Tag: Edinburgh

Mairi Timoney

Mairi Timoney is an artist working and living in Edinburgh. Her work is inspired by architecture, interiors and landscapes, and has been shown in The Whitechapel Gallery in London, The National Gallery of Modern Art and The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. We chatted with Mairi to find out more about how she first got interested in art, the common elements in her work and the projects she’s currently working on.

www.mairitimoney.com

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background and education?

My name is Mairi, I’m a Scottish Artist currently living and working in Edinburgh. I studied Painting and then continued to study a Master‘s in Graphic Design at Edinburgh College of Art. My work takes a lot of elements from both disciplines and since graduating I have continued to develop my practice and personal style.

Do you remember the first artwork you created?

I remember drawing my dream house when I was about 5. I’m not sure if I’d really call it a piece of artwork but it’s definitely my first memory of loving to make and draw.

How do you describe your work? What are some of the common elements we can find in your pieces?

Within my practice I mainly focus on making multi media images that portray fictional places and scenes that I build through a mixture of collage and painting. I like to collect imagery and materials from various sources to piece together visuals which are both aesthetically and compositionally engaging. I also enjoy juxtaposing different media to consider surface, space, pattern and colour whilst the overlaying imagery allows me to explore my interest in place and narrative. The fragmented landscapes which appear in my work come from an attraction to unfamiliar surroundings, quiet landscapes, architecture and the lives and stories of the people that inhabit these spaces.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I’m always inspired by architecture, interiors and landscapes that I see in day to day life or when I travel. The structures and colour combinations give me ideas to include in new pieces and I always try to take photographs that I can use later. I also find creative blogs and magazines really useful for finding inspiring new projects, as well as being able to look at the work of my favourite artists and designers too.

What are some of the projects you’re working on?

I recently started a year long Artist in Residence position based in a school in Edinburgh called George Watson’s College. Here I will have the opportunity to run workshops and teach pupils in the Art & Design department whilst also having time to focus on my own practice. I am provided with materials and a new studio space to work in and I plan to spend my time developing a body of work which I will exhibit in a solo show next July.

September 14, 2017
Mill Project

Founded by Tom Kirkman and Jarred Shirley, Mill Project is a company that creates wristwatches based on a philosophy for honest design. We chatted with Tom and Jarred to find out more about their inspiration, their first watch collection and running a business from two different cities.

www.millproject.net

Can you introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about what you did before Mill Project?

We are Tom Kirkman, originally from a small town in Angus, Scotland now based in Edinburgh and Jarred Shirley also from Edinburgh now living in Berlin, Germany. We were both working at the same design agency in Edinburgh and felt unable to express ourselves, mainly frustrated with the lack of passion and creativity we were seeing in our work.

How did you decide to start Mill Project?

It all started from a conversation one night after work – we were in a pub at the Shore in Leith, a neighbourhood in Edinburgh. We would often meet up after work to discuss different possibilities and think of ideas of how we could channel our creativity and passion into something that represented us as designers and as people.

Why did you decide to call your brand Mill Project?

We always feel explaining the origin of the name is a little strange. We guess we wanted to look back to the tradition of making and crafting an object and where that fits into the ongoing process when designing an everyday item.

Can you tell us about your design inspiration?

Honesty is our driver. By adopting this design philosophy we could really focus on what was important in designing a wristwatch. We want to reach people with a product that they feel comes from a genuine place and the way we try to do that is through our choice in details. Hopefully we can stand out by being real with people, you can always tell when a person is on the same wave length to create from an honest place.

Can you tell us a little more about your first watch collection, The Nelson Series?

The Nelson Series, is a tribute to the American industrial designer George Nelson. Aesthetically there is no similarity, we admire how Nelson was able to design at the most humane level connecting the person to the product. We are very strict on ourselves not to wander outside of those principles and that doesn’t just apply to the watch.

Can you tell us about your design process? Where are the watches designed and where are they manufactured?

Every component, apart from the Swiss movement, was designed in our studio in Edinburgh. We put ourselves through an intense process for creating the watch face, with several designs nearing production and then disregarded to go back to the drawing board. It’s hard to say how many iterations we came up with, but this allowed us to be sure of our decision and that’s probably the most satisfying part – when we were able to trust our final design without any regrets or compromise.

We spent a few years researching but the turning point was finding the right manufacturers we could collaborate with and who understood our vision and from there everything started to click into place. We work with a small family-run company out of South East Germany.

You’re based in Edinburgh and Berlin. Can you tell us about your experience running a company from two different cities? Have you faced any challenges?

