December 08, 2008
designer anna laura
I can barely keep up with the avalanche that is my email inbox but every now and then something catches my eye and I have to investigate further. Kara Smith - who I interviewed here - was having a promotion, which involved the beautiful badges of Melbourne designer Anna Laura. So, off I trotted and got in contact with Anna and was delighted to discover some of her other creations too, including a way-too-cool card collection called Able and Game and the stylish purse collections of Viva La Primaire! And to think that Anna grew up on a sheep farm - what a distance she has travelled.
Which five words best describe you? Impatient, messy, obsessive, vague and impulsive.
What’s your proudest achievement? I bungy jumped off Bloukrans Bridge on the Garden Route in South Africa. It was pretty crazy thing to do, but I was only 22 at the time. The other would be leaving my teaching job to work on my business full time. Again, a pretty crazy thing to do and I can't blame it on being only 22.
What inspires you? I find I am really inspired by manmade lines created from tall buildings in the city and the lines from the wires above railway tracks.
What are you passionate about? Good television shows. I love talking television and whenever I find someone who loves my shows I feel like they are suddenly by BFF and I want to spend hours talking to them about everything to do with the shows. I am also passionate about the value of art in society. I don't think people realise the foundation art has in so many things and they take it for granted and try and distance themselves from it. I saw this a lot as a teacher, the art department was always the subject that got pushed aside to make room for more literacy and numeracy, both of which can be taught within an art framework.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt? I'm still learning lessons on how to stay tidy and keep motivated. I think I will be learning the tidy one for the rest of my life.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? This is a hard one because I would like to say someone like Brett Whiteley or Jackson Pollock, but both might not actually be that much fun in reality. Maybe relatives who I didn't get to meet, or don't remember because they died when I was young.
What’s next? Valentine's Cards and stationery under the label Able and Game with my partner Gareth. I've just started illustrating them and they feature dorky guys making big statements of love. I just started a new blog with the images and I'm hoping it can be a daily update of romance with a dose of humour. I've also just finished my new range of screenprinted bags and accessories called Viva La Primaire! I've spent the last few months working on the designs and products and it is inspired by primary colours, one of my favourite colour combinations.
What are you reading? I think I need to start reading some Mills and Boon for some romantic inspiration for the cards. At the moment it is a lot of craft and design blogs, The Age online and sometimes a bit of Perez Hilton. Picnic at Hanging Rock is sitting on my bedside table waiting to be read.
Images courtesy of Anna Laura