Over the past three years, there’s been a whirlwind of adaptation to new contexts, new client needs, new ideas and brand new uses for my creative knowledge and skills. It’s been all about doing, and learning by doing. So it’s been interesting to have two rare chances to reflect. Researcher, … Read More
Behind the scenes My preparatory work for Breather, my piece for 26 Inspirations, part of the Bloomsbury Festival, started with several sketchwalks. I know the route well but it was considerably bendier than it was in my imagination of a linear drawing… And then there was rain. Biro is wonderfully … Read More
The point of playtime… Away from my desk, I grow things, I draw things growing – and sometimes I join it up, turning growing things into things to draw with. I’ve saved petals from French marigold dead-headings. For a while, I’ve been using the basic method of hot water and salt … Read More
Studio Snack, a collaborative podcast with fellow designer Narcis Sauleda… It started when we kept having conversations about all things creative practice that we wished we’d recorded. The podcasts are fun to make – we get to compare notes, ask questions, have script meetings in cafés, learn stuff and conduct experiments. … Read More
Sent anywhere, I will find time to explore… Thus, travelling to Taunton to be a mentor for Ideas Foundation’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant workshop day at Bridgwater & Taunton College, I travelled early to enjoy the luxury of looking. People-watching at Paddington station. A wander to French Weir Park just because … Read More
I could just answer the brief… There’s a venerable oak in Bruce Castle Park that I’ve drawn over the course of designing a visual identity for Bruce Castle Museum & Archive in Tottenham and returning as a visitor and a researcher. It’s been just part of growing my knowledge about this … Read More
My lockdown project turned blog has sprouted a collection. Dispatches from a Small World reports from my urban garden in sketches. There have been forays into garments and cards. But there are enough sketches now to find themes for products. Hello roses! A classic, you would think – but approached … Read More
The mechanics of the design process are often set out as diagrams – templates offering a route to creativity. They’re useful in explaining how things work. But they miss out one crucial thing – the bit where the magic is. The unexpected. Learning to be open, to let things go wrong … Read More
Baking. That’s not on the list of things I do in my work… But Studio Snack, a five minute podcast series I’ve been cooking up with fellow designer Narcis Sauleda, brought up the subject of biscuit typography. Baking letterforms is an interesting exercise in itself – it makes you think about … Read More
