Homeware – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Ohh Deer Pop-Up Shop at Wolf & Badger: Review

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

The only thing I know about Mayfair is that it’s a pretty good property to buy if you’re playing Monopoly. In reality, this pretty ‘n’ posh street is filled with people wearing suits standing outside clubs in the afternoon sun and, as far as I can tell, looking (or at least trying to look) as though they make lots and lots of dough. The cash kind, not the squishy kind.

It is strange but sort of perfect that the latest Ohh Deer Pop-Up is on Dover Street. As I head to the launch I notice that skinny jeans, hipster glasses, tattoos and dyed hair are dotted amongst the briefcases and Oxford shirts, as people make their way to the opening of this creative hubs latest temporary shop. These arty folks are a stark contrast to the suited up worker bees hanging out for cocktails after a hard day in the office.

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

When I get to my destination I am not disappointed. Nestled in a basement shopfront, in independent retailer Wolf & Badger‘s Gallery Room is a wonderful, creative celebration. Although it’s been and gone now, this illustration extravaganza took place between the 21st June and 4th July, with the launch event I popped along to falling on Thursday the 20th June.

I’ve written a lot about online shop and illustration collective Ohh Deer lately. I interviewed Co-Founder Jamie Mitchell a few months ago, I wrote a strange and slightly creepy love letter about them which you can read here. Bearing all this in mind, I was understandably pretty excited to be heading to their pop-up launch.

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

The night was filled with the latest contemporary illustration talent and general creative peeps and all sorts of products were on hand, from tee’s to cushions. With free illustrated badges and neon cupcakes on the menu as well as plenty of tipple all ’round, this was a pretty cool pop-up (and my first). Complete with a goodie bag to end the night, and artwork projected onto the wall, this was an illustration spectacular at its best.

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

Wearing Rosita Bonita seahorse earrings, I bumbled my way inside with a friend and got myself a drink and some cake. Tired after work, this was the perfect way to get my spirits up as well as meet some creatives and browse some great products. Laura Gee‘s beardy cushions and Jack Teagle‘s comics made a particular impression on me, and I also met Drew Turner and saw his spectacular tattoos. The night was a mesh of bright My So Called Life style dyed locks, quirky outfits and plainly clothed artists and arty types too. My friend having abandoned me for her book club down the road, I spent the second part of the night getting to know the amazing Yasmin Dilekkaya of Yas-Ming Ceramics and her lovely mum as well as getting an eyeful of the latest in contemporary illustration.

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

One of the especially exciting things about this pop-up was seeing a whole bunch of Ohh Deer products up close and personal. Although I spend a good chunk of my wages buying out their stock and have everything from t-shirts to a notebook myself, there’s something special about seeing it all laid out. As one of those annoying hipster peeps that spends their evenings hanging out in Paperchase until it shuts, I can imagine myself spending my time lingering in permanent Ohh Deer stores one day. Fingers crossed they open one.

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

As an illustration junkie living outside London, this Ohh Deer Pop-up was one of my first real introductions into the illustration world. Meeting some of the collaborators and hearing them talk about the brand was great too. With workshops spread over the pop-up to help build skills and get creative in a flock, there was not much more you could ask for from this young, fresh, determined creative company. Pretty impressively the pop-up also kicked up quite a buzz with Elle, Time Out, The Evening Standard and The Telegraph all giving it a mention, as well as the workshops being completely booked up.

Once all the fun and games was over at the end of the night and and after a long journey home courtesy of National Rail, I realised I had left my cardigan on the train (again). ‘Ohh Deer‘ I said to myself, smiling.

Ohh Deer Pop-Up

To find out more about Ohh Deer and get your hands on their beautiful illustrated products check out their website here www.ohhdeer.com.
Pictures courtesy of Ohh Deer and Yas-Ming Ceramics.

Written by Jessica Cook on Tuesday July 16th, 2013 11:25 am

Categories ,Alice Potter, ,art, ,ceramics, ,cupcakes, ,cushions, ,Dover Street, ,Drew Turner, ,Gemma Correll, ,Homeware, ,illustration, ,Jack Teagle, ,Jamie Mitchell, ,Kris Tate., ,Marc Callaby, ,Mayfair, ,Ohh Deer, ,Pop-up, ,Rosita Bonita, ,T-shirts, ,Wold and Badger, ,Wolf & Badger, ,Yas-Ming

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with jewellery designer Gemma Marissa Murray

Illustration by Gemma Smith

Last year I had the privilege of interviewing the amazing Gemma Marissa. Gemma, erectile a jewellery designer and pioneer of individual hand made crochet pieces, website has shown at Estethica for London Fashion Week, sold her designs on Neurotica and has been designing professionally for almost three years.

This coming autumn, she has chosen to launch her home collection and if its anything like her beautiful necklaces and brooches, it will be something for you to covet at home whilst still in-keeping with the vintage hand made aesthetic of her jewellery. So I interviewed Gemma to find out what was in store for the season.

So what was your inspiration for creating a home collection and how do you think your hand made pieces will translate into the look?
The inspiration for making a homeware collection actually came from me moving house. I started to look for cushions, throws and other pieces to make the place my own that had a unique, hand crafted quality to them, but nothing I saw interested me, and so I started making things for myself! Because I was working on the A/W 2011 accessories collection at the same time, I was very much influenced by this and so its very much inspired by the accessories that I was producing at the time. I suppose I translated them to feel more at home within a comfy old fashioned setting.

I’m sure it’s not going to be just your standard cushions though, are you going to venture into some more creative ideas?
Most pieces are at sample stage right now so it’s all subject to changing as I work through it, but I am working on cushions, throws, decorative wall hangings and lots more. If things go well I really would love to produce crocheted lamp shades, and possibly curtains… I think there are endless possibilities with crochet and I am constantly having new ideas, which I hope I can bring into future homeware collections.

Illustration by Gemma Smith

I actually can’t wait! So what have you learnt since doing your last jewellery collection that has inspired you to create the beautiful new pieces you have now?
I had a lot of fun with the last collection, filled with brilliant pom pom necklaces, headpieces and much more. But for S/S 2011 I wanted the collection to come back to what the Gemma Marissa brand is all about and what I love to make. This means that I’ve used a lot of natural, floral inspirations; the bluebells and ivy give a very English feel to the collection and the cherry blossoms were inspired by my trip to Japan early last year, the perfect time to see the blossoms in bloom, it was magical!

I can imagine the beauty must have been stunning to see and great inspiration. And talking about the inspiration for the collection, it’s all very mythical with references to natural beauties such as Guinevere and Aphrodite…
Yes the collection is based on the Pre Raphaelites, whose works always have a mythical, magical feel to them; I just love the colours that are used in the works of artists such as Rosetti and Mucha that are also muted and understated and very beautiful. All of the pieces are named after goddesses or mythical women, such as the afore mentioned Aphrodite, or Pandora. I have always been intrigued by the stories surrounding these women so I thought I could bring this intrigue into my pieces, giving them a very ethereal feel!

Well it’s clear that it’s something you’ve always been interested in but S/S 2011 is visibly a move away from the almost fairy like creature designs of previous years. Is this just a new direction or a conscious inspired decision?
This is definitely something I have always been interested in, I ‘m very much inspired by literature and stories, and this collection is another extension of this. I still, and always will, want my work to have an air of intrigue and other worldliness about it. I think fashion should be fun, and a way to express our personalities, thoughts and feelings, and it is brilliant I get to do this with each new collection as I am always inspired by different things. I am working on my A/W 2011 collection at present, and am busy looking into the Victorian era, an amazing and intriguing time for innovation in design and literature!

Are earrings a new foray for you? I don’t remember seeing them before…
I hadn’t made earrings before no, but because the work for the S/S 2011 collection was so small and delicate I thought it would be lovely to make crocheted earrings made from a single bluebell or sycamore seed! They are a favourite part of my collection actually, and I wear mine a lot!

So would I – they’re stunning. Which of the key S/S 2011 trends do you think that your pieces fit best with and why?
I love the trend for ‘lady-like’ fashions, which hark back to the 1940′s for that ultra feminine look! Therefore I like the SS 2011 trends such as pastel colours, along with soft, light fabrics such as silk and lace that will work wonderfully alongside my pieces.

And where are you expecting to go from here? Obviously the home line is next but is this testing the water before you plan to release a home collection every season?
Yes I will still produce a fashion & accessories collection each season, but along side this I hope that the homeware line will continue to expand…

It’s a very exciting prospect if you do. Who are your favourite designers this S/S 2011 and what trends will you mostly be wearing?
My favourite, as always, is Erdem for his innovative S/S 2011 collection. He is able to make beautiful, feminine clothes that have a very modern feel to them and I especially love this season’s lace work! Also I saw the Kenzo show and just fell in love with the beautiful silks and knits which had a big Japanese influence and was so inspiring for my work. Another absolute favourite is Rodarte and their latest collection is stunning but of course these pieces will all be mixed with looks from the great British high street stores; some I’ve been loving recently are Gap and Anthropologie for their creative knits and beautiful use of fabrics.

Well I am most definitetly excited to see the finished products. We’ll let Gemma get back to showing her S/S 2011 collection and the new home line but it’s lovely to know that the designer is still sticking to her roots. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for this innovative creative force. Bring on the crochet lampshades I say!

Read our original interview with Gemma here.

Written by Jemma Crow on Wednesday April 20th, 2011 5:07 pm

Categories ,Aphrodite, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,estethica, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Gemma Smith, ,Homeware, ,Jemma Crow, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,Rodarte

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with jewellery designer Gemma Marissa Murray

Illustration by Gemma Smith

Read our original interview with Gemma here.

Written by Jemma Crow on Wednesday April 20th, 2011 5:07 pm

Categories ,Aphrodite, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,estethica, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Gemma Smith, ,Homeware, ,Jemma Crow, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,Rodarte

Amelia’s Magazine | Ohh Deer Illustration Collective: an interview with Co-Founder Jamie Mitchell

Ohh Deer , Jamie Mitchell illustration

Ohh Deer is more than just a site that sells cool graphic tees, it’s a collective of young creatives featuring some of the most talented emerging illustrators out there. Founded in 2011 by Jamie Mitchell and Mark Callaby, Ohh Deer offers everything from greeting cards to homeware. In fact, Amelia ear-marked one of their lovely cushions (designed by William Branton) in her Christmas Gift Ideas 2012 post. More than just a quirky online shop, jam-packed full of juicy illustrated bits ‘n’ bobs, they also function a bit like a creative agency, working on briefs together (for clients like Universal Music) and helping promote each others work.

The band of merry pens that make up this fresh-faced brand have proven than two leads (of the pencil variety) are better than one with their great products and impressive roster of clients. Rather than brave a tough industry alone, Mark and Jamie decided to work together, bringing a whole host of other bright young things they admired on board too. There’s now a whole range of pencils involved, including Nicholas Darby, Alice Potter, Ruben Ireland, Miguel Mansur, Jamie Mills and Kris Tate. The site also stocks products by various other illustrators including Jack Teagle and Emma May to name but a few.

Ohh Deer, Jamie Mitchell illustration

The result is Ohh Deer, the equivalent of a sort of ‘super-freelancer’ with more time, talent, range and skills than one illustrator could muster alone. Fun, fresh, beautiful, honest, scary, relevant, Ohh Deer illustrations cover a lot of bases with their vast range of styles. Complete with a young, contemporary vibe, the company is straight out of the dreams of many a creative-type.

If you don’t already follow Ohh Deer on Facebook then you should, as it quickly becomes obvious that their brand-name gives them an edge for cracking all manner of social media-friendly and meme-happy jokes. This isn’t just a collective that follows visual culture, they’re part of it.

Ohh Deer , Jamie Mitchell illustration

Last year, to give my wardrobe an injection of all things illustration, I took out a subscription to the Ohh Deer T-shirt Club. This, like my Stack Magazines subscription, is one of my monthly indulgences. Whether it’s a design featuring a lemon with adorably bulgy eyes or kitchen utensils with attitude, these staples give my wardrobe, and my creativity, a boost each month. There’s so much stuff on the site I want that it would be impossible for me to list it all here, but currently I’m drooling over some lovely wooden neck-creatures , wishing I could buy ALL the stationery as well as lusting after a whole batch of other penned goodies that make me shiver with creative delight. They even have copies of Wrap in their shop, an illustration magazine which comes with 5 sheets of illustrated wrapping paper each issue.

With all this in mind, I spoke to co-founder Jamie Mitchell about how he came to setup the business and what Ohh Deer has in store for 2013.

Ohh Deer , Jamie Mitchell illustration

What gave you the impetus to start Ohh Deer?
The business was founded as a means to support myself and Mark. After a while we added several Illustrators to our collective and since then it’s blossomed. We’ve realised the potential to help other creatives and we’re determined to create something synonymous with contemporary Illustration.

What philosophy do you think is at the heart of the business?
The business feeds back a direct proportion of profit to the artist who’s work it is, and that’s how we like to do it. Ohh Deer as a business needs enough profit to grow, and be able to launch people to a higher level of recognition but our core aim is to support illustrators, and a lot of support for freelancers comes financially.

Ohh Deer

What kind of plans do you have for Ohh Deer in the future?
We’re now on the highstreet, and hopefully will be in Topshop and Paperchase nationwide soon. Our next step is to get the brand recognised internationally, and the same process will hopefully be applied to several amazing countries.

How did you go about picking illustrators to collaborate with?
The original selection of Illustrators were picked from people who’s work we admired on Twitter, these were people we were in regular contact with and whose work we would love to own. Since then we’ve added Illustrators and Artists to the roster who embody everything we love about the field. We all have a contemporary feel to our work, and we all work differently.

Ohh Deer, Jamie Mitchell illustration

You started Ohh Deer with Mark Callaby, do you both run the project full-time?
Me and Mark founded the company in 2011, and we run the company from a HQ in Loughborough. Full-time there’s also Laura and soon to be Ricky who will be doing lots of tech related wizardry.

You originally pursued a career in Architecture, is this something you might look back to in future?
I might drift back to Architecture for small projects, I still love to design space, but never for anything permanent, I imagine my career will be very varied, as design can change so much from one project to the next.

Hannah Richards, Ohh Deer

What are the influences of your own personal illustration style?
A childhood diet of David Attenborough.

What other projects are you working on right now?
Ohh Deer is where the majority of my time is spent, I’m completing Album artwork for a very talented Musician at the minute. I’m doing a piece for an exhibition in Oxford about ‘contemporary fairytales’, I’m doing some work for a company called Kigu, who make brilliant onesies. I’ve just started a collection of Dinosaurs (because I love them) but also because I’ve been asked by the Natural History Museum to produce contemporary Dino products. I had an interesting email in my inbox this week about wallpaper design, so that could be happening too soon. Ohh Deer products will soon be on sale in Topshop and Paperchase as well as Scribbler and hopefully some other high street chains – so our mission to create a ‘launchpad’ for the artists is definitely taking shape. Next it will be the world.

Drew Turner, Ohh Deer
Rebecca Potter, Ohh Deer
Kris Tate, Ohh Deer

How often do you put pen to paper?
I don’t get to draw all that often, I don’t have any free time at all, I’m working to be able to do more, by hiring a PA to manage some of the details, but I normally output a single Illustration every two months or so.

What’s the best aspect of starting up your own business?
Being your own boss. I’m unemployable – and by that I don’t mean I’m not professional, I just get restless, bored and disappointed with an unvarying list of jobs to do. I also love the ability to help support and nourish the careers of lots of awesome illustrators – our online following allows us to showcase work and host public facing competitions to see what other brilliant work is out there.

And the worst?
Not having enough hours in the day.

Jaco Haasbroek, Ohh Deer

What advice would you give to budding illustrators?
Say yes to everything – Don’t expect to make any money to begin with, and when you’ve got some projects under your belt, don’t let big companies bully you for cheap labour, you’re a very talented individual and don’t you forget it!

Ruben Ireland, Ohh Deer

The beautiful illustrations in this piece were provided by Jamie Mitchell. The Ohh Deer products are by a range of illustrators and you can find them all on the Ohh Deer website.

Written by Jessica Cook on Thursday April 11th, 2013 10:06 am

Categories ,Alice Potter, ,architecture, ,collective, ,contemporary fairytales, ,cushions, ,David Attenborough, ,dinos, ,draw, ,Emma May, ,Graphic Design, ,greeting cards, ,Homeware, ,illustration, ,illustrators, ,Jack Teagle, ,Jamie Mills, ,Jamie Mitchell, ,Kigu, ,Kris Tate., ,Mark Callaby, ,Miguel Mansur, ,natural history museum, ,Nicholas Darby, ,Ohh Deer, ,onesies, ,Online Shop, ,Paperchase, ,Ruben Ireland, ,Sandra Dieckmann, ,Scribbler, ,shop, ,T shirt Club, ,topshop, ,twitter, ,Universal music, ,William Branton, ,Wrap Magazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Putting optical illusions on homeware: an interview with designer maker Dionne Sylvester

Dionne Sylvester plate designs
I first discovered the striking homeware of designer maker Dionne Sylvester at Spitalfields Market earlier this year, where they immediately caught my attention. Her colourful designs give traditional teacups, plates and upholstery a zingy modern update inspired by the play of light on the Caribbean sea and a fascination with optical illusions. I love them!

Dionne Sylvester portrait
Where do you find inspiration for the combinations of colours that you put together?
My inspiration first came from looking at different menswear books, which led to researching the phenomenon of British Dandies and the collections of Ozwald Boateng in particular. I like the smart appearance of the Dandies and the extravagant colour clashes so beloved of Boateng, who uses unexpected shades for the inner lining as his signature look. My shocking colour ways are also influenced by Caribbean culture. You can see these references running through my range because it is both fun and traditional.

Dionne Sylvester designs Meadow
How do you create the feel of optical illusions within your artwork?
I use a combination of simple techniques to create illusions. The main image is often created in a prominent colour so that your eye is led to it, even though it has been well hidden in the final design. Sometimes other colours further distract the eye from the original image. When your eye detects a form your mind will then create logic from the whole pattern. It’s really nice to hear what people see in my designs: birds, dancing people, faces and just about anything you can think of. Everyone sees something different in my work.

Dionne Sylvester bolster cushion
What was the best thing you learnt during your degree in fashion design in Falmouth?
The best thing I learnt was digital printing, I was really lucky that I had the best technicians and I was taught so much about the practical uses of the equipment because I was in the first year to do the fashion degree. This meant that the technicians had a bit more time to give us tips on using everything and it was all new. I completed the first year on a Contemporary Crafts degree before I changed over to Fashion, which is funny since I have now gone back full circle and my work could be included under the umbrella of ‘craft’. My studies enabled me to pick up a real fusion of different skills.

Dionne Sylvester teacup designs
Why did you decide to crossover into the production of homewares, and what has been the easiest and hardest things about the transition?
I’m still not sure how it happened! But, I knew I wanted to do something of my own and I love making and being creative. I bought the same equipment that I used at uni to do digital printing for fabric and it started from there when I began to experiment with the equipment boundaries. The first products I produced were sets of teacups which I got into a shop in Margate a week later, and the original prints on those are still being used on products which I sell.

Dionne Sylvester designs mugs
The easiest part of all of this is how creative I can be and I am basically making, designing, painting and producing pretty things on most days. But the hardest transition is that I’m learning as I go along. I didn’t know anything about homewares or the craft business. From production to location of selling and keeping accounts, I am constantly learning. But it is still fun and I have met lovely people on the journey.

Where and how are your products made?
I source all my products locally or from within the UK, and I produce all my products from my home studio in Kent. It’s a bit crazy and gets messy, but it works at the moment. I’m looking into getting the ceramics made by a specialist outsource as I want to expand my ceramic range.

White Horses Whitstable art sails
How did you get involved with the White Horses Whitstable project and what inspired the final design that appeared on a sail? (see Dionne’s sail on the far left)
I got involved with White Horses when I saw their advertisement for local artists and I wanted to be part of the project because it sounded very unusual and I have never been involved with producing public art before. The print that was featured on my sail is called A Water Dance and was inspired by my travels to the Caribbean – inspiration came from looking at how the sea reflects the different colours around it, changing the tone and creating movement and textures. I thought that would fit in well with the theme and it is also one of my favourite designs that is featured on my range of cushions.

White Horses Whitstable 2013. Photo courtesy of Leo Mason.

Whom do you produce fashion prints for, and how do these complement your own range?
I have sold to Bally, Gap and straight to textiles houses. My designs for fashion are very different as they tend to feature hand drawn illustrations in pen and ink and use a lot less colour than in my own work. I make mini collections of prints around themes such as decaying nature, the human body and creepy animals.

Dionne Sylvester- a water dance
Dionne Sylvester – A Water Dance.

How has the Prince’s Trust enabled your business to grow?
The Prince’s Trust has been brilliant! I went to them when I was unsure of what I wanted to do, and my mentor made me think about the possibilities of my small idea. She made me realise how much I had learnt from my studies and what an enormous love of art, craft and design I have. Taking part gave me the confidence to use all the skills I have.

Dionne Sylvester designs cushions
Where can interested readers find you in the run up to Christmas?
With the run up to Christmas, I’m going to be selling in Style Market on Saturdays at Spitalfields Market, at Handmade Christmas in the O2 on 15th December and at the Of Cabbage of Kings Christmas Market in Stoke Newington on 15th December.

Lastly, I believe you now live in Chatham in Kent – can you share with us what is happening creatively in the area? I’d love to know…
I have always worked and socialised in London but it has been three years since I left uni and I’ve kind of settled in Chatham now. There is a really creative buzz going on in Medway with lots of artists and designers hosting interesting events. This is not just because of the different arts universities in the area – it feels as if the local people are coming together to make a creative community, which is growing very quickly. It will be interesting to see how Medway artists affect the local landscape in the coming years.

You can find Dionne Sylvester‘s etsy shop right here. Photography by Caroline Wenham.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday September 2nd, 2013 1:41 pm

Categories ,A Water Dance, ,Bally, ,Caribbean, ,Caroline Wenham, ,Chatham, ,colour, ,Contemporary Crafts, ,craft, ,Dandy, ,designer, ,Dionne Sylvester, ,Falmouth, ,fashion, ,Fashion Print, ,Gap, ,Handmade Christmas, ,Homeware, ,kent, ,Leo Mason, ,Maker, ,Margate, ,Medway, ,Medway Towns, ,O2, ,Of Cabbage of Kings, ,Optical Illusion, ,Ozwald Boateng, ,Sail, ,Spitalfields Market, ,Stoke Newington, ,Style Market, ,textile, ,The Prince’s Trust, ,White Horses Whitstable

Amelia’s Magazine | Melody Rose Ceramics: an interview with fine bone china homeware designer Melanie Roseveare

Melody Rose skull plates

Designs by Melody Rose first caught my eye at the Renegade Craft Fair a few years ago, and then I bumped into the lady behind the brand at Tent London again this September and was excited to discover how her line of quirky decorated ceramics has grown in the intervening years. In addition to her original range of up cycled plates and tea cups designer Melanie Roseveare has recently launched a complementary fine bone china range that features her trademark idiosyncratic motifs. Think skulls, kissing couples, dragonflies, wolves and nudes. And some exciting new dramatic designs on the way for 2014…

Wolf Plate Melody Rose

Can you tell us a bit about your background: how did you come to work with ceramics and where did you learn your aesthetic from?
I wanted to be a painter when I was young but got a job with an international wine and spirits company when I moved to the UK from Canada in my early 20′s. It was a great experience and I did travel with my job and even went to live for a few years in South Africa but still missed my first love, art, and so I continued to make. When I returned to London I decided to work freelance and I took a range of part time courses in ceramics. I was very inspired when I saw Grayson Perry‘s Turner Prize winning show and the way he used the surface of his pieces as a canvas for his ideas. He was using a digital process to produce images to print on ceramics and I decided to learn everything I could from there.

Melody Rose ceramics - Skull in Crown dome

I believe you grew up in Canada, what brought you to the UK and what do you miss most about your home country?
I grew up in Canada and moved to the UK in my early twenties when I fell in love with London. The things I miss most about my home country is family and friends. I also miss the countryside especially in the autumn when all the leaves are changing colours, it’s incredibly vibrant and beautiful and my favourite time of year.

Melody Rose - Kissing Couple and saucer on log

What do you look for in the up cycled china pieces that you use?
I always look for pieces that are great quality and from a good factory if I can, and condition’s really important. I also love finding pieces that are quirky with interesting original details to add to and transform.

Melody Rose -Upcycled Vintage Vulture Side Plate

Why is it important to you to take an ecological approach to your designs?
I think it’s really important to try and reuse wherever I can. I’ve always collected antique and vintage ceramics and couldn’t believe the amount that sits unused or wasted in attics, charity shops, auctions while people buy more and more new pieces. It’s just such a waste of resources but also often of beautiful quality pieces that should be enjoyed and still have plenty of life in them. I love to introduce the idea of using pieces everyday that were once thought of as for ‘special occasion’ only.

Melody Rose ceramics bare bottoms plate

Why did you recently decide to branch out into your own bone china design production, and what can customers expect to find in this collection?
I was constantly being asked to make big tea and dinner sets for people and also to make much larger numbers of pieces so I decided to launch the range of tableware to go with my upcycled collection. I like the idea that people can choose from either range or they can mix and match from both ranges to create unique settings.

Melody Rose Gold Skull teacup

You particularly like to play with surreal combinations in your designs, where do you look for inspiration?
I take inspiration from the everyday things around me. I like to make pieces that have humour and are playful, but with an edge. I always liked the theatrical style of the baroque period and I was very influenced by surrealist painters when I was young. I like to think I can capture those feelings on my pieces.

Melody Rose china- The girl with cups hanging

How do you hope that your customers will use your ceramics, and what is the best part about seeing them in use?
The pieces do look beautiful on display, but they are completely functional and it’s great to see them in use. I love to see people taking pleasure from pouring a cup of tea.

Melody Rose - Dragonflies Bone China Teacup

What has been the highlight of running your own business so far?
Every week there’s something new and exciting and it’s constantly surprising me how much pleasure I have from my work. I’m very proud to be selling my ceramics in 15 countries around the world now and in some great galleries and shops as well as online.

Melody Rose - Skull in Crown Profile

Any downsides that you can share, and any tips for newcomers hoping to establish their own product design business?
It’s been a huge learning curve setting up Melody Rose. There’s always a new challenge and you have to really learn from your mistakes and move on rather than let it hold you back. It sounds like a cliche but you have to absolutely believe in what you are doing and be passionate about it. It’s a huge amount of work to get going and there’s no set hours so it’s a real labour of love.

Melody Rose Kissing Couple Side plate crop

What are you planning in 2014, and can you share any sneak peaks into new designs you are working on?
I will launching a new collection a bit later in the year in 2014. I don’t have anything to show at the moment but you can expect to see a lot of colour and a lot of drama!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday November 20th, 2013 12:03 pm

Categories ,canada, ,ceramics, ,eco, ,ethical, ,Homeware, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Renegade Craft Fair, ,Saucers, ,South Africa, ,Teacups, ,Tent London, ,Turner Prize, ,Upcycled

Amelia’s Magazine | An Interview with Yasmin Dilekkaya of Yas-Ming Ceramics

Yas Ming ceramics by Lauren Kelly Yas -Ming by Lauren Kelly

I’m a big fan of collaborations and the wonders they can produce, and Yas-Ming Ceramics is no exception. Begotten from a project between Yasmin Dilekkaya and Ming Wai Sun during their time at University for the Creative Arts in Rochester, these animal mugs, bowls and other items could give the Urban Outfitters homeware section a run for its money. Talking-pieces as well as beautiful kitchen thingymabobs, their handcrafted ceramics are slip-cast, with press moulding and hand building also used in their creation.

Yas Ming
Yas Ming (1)

Fun is vital part of the brand and the product lines are named accordingly: Moo Cups, Rawr Bowls, Oink, Squeak and Nay. The mugs are my fave, available with an animal head or a bum on the mug instead of a handle, you can choose from a delicate giraffe, fierce lion, stern horse, cute pig, grumpy cow and majestic ram. There’s all sorts of other stuff too including bowls with animal faces and posteriors, dishes with adorable characters patiently watching you munch down your nosh, and even little ceramic chopstick holders that let your eating implements have a quick rest.

Having bumped into Yas at the Ohh Deer Pop-Launch and spent an evening with her talking about ceramics, I can confirm that not only are the products from this exquisite little brand lovely, but the people behind it are too. I spoke to Co-Founder Yasmin Dilekkaya about mugs with bums and getting a creative company off the ground.

Yas Ming

Can you tell me a little about both yourself and Ming?
We met while we where studying on an Applied Arts degree, Ming Wai was born in Hong Kong and is now living in the UK with her husband and daughter. I have a Turkish Cypriot background, but born and grew up in England. Our multicultural backgrounds were a stimulus and inspiration to us while designing and making at university.

Yas Ming by Lilly Allen
Yas-Ming by Lilly Allen

How did you get the idea for the mugs?
In our final year at uni, as a year group, we had to raise money for our end of year Graduate Show. At this point I was making a set of Turkish coffee cups and Ming Wai was making beautifully elaborate 3D ceramic picture frames that had animals coming out of them. We had the idea of attaching the animals to the cups so we had a product that we could sell around university. The cups were really popular so after Graduation we decided to see how much further we could push the idea.

Yas Ming
Yas Ming ceramics by Lauren Kelly
Yas -Ming by Lauren Kelly

Why did you start making the mugs with ‘bums’?
In the beginning we experimented a lot with cutting the animals in half and seeing where they worked on the cups/bowls and we thought it was a fun idea to have bums as handles as well as the heads.

Which events have you been at in the last year, and what do you have planned for future?
In the past year we have been part of lots of great events from trade shows to markets and pop-up shops. We have had the opportunity to work with some fantastic organisations. Highlights include being selected by The Secret Emporium to be part of their Christmas Market and their Boxpark Pop-Up. Also, exhibiting in Launchpad at Pulse, getting to meet lots of new potential stockists and being part of the Ohh Deer Pop-up where we have been asked to run a ceramic workshop. We have another pop-up with Crafty Fox and Brixi next month, with lots to look forward to in the coming months.

Yas Ming

What kind of reactions do the pieces usually get?
They generally get a great reaction, sometimes it takes a while for people to register what they are looking at, and you can watch as their face goes from confused to a smile. There are always lots of smiles, laughter, and people love to pick them up and try out holding them.

Can you explain the process that goes into making the mugs?
We use moulds to cast the animals and moulds to cast the cups/bowls/dishes, once they are out of their moulds the two pieces are carefully attached together by hand and put into the kiln for the first firing. They then get glazed and put into the kiln for a second time.

Yas Ming by Lilly Allen 2
Yas-Ming by Lilly Allen

Is handcrafting your products important to you, or do you think in future you would consider mass-production?
It is important to us, we use traditional techniques and are proud that each piece is touched and crafted by the hand of a skilled craftsperson. It gives the work personality and quirks that you would not get from factory mass-production.

Yas Ming

Do you have a favourite animal?
That’s such a hard question, I have favourite animals for different products. I like the Rat Oink because I like the way he looks when he has sauce in the dish. The Cow Rawr is also a favourite, I use it for my cereal most days. The Giraffe Moo I also love as it’s is beautifully elegant.

What’s the greatest challenge of setting up a business?
Like a lot of new businesses we have had a huge amount of challenges, ours were mostly kiln problems and production issues at the start. Now we have some great people in Stoke helping us produce the products, the challenges have changed.

How do you take your tea?
Two sugars and not much milk.

Yas Ming
Yas Ming by Nikki Miles
Yas-Ming by Nikki Miles

To get your hands on these Baa-utiful ceramics, check out the Yas-Ming website at www.yas-ming.co.uk

Written by Jessica Cook on Friday July 5th, 2013 11:28 am

Categories ,animals, ,Applied Arts, ,Boxpark, ,Brixi, ,cast, ,chopsticks, ,Clay, ,Crafty Fox, ,glazed, ,Graduate Show, ,graduation, ,Homeware, ,jessicasrcook, ,Lauren Kelly, ,Lilly Allen, ,moulds, ,Mugs, ,Nikki Miles, ,Ohh Deer, ,Pulse, ,The Secret Emporium, ,trade shows, ,workshop, ,Yas-Ming, ,Yasmin Dilekkaya

Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2012: 12 Top Kitchenware Designs

productofyourenvironment jammie dodger plate
I’ve brought you the best cushions, the best mugs and the best tea towels, and now here is the best of the rest of the homewares I found whilst scouring craft fairs and the web for interesting and unique gifts.

If you love slightly kitsch tableware you’ll love these Jammie Dodger biscuit serving plates, created by product designer Rebecca Chitty of productofyourenvironment.

lucentia plastic bowls
I am a little bit in love with these unusual marble effect bowls made out of recycled material originally used for sunglasses frames: created by Lucentia using an innovative in-house process. These awesome bowls are sent out within a week so get ordering.

Jim Bob art Mr Fox coffee cups
Jim Bob Art is still hard at work creating his amazing animal plates, but he is also now hand painting these brilliant sets of coffee cups: which work to perfection when stacked. He is currently holding court in his own shop on Columbia Road, so why not visit in the run up to Christmas?

Lush designs vegetable oven gloves
I’ve already mentioned Lush Designs once but I’m going to mention them again because their quirky print designs are right up my street. I love these vegetable oven gloves – sprouts, carrots and beetroot make such a great seasonal colour combo.

mini modem plates
You can always count on Mini Moderns for a slice of great design: check out these marvellous backgammon tea plates.

Silicone-Trivets-Royal VKB Haus London
Recently discovered: I love Smak, Grum, Blub and Slisss silicone animal shaped trivets by Ontwerperk at Haus London – based on pre-historic rock art. One to please the men too I think.

Grande Dame Madam & Eve Limited Edition Porcelain Dinner Plate
For beautiful decorative porcelain plates I always come back to the inimitable designs of Burnt Offerings by Grande Dame: Tiff McGinnis is an American expat and in honour of New York recognising same sex marriage she has created this wonderful range of plates. Choose from Madam and Eve or Adam and Steve. Get 30% off using the code SANTASALE before Dec 20th!

london plane chopping boards by Hampson Woods
Also in stock at Haus London are these beautiful wooden chopping boards created in a Hackney workshop by Hampson Woods from fallen London Plane trees. Gloriously smooth and sexy to the touch (I’m not making it up, I’ve touched one). Each board comes with a tag explaining the provenance of the tree it came from.

rob-ryan-set-of-4-this-was-our-place-china-plates
Rob Ryan of course deserves a mention, now that he designs such a wide range of ceramic wares. I particularly like this set of four plates titled ‘This Was Our Place‘, available at Soma Gallery.

marcus walters tray howkapow
And to round off my tips for fabulous kitchenware purchases: three beautiful laminated wooden trays, all made from sustainably sourced Scandinavian birch wood. The biggest tray is a retro design by Marcus Walters for Howkapow.