We never really thought too much of it as we were confident we could make it work – it’s been a positive impact on our work ethic and inspiration to feed off what each city has to offer. It’s allowed us to reach and engage with like-minded individuals for some great collaborations. Moving forward, we feel it can only be an advantage for what we want to achieve.

Do you have plans for a second collection or any other projects that you can share with us?

We’ve just launched our first series, we are excited to be working with some new stockists and other creative individuals that share our passion for good design. We’ve also planned a few collaborations, it’s fun for us to be able to engage with our peers and brands we admire and share ideas on what we can do next. The last 4 years for us have been pretty intense, so we’re trying to enjoy the moment as much as possible and take a step back from the design process to concentrate on seeing the watch out in the world!

July 26, 2017
The Bothy Yard

Designed in Edinburgh, The Bothy Yard is a home away from home for the modern explorer, combining the comfort and character of a boutique hotel with the buzz and social experience of a hostel. We chatted with The Bothy Yard’s founder Max Strzelecki to find out more about this innovative concept.

www.thebothyyard.com
Photos by The Bothy Yard

Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background?

My name is Max Strzelecki (str-let-ski). Edinburgh has been my home for five of the past seven years. My life here tends to revolve around people, waves, wind and building things… probably in that order. It’s easy to get the balance right here; you can enjoy the social buzz of city life and you’re also a stone’s throw away from the hills and the ocean. I’ve always enjoyed rich, simple experiences, whether it’s camping on the Isle of Tiree, hostelling in a surf town or cycling through Edinburgh’s side streets, there’s a lot to be said for the less-is-more approach.

How did the idea of The Bothy Yard come about? Could you tell us a little bit about the concept behind it?

It was the coming together of my love of experiencing the outdoors from the cosy comfort of a tent, and that of meeting new people and sharing stories from the road. I recently returned from 15 months in Australia, during which I spent a lot of time travelling and staying in hostels, mixing work (if you can call building Tough Mudder events “work”) and pleasure (being in the ocean).

I love the social element of the hostel experience; there aren’t many places where you are so strongly encouraged to approach a group of strangers and introduce yourself. That’s a beautiful thing, but I find communal dorm rooms very tedious. I know a lot of people who miss out on the social experience hostels offer because they don’t want to stay in a shared room. Knowing this and appreciating the unique cosy and protected feeling of camping in the wild, I had the idea of The Bothy Yard. The Bothy Yard is a hostel that offers each guest their own Bothy Box – a private sleeping and changing space with storage and all the other features a modern explorer needs, all behind a lockable door.

Who is The Bothy Yard for?

The Bothy Yard is for today’s explorers who want their days to be action packed, to meet new people, experience new places and really get in amongst it. At the end of the day when you’re tired and weary, you can close your Bothy Box door and have the peaceful, heavy, undisturbed slumber you deserve. We’re for people who want all of the social benefits of staying in a hostel, but with a bit of extra comfort and privacy.

You are launching a crowdfunding campaign in February, could you tell us more about it and the plans for the upcoming months?

This is a very exciting time for us! The crowdfunding campaign will be the first opportunity for people to book their stay at The Bothy Yard. We will be opening the doors of the first (mini) Bothy Yard in July of this year. The next few months will be filled with a lot of box construction, coffee, Frank Ocean and Tallest Man on Earth (our “getting stuff done” music). Edinburgh will be our home, but for now the exact location is a secret. Stay tuned for the announcement in the coming weeks. If you’re planning on visiting Edinburgh in the next year, be sure to follow our journey and book your stay!

February 6, 2017
Local Heroes – Studio Visits pt.2

Last week we talked about Local Heroes, an exhibition about Scottish design taking place at Edinburgh Airport during the Festival in August. We’ve been commissioned by Local Heroes to document the spaces and processes of all the designers involved. Here are the remaining 5 designers and the products they’ve designed exclusively for Local Heroes.

Local Heroes – 1st to 31st August at Edinburgh Airport
www.localheroes.design

Design studio Instrmnt, known for their minimalist products, have worked with RISOTTO studio to create bespoke risograph packaging for their Instrmnt 01-D watch.

Glasgow-based Trakked have designed two new backpacks for Local Heroes in bright blue waxed cotton fabric. The bags are 100% made at their workshop in the centre of the city and designed to be the perfect adventure companion.

Womenswear designer Rebecca Torres has created an exclusive swimsuit for Local Heroes with the idea of offering something unexpected that visitors to Scotland can take home and can be enjