Discovering Art With Stephanie


Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Hey everyone! Today, we have Stephanie telling us about her take on art, life and..cats!

Aptly named ‘Inky Cat Studio’, Stephanie’s work can be described as cats, cats, an assortment of other animals too- set with everyday items like scooters, donuts, human stuff..you know?

And she also draws humans. Intrigued? She terms her own art as ‘offbeat’, and I’d add the words..quirky, imaginative and whimsical as well to the mix!

Well, let’s hear what she has to say on the matter!

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hello! My name is Stephanie and I’m an Australian artist living in Singapore for the last 2 years with my husband and two cats. Before that we lived in Sydney where I worked for a long time in the higher education industry.

When I came to Singapore, I worked a few corporate jobs at first but after a while I felt the pull to work for myself and actively make a living from something that I’m passionate about.

After a lot of soul searching, Inky Cat Studio was born in August of 2015 😃

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

What motivates and inspires you the most?

I love producing art that expresses me and my ideas. My motivation is to build a successful business around this passion of mine, so that I can spend quality time with my family, travel and live around the world.

When I need something to inspire me, I like to go through Pinterest and my Instagram feed. There are just so many talented artists with such a great variety of stories to share.

Looking at their work really helps me think of what I could be working on as well and helps kickstart my imagination.

Besides that, I also like listening to podcasts these days and TED Talks are always a great way to feel inspired.

On a personal level, my husband is also a big inspiration because I feel that on this journey, where I am the meandering, often confused traveller, he is the steady and recurring signpost in my life. (He’s also very fast and good about packing all my merchandise hehe)

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

 

I absolutely love your quirky and colourful animal sketches! What is your drawing/painting process like? 

Thanks Aaria 😃 Yes I love drawing animals! Especially when I can put them in odd scenarios like a Pug with a Ninja Sword or a Cat wearing a Donut.

I also paint less oddball animals like this fish, but the process for all of them are roughly the same.

First, I always try to have a strong point of inspiration before I start on a painting.

Lately I’ve realised that if I don’t have a strong feeling or idea, or if I haven’t researched a subject before I paint, it can become quite lifeless and isn’t satisfying for me. Sometimes it could just be a memory of a good joke between my husband and I, or sometimes it’s a video that I see online, whatever it is, I try to set an intention before I paint.

Even if I’m painting abstracts the intention I have is “I’m going to play with colour” or “I’m going to experiment”.

When I know what my intention is then I begin sketching out ideas that I have. When it’s a very clear idea I just sketch directly onto my watercolour paper and just paint away.

Other times it takes a while to fine tune so I do little thumbnails in my sketchbook. When I’m happy with a thumbnail then I draw a final sketch onto watercolour paper and start painting. It’s during the painting process that sometimes I’ll think “this wasn’t such a good idea”, but usually if I have a strong intention beforehand it helps me overcome these doubts so I can at least finish the painting.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

 

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

(the model and below, the art inspired)
PumpkinCatIllustration

How much time on an average does it take to create a piece?

Most of my works are A4 size if they’re rectangular and 25cm x 25cm if they’re square. For these sizes my whole process only takes about an hour or two.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

(donut+ cat!)

Just out of interest, what was the first (or your favourite) piece of art you remember creating?

When my older brother was in school he used to paint with oils. When I was 13 or 14, after he moved out, I took my brother’s left over oil paints and brushes and painted a rose on a black background. I think this rose was inspired by the enchanted rose in Beauty and the Beast lol.

I had never painted in oils, but I had tons of my brother’s oil painting books to read so I thought I’d just go for it. It sounded like a great idea at the time, but I wish I chose a smaller canvas lol It’s a memorable first piece, because it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be and I got paint everywhere, but when I did finish I felt a real sense of accomplishment.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Where do you see yourself in a few years?

I see myself managing a growing a creative business and still travelling and living overseas. I see myself having more confidence as an artist and continuing to experiment and define my style.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

(her husband helping her out at work)

Can you share a glimpse of a typical day in your life?

Sure. A typical day in my home office looks like:

– 9am wake up and go through my morning routine: shower then coffee and some kind of light breakfast, check my phone for alerts on my social media for Inky Cat and my personal accounts.

– 9.30 Hop on the computer to plan out my day using https://getplan.co/. I love this tool because it syncs with my Google calendar and keeps my tasks visible through out the day. It really helps me own a task when I see that I’ve allocated time for it.

-10 am – Go through any online tasks that I need to do; emails, marketing, art research etc.

– 11.30am – Working on art pieces on the computer: scanning completed pieces and working on them in photoshop or illustrator.

