Designer Interview

Canberra based designers of

SPLATTER

Angie & Chris

When did you know you wanted to be an designer?
As a little girl in the 60's I used to have a cubby in my wardrobe

where I would sit and make beautiful glamourous outfits for my

Barbies from a huge stash of cast off pieces of fabric.

I made dresses and bags and bedding from the glorious off cuts

for hours on end. I also found I had a 6th sense for colour,

and to this day I can even 'smell' certain colours!
In the 70's I travelled overseas in a camper van with my family

and spent many hours in art galleries and churches overdosing

on beautiful artwork. In the 80's I studied Film, TV and English Lit in

Melbourne and was friends with what turned out to be some of

Australia's most amazing artists, musicians and creative minds.

I hung out at parties with artists Keith Haring, Maria Kozic, I'm Talking,

The Machinations and Nick Cave. I made my own clothes and had

fashion and video shows of my work at art festivals across Australia.

I turned to music and was lead singer in a few bands, including

one that put out an EP (in the days before CDs!). In 1996 I started

my own company; Splatter, where design was the core of what

we created; an umbrella company for artwork, ceramics,

stationery, clothing, children's books, art installations - which has

grown into an export business. I have always loved the creative

process, be it art, music, photography, writing, film or even

cooking. Life would be torture without it.

How would you describe your design style?
I now see that everything comes back to my eye and my gut. 

I tend to see the most beauty in the detail, or even the things you

don't see; the quiet part of beauty. A tantalising hint of something can

be just as satisfying, or more beautiful than, seeing everything.

Less is more. I like to zoom in rather than zoom out.

What creative people, things or materials inspire your designs?
My husband, Christopher Martin, is the most naturally gifted artist I know.

Our home is bulging with knick knacks and objet d'art that inspire us,

and this creatively rubs off on the whole family. Beautiful shoes, fabric,

paper, photography, film, food, perfume, words, flowers, cars,

music and art all inspire me. I am really affected by colours, scents

and shapes. I go to the National Gallery to recharge my batteries

and I sit in front of Warhol's works like I am sitting in church. I take at

least 30 photos every day of interesting or beautiful things I

see that I can file away in my head for use later.

How does a typical day of work for you go?
Our studio is at home so - porridge, shower, emails, crisis management,

coffee, facebook, book work/bill paying, cruskits and coffee,

invoicing, taking photos, housework, stock control, tag making, emails,

coffee and cake, phone calls, website management, overseas orders,

customer queries, dispatch, coffee/wine, prepare dinner, kids to activities,

feed animals, dinner, make more tags, watch tv, coffee and

chocolate, sleep. Repeat.

What is your process when creating a new design?
I like to collect ideas and inspiration from everywhere, and I have at least

10-20 different project 'pots' on the boil at once. The resulting product or

design can take years to come to fruition or it can come to me in a

flash. The best ideas usually blind-side me and involve very little thought

process. Thinking usually stifles me. My husband is the thinker and I am the

doer. He is overflowing with natural ability and comes up with copious

drawings when creating a painting, whereas I tend to go 'straight to paper'

with very little drafting. I formulate everything in my head and if I am

writing or making it usually comes out close to the finished product with a

bitof minor tweaking. We complement each other really well and that is

the reason for our success as artists and husband and wife.

What would you like people to enjoy most about your designs?
The most common public feedback we get from our customers both in

Australia and overseas is that Splatter artwork and products makes them

smile. On a personal level though, it is really important to me when people

have a personal connection with what I create. A song, an image, a photo,

a meal, a painting, or a simple gift tag. They are 'hearing' my voice,

and for a fleeting moment we are on the same page.

What makes your designs unique?
My 'voice'.  It is how I see the world and feed it back through what I create.

It is a slightly skewed, 'road less travelled' view of the world, where mistakes 

canbe beautiful and the microcosm is celebrated. It is texture and colour

and harmony combined with asymmetry, space and quietness.

What is your advice to aspiring designers & artists?
Always use your own 'voice' when being creative. It is ok to be influenced

by others, and even to be imperfect technically, but always be

persistent in saying something your way.

Otherwise it is not art or design, but colour by numbers.

What designs will you be selling at the Handmade September Market?
Splatter will have our huge range of artwork for children,

our art-based products (stationery) and our range of

 handmadebundles of gift tags - including some

beautiful recycled tags for Christmas.

Find the smile inspiring Splatter at the
Handmade Market Saturday the 29th & Sunday the 30th of September
National Convention Centre, Canberra from 10am-4pm