintage 1878 atlas in an op shop – I know, best op shop score ever – and that really started the whole ball rolling. It was the most exquisite thing I’d ever seen. Gold foil and embossing on the cover. Letterpress printing. Coloured lithographs. Great design and amazing detail. I started collecting vintage books as a way of rescuing them from landfill. Soon I was thinking of ways to reuse them, and let a whole new generation see the beauty of the printed pages. It started with vintage illustrations and maps to frame, then hand folded envelopes, then garlands and bunting, and it just kept going from there.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively? 

My work is inspired by three things: the original vintage materials I find; the concept of reuse; and the design process. The materials I use are original vintage books or paper ephemera ranging from the 1880s to the late 1960s. They have a quality, craftsmanship and patina that is just so beautiful, and I try to retain this in the finished product. The fragile nature and ephemeral quality of the printed paper makes it even more appealing. The concept of reuse is integral to my work. The materials I find have been discarded after outliving their original intended purpose or use. Yet they are still so beautiful as objects in themselves. My desire to reuse them is twofold – to save them from landfill and to let a new audience appreciate their beauty. The materials have a history, a past life which is still evident even after I have reworked them into a ‘new’ product.The design process is important to me as a creative individual. And I make the distinction between design and art, as I formally trained as a designer. Design is a process, its about challenges, constraints and solutions, and ultimately the end user.

What is your creative workspace like, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
I’m lucky enough to have a studio located in an industrial estate. I’ve tried to turn it into a little creative oasis amongst the concrete and brick, filled with all the things I love. When you step inside its like you’ve stepped back in time. During school holidays and weekends I often open the studio to the public and its wonderful seeing people’s reactions to the studio and the products.
Like any other creative workspace it’s messy, full of bits and pieces I collect, lots of vintage books and tools of the trade. I normally have Ella Fitzgerald singing Cole Porter on the iPod, some candles burning and the scent of lavender and sweet orange in the air. Lots of succulents potted up in old metal tubs and trays. And cups of tea and chocolate biscuits make a regular appearance. I live on the south cost of Victoria, a rugged shoreline of cliffs, rocks and crashing waves. Daily walks on the beach – in all weathers – keeps me inspired.

Where do you source vintage maps for your range? and are their challenges in doing so?
Maps are a favourite for me, they are such great examples of design. Most of the maps I use are from vintage atlases dating from the 1930s to 1960s. Even though the content of each atlas is almost the same – maps of all the countries and continents – the colours, style, typography and printing is unique from atlas to atlas. Initially I sourced the atlases from op shops and book stores, but its becoming harder to find them. So many people just chuck them out when they move house, downsize or their parents move into a nursing home. For that reason I buy them whenever I see them and I have a little stockpile in reserve. But if anyone has a vintage atlas, let me know!

What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see Vintage Prints in the future?
I’m developing a new product that utilises all the beautiful pages of letterpress typography from old dictionaries and encyclopaedias. I haven’t been able to use them in the past and I have heaps of them in the studio. The product is a cross between bunting and inspirational words. They’ll be launched at the Sydney market.
As for the future, I’d like to see Vintage Prints become more financially sustainable, and have our products stocked in some of the more interesting retail stores and galleries. I don’t want it to grow too big though, keeping products handmade from original vintage materials is our focus. A move into accessories and homewards is on the cards. I’ve designed and made a range of bags from vintage Harris Tweed jackets, and scarves from vintage kimono silks. Next up is a range of homewards made from vintage textiles. Long term I’d love design and create custom and bespoke ranges for a select group of retailers, using fabulous, limited edition vintage paper and textiles.

www.vintageprints.com.au

Image credits - photographer Brenner Liana.

FK chats to Amber of wonderful new Hawthorn based store The Woodsfolk.

Tell us about your store The Woodsfolk and what things we can expect to discover?
Our store The Woodsfolk is located in the leafy inner suburb of Hawthorn Melbourne. It’s a beautiful old corner building. Over the course of a few months we lovingly restored the space after years of being used for some interesting businesses such as a Denture Clinic, Stain glass window store and a lawyers office. The store is very much a curated vision of my personal style and interests. There is many one off pieces, works of art and lots of products featuring animals.  We stock all sorts of things and call ourselves a ‘family store’ we also make sure that we have things for all budgets from a packet of cute erasers to a sofa.

What was the inspiration with opening The Woodsfolk? 
I’ve always wanted a retail store. I really love talking with people and retail gives me the opportunity to work with a broader range of products to our wholesale brand Down To The Woods. In our wholesale business, merchandising is my favourite part and The Woodsfolk gives me the opportunity to do this on a daily basis not just at trade shows and catalogue production times. I really wanted a store that was beautiful and full of things that make people smile.

What labels & product do you stock and what are you always searching for? 
The Woodsfolk stocks a broad range of Australian designers – both established labels such as Mud and our label Down To The Woods but lots of little labels as well, such as Made By Mosey and Emeldo Jewellery, both local to Melbourne and all handmade. I also source from around the world, with Down To The Woods I get to do a lot of travel and having the opportunity to now bring to Australia some of those finds is really exciting! Accidentally it seems I’m rather partial to labels from mid-west and East Coast USA and from The Netherlands. We have an every increasing product base in store from both of those places.

What is your inspiration for the shop, and what keeps you motivated? 
Great design that is practical and useful but most importantly things that make me smile really inspire me. Discovering these elements in products makes my heart sing and I just love sharing those finds when I come across them.  There are so many talented folk out there and it’s so joyful to showcase their work with others.

What do you love most about running The Woodsfolk so far? and what have been some challenges?
Easily the best part is other people’s reaction to the store. I’ve been so surprised by how kind and enthusiastic people’s reactions have been and that so many people have gone out of their way to let us know how much they enjoy the store. It’s actually been really inspiring. When putting the store together I just really focused on things I love and really didn’t have a masterplan of how it would all hang together, so to have such a great response is both a relief and really rewarding. The biggest challenge has been juggling both businesses; the demands of wholesale and retail are really different to each other. Getting used to the new flow of things is taking time but we’re getting there. The closest thing I can liken it to is having a second child enter the family!

When you are not in your shop, what are you usually doing in Melbourne?
When not at the shop I’m usually holed up in my studio across the river. But when I’m not at either I’m pottering at home with the family or exploring many of Melbourne’s great nooks and crannies, I’m from Sydney so Melbourne still holds many secrets I’m yet to uncover ; new cafe’s, mid-century furniture stores such as Grandfather’s Axe and local parks for the kids to run in are my weekend priorities. April is my favourite month in Melbourne so right now I think Melbourne’s at its best.

What exciting things are you looking forward to this year?
There is so much to look forward to this year, I’ve got a number of sourcing trips planned. I can’t wait to discover new interesting designers, manufacturers and one-off finds in places like Nepal. Bringing those back and sharing them with our already enthusiastic customers is going to be really exciting!

All the specific details
The Woodsfolk
39 Church Street
Hawthorn

www.thewoodsfolk.com.au
Instagram: thewoodsflk
Facebook: The Woodsfolk

FK chats to Linda of Sydney based label Supertrooper Studio, bringing together a range of designs with a fun Scandinavian twist.

Tell us a bit about Supertrooper Studio and what we can expect to discover?
Supertrooper Studio is based in sunny Northern Beaches in Sydney, Australia. It’s the hobby project of Swedish graphic designer Linda Fahrlin – a creative outlet where I get to create retro inspired functional pieces celebrating Scandinavian design. So far there’s three collections:

SuperPlaces Collection: A collection of places close to my heart. When I first moved to Australia we lived in Seddon, then in North Fitzroy, Melbourne so it’s extra fun to come back to Melbourne and illustrate the lane ways and diverse architecture in the making of the Melbourne illustration. The Sydney, Melbourne and Manly motifs is now available on a set of screen printed cushion covers & tea towels or as a wall poster.

Speceri Collection: A kitchen collection inspired by ingredients from happy childhood memories in the family kitchen. Sval (Cool) & Sotsak (Sweets) is the two motifs available and they are screen printed onto 100% linen as tea towels and cushion covers. This collection also includes the MiniTeepee Store, a secret hideaway and play tent for children. The original one I made was for my son, it took ages to draw with textile markers!

Animal Friends Collection: As I was looking for things for our home, I just couldn’t find what I was looking for so I made a series of illustrated Australian animals. Friends asked if they could have them too, and then friends of friends, so now there’s a collection with both cards, wall posters and the newest addition, the memory game (pick a pair).

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are today?
When I was a kid, I wanted to become a photographer working for a newspaper. My grandmother used to help me and my sister cut and paste from magazines making our own “newspapers”. I was also lucky to have a great Art teacher in primary school (she even installed a little photography dark room in a tiny closet in the school library) and a very supportive family. When I found out you could be a designer and make things for a living, that was it.  I went on to study Graphic Design & Advertising in Stockholm, Sweden. My class was very fortunate to have great teachers like Gabor Palotai in Graphic Design and Hakan Lindstrom in Typography. Thanks to their generous approach to teaching I’ve tried to maintain the open approach to problem solving, and exploring different media. Since graduating school I’ve worked in design and advertising agencies in Sweden and Australia.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively?
I draw inspiration from my childhood in Sweden and combine these arctic memories with new Australian ones. The process is at least to say somewhat eclectic, sometimes covering many media’s – but in the end the output is rather structured and organized. I guess my work often covers modern subjects but are carefully illustrated and inspired by retro illustrations, architecture and design. I’m often inspired by people around me, what’s happening in the world. Music is great for inspiration too, helping me get into work mode. At the moment I’m working on illustrating assets for a piece of animation info graphic for an orphanage in Mexico. Working on pieces like that makes it very easy to keep motivated. I think the key for me is to vary the work I take on, as much as I can. To keep creative levels up, there needs to be a balance with incoming material and outgoing material, much like an accountant’s book with the balance showing end of term. So lots of exhibitions, art, music, listening to peoples stories, seeing and reading about what’s going on in the world, gives me great inspiration. Kids are great for inspiration too, both as a source and in the way they make you rediscover things and question your preconceptions.

What is your creative workspace like, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
My workspace really varies a lot depending on the project I’m working on. In the research stage there’s often quite a mess, and then in the mess somewhere there’s a turning point when all the information gets compositioned into something that makes sense, I hope. Or at least it gets interesting to look at. I wish mess would follow the golden section by itself though!

What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
Luxury is to have the time to get stuck into it! There’s so little of it! There are so many aspects to running your own label but somehow you make it work and find the time. (Mainly evenings at the moment.) Love when I get that time to get into it!

What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see Supertrooper Studio in the future?
I hope that moving forward, my love for design will continue to show in the graphics I make. I’m really excited about the upcoming new collection for Supertrooper as it lies close to my heart. It is currently in the illustrative stage and something for the minimalist. Also working on a series of conceptual pieces.

www.supertrooperstudio.com

Katrina from Kitty Came Home shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Swallow Hard Back Journal by Ask Alice
2. Forest Floor Single Leaf Earrings – Maroon by Sarah Rothe
3. Hey Mum, I Really Should Get You A Card Every Day Of The Year by Able and Game
4. Tea Towel – Deep Forest- by Print Paper Cloth
5. Multi Colour Rod Ceramic Necklace by And O Design
6. Fresh Herbs sack by Harvest Haversack

Lucy from Hut13 shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Leah Jackson Stain Vessel from Mr Kitly
2. Twist a Twill Blanket in yellow from Gretel
3. Eco friendly handmade felted Slippers by Simplicity Of Felt
4. Large green Narwhal by Mount Royal Mint
5. Dale Dardiman planter in yellow and pick from Dagmar
6. KAMI Schale Wooden glasses from Mr Kitly

Abby of Abby Seymour shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Interwoven Profiles, letterpress print by Abby Seymour
2. Humming bird in Flight print by Beth Emily
3. Scarf bag in chocolate by Nancy Bird
4. Toasted stoneware noodle bowl by Shelly Panton
5. Watercolour in Moss cushion cover by Ink & Spindle
6. Brass woven half-moon plaque necklace by Abby Seymour

Megan of McKean Studio shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. All Before and All to Come Print by Catherine Campbell
2. Mother’s Day Gift Card by Bespoke Letterpress
3. Croc Quilt Cover by Kip & Co
4. Lake Swans Wall Clock by Decoylab
5. 4-Compartment Leather Wallet by Whimsy Milieu
6. San Francisco Souvenir Scarf by McKean Studio