-1pm – I usually get hungry around this time. Either I’ll eat at home or go down to the shops and pick up something around there. Sometimes I’ll drop by my Printer to pick up any reproductions that I’ve had printed as well.

2.30pm – I’m back home and if nothing’s pressing then I’ll do a short workout.

3.30pm – I’ll pack all the prints and merchandise I picked up earlier in the day and put them aside in boxes for a courier to pick up.

4pm – If I have any direct orders to ship, I’ll take this time to drop by the local post office and send them away.

4.30pm – Art time! (this includes sketching and researching, looking for reference material).

6pm – I start thinking about dinner plans with the husband. If I’m cooking at home, then I’ll start around this time. When he comes home we usually talk about each other’s day and after dinner we’ll settle down into our own wind down routines.

8.30pm – Art time! This may not necessarily be another painting, it could be a doodle or a smaller illustration. Sometimes I also spend this time just looking at more art online.

10pm – Read a few chapters on my Kindle

11pm – Go to bed.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

How long has painting and art in general been your hobby? How did you think you could convert it to something more?

Art and painting has been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember. I have always needed some kind of creative outlet, for a while I also played classical guitar and crocheted (I still do! :D) . But painting has always been the constant in my life.

I transitioned from the mindset that art was just a hobby, when after moving to Singapore I had to reassess my career plans. In Sydney, because I was in the same industry for so long, my career progression was quite straight forward. But in Singapore, I started from a clean slate.

So I did what was comfortable and took 2 office jobs before I realised that I was pursuing someone else’s dream and that I wasn’t passionate about it. When you graduate from school and start out, there’s nothing wrong with working for someone and gaining experience like this.

But for myself, I felt like an office job wasn’t going to get me where I wanted and the more I felt dissatisfied, the more I started to narrow down what I DID want to do, which was make art. At first it sounded ridiculous even to me, but because I knew what I didn’t want to do I made a plan with my husband and started painting furiously so I could build up a body of work. After that, the rest is history 😃

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

What is your favourite travel destination, colour, food and flower?

I’m half Japanese (dad is, mum is Filipino) so I love Japan for their everything! The beaches in the Philippine are also amazing, so I’d like to go there again with my husband.

Favourite colour is Prussian blue.

Food: Too many! Right now I’m thinking, waffles, nasi lemak, ramen, beef stew…I could go on and on.

I don’t know if I have a favourite flower, but lately I was thinking that orchids are really fun to draw and are very pretty.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

 

What’s the importance of art in your daily lifestyle?

Art causes me to reflect more on everything and make my own interpretations. It makes me slow down and observe and think. I can’t rush out my drawings or paintings, and even if I could I imagine it wouldn’t be enjoyable.

So when I sit down and sketch or go online and look for reference photos or inspiration, I feel like I’m not just admiring pretty things. I feel like I’m absorbing new information and interpreting it in my own way.

I really like this feeling, because for a long time I didn’t prioritise the way I interpreted the world. I prioritised how my teachers, or bosses wanted to see things, how my company  wanted to see things. But making art reminds me to express and share my own views of the world.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

What do you do in your leisure time? (apart from art, of course!)

Lately, my husband and I have been visiting Macritchie Reservoir here in Singapore to go hiking and kayaking. Hopefully soon we can get our two star certification for kayaking and go on expeditions 😀

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Some themes/ topics inspiring you nowadays?

Lately I’ve been painting a lot of hands and legs lol With these, my style is quite different from when I paint my usual animals. These are for upcoming art shows that I’m participating in so I can’t reveal too much yet, but they’re happening within a few months and I’m very excited to push myself and try new things!

I chose to paint body parts only because I think even on their own they’re strong but delicate and expressive. I want to see how much I can convey just by painting them alone.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

What are your go-to art supplies and your preferred art media?

I use Micron pens and brush pens from Kuretake or the $2 ones from Daiso for my doodles and small illustrations. For my sketches, I have a mechanical pencil from Muji with blue lead that I like to use. The blue fades away easier into a painting if I decide to paint it, as opposed to regular lead.

I love watercolour. It’s my favourite medium by far. When I want to paint on the go I have a portable Windsor and Cotman set, but when I paint at home I pull out my box of Kuretake Gansai Tambi and Holbein tubes.

I only usually use two brushes when I paint, a number 4 synthetic round brush, and a 0 brush for details. I rarely need to use a bigger brush, but if I do, I have a half inch and 1 inch square brush too.

There was also a time when I would only use my small or medium Aquash water brushes, but nowadays I only use them when I’m out of the house. A good white pen is also very important for highlights so I use a white Sakura Gelly Roll pen for this. Sometimes, I’ll dig out a tube of white acrylic paint as well.

