Tent London

Amelia’s Magazine | Meet Parris Wakefield: Featured Artist from That Which We Do Not Understand

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Amelias_magazine_TWWDNU_Parris_Wakefield_order_outof_chaos
Sarah Parris has a background in environmental science and is one half of interiors design duo Parris Wakefield, who create colourful graphic textiles that I first fell in love with at Tent London last year. Order from Chaos was inspired by an interest in science, astronomy and nature, and ponders some big questions. ‘How did the universe begin? Why does the natural world follow the same mathematical patterns? Is it chance or some greater force at work, that brings such order from chaos?’ The geometric pattern follows the rules of the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, which is applicable to the growth of every living thing.

ParrisWakefield-fabric rolls 480px 72dpi
Before becoming a designer you studied environmental science – how did this career evolve into your current one?
My career path has gone in several directions and ending up in design was really very much by luck. I had always intended to work in conservation. My first job was leading a summer holiday club at a country park. I loved it so, I went back to uni and got a PGCE in secondary school science, specialising in environmental education. After a few years though, I realised teaching in schools was not my calling and I needed to get out. Thankfully I met Howard who was looking for an admin and project manager at his design studio. He worked with world renowned designer Peter Saville, I slowly got more involved and was increasingly asked my opinion about colour and imagery which led to me creating my own digital imagery for the studio.

ParrisWakefield-zig zag cushion and shade 480px 72dpi
How did you research the geometric shapes for your piece Order from Chaos?
It is something I have always been amazed at, nature’s mathematical patterns are so fascinating and beautiful. A few years ago we worked on a graphic identity proposal for the Discovery Channel, which we based on the Fibonacci sequence, it didn’t go ahead but I learnt a lot about Fibonacci. This time, I didn’t want to simply recreate the classic spiral pattern, preferring the shapes based on the principles of the Golden section, Golden triangle and Fibonacci which are all interlinked.

Mia sofa by Jane Richards upholstered in Forget Me Not by Parris Wakefield 480px
What scientific ideas boggle your mind the most at the moment?
The fact that just yesterday a probe landed on a comet is quite mind boggling. The Rosetta spacecraft was launched more than 10 years ago, has travelled more than 6bn kilometres to catch up with the comet, which orbits the sun at speeds up to 135,000km/h. – wow!

studio photo Parris Wakefield
How do you create your unique patterns?
The patterns start with the colours, this is why I rarely recolour a pattern. I work with the selected colour palette straight away in photoshop, the pattern evolves quite organically, building up the pattern on different layers which we interact with each other. Working this way, I know how to manipulate the colours to get the effect I want, but also the unexpected can happen which is exciting.

Bliss-wallpaper-in-production-parris_wakefield
Your business is a partnership with your husband Howard, how easy is it to work together and what is your secret to a harmonious business relationship?
Working with Howard is the easiest most natural thing, we have been working together for 13 years and I wouldn’t want that to change. We are on the same wavelength but have different skills, I cannot do what he does and so I have a huge respect for his graphic design knowledge. Equally he couldn’t get on and focus on his work if I didn’t do all the invoicing, marketing admin side of things. Our patterns are always a collaboration between the two of us, we often sit together and work on the pattern or share the file and work on different layers and then together decide on which ones to use and interact. With Order from Chaos I was really happy with the ‘Big Bang’ background but couldn’t get the geometric shapes right, the final combination and position was thanks to Howard.

wildflowers
What has been the best bit of relocating to Suffolk?
Suffolk is such a beautiful county. We are very lucky to live surrounded by one of the few remaining large common lands that is still grazed and rich with wildflowers. The school is a short bike ride away and our studio is in the attic of our barn. Moving here has given us the best work life balance that we could imagine with the bonus of allowing us and the kids to get up close with nature.

marthe_parris_wakefield
What next for the Parris Wakefield design business?
There are many products I would like to have the opportunity to design and the idea of collaborating with other creatives is really exciting. One that is already in the pipeline is our collaboration with Camira Fabrics and printing one of our designs on to wool. But I would also love to do carpet and ceramic designs so any companies out there looking for a new collaboration do get in touch…

Read more about the Parris Wakefield print here and buy your limited edition gold leaf Order from Chaos here. It would make a beautiful addition to any wall!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday November 17th, 2014 9:18 am

