Curiouser & Curiouser: Midweek Wonders!!! interview with Amanda Whitelaw from HUNGRY DESIGNS

This weeks midweek wonder is Amanda Whitelaw from HUNGRY DESIGNS

How did Hungry Designs come about?

Hungry Designs started when I was at University in Scotland. I studied Illustration & Printmaking at Art School for 4 years and while in my final year I was working on my degree show project - it was a pretty grim project, very political, with references to starvation and military action that had/was occurring. I printed a series of t-shirts with starving children on them, representing sweatshops and the fashion companies that use them. The labels were all screen printed and I named the line Hungry Designs. I don't know why but it just stuck! When I graduated I started baking again and selling these cupcakes at events and markets, I also started making jewellery as I seemed to fall out of love with drawing after my degree. It was therapeutic and friends and family suggested I sell these too...and well I think the rest speaks for itself.

Is Hungry Designs you full time job? If not, what is? And how do you fit it all in?

Hungry Designs is very much a full time job, although I work full time also: I work for APN in Milton. It's great but I do feel the pressures of designing in my spare time and trying to fit everything in. Although this is the case, I seem to work well under pressure and I enjoy getting away from Hungry Designs sometimes. I would love to have a weekend to myself but then I remember how much I love the markets and how much I enjoy meeting my customers. I would love to do Hungry Designs Monday to Friday but then I think I would become complacent and I feel that structure is so important. Having a full time job makes me appreciate the time I have and makes me realise how precious my time is.

What markets do you attend?

I attend as many markets as I can fit in! I am a proud member of BrisStyle and attend their Indie Twilight Markets as well as their Indie Designers Markets. I attend The Village Markets on the 1st Sunday of the month in Burleigh Heads State School. I also love attending Kustom Krafts in Brisbane (ran by Kat Creasey from My Little Rockabilly) and wish it was on more often! Right now Kustom Krafts is a seasonal market and occurs every 4 months or so. I am also attending the Markey Markets in The Valley, I'm excited about this new market as it's strictly handmade and vintage stalls.

Do you have any favourite designers?

I have lots of favourite designers. I have a real respect for artists and designers who can make mundane objects special. I am a BIG geek and most of the designers that I avidly follow are comic book artists. They inspire my work every day and they make me want to become a better artist. Since starting Hungry Designs I have found my love of illustrating again - a passion I thought was lost after graduating from Art School. Comic book artists such as the late Michael Turner, Frank Miller, J. Scott Campbell and Dave McKean make me realise that anything is possible.

Are you designing anything new at the moment?

I am ALWAYS creating. I like to think of it as always having something in the oven. Once one design is completed I have something else to pop into the oven - it seems to be never ending! I think this is so important as people never become bored and there is always something else to see - especially when I attend so many markets! I am currently working on a few new designs. I am phasing out all items that aren't entirely created by me. It's a long task but I feel it's so important to have designs that cannot be found anywhere else. I really pride myself and Hungry Designs on having original and affordable pieces of jewellery and wearable art. I am currently working on a creepy cute collection and my tea party collection. I am collaborating with Kat Creasey from My Little Rockabilly and it's a lot of fun. We are producing accessories that fuse 2 entirely different styles - with my art and Kat's textile knowledge we are creating head bands, fascinators and big bold bows, with my illustrations being the centrepieces. It's all very exciting!