For paper I just use any good watercolour paper – ideally it’s smooth or hot press. But for my smaller doodles and illustration, I’ll draw on any clean spot I can find lol I’ve scanned in doodles that I drew on copy paper or business cards. I always try to have a pen and paper near me.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

How did you discover your own style of drawing? Any advice for artists stuggling with getting in the swing of things?

My style is still very much a work in progress, but I do feel that I’m slowly starting to see what colours I’m drawn to, how I like to mix them and what subjects interest me. I attribute this progress to just making a lot of art.

Looking at other people’s styles help as well. Making a board on Pinterest of art that interests also helps me see the types of things I like and what I want to try myself. So yes make lots of art.

It can be frustrating when it feels like there are roadblocks to your growth, so my next advice is that nothing is wasted. Every artist I know of, including myself make a ton of bad drawings and sketches.

But of course, that’s not what gets posted on Instagram or printed. But that’s not to say that they’re a waste of time and effort (which is how I thought of them before).

Lately, I’ve come to understand that even the worst and even the most random of sketches move you that one step closer to that meaningful piece of work that you’ve always wanted to make. When I realised this, I started putting less pressure on myself and really appreciating all those little sketches and doodles.

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

(flower cat!)

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

(as Stephanie puts it, the rare deer cat!)

Discovering Art With Stephanie- a creative interivew with artist Stephanie Hew via Opinion9

(unicorn cat?)

Why cats?! (I love ‘em too!, but I want to know why you named your whole biz around them!)

Besides them being super cute (my new favourite instagram kitty is sir_silas_kitty and albertbabycat), my own cats are the epitome of cool. They’re so chill and they totally live to the beat of their own drum.

They always stretch after they wake up, when they play they really play and when they’re concentrating on something (e.g birds outside the window), it’s very hard to distract them. They enjoy life and have incredible focus.

These are qualities that I really admire and that I want to incorporate in my art and business.

My logo, the black ink blot kitty, is based around my 16 year old Devon Rex. I thought I’d make a logo and brand name around him because I wanted to be reminded of all these qualities so that it would keep motivating me.

….

Find Stephanie and her work here:

Direct store – inkycatstudio.bigcartel.com
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Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

Plants on walls are kind of a big thing nowadays. If you’re looking for fresh ways to add plants to your home- then you’re going to like Kirralee & Co. I discovered her work and was instantly drawn to the simplicity, the raw minimalism and the functionality in her creations.

Kirralee is also so inspiring! I really enjoyed getting to know about her creative process, and I think you will too!

Let’s hear what she has to say! Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com


Please tell me a little bit about yourself.

My name is Kirralee Robinson and I was born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland. I am happily 10 years married and we have 3 little munchkins aged 7, 5 and 2. My work life is a juggle of many different areas of creativity. I am an art installer, a gallery assistant, beginner framer and I am owner and designer of Kirralee & Co.

My Co. includes my husband who offers technical support on the hardware side of things; he makes jigs and shows me how to use the tools. I am also fortunate enough to be surrounded by creative friends who have offered their time, skills and encouragement along this journey. I honestly couldn’t do what I’m doing without them – support like this is just so vital for any new venture.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

I love the minimal yet powerful styling in your work.

Thank you. It’s the ultimate compliment when people just ‘get’ what you were going for.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

It’s so cool that you worked as a florist too. I find it rather interesting that you see the beauty in a single stem- in contrast to the number of plants/flowers that a regular florist has to add in an arrangement. Can you share a bit more about how your present style of arrangements at Kirralee & Co has evolved?

Floristry is akin to any other client-driven creative business. When it comes down to it, most days your own personal taste has very little to do with the end product. I think I became visually tired after so many years of bright clashing colours and always found a kind of peace in just the greenery – in particular, the lush leaves and the variety of textures found mixing them. We would go to fancy floral display shows and I remember test tubes being used there – there was a great appeal for me, probably because it was generally unseen in day-to-day shop life. In floristry, the customers always need to see value for money and there’s always a need to balance quantity and quality. In the places I worked for our customer base didn’t really value the intricacies of design so we rarely sold anything design heavy.

I think when you mix these experiences with the creative drive of an artist you would probably come up with what I make today. I feel like I can have a bit of creative control now over what goes on people’s walls. I also like that there’s an option now of displaying flowers in an elegant and simple way; you don’t have to be a florist to use these vases.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

How do you maintain the balance between regular life and your work?

All of my daytime work hours in art galleries are really unpredictable and Ash is a paramedic so our family schedule is quite unique. We have to be really flexible but also very disciplined. I guess I’ve just learnt to take the time out for my creativity and give it 500% when it’s there. We maintain balance by being aware of everyone in the household (kids too) and their needs and each having something that is just our own, and taking turns doing this. Because of the shift work I may make nothing for a month, then only make and photograph for two weeks straight…and it’s all okay because we all love each other and have this common understanding that this is how we help each other to succeed.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What was the hardest (and easiest) part while starting your business?

I find the ideas part to be the easiest. Before Kirralee & Co, I used to procrastinate about finishing anything and to be honest this is the first project I feel like I’m really pushing through – mainly because I just love it. Photography and website related things were hard at the beginning and the financial part is really tough because it’s very new to me. But ideas are really easy.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What makes you the happiest in your creative process?

There’s so much that I love, like the grains in the wood and problem solving a new design- but mostly I find joy in creating something in my head and then being able to hold it in my hands – the faster between these two, the better. There is something really special about making the intangible a reality. Other people liking and buying it is just a bonus really!

Could you give us a glimpse in a typical day of your life?

We have a lot of regular things that get done, but never in the same order… My day always starts with coffee, then there’s housework and school / daycare, lots of playing outside. I have learnt to design in my head while driving or going for a walk with the kids. If I’m not doing something, I’m planning something so that the times I can get to the shed I’m very productive…. The nights that Ash is off on shift I try to use by either watching something inspiring, designing on paper, or sanding / finishing the vases.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What qualities are needed to keep up and also enjoy running a creative business?

I think vision is really important – being able to see an end result in your mind’s eye that others can’t see can really motivate you to keep going, even when it looks impossible. I find the easiest way to enjoy your own creativity is to spend time with other people’s creativity. I frequent movies, performances, dinners, and gallery openings … anything (legal) as long as I am trying new things and engaging my senses in new ways. This keeps my brain engine warm and the rest of my life fresh.


Screen Shot 2016-01-22 at 8.17.47 pm

Where do you see yourself in a few years?

I have a bunch of very specific ideas on where I would like to end up, but I’m also really open to where life leads. I would be happy if any of these things happened: Buying a house, not buying a house, stocking Kirralee & Co in some national and international stores, owning an artist run space, landing a job as a gallery exhibitions officer, travelling with my art and/or design work, installing some great art shows around the world, travelling with my family, travelling with my husband, helping artisans in Mexico make some real money from their crafts, moving to Melbourne for a few years.

 Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What motivates and inspires you the most?

I believe that things can always be better no matter how good or bad they currently are and this is what really gets me out of bed each day (after coffee). Kirralee & Co exists because I believe there’s a simpler and more sustainable way of decorating our homes. And I make art because I have things to say that could be important to someone somewhere. On the days where nothing creative is going right, I usually turn on a documentary about another artist, doesn’t matter who, and hear the stories of their days that don’t go so well and the success they still have just from pushing through. Something usually stands out to me and I go to bed ready to try again the next day.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

How long have you been interested in floral arrangements and home design? How did you think you could convert your hobby into a business?

My motivation for being a florist wasn’t because I particularly liked flowers but because I wanted a creative job I could do during my study. 10 years later, I can happily say that the more I work with flowers and foliage the more I like them. My interest in home design came about because I spent 2014 learning about ethics and sustainability in fashion and it motivated me to make some changes in our family, not only with clothes but everything we consume. I designed the first vases as an answer to my own question about how we could decorate more responsibly.

I had several of my friends say, “hey! You should sell these, I would buy one!” So I listened. I also signed up to an Etsy challenge where we were given advice on setting up an online store and given support and mentoring through the process. That was a real turning point for me.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What’s your favourite colour, flower and food?

Yes I know, it’s a shade, but, black. Always black.

Favourite flower changes all the time but currently hydrangea.

Mexican food, chocolate, cheese, wine, repeat.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What are some topics and trends inspiring you nowadays?

I’m really loving all the Palm Springs related Instagram accounts, @palmspringsstyle , @meganmckean, and @modernism_week, they have inspired a collection I’m currently working on. I’m also always interested in learning more about living sustainably / minimally / essentially, we have a long way to go there.

https://www.instagram.com/modernism_week/

(bright hues for Kirralee’s next project! ^)

What would an ‘ideal’ day be like for you?

Any day where I feel like I’m at least one step ahead of where I was that morning is good. BUT if I can indulge myself a little, ideally I would have a coffee, kiss my husband and kids, head off to a work shed / art gallery / studio and work hard with my hands while listening to good music, more coffee, get sweaty, complete something, come home and shower, put on pretty clothes then head to an event or date with my husband.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What’s the significance of art and design in your life?

