Interview: Allison Smith, architect
By Emma Clark
Allison Smith is the woman behind Studio 15b, a boutique architecture studio based in Brisbane. With over 20 years experience in architecture, Allison branched out and began her own practice in 2013. You can follow her work on Instagram and Facebook.
What drew you to becoming an architect, and to doing what you’re doing today?
Architecture was the main idea that stuck in my mind as a possible career path during high school. It’s a profession where every day is different, every project is different and as an Architect we are required to continue to learn and adapt to changes in the world. The variety is what keeps me going and motivated in this challenging industry.
I’ve worked in small, medium and large firms in Brisbane and London, which has seen me work on a large variety of projects from small alterations and additions, new large homes, multi-residential developments, heritage buildings, community, commercial, train stations and education projects. Seeing a project from the very initial client meeting through to the finished constructed project can take years but it makes it all worthwhile when you see the final product.
I have most recently established my own small practice - Studio 15b. In two and a half years I have built a small team but would like to expand this team in the future. Having my own practice is an enjoyable challenge and I’m glad I took the plunge. I feel that Studio 15b is able to provide a personalised service as a small practice that is backed by big practice experience.
Can you give us a little insight into your creative process?
One of my design strengths is being able to take the disorder and sometimes confusion of a client’s brief, along with all the other constraints that comes with building and then reorganise to give it purpose and reason. Whether those constraints are budget related, to do with the site or council, I enjoy testing the options to produce one clear concept that fits the brief and the constraints best.
Creating interest and flair while fulfilling the brief is key. We continually test ideas with form until we are happy with the results, before we present to the client what we feel is the best solution for a project. I’m a very considered designer and prefer simple, refined solutions. The simplest solutions are often the hardest to achieve but I prefer not to take the easy road. I like designing the most efficient solutions that are not necessarily what the client imaged but end up fulfilling the brief even better than they could have anticipated. This clearly demonstrates the value of our service to them.
Who is your typical customer/client?
Our clients could roughly be allocated into three types each with totally different needs. We have a good understanding of each of their different needs and what they require from a project perspective. We enjoy the variety that each client brings.
Typically our residential clients have generally never been involved in a building project. For these clients we spend a great deal of time educating them in the process. This helps them better understand and gives some reassurance to what can be a stressful process for them. It is our job to guide them through. We are given a lot of trust, with in most cases their biggest investment - we value and respect this. Design decisions are very personal choices and we aim to guide as well as collaborate with our clients.
Our multi-residential clients are generally developers with a range of experience. We tailor the service to their needs. Personal considerations are not usually a factor with these cost driven projects, however factors such as; designing to the current market, maximising the development in terms of saleable area and number of units plus aligning with the budget that is driven from sale prices all come into play. We enjoy working with experienced and new developers to help them achieve the most from their development.
Our commercial clients also have different project requirements. We have worked with a number of businesses to improve their fitouts. Every business is different and I enjoy finding out how each of them tick. Then we question whether there is a better way of operating from a business perspective as well as in the available space. A well designed fitout can improve staff productivity which generally leads to increased sales or revenue. We enjoy working with businesses big and small.
What does a typical day involve for you?
A typical day starts with getting on top of any urgent emails and quickly flicking through a couple of construction or architecture blogs such as The Urban Developer and ArchitectureAU. It keeps me on top of the industry as a whole and also sets the tone for the day.
I’m big on writing lists, so weekly I put together a ‘to do’ list but I also have daily ‘to do’ notes which I often leave as reminders of urgent things to do. Because I am the sole director, it’s important that I spend my time on the most pressing things first and prioritise well. This list is constantly changing so it’s important to revisit it daily. It serves as a good reminder to focus and help with my productivity. I try to roughly plan out the week ahead for meetings at appropriate times, but also plan time for project work.
I usually arrange a coffee with an industry colleague or potential client every week or so. Networking serves multiple purposes. As a small practice it is important to seek communication with what is going on in the industry outside your own world.
Once I’m organised with a list of priorities, then a typical day could involve a mix of writing a fee proposal for a potential client, reviewing my staff’s project work as well as completing my own project work. Depending on the stage of the project this could be some initial design sketches or design development, through to coordinating with consultants or visiting a project under construction.
What has been your proudest career achievement to date?
There have been many proud moments throughout my career and it’s hard to pinpoint just one. The most recent being the start of Studio 15b and winning a HIA Interior Design Award with our first project. It was totally unexpected but important to recognise and celebrate these achievements. It certainly gives you motivation to continue what you are doing.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
A direct piece of advice doesn’t come to mind, but I’ve watched and learnt from many other architects that I’ve worked with. I’ve tried to model myself on a little of all the things I admire about others but with my spin on it. Things such as being proactive in sorting out any issues that arise, not worrying about things that are out of your control and keeping a good work/life balance most of the time. These are all things I aim for.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to continue building Studio 15b. I would like to grow our small team and create a culture of friendly and dedicated people who use their strengths to provide Architecture & Interior Design solutions to those that see the value in our service. I encourage anyone to approach us for networking or project opportunities. We are always available for a chat.
Interview: Louise Seymour, paper engineer
Louise Seymour (aka Paperlou) has been fascinated with all things paper since she first encountered coloured squares and Clag at the age of five. After pursuing a career in medical science, she was drawn back to her papery passion and now shares her well-honed paper engineering skills at workshops and classes through her business Paperlab.
What drew you to becoming a paper crafter?
Can you give us a little insight into your creative process?My process always has a particular end in mind and I have a vision of what the outcome will look like in my head. From there I try to interpret it via loose sketches and collage using a colour palette similar to what I envision. I need to "see it" all laid out in small scale first and then I just start making. Through the making and creating, the actual forms come to life and I work pretty organically, always adjusting and changing as needed throughout the process. So far I've been able to produce work that's been pretty close to the ideas in my head so that's been a bonus!Who is your typical customer?
I'm not sure I have a typical customer as i work with a variety of industries spanning retail, design, architecture and community groups. Most times my customers want to execute an idea or project in an innovative way and so we sit and chat about how creating something physical through paper will help bring their message to life.
What does a typical day involve for you? A typical day for me is morning breakfast with my little girl followed by story time and a bit of play. Sometimes she comes with me to catch up with a client over coffee to discuss an idea or collaboration. If it is just us we might go for a stroll around the city or to the local park before she settles down for a nap after lunch. I then dedicate a few hours to my creative pursuits with Paperlab and respond to any pending emails. I try to create synergy and balance between home life and business life as much as possible and I find by doing this neither of them end up feeling like work (*most of the time!)
What has been your proudest career achievement to date?
Most recently I worked closely with the marketing team at Westfield Fountain Gate to create close to 200 paper flowers for their Autumn/Winter campaign. I filled three separate Visual Merchandising cabinets located within the shopping centre with a variety of paper flowers in a gorgeous colour palette of dusty pink, burgundy and black and I suspended two giant paper flowers in there as well. This project was the result of months of planning, prototyping and hand-cut paper crafting into the wee hours in the lead up to the install. I'm really happy with the finished result and the project pushed me creatively and allowed me to take on a challenge that was fulfilling both artistically and personally.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Just start. If you wait for conditions to be just perfect you'll never get anything done.
What are your plans for the future?
Future plans include to keep pushing myself in my creative pursuits and continue to find new ways to innovate with paper design. I'd love to be able to create larger scale interactive work and have some things in the pipeline to hopefully bring this to light.
What do you see as a benefit of being a CWC member?
I love to be inspired by other creative and empowering women and I think CWC offers the perfect forum to connect and engage with strong females who support each other's businesses.
Interview: Kate James, creative coach and mindfulness teacher
In our modern world of beeping notifications, competitive parenting and constant connectedness, mindfulness is becoming a sought-after approach for creative people looking to rest their busy minds. Kate James of Total Balance coaches her clients on balance, meditation and living purposefully.
What drew you to becoming a coach and mindfulness teacher?
I’ve always been interested in people and what makes them tick. I spent over a decade working as a business manager for creative businesses and while I loved the work I was doing, I wanted to help people in a more purposeful way. I considered psychology or a natural therapy but I wanted to incorporate my interest in creative business into my work so when I heard about coaching in the early 2000’s it seemed like the perfect option.
The mindfulness part came about six months after I started the business. Whenever a client was stressed, I would recommend that they learn meditation. It had changed my life and I wanted to share that with other people so despite a real fear in those early days of speaking in front of groups, I began teaching and a few years after that, it seemed like a natural progression to start running meditation and yoga retreats.
Who is your typical client?
