With final year and all that goes with it approaching (just a degree show, shop opening & most importantly/most scary.. creating something that could ACTUALLY make me a living) ..I've been thinking very hard about what and why I make. I still feel like I haven't started making anything that I'm really passionate about, I was happy I discovered how to mix ceramics and print.. and I'm excited to develop that as a technique.. but as a 'product' I feel i've just been sticking to what I think I should... same ol' tableware. If I get the product right everything else should fall into place, but it HAS to be right for the customer... if watching 'Britain's next big thing' on Iplayer (which I would recommend to you all!) has taught me anything, it's that you have to firstly have a market for your product but also know everything about it.
A market I keep noticing and keep loving is BABYWARE... recently it just seems babies have got so stylish! It all started in Stockholm, the swedish kids all seemed to be dressed better than I was, not just 'pink for the girls and blue for the boys'... Marimekko has a stunning kids range
The nursery shots Ninainvorm shares on her blog are beautiful (she also makes a lovely range of screen-printed vintage ceramics!)
Plus an interview I watched on Gestalten TV with Christine Lemieux, founder of NYC-based 'DwellStudio', confirmed the 'designer baby trend' telling how the Canadian finds inspiration for her top-notch collections—described as 'a treasure for design-savvy parents who can't stand the ubiquitous teddy bears in the nursery anymore.' A must-watch for anyone heading into the design world. The bedding sets here, along with the rest of the entire range, are fully sold out online. Besides the linin surface designs, I love the thought that's gone into the room layouts.
So, right now I'm thinking about how I could fit into this market... I think having a market to work towards is a great start. I've been working backwards creating products and trying to find a market for them... realising now it'd be a million times more worthwhile to create for an already established market and investigate what is actually needed, create something new by filling the gaps. I've been having a few brainwaves... I like the idea of a 'my first ceramics' range of nursery decoration and the possibilities for commissions could be endless ... a summer of ideas is what I'm planning, watch this space.
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