As long as I can remember, I have been involved in making things, dreaming, crafting, thinking… My parents were wonderfully supportive of all my quirks and always taught us that being a [__name any suit job__] isn’t necessarily more important or significant than being an artist. I have tried to ‘give up’ being a creative a couple of times but I always come back. Even during the seasons of time, where I’m not able to get into the studio I find my cooking amps up in creativity (sorry family). I just know I will be working with my hands and in art galleries for the rest of my life. It’s part of who I am. Now it’s going next level as well with having three kids, all of whom are showing signs of being creative, I’m really looking forward to growing this with them.

https://www.instagram.com/modernism_week/Where do you source your plants and other elements in your work?

I have just started growing some tropical plants at home, which I’m sure will feature in my work in the future. Other than that I source the single stems from my garden, around my neighborhood and the work shed, as it is surrounded by a lot of gorgeous greenery. I also buy the occasional stem from my local florist, (particularly when I have a specific photo in mind).

The test tubes are sourced from a variety of places. Although I would love to make these myself this would increase the cost of the pieces significantly and there are plenty of people out there already making them. Apart from the factory few I have bought, a lot of them have been given to me. I’ve had a few people say things like this to me, “I’m a hoarder and I’m not going to use this, but it seems you will!”

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What makes a satisfied customer?

A happy customer gets more than what they expected. Each order I send is gift wrapped with care and sent as soon as possible with a note straight from me. Wherever I can, I add in a stem of foliage so the vase can be used straight away.

Modern & Minimal Design With Kirralee & Co- an interview via Opinion9.com

What would you like to convey to a customer through your work?

I would like people to see that good quality design can transcend trends. It’s worth looking around for small businesses and makers because the service and quality is much more personal. I think having a home decorated with handmade items can fill a space with love and warmth and this is what I hope for my designs.

….

Find Kirralee and her work here on her website | instagram| etsy.

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Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Living the VIntage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Hello! Today we have Laurel and Rowan talking about living the vintage life! I’m actually really excited about this feature, because they are the first vintage scouters (can we call them that?) on Opinion9! They have a lovely shop called Sarah & Ludo (the name’s inspired by the cult classic Labyrinth) filled with a varied array of vintage clothing. It’s also great to see them working together on this.

Vintage clothing has always been special for me. I remember going to my grandmother’s house and finding a one piece swimming suit, cat eye glasses, old coats and blouses, sundresses, skirts that all spoke in silence; echoing an aura of a past era, filled with memories. Vintage clothing is something else, more than just what you’d pick up on a clothing rack in a mall. Like their shop tagline says, it’s ‘a hint of magic!’

So, when I saw that Sarah & Ludo was all about finding and selling vintage clothes- I had to know more! They’re a pretty interesting duo, too.

Read on to hear what they have to say!

Please tell me a little bit about yourself.

We are Laurel and Rowan, the owners of Sarah & Ludo, a small online vintage clothing boutique that we currently operate through Etsy. We live in Melbourne, Australia but still call New Zealand home.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

There’s something so great about vintage- knowing that it has a history behind it. How long have you been interested in vintage?

I have always loved the thrill of searching for treasure. My dad used to take me to garage sales with him on Saturday mornings when I was young and I think it all started there. My actual passion for vintage though really took hold in my mid-twenties when I travelled to London and Europe. Every city I went to I seemed to end up finding vintage and thrift stores down obscure alley ways and back streets. I spent many happy hours in those stores and realised that I had fallen in love with vintage clothing. It is now a way of life.

Rowan used to run his own street wear clothing range, Tripod, and when initially starting out, he would thrift for well-made items that he could take apart and put back together again (to teach himself construction). He has always been partial to old school Adidas, vintage tees and denim.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & LudoWhat are some specific themes/designs inspiring you nowadays?

I find we are leaning more and more towards simple well-tailored design. Black. White. A splash of colour. Uncluttered.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

How do you balance running a creative business and regular life?

It is hard not to have the two merge together. But for now, Sarah & Ludo is a side project that we are hoping to grow organically. I have a full-time day job at the State Library Victoria and Rowan is studying Graphic Design full-time at RMIT. Sarah & Ludo is our evenings, our weekends. We both love the creative process though and are happiest being busy and bouncing ideas off each other.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What motivates you the most?

Coffee. Books. Music. Films. Melbourne. The dust, palm trees and endless sunshine of LA.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Where do you see yourself in a few years?