My clients are generally quite similar to me! Most are introverts and deep thinkers. They want to do what they love and what they’re naturally good at. Most are creative in some way and many have their own creative businesses. They live to experience life. They care about making their lives beautiful in simple ways - good food, travel not just to tick a box to say ‘I’ve been there’ but more to learn about new cultures; they want to contribute to society in a meaningful way and they’re interested in the idea of discovering and living a purposeful life.
How would you describe your work?
I work with people who want clarity about their direction. Once they have a greater sense of where they want to go (either work wise or personally), I help them feel confident to pursue the things they care about. This often results in a client starting a creative business even if that business sits alongside a more mainstream role that helps pay the bills.
My interest in mindfulness influences how I work with clients and I’ve developed a framework about how to live and work mindfully which I share with clients who are interested in mindfulness.
The most common feedback I get about my work is that I help people to become conscious of how they hold themselves back. I help them to quiet the inner critic so they can tap into their own innate sense of creativity and wisdom.
What does a typical day involve for you?
These days I’m actually fairly structured in the way I manage my time. It’s taken me years to learn how to do this but it has made a huge difference to my stress levels and my productivity.
I wake pretty early and start every morning with meditation and yoga. I get emails out of the way first and if I don’t have early clients, I’ll work on one of my writing projects for a few hours. Occasionally, I take a notebook and a cup of tea into the garden and sit under the birch tree to write.
I always stop for lunch and I’m generally with clients in the afternoons. Some afternoons, I sneak off for a walk along the beach but this doesn’t happen often enough.
I do the financial stuff on Friday mornings and reward myself by taking the afternoon off to have lunch with a girlfriend.
What has been your proudest career achievement to date?
It’s hard to choose one because I’ve had a few opportunities over recent years that have blown me away. In 2009, Tourism NT took me on a weeklong trip to Darwin and Kakadu so I could help them with a PR campaign about the importance of taking holidays. It was the most amazing experience.
Getting my first publishing deal at the end of 2014 was pretty incredible and it’s been fantastic to see the book selling well and to have a second one published this year.
What do you do for fun?
I love to cook so we have friends or our girls and their partners for dinner here. Chris and I also head out of town every couple of months and we do lots of walking and taking photos (a shared passion). Our lives are pretty quiet these days but that’s my idea of pure joy.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Be kind, be courageous and be authentic. Share your gifts with the world and dare to play a bigger game than you had imagined for yourself.
You can find out more about Kate at Total Balance.
Interview: Phoebe Everill, woodworker
Females in creative trades are few and far between, and talented woodworker Phoebe Everill is no exception. Phoebe is breaking down barriers as a third generation woodworker. Phoebe had her own renovation business before focussing her attention on handmaking fine furniture. She also teaches classes and makes custom furniture at her workshop in Drummond, Victoria.
What drew you to become a woodworker?
My father originally, and then just a feeling of it being a part of who I am. I get enormous satisfaction in making things, seeing things evolve from my hands. I love everything about wood. It’s a living material and unforgiving, you can’t enforce your design upon it, and then it rewards you with wonderful texture, colour and figure. I could pass on the splinters and the dust!
How would you describe your work?
I have a design style that pays tribute to the Japanese, Scandinavians and Shakers. I want to make pieces that will last, are functional and still beautiful. Clean, great joinery, not too decorative.
What has been your experience being a female tradesperson in a historically male field?
It was tough early on as a builder, less so now. People come to me already committed to learning so my gender is largely irrelevant. I have always believed that my work would speak and this crosses barriers.
What does a typical day involve for you?
Gym and office until 8am, then in the workshop either making or teaching till 6pm, followed by more office work until 7pm. In reality, it is a joy to work long hours and to be self-employed. I wouldn’t change a thing except the admin!
What have been some favourite recent projects or commissions?
My most significant work this year has been Collaboration 1. This piece has been a year in the planning, designing and making. It has been a privilege to work with two of Australia’s finest tool makers to pull off a very unique piece.
What part of the making process do you enjoy the most?
The problem solving, bringing the 3D image in my head to life, and then letting the design evolve without overthinking it!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
“Go wrong slowly” - David Upfill-Brown (my mentor). It refers to the making process and the care you need to take to bring a piece to completion.
You can see more of Phoebe's work at her website.