Or try this sweet mouse tray by Darling Clementine at Soma Gallery.

Jonna Saarinen Wooden Breakfast and Picnic Trays
And to round off my selection: pick one of these fabulous abstract neon splatter designs by Swedish RCA graduate Jonna Saarinen.

Stay tuned: more to come soon!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday December 10th, 2012 6:15 pm

Categories ,Adam and Steve, ,Blub, ,Burnt Offerings, ,ceramics, ,Chopping board, ,Christmas, ,Columbia Road, ,Craft Fair, ,Darling Clementine, ,gifts, ,Grande Dame, ,Grum, ,hackney, ,Hampson Woods, ,Haus London, ,Homeware, ,Howkapow, ,Jammie Dodger, ,Jim Bob Art, ,Jonna Saarinen, ,Kitchen, ,Kitchenware, ,London Plane, ,Lucentia, ,Lush Designs, ,Madam and Eve, ,Marcus Walters, ,Mini Moderns, ,Ontwerperk, ,Plates, ,productofyourenvironment, ,rca, ,Rebecca Chitty, ,recycled, ,rob ryan, ,Silicone trivet, ,Slisss, ,Smak, ,Soma Gallery, ,Sunglasses, ,sustainable, ,This Was Our Place, ,Tiff McGinnis, ,Wooden tray

Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2012: Top Ten Best Mugs by Illustrators and Designers

lisa jones beaver mug
Beaver Mug by Lisa Jones. I *love* beavers so I was super excited to find this. No really, don’t laugh.

Next up: my recommendations for mugs. Yes, a whole blog devoted to the sexiest mug designs: I can’t resist them! There is nothing better than a good cup of tea in a beautifully designed and well proportioned mug, so I’ve scoured the internet to bring you these great designs: just in time for Christmas.

lisa jones jungle lion mug
I was so pleased to discover that Lisa Jones has applied her wonderful retro style critters to bone china mugs.

Lush Designs Fox and Cubs Mug
I am a massive fan of Lush Designs – two designers who work together to create totally inimitable artwork – think wild boars, swinging monkeys, strutting cats, all with gold detailing. We have their fine bone china mugs at home and I LOVE THEM. They were meant as gifts but they never left the house…

1973 graffika mugs
I love 1973, and not just because this husband and wife team were born in 1973 (and so was I) – their shapely new Grafika mugs bear bold optical designs.

Leaf Branch Mug LavenderGrey Freya Lines
And for something a bit more subtle, how about this leaf branch mug by Freya Lines? Originally created in pencil and watercolour, then digitally printed onto china in Stoke-on-Trent.

ben javens mug
Fab character illustrator Ben Javens has created this fun landscape design for new website Beast in Show, an off shoot of To Dry For.

dupenny 50s housewive mug
For something a bit more saucy how about a 50s housewives cavorting with her washing, on mugs designed by Dupenny.

Kate clarke london mugs
Then hop on over to Kate Clarke London for bright and happy homewares: a Craft Central discovery.

Gemma Correll pugs not drugs mug
Also from Beast in Show, Gemma Correll‘s classic Pugs Not Drugs design now comes on a mug: I love the detail on the base inside. Mmm, Biscuits, indeed.

Bone China 'Acorn' mug by Donna Wilson
Donna Wilson turns her hand to ceramics with this lovely bone china mug featuring a mid-century-inspired Acorn design, available from Soma Gallery.

ingela-p-arrhenius-porcelain-tree-mug
Swedish designer Ingela P Arrhenius is a renowned illustrator whose retro influenced designs appear in books, on clothes and across fabrics and stationary. I love this bird mug! Available on Hus and Hem, a website that features loads of great Scandinavian design.

There are many more gift ideas to come… and to read all about my best cushion finds, click here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday December 5th, 2012 9:47 pm

Categories ,1973, ,50s Housewife, ,Acorn mug, ,Animal, ,Beast in Show, ,Beaver mug, ,Ben Javens, ,Bird, ,Bone China, ,ceramics, ,Christmas, ,craft, ,Craft Central, ,design, ,designer, ,Donna Wilson, ,Dupenny, ,Fox and Cubs Mug, ,Freya Lines. Stoke-on-Trent, ,Gemma Correll, ,gifts, ,Grafika, ,graphic, ,Homeware, ,Hus and Hem, ,illustration, ,Ingela P Arrhenius, ,Jungle Lion mug, ,Kate Clarke London, ,Lisa Jones, ,Lush Designs, ,Mugs, ,Optical, ,Porcelain, ,Pugs Not Drugs mug, ,retro, ,Scandinavian, ,Soma Gallery, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,tea, ,To Dry For