We would like to be making small limited run items for our own label as well as continuing to sell vintage. I would like to be living by the beach and for life to be a little quieter and serene. Rowan will hopefully be a world class graphic designer by then and freelancing from home. I also want to learn Shibori and incorporate that into both our own label and our vintage collections.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What would be the most ideal vintage find?

A lost collection of perfectly preserved dresses from the 1900s to the 1970s that belonged to the same woman (or possibly a generation of women!) and which documented her life and adventures.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What are some qualities you look for in a vintage piece?

We look for pieces that have something about them that is special; little details, an eye catching print, exquisite tailoring. We also like pieces that can easily be assimilated into a modern wardrobe. And statement pieces. We are all for statement pieces.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What’s one vintage piece that impacted you the most- and one that you are still searching to find?

We are impacted by them all! I am quite taken with a Big E Levi’s denim shirt I found on our first US buying trip (even though it is missing all its buttons!). You just don’t find that level of detail anymore. We are always searching for vintage denim, 1950s/1960s/1970s cotton sundresses, and vintage tees. No one item in particular but a multitude of labels and styles.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Your etsy shop has some lovely finds- I love the baby doll dress, the black ballerina dress and the blush pink sundress – to name a few! What is your general process for selling your vintage finds?

Thank you! I love every single item that we sell. And I make sure that every single item has been washed, cared for and fixed up before it is sold. It is extremely important to us. Rowan luckily is a whizz on the sewing machine so he takes care of busted seams, fallen hems etc. Once an item is cleaned and in excellent sellable condition, it gets put onto a rack to photograph. I try and have a general theme to each shoot – colour/style/season – but it doesn’t always work out that way with vintage! We currently have two beautiful models and are photographing weekly for now. After photographing we take measurements, write descriptions and note flaws. Then we list on Etsy. From there, we answer customer queries, and package and send orders. I must admit the Post Office is not my favourite place but once something has been sold I am always very quick to get it off to its new owner (especially as I have no patience myself!).

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Can you describe a typical work day?

A typical Sarah & Ludo workday would be a weekend day, so it would start with coffee and brunch. Then it would be photo shoot preparation – steaming, pressing and organising clothes; putting up the backdrop; setting up the camera. Our model would arrive for the shoot which generally would be two – three hours. Following this, we would load the photos onto the computer and the editing process would begin! I am always keen to get started right away but often Rowan will make me take a break and we will go for a drink in the sunshine or the like. Then measuring and listing on Etsy (as above). No day is ever the same. It is all dependent on sales etc. Packaging is my one of my favorite parts of the process; I package items first in recycled tissue paper and then I use recycled brown paper which I hand stamp with little crafted stamps I ordered from New York. I then tie it up with string (either hemp or natural twine) and add a little hand written note. Every item we send off is sent with love – we want our customers to love their purchase and be happy with the whole experience!

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What are some values you’d like to convey to your customers?

Sustainability.

Individuality.

Kindness.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

How do you manage to find the vintage clothes?

We go to America! It is a great excuse for us to go on holiday once a year and also a way for us to get vintage in bulk. Also, we find that the older vintage is incredibly hard to find in Australia, and though still tricky in America (as it becomes rarer and starts to wear out) that there is more opportunity to source the items we love. This year we went to LA, Austin, Houston, then back to LA (with a little side trip to Palm Springs). We stayed with friends in Austin, which was awesome, especially as my friend Andrea is a vintage-lover from way back and took us to all sorts of wonderful places. Houston was a mecca for vintage warehouses but was also hard work. It was hot and humid, no air conditioning and the warehouse bins were tough going. We sourced some real gems though so it was definitely worth it in the end. And we stayed in a super cool Airbnb loft studio down the road from the Last Concert Café.

We love to escape Melbourne winter for a week. It gives us a burst of much needed sunshine that helps push us through to spring when we get back. We are still dreaming of Palm Springs, bottomless mimosas and swimming pools…

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Why vintage? 

Simply because they don’t make things like they used to.

Also, vintage clothing has a history, a story, a previous life. There is a certain whimsy in wearing something from another era.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Just for fun: what’s your favourite city, food and book/movie?

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Laurel:

City: Paris. Granada. Dubrovnik. Melbourne. L.A.

Food: Avocadoes. Everyday.

Book: I can’t pick one! Here are a few – What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt (actually, everything by Siri Hustvedt, starting with The Blindfold), Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan (again, everything by Francoise Sagan – I find her books the best size for carrying around in my bag and most of my books by her are slightly battered from over-reading), Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon, anything by Haruki Murikami (I especially love Norwegian Wood). I read my favourites over and over again so they are like old friends. I never tire of them and always pick up something new every time I read them. I often find it difficult to read a book I haven’t read before. It is like starting a new friendship; a little awkward, disconcerting, but also lovely if that connection is there.