Studio Visit: Monique Woodward, architect
It’s not often on just hearing a name that you get such a strong sense of the dynamism behind a creative duo, but this is just the case with WOWOWA (implied!) whose co-founders Monique and Scott Woodward forge a next-generation approach to architectural practice with a kind of positive charge often missing in professional creative circles.
In WOWOWA Architecture & Interiors, the pair have created the kind of practice they always wanted to work in, one that prioritises artistic expression, teaching and advocacy as essential to ongoing creativity. Alongside partner Scott, Monique is a vocal advocate for improved living standards and accessibility of quality design as a tenet of modern Australian culture.
From their glittering Tin & Ed business cards to the bold glazed red brick façade of the Finn House, WOWOWA is unafraid of a playful nod to the kitch, and their declaration of a radical postmodernist style is one beautifully tailored to bring a fresh optimism to the architecture of the everyday – the humble family home. We spoke to Monique at WOWOWA’s shopfront studio in Melbourne’s leafy Carlton North about her passion for celebrating Australian culture and why more creatives should embrace the power of marketing.
As an emerging practice, WOWOWA has a strong brand and clear creative directive – what inspired that focus and how has it shaped the way you practice?
One of the biggest challenges we faced initially as a fledgling but ambitious creative practice was acknowledging that even if you were the greatest architect in the world, you need to be able to run a sustainable business to keep up that practice, and to successfully market yourself is a big part of that business’ success.
I undertook a marketing course at the local TAFE and we engaged a business coach, really immersed ourselves in marketing, read a lot of business and marketing literature alongside our favourite design journals.
We quickly realised that what we were saying to the world though our marketing - that we could do anything – was out of touch with the reality of our work at the moment. Whilst we do have a few small civic projects on the go and really enjoy the possibilities of larger scale projects, our current built reality is residential. Luckily, we love residential work, and it’s a big part of who we are as a practice, so it was important to acknowledge those roots and really emphasise its part in our core identity.
From this we developed a strategy that allowed us to focus in on the kind of clients we love working with – those who want to create their ‘forever home’. They’re committed to a place, and are prepared to do some soul searching, and explore what it is that they really want from a home environment.
Putting ourselves out there as a practice for professional families, with the tagline 'life is too short for boring spaces', we’ve found that people that subscribe to that will instantly recognise a kinship, and might know a little more of what to expect from us in the process. We can then work together and really bounce off each other in a super collaborative way. This makes the process a whole lot more enjoyable for both parties.
Image by John Gollings
How has this focus on creating a client’s ‘forever home’ influenced your work?
It gives us license to work with our clients in really rewarding creative depth, to find out what they think about colour, sculpture or pattern, and taking that through to find out how flexible and functional spatial solutions can work for them. I think that's one of our strengths, making small spaces work hard, and that's one of the reasons we love renovations, the challenge of really cranking up an existing space and making it truly multi-purpose.
Focusing on the small scale also allows us to really immerse ourselves in the application of the theory and art of creative practice. One thing is I’m a massive sucker for ornament. Ornament, in its three dimensions, really changes the way you perceive a space, and I think that's when a space really starts to get interesting.
What is your motivates you creatively?
My all-time favourite design inspiration has to be the humble Hills Hoist – there is so much ingenuity and kitsch beauty in perhaps undervalued elements of Australian design history that are ripe to be to explored creatively.
We see ourselves as a radically postmodern practice, propelling ideas forward to a new audience. Current trends suggest people are trying to revert back to modernism, and I find that quite unnatural, to be attempting to wind the clock back, and instead of creating spaces for living now, there is this tendency for blank spaces and miscellaneous design solutions; a blank floating shelf, a picture window to a non-descript view.
Society is always moving forward, and new technologies challenge the idea of the modernist home. We pride ourselves on not getting caught up on finicky modernist details but still having a very deep focus on embedding meaning in the quality of the interiors we create. We don’t necessarily prescribe what kind of curtains you should have, but we demand a high level of client engagement, that is often so rich that at the end of this day you can guide each other to the best solution for that space.
The nature of the construction industry means design and building programs can often stretch out over several years - how do keep up the creative energy between both clients and yourselves throughout that process?
From the very outset, we ask that our clients engage heavily in the design process, usually starting with inspiration scrapbooks, a simple cut and paste! Often in a 50c book or using sites like Pinterest, we get them to collect things from all kinds of sources, not just completed projects in design magazines. We want them to let us in on who they are, and the more information they can give, the greater depth of engagement we can have and the better the project outcome will be.