Categories ,#TWWDNU, ,Camira Fabrics, ,Discovery Channel, ,Fibonacci, ,Interior Design, ,Order from Chaos, ,Peter Saville, ,Rosetta, ,Sarah Parris, ,Suffolk, ,surface design, ,Tent London, ,Textile Design, ,That Which We Do Not Understand

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

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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

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Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing B-Goods by Huddle Formation Creative Studios

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B Goods Greenland-Cushions

B-Goods is a textiles and interiors brand that combines bold use of colour, hints of nostalgia and a Scandi sensibility to create patterns that achieve the perfect balance of playfulness and modernity. All B-Goods textile patterns, artwork and products are designed and handmade by Ben and Fi O’Brien in their Somerset studio and printed in the UK. I caught up with Fi O’Brien to find out more about their design process and future plans…

BGoods-Ben-and-Fi
BGoods-Studio
B Goods is a collaborative effort between you and Ben the Illustrator, how do you balance your skills to create the designs?
It’s quite a natural, organic process really. My passions are in textiles, interiors and products, whereas Ben’s mind is filled with illustration and colour. We always begin with a pattern concept which could come from either of us, then we enjoy a bit of mood-boarding and sketching before Ben moves on to illustrating the pattern design, meanwhile it’s my job to give Ben’s illustration an end purpose. Once the textiles arrive in the studio from the printers, it’s time for me to get making!

Geo Graphica Black Cushion
What are your biggest inspirations in terms of both surface and product design?
In terms of pattern design both Ben and I feed off forests, nature, cabins, atomic ranches and mid century design but in the same moment take great inspiration from cities, graffiti and music. I think it’s the juxtaposition of the two very different forms of inspiration that creates something magical. When it comes to product design I like to think of the best way the patterns can be captured and experienced by the customer rather than simply placing a pattern on everything and anything. To date we’ve been focused on playing with textiles as our sole material, but that is all about to change!

B Goods Alpine-Adventures
How did you and Ben come to work together as Huddle Formation, and what have been the triumphs and pitfalls of working with your partner so closely?
Ben and I have worked together for almost 8 years now, basically doing what we do now albeit unofficially, hence why we decided it was time to create Huddle Formation, offering ourselves as a multidisciplinary creative studio, illustrating, designing and making! Generally we work really well together with a nice natural flow to our working day. Our minds are constantly ticking with ideas for patterns and products so it’s great to be able to bounce ideas off eachother and run up to the studio and just create whenever we want! I suppose a pitfall is that it’s very hard for us to switch off from work as it doesn’t feel like work to us, but Woody, our 5 year old son, make’s sure that we do!

B Goods Tabletop-Tipi
How long have you lived in Somerset and what are the benefits of living in that area of the world?
We’ve been in Frome, Somerset for almost 3 years now and we absolutely love it! It’s such a brilliant buzzing little town, full of creative people with a really strong independent ethos which suits us perfectly! We also love being able to jump in the car and be right in the middle of the woods in 10 minutes. It’s also easy for us to get to London and Bristol for our city fix, but nice knowing we can escape back to Somerset!

B Goods Greenland-Soft-box
Where can readers buy the B Goods collection?
Currently only via our online store at B-Goods.com, but this year we will be on the lookout for likeminded retailers!

B Goods Greenland-Cushion
I hear you’ve got big plans for 2015 and we hope to see your new collection at Tent London this year – what have you got in store?
Yes, we are incredibly excited about exhibiting at Tent London! We are currently working on two fresh new patterns that we are equally excited about and experimenting with some new materials, learning and having fun as we go! We are developing some ceramic, wood and upholstered products so it is definitely all go for us at the moment! Just the way we like it ;)

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday January 26th, 2015 6:57 pm

Categories ,B Goods, ,Fi and Ben O’Brien, ,Frome, ,Huddle Formation, ,somerset, ,Tent London, ,Woody

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Amelia’s Magazine | Home London at Olympia, January 2015: Review

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WOW_Home_london
WOW lighting from Pad Home.

This year I attended the January Home London show with toddler in tow, since needs must. He was very, erm, helpful, on the first leg… then promptly fell asleep in his buggy after lunch (something he never ever does) – giving me a good few hours to see more of the show and actually chat with the designers.

Ella_Doran_vintage_toy_car_wallpaper
First stop, vintage toy car wallpaper by Ella Doran went down especially well with Snarf.

Michael_Angove_Ary_Trays
Åry Trays is a Scandinavian manufacturer of birchwood trays who work with a host of designers including many UK based ones. I particularly liked quirky designs by RCA alumni Michael Angove.

Nazanin_Kamali_Minecraft_cushion
Shrimp_cushion_Nazanin_Kamali
Snarfle made a beeline for this Minecraft inspired beanbag by furniture designer turned artisanal textiles designer Nazanin Kamali. She had made it for her own son and was very tolerant of his desire to kick his shoes off and pretend sleep, and even helped bribe his removal with a handy chocolate coin. Her unusual embroidered shrimp cushion got a huge amount of love when I posted it on instagram – a sign, perhaps, that people are growing weary of the ubiquitous owls and foxes that still dominate current decorative designs. Find her cushions stocked in SCP.

Otago_design_beaded_pots
I discovered Otago Design at last year’s Tent London (about which I still planning some kind of review… unfortunately my Kickstarter campaign to produce a book got in the way of an earlier blog). I really love the way they marry African design sensibilities with contemporary design.

Toby_House_iridescent_lighting
One of my absolute favourite finds was this amazing iridescent flat pack lighting by the relatively new TOBYhouse from London based designer Toby Sanders. Having already wowed the world with super fun Beach Ball lights, this is his latest innovation.

Moomin_tile_arabia
Arabia make a whole host of Moomin ceramics that are just so darn cute… can’t wait for Snarf to get better with china!

Klaus_Haapaniemi_iitala_dancing_foxes
Klaus Haapaniemi does it again for Iitala with these gorgeous dancing foxes. His designs are out of this world, if only I could afford to own some.

Lush Designs_Beekeeper_Snarfle
Lush_Designs_unicorn_plate
Lush_designs_ceramic_kitty
Snarfle gave the thumbs up to the new Bee Garden fabric design by Lush Designs, and we were both enamoured with their lovely new range of melamine tableware for little ones, inspired by requests from customers with kids who frequent their East Dulwich shop. The unisex designs feature a unicorn and a lion, and Snarf promptly set up a play kitchen to make us cups of tea with the beakers. Also new to the range: these ceramic kitty money boxes.

Fanny_Shorter
This year the COADG curated area had grown, with some old names joined by new finds. Fanny Shorter textiles are always a winner, and I’m looking forward to her new collection, due for release later this year.

Laura_Slater_cushions
I am in no way surprised that designer Laura Slater has created a bespoke collection for Heals. Love these painterly designs!

Anna_Jacobs_lamps
These awesome hot pink flamingo lampshades are by Anna Jacobs.

Thorody
Thorody is the brain child of fine artists Vicky Putler and Theo Sykes, who are inspired by a combination of Modernism and South East London life. The resulting graphic designs are super slick and wearable for the home.

My Top Drawer review is coming up next!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Sunday January 18th, 2015 2:43 pm

Categories ,2015, ,Anna Jacobs, ,Arabia, ,Åry Trays, ,Beach Ball lights, ,Bee Garden, ,COADG, ,Ella Doran, ,Fanny Shorter, ,flamingo, ,Heals, ,Home London, ,Iitala, ,instagram, ,Kickstarter, ,kitty money boxes, ,Klaus Haapaniemi, ,Laura Slater, ,Lush Designs, ,Michael Angove, ,Minecraft, ,Moomin, ,Nazanin Kamali, ,Olympia, ,Otago Design, ,Pad Home, ,review, ,SCP, ,Snarfle, ,Tent London, ,Theo Sykes, ,Thorody, ,Toby Sanders, ,TOBYhouse, ,Top Drawer, ,Vicky Putler

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Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2013: Homeware and Prints for the Wall

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scout editions mistletoe in a bottle

Scout Editions: mistletoe in a bottle card.

When my new website launches you’ll be able to find unique hand made designer items to suit all aspects of your life. Homeware and prints for the wall offer the perfect places to apply surface design and illustration, so why not delve in and be inspired? Here’s my round up of gift ideas for Christmas from a selection of those who will be selling on my new market place in the New Year.

Louise Wilkinson trees churn Jug plant lifestyle

Since I belatedly discovered fine bone china by illustrator Louise Wilkinson at Tent London I have fallen in love. Her large fine bone china jug is £26, and comes decorated with lots of friendly little birds hiding amongst the trees. The jugs are hand decorated in Stoke on Trent and are the perfect size for filling up with festive mulled wine, iced water or a sweet posy of flowers.

Anu Samarüütel STRIPY ONES
Anu Samarüütel Couture Girl fashion painting

Artist and designer Anu Samarüütel works between East London and Tallinn in Estonia. Her fabulous acrylic paintings of bubble cheeked girls will be available soon on my website, but in the meantime grab her great Couture Girls painting in black acrylic, available on etsy for £84.

beach-london-christmas-parra-vaso-di-culo

Beach London are currently hosting an exhibition of Malarkey artworks, Puppy Snatcher that is well worth a gander if you are wandering up Brick Lane. They also sell a range of unusual objects that should please the art lover in your life: I particularly like this Vaso Di Culo porcelain vase by Dutch Post-Pop artist Parra, an homage to the rounded bottom of the female figure, with black birds flying all over it. Available online for £175.

Dionne Sylvester Tropical Heat coffee cup set

I am a massive fan of abstract optical decorated tableware by Kent based Dionne Sylvester, also known as Paint Dee. For the coffee lover in your life I recommend this Tropical Heat bone china teacup, saucer and spoon set for just £15. You can read my recent interview with Dionne Sylvester here.

Tattoo Man by Eliza Fricker

Tattoos continue to be all the rage… perhaps that special someone in your life has got more than a few, or perhaps they aspire to a state of maximum body decoration. Either way they will probably love this colourful limited edition Tattoo Man screen print, yours for £50. It was produced by Eliza Fricker of the Baines and Fricker partnership done in collaboration with tattoo artist Adam Sage.

Melody Rose Kissing Couple Side Plate

Melody Rose offers a variety of super special items that would make the perfect gift. Is there someone you are romantically inclined towards? How about this lovely Kissing Couple Side Plate from the Modern SurRealist collection? It’s made out of fine bone china, and comes in three sizes, with a glorious gold edge, all gilded by hand. This side plate costs £30. Read my interview with designer Melanie Roseveare here.

Glow in the Dark Day of The Dead Skull by Typoretum

One of my favourite artworks on East End Prints is this Glow in the Dark Day of The Dead Skull by Typoretum. How cool would this look lighting up your living room at the end of a long day? At £60 this is a limited edition piece so grab a copy fast.

scout editions christmas in a bottle

Scout Editions were another find from the recent Renegade Craft Fair, where I was wowed by their eye catching risograph prints. These festive themed postcards make the perfect Christmas keepsake, at just £2.50 each.

Sian Elin cushions-yellow-grey

Sian Elin‘s colourful textile designs adorn cushions, wallpaper and more. Her Horseshoe Arch design is seen here on a grey and yellow cushion but comes in a limited edition red colour way especially for Christmas for £45.

Sit Furnishings Neon Nebula glassware

The duo behind Sit Furnishings create a range of unusual products to liven up the home, including this Neon Nebula blown glassware, a spectacular one off at £180.

Lastly, I will be sharing gift ideas for babies and young children. In the meantime catch up with my suggestions for fashionable gifts from emerging designers, and the best jewellery gift ideas to wow your loved one.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday December 12th, 2013 10:27 am

Categories ,2013, ,accessories, ,Adam Sage, ,Anu Samarüütel, ,Baines and Fricker, ,Beach London, ,Christmas, ,Couture Girls, ,Dionne Sylvester, ,East End Prints, ,Eliza Fricker, ,Fine bone china, ,Gift ideas, ,Glow in the Dark Day of The Dead Skull, ,Homeware, ,Horseshoe Arch, ,Kissing Couple Side Plate, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Malarkey, ,Melanie Roseveare, ,Melody Rose, ,Modern SurRealist, ,Neon Nebula, ,Paint Dee, ,Parra, ,Prints for the Wall, ,Scout Editions, ,Sian Elin, ,Sit Furnishings, ,Stoke-on-Trent, ,Tableware, ,Tattoo Man, ,Tent London, ,Tropical Heat, ,Typoretum, ,Vaso Di Culo

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Amelia’s Magazine | Alfred & Wilde: an interview with designer Simon Mitchell

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Heart London lifestyle -Alfred&Wilde
I have had my eye on the Alfred & Wilde brand since I first discovered the bold graphic designs of founder Simon Mitchell at the 2014 Tent London exhibition in September last year, and I then convinced him to contribute a special piece about the Platonic Solids for That Which We Do Not Understand, my 10th anniversary book. I caught up with Simon again at the recent Top Drawer at Olympia, and marvelled at the latest additions to his collection: bespoke jewellery created in collaboration with the Wolf & Moon jewellery brand. Here’s the low down on his wonderful style.

Simon Mitchell - Alfred & Wilde
What inspired you to turn from fine art to graphic design?
My fine art practice at university tended to use a lot of graphic design – I created advertising-style posters and lightboxes for my degree show – but the art world never appealed long-term. However, after a few years with an office job I realised I needed a creative outlet, and figured that designing cards and prints might provide this, while also potentially providing a more steady income than being an artist.

Yeshen Venema Photography
How long have you lived in Hackney and how does the area affect your work ethos and design?
I have lived in the area for nearly 7 years now, having lived in North London for four years before that. Both areas – like most of London – have a brilliant mix of people from all over the world, with all the variation in food, music and culture that goes with that. But you really can’t beat Hackney for arts and culture. Hackney Wick is home to the largest community of artists in Europe and Clapton and London Fields are full of the world’s fashion crowd. The city provides constant mental and creative stimulation and is always pushing you to up your game and be better than your peers. I’m not sure how I’d manage if I moved somewhere quieter!

Plywood (black and white) print-Alfred&Wilde
Yeshen Venema Photography Icosahedron-tea-towel-AlfredWilde
Why are you so enamoured of the Platonic Solids?
I’ve always been a bit of a science geek – I studied natural sciences before fine art – so was keen to reference this in my designs. I was drawn to the Platonic Solids because they have a historical and mathematical significance that is intricately linked to what they look like. The geometric shapes were studied by the ancient Greeks but still manage to look like contemporary graphic designs when printed today.

Platonic-Solid-mugs-AlfredWildePlatonic-Solid-mugs-AlfredWilde
What is the process of creating your designs?
I’ve got a box full of cuttings and postcards and bit and pieces, plus Pinterest boards, that I use for ideas. But most of my designs are sketched out on my Mac using an open source version of Illustrator called Inkscape. The software can be a bit limiting which has probably helped shape the style Alfred & Wilde style – less is more!

Cube Brooch-Alfred Wilde
How did the collaboration with Wolf and Moon come about?
I thought the Platonic Solids designs would be perfect for jewellery so was on the look out for someone to collaborate with. Luckily a friend of a friend put me in touch with Hannah from Wolf & Moon who loved the idea. It has been great to team up with a fellow Hackney brand with such a strong focus on geometric shapes. They’ve been amazing to work with.

London notebook-Alfred&Wilde
What was the highlight of your recent Top Drawer outing? Any exciting new retail outlets you can share?
Top Drawer was a great platform for Alfred & Wilde and I had interest from some really well respected retailers. I’m particularly pleased about getting new stockists outside of London in places like Brighton. And I’ll soon be stocked in the Southbank Centre shop in London – that’s pretty exciting!

Gold-Power-Station-lifestyle-AlfredWilde
How hard is it to run a business alongside another job, and do you have any tips for other designers in a similar situation?
I never seem to have enough time for Alfred & Wilde which is difficult, and my to-do list seems endless. But keeping my job on a part-time basis has given me an invaluable financial safety net and I couldn’t have started Alfred & Wilde without it. I think its important to have a job that can be really flexible. I’ve been really lucky that if I have an important event or need to wait in for a delivery I can change my days I’m in the office.

Home-Is-Where-The-Heart-Is-lifestyle-AlfredWilde
What do you hope for the future of Alfred & Wilde?
Whenever I am asked this question I always give the same answer: my dream is to have an Alfred & Wilde HQ in a canalside warehouse in Hackney Wick, with studio space, print facilities, and a cafe, bar and gallery. From there I can run the global design empire!

I wish Simon the best of luck with his plans for the future: let’s hope they happen!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday January 28th, 2015 10:40 am

Categories ,2014, ,Alfred & Wilde, ,hackney, ,Hackney Wick, ,Inkscape, ,Pinterest, ,Platonic Solids, ,Simon Mitchell, ,Southbank centre, ,Tent London, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Top Drawer, ,Wolf & Moon

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Furniture Designer and Maker Anthony Hartley

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Anthony Hartley
I discovered the colourfully unique work of furniture designer and ‘jumped-up joiner‘ Anthony Hartley at Tent London back in September 2011. In this catch up interview I discover how the Yorkshire based artisan has developed his style over the years, from early training on the job to a university degree in design in the year 2000.

Anthony Hartley Edna drawer unit
Anthony Hartley Edna drawer unit.

You launched your latest colourful range at Tent London in 2011, what was the response and what have you been up to since then?
The response I got at tent was slightly overwhelming to be honest, the reactions and comments were all very positive. The thing I liked the most about Tent London was the different crowds over the four days, but the best was the students’ day; the genuine reaction of the enthusiastic and relatively non-cynical youth just can’t be matched.

Anthony Hartley edna close up
Anthony Hartley Edna close up.

You describe yourself as a ‘jumped-up joiner‘ which is a pretty fabulous term. Where did you grow up and how did you learn to design furniture? Was it something that fascinated you from a young age and if so why?
The ‘jumped-up joiner’ thing comes from the mixed feelings of pride and yet utter frustration at being a joiner fitting kitchens and laying floors while yearning to have my own workshop and make the furniture that I had been creating in my head for years. After mentioning this in a conversation to a group of site workmen one particularly sarcastic sparky turned round and said ‘Who does he think he is, the bloody jumped-up joiner?‘ I think it was very soon after that when I started my three years at Leeds College of Art and Design where I had the time a resources to explore my ideas.

Anthony Hartley Frank and Mrs Frank
Anthony Hartley Frank and Mrs Frank.

You only went to art college in 2000, many years after starting to design furniture, how has this influenced your design process since and what did you do in the intervening years before launching your own range in 2010?
From leaving college to getting the workshop took almost another 7 years joinery work to achieve and is still an ongoing thing as I am currently on the the move again to the third (and hopefully final) workshop in 4 years. The choice of machinery (traditional salvaged machines from the mills of the Pennines) comes from the need for reliable, robust yet affordable and easy maintenance pieces of kit that will go on and on for years.

Anthony Hartley Mr Smith the Second chair
Anthony Hartley Mr Smith the Second chair.

Your signature piece is Mr Smith the Second. which I understand is inspired by the iconic stripes so beloved of Paul Smith. Are you a Paul Smith fan when it comes to dressing? And have you had any response from Paul Smith himself?
Mr Smith was a development of the original Frank chair (inspired by the architect Frank Gehry), the response I got was mainly ‘Is that a Paul Smith chair?‘ so I decided to go with it, you never know, it may get noticed by the man himself and generate a sale at least! As to buying his tailoring?? If only!! I’d need a few more orders for Mr Smith to be able to afford it.

Anthony Hartley closeup
What is the design and making process that goes into your furniture and what inspires your bright and beautiful colour palette?
The design and making process is one of trial and error: models, drawings and full size mock ups. The use of colour is a personal thing and no matter how I try it always comes creeping back in the end. Used in the right way, colour can do wonderful things to a piece of furniture and transform and lift something very mundane into something pretty spectacular, whether it be a single colour or a combination.

Anthony Hartley Sidney shelf
Anthony Hartley Sidney shelf.

What can your fans expect in 2012? any exciting new pieces you’d like to unveil?
2012 brings a range of furniture that is very simplistic and more geared towards CNC manufacture than anything I have designed before, prototypes are in place and ready to go as we speak!! So watch this space!!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday January 12th, 2012 11:22 am

Categories ,2011, ,Anthony Hartley, ,CNC, ,colour, ,designer, ,Frank Gehry, ,Furniture, ,interview, ,Jumped-up Joiner, ,Leeds College of Art and Design, ,Mr Smith, ,Mr Smith the Second, ,Paul Smith, ,Tent London

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