Movie – This changes all the time! A few I love for different reasons: Labyrinth, Princess Bride, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Ruby Sparks, Begin Again, Across the Universe, Almost Famous, Dirty Dancing, Reality Bites, Fight Club, Midnight in Paris, The Notebook.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Rowan:

City: apart from Melbourne, I really like LA

Food: can’t go wrong with a good pizza but lately I have been really keen on a soft Taco

Book: The Walking Dead Compendiums (graphic novels count right?)

Movie: too hard to narrow down… so for now I will say a director, Wes Anderson, as I could happily watch any of his movies at the drop of a hat.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

I like that you guys are working together. How do you complement each other’s strengths when it comes to running a business?

Rowan is endlessly patient while I tend to run on adrenaline and at times work myself into a panic. Rowan brings me back down to earth. In essence, I am a perfectionist and a bit of a control freak, while Rowan is creative and visionary. I turn my perfectionism towards cleaning garments, editing photos, and packaging orders. Rowan built the website, takes majority of the photos and does most of the sewing repairs. We love that we are building something together. Also, he doesn’t get bored searching for vintage with me! And on our American road trips, he drives (which is no easy feat, especially as it is the opposite side of the road from Australia and New Zealand!).

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What interests you about the 50s-60s period?

They are two such different eras, but both had such great fashion. The 50s silhouette was so alluring and then the 60s was revolutionary. From full skirts to mini dresses. From understated prints to psychedelic. As well as the clothes I am also very partial to the music from the 1960s. Rowan is great at finding records from this era for me.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Any advice for people who are just starting to scour markets for vintage finds?

Start at the beginning of a rack and touch every item (make sure you have clean hands and handle delicately!) – the fabric is important – also, look out for items that catch your eye. Inspect for holes, stains and odour (especially the underarms). Check the label (if there is one). Check the seams/ tailoring. Check the zip if there is one (a metal zip is a good indication of age).

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

What do you guys do in your free time (when not working)?

We like to eat at our favourite cafes and restaurants, binge watch our favourite TV shows, ride our bikes (Rowan more than me, I need to bike more!), read, work on projects. We love coffee. We enjoy beer and chips in the sunshine on a Sunday afternoon. Rowan makes great crepes with lemon and sugar and strawberries and chocolate chips. We listen to records. Rowan makes music and goes to gigs; he has drum n bass tattooed on his arm – his first love.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & Ludo

Are you seriously living in a ex-chocolate factory apartment? Okay, that’s the coolest. What’s your take on life and art in general?

We sadly just recently had to leave our ex-chocolate factory apartment which still stings a little. The owner decided to sell it just before we left for our last US buying trip so we had to move out two weeks before we left and put all our stuff into storage. When we got back though we found our new apartment very quickly (it was the first and only we looked at). It is another warehouse conversion (we seem to gravitate towards those!) and is in Northcote, which we find to be a very creative inspiring community. Also we are seconds from the Westgarth Palace Cinema which is art deco and amazing.

We both strive to live creatively fulfilling lives and not get too caught up in the daily grind. Of course, that’s not always easy or possible (and sometimes seems impossible!) but we will continue to aspire to it and will never give up on our dreams.

Art is all around us in all shapes and forms and defines us for better and for worse.

Living the Vintage Life with Sarah & LudoThanks for sharing, Laurel and Rowan! Wishing you the very best ahead! -Aaria

Find Laurel and Rowan’s vintage finds here at their website SarahnLudo, instagram and maybe pick up something refined and vintage over at their etsy shop.

 

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Discussing Design with Zoe

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Today on the Inspiration series, let’s welcome Zoe from ZRA Designs!

She’s a bright and aspiring graphic designer, who combines her love for creativity and design in her work. I like the bold colours, and vitality in each piece- whether it’s a logo, a pattern etc. I also appreciate how open she is to learning new things in her chosen field- being open to absorb knowledge is so important for a designer to progress!

She answered some questions about her creative process and how she operates her biz while juggling university at the same time! It’s quite a good read – especially if you’re starting out in your artistic endeavour, or you’re struggling with what you have on your plate, as a designer. Zoe might just make you rethink your process.

Read on to hear what she has to say!

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Zoe. I am from Melbourne, Australia and I am 18 years old, turning 19 very soon. I have a love and passion for all things design and art. I work part-time as a graphic designer, designing logos and stationary for people as part of my ZRA Designs business; I also do a lot of ‘home projects’ and small DIY jobs for myself. I am currently at Monash University studying interior architecture and learning so many amazing new skills with a great group of people.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.comHow did you get started in graphic design?

In year 11 and 12, I studied media and visual communication and design. I completed my certificate 3 in media and was eager to learn more. I have always had a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning, by completing the media course and watching endless tutorials on how to improve my digital skills I discovered how much I loved graphic design, however, ever since I was young I have had a love for interior design and architecture, which is why I am studying at Monash in order to pursue both of my dreams.


Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Could you give us a glimpse in a typical day in your life?

On a regular day I wake up in the morning and start on some graphic design work for a client or for myself, then I catch the train to uni, I then spend about 3 hours there for a design studio class, I then make my way home and continue working on my interior architecture tasks and once those are finished I continue on with my graphic design jobs. I often will have dinner with family or friends chatting, catching up and spending time with them, and then head to bed and get ready for another day.

Where do you see yourself in a few years?

In a few years, I would love to be working as an interior architect at an architecture or interior design firm; whilst also running my own graphic design company.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

What motivates and inspires you the most?

The things that motivate me the most are definitely the people around me. My sisters, parents the rest of my extended family and close friends are all such important parts of my life. They constantly help to motivate me and keep my spirits up. The things that inspire me the most are great design and my friends from university, they constantly give me ideas – whether we are collaborating or working individually and they also recommend other artists and designers I should look up.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

How long has making and designing been your hobby? How did you think you could convert your hobby into a business?

I’d say probably from the age of about 14 I began photography classes and design classes, and this fostered a love of art. Also, at this age I started going online and creating floor plans of different ‘dream houses’ I would like to live in. I used an online program, which enabled me to see my house in 2D plan form as well as 3D. At the end of my year 12 year, I decided that I would convert my hobby into a business. I created a Facebook, Instagram and website in order to spread the word amongst my friends, with the support of those around me, I have been able to make my dream a possibility.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

What are your favourite food, colour and flower?

My favourite food is pasta, my favourite colour is turquoise and my favourite flower is a lily.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Some favourite themes and art topics inspiring you at the moment?

Some themes and topics inspiring me at the moment would have to be technology and the idea behind the ‘virtual world’ and the way in which so many people are engrossed constantly by their phones. Another one is the idea of transition spaces and thresholds (referred to as heterotopia), which I find very intriguing.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

How do you balance your creative business along with regular life?

Balancing my creative business along with regular life can be very difficult at times, especially because my university workload is quite heavy, but I manage it because I’m doing what I love. I try to make sure I talk and catch up with my friends and family and organize to do things with them when I can, even if it’s something small like going for a walk or to the local coffee shop. I find that because my family and friends help to motivate and inspire me if I didn’t have the work life balance my work wouldn’t be as successful.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

 

What are some brand values that you convey to every customer?

Some brand values include ZRA Designs being unique, original and innovative, but also reliable and secure. In graphic design, you are essentially being hired to create a visual identity for someone else’s company and it is very important that as a designer I become someone the client can trust to do a good job and to listen to their feedback.Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

What would an ideal day be like for you?

An ideal day would be a nice sleep-in the morning and then getting up and going for a walk or run, then experimenting with some new graphics on my computer, going to uni, seeing my friends, then to finish off the day I’d have dinner with my family and read a book before going to bed.

 

How would you describe your design style?

I would describe it as innovative and contemporary.

 

Any advice for aspiring designers out there?

My biggest advice is just keep working hard, you will get there eventually it’s a tough industry but if you love it you will never stop learning, you will discover so many new skills and amazing people (artists, designers and friends) who will help keep you inspired and motivated.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Who are some of your biggest inspirations in the field of design?

I am inspired by so many different types of artists. My ultimate favourite artist is Jack Vanzet, his work is incredible and he works with a lot of musicians which I love. Another inspiration for me is James Turrell, who works with colour, light and space. Also, another inspiration to me is Sarah McCloskey who draws and paints portraits – but with her own unique twist.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Does the city you live in inspire your work in any way?

Yes of course, Melbourne has been named the most liveable city in the world for the fifth year running and I am so grateful to live in such an amazing place. There’s beauty everywhere and therefore always something to take a photo of, a sunset, the ocean, a lovely park etc. Nature and the environment around me inspire my work. I couldn’t ask for a better place to be based.

Discussing Design with Zoe- an art interview with ZRA Designs about her art, via www.opinion9.com

Thanks, Zoe, for giving us a glimpse into your creative process! Wishing you all the best ahead! -Aaria

Find Zoe and her work on her website, instagram and facebook!

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