From a practice point of view - Mel (Bright) spoke at a recent AIA women's day breakfast about how there’s only really been three cycles of work in her ten years of practice, which is I think is an experience shared by many architects. It feels like we're about to hit our second cycle, which makes it exciting to see the development in our work and be proud of what we've achieved so far.
Image of Kooyong apartment by Martina Gemmola
How have you tailored your practice to allow ongoing teaching and community advocacy commitments alongside your design projects?
From the outset we wanted to create the studio that we had always wanted to work in, and one that would allow us to grow into as a practice. A lot of questions arose of what was important to us as a practice; it's collaborative, its deep in discussions, surrounded by plants, and embedded in the local community. We work fairly solidly from 9.30-5.30pm, respecting the workday, but recognise that we while could work till 10pm, it comes back to practicing what you preach - you can’t advocate to increase the standard of living and then work yourself to the bone in the process.
It means we’re able to maintain a lot of energy in the studio throughout the day, which is slightly more optimistic than spending half an hour on The Age website at midday then having to work late into the night. I’m reading managerial books and trying to look beyond being just technically good at what we do, because that doesn’t mean we're necessarily good managers or business owners, but we can be, so it's a skill that needs to be learned side by side with design.
We also implement 'cultural Sunday' which is to make sure we do something that a) recognises it's important to make time to experience new things to keep that fire of creative inspiration burning and b) can be instagrammed, so yes, we’re always looking for the marketing tool!
Keely Malady is a graduate architect living in Melbourne. Keely’s blog, Small Talk & Co. aims to hold a space open for a new conversation on the wonders of work, and all the small things that make up a life well lived. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Studio visit: Kelsie White of K Gets Organised
Kelsie White packages a new set of cards in her home studio in Northbridge, Perth.
By Kristen Marano
Kelsie White is changing the stationery game with her cheeky sayings and fresh designs. Her cards challenge the need for an occasion to send a sweet note with lines like ‘You’re my favourite blanket stealer,’ and her sleekly-designed paper pads encourage people to make to-do lists they’ll actually fulfil.
White’s childhood enthusiasm for stationery kick-started her paper goods business K Gets Organised in 2014; she has since created a collection of more than 100 products that fuse black and white sleek typography and cheerful watercolour designs such as popsicles and doughnuts.
At only 23 years old, White is a creative woman on the move who is constantly connecting and creating. White designs and packages in her bright sunny studio in the hip neighbourhood of Northbridge, Perth, sells her paper goods at local market stalls, and keeps learning as she completes her graphic design degree.
White is also the event host of the Perth chapter of Creative Women’s Circle, and she will launch the second event of the year this week. We recently chatted about how she got her start in stationery, her creative process, and where she plans to take her business next:
What attracted you to paper goods?
I'm what I affectionately call a stationery addict. I also love a good card stock, a hardbound notebook with the perfect paper inside, and writing out my to-do list every day. There is nothing better than sending and receiving a hand-written note from someone. The nostalgia and old world charm of stationery and hand writing, from getting your pen license to writing your wedding vows, really brought me to stationery; it has made creating and designing for special, heartfelt moments so beautiful.
Take me through your creative process.
I usually draw from a real life experience. My favourite yellow water-colour card reads, 'You're just so bloomin' lovely', and I made it with my beautiful girlfriends in mind. I was studying and working as a florist at the time and loved giving them little left over flowers from my shifts. That’s how I created the card.
A lot of my illustration work also comes from people around me. I recently drew some lovely popsicles for a local business called Delish Ice. I love the owner Katie and I’m so happy to have her as a friend; it was so much fun to draw happy little popsicles while thinking about her passion, drive, and kindness.
I also love to draw from current trends; my latest planners feature doughnuts, indoor plants, and popsicles.
Sketches, and water-colour designs mark White’s studio walls as inspiration and new works in progress.
What puts you in the mood to create?
A great cup of coffee, a beautiful cafe, and Wi-Fi. With all of these things, the world is my oyster.
You're successfully running your own business at such a young age. Who has influenced and inspired your journey as a small business owner?
I really wanted to be my own boss and push myself to try something new. I had never studied business or run a business before.
I've been studying art and making art since I was very young, and I wanted to get back into creating while I was at university; I started making planners to help motivate me to complete my assignments. From there I launched a tiny collection of five planners and now have more than 100 products under my belt. This was not an easy journey, but it is by far the thing I’m most proud of doing in my life.
My role models include Anna Rifle Bond from Rifle Paper Co., who I was lucky enough to meet in London last year at a stationery conference (they exist!), and Sass Cocker from Ask Alice in Melbourne. They both really inspired me to go out there and create beautiful paper goods.
What can we expect from K Gets Organised in the coming months?
A really big and exciting change that will launch around February 2016.
In December, White will depart for a creative getaway through Europe and the United States. To follow her journey and get regular behind-the-scenes posts, check out her Instagram.
Kristen Marano is a digital nomad living in Perth, Australia. Kristen interviews women in business. She contributes to Huffington Post Canada, and produces a weekly newsletter, Creative Women Weekly, featuring stories of creative women from around the world. Follow Kristen on Twitter @kmarano.
Regional creative: Melisah May Art Studio and Workshop
By Christina Atherton
Being a creative can sometimes be a struggle between fulfilling a desire to create and making ends meet. Many of us have had to compromise along the way but what if the two could work seamlessly together?
Melisah May is a Newcastle based artist who has fulfilled a lifelong dream of running her own artists studio in the heart of the city. With a background in teaching she is able to combine her two loves – art and teaching – to offer a creative hub for people to discover the joys of art while continuing to make a name for herself in the art world.
Tell us a bit about your background?
I’ve always wanted to be an artist and have always been involved in something creative. I completed a degree in Natural History Illustration at Newcastle University then a Certificate in Small Business Management with plans to start my own freelance practice. Unfortunately illustrators weren't in great demand at the time so I decided to return to uni and get my teaching qualification. For the past seven years I’ve been a full time Secondary Visual Arts and Photography Teacher while building a name for myself as an artist on the side as well as holding exhibitions and teaching in London for two years. I’m not really content with staying put too long!
Summer Rain, 2015, Acrylic on canvas by Melisah May
As a freelance illustrator and artist, how do you get your work out there?
Social media is obviously a big help now so I try and utilize that as much as I can. Before Facebook and Instagram, I had to get the word out there the old fashioned way - by talking to people! I found doing lots of markets helped me get my work out there and just asking people in cafes and shops if they would hang my work. I have to remind myself of those days because I find myself relying on social media way too much these days.
You have an amazing light-filled studio in the heart of Newcastle. How did that come about?
Completely by chance! I wasn’t looking for a studio but a friend told me about the space and I thought I’d go have a look. I fell in love and decided to take the plunge. Starting my own art studio has been my dream for a long time. By the end of last year I had swapped full tine teaching with being a full time small business owner!
How do you use this space to create? Does it inspire your work?
It is definitely a very inspiring space. I still pinch myself every time I walk in! I love having so much room to move and I feel like I’m kind of developing and growing with my work as the studio develops. Everything I do in the space is promoting growth and positive experience so that environment is a catalyst for my practice
You’ve had exhibitions in New York, London, Sydney and Newcastle. What’s the process for preparing for an exhibition?
It’s different every time really. Just quietly, it's usually a big stressful rush towards the end! Generally however, I will have an idea for an exhibition based on what I have been making at the time and just work on tightening that body of work to form a coherent narrative.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere - music, art history, pop culture, people on the street, food - you name it! I do love books though and I would have to say the one thing that never fails to inspire me even when I’m feeling flat is wandering through a bookstore and looking at books of all descriptions. It’s one of my favourite things to do especially in used bookstores!
You also offer workshops for adults and children, is teaching something you love?
Absolutely. I love teaching, and I always want it to be part of what I do. Nothing compares to the feeling of helping someone smile and feel accomplished.
What’s next for you?
I want to continue to develop the studio as a business and provide more creative and diverse opportunities for people to indulge in their inner artist. I also want to start exhibiting my own work more frequently in 2016. I feel I have a lot to express from my experiences in this past year and I’m excited about what’s to come.
On a quest to live a more creative life, Christina loves any type of crafty project and has tried everything from watercolours and flower arranging to paper craft and calligraphy. She has an unhealthy obsession with Instagram and when not working in freelance travel and lifestyle PR, spends her time as a mama, wannabe photographer and magazine junkie. She currently coordinates CWC events in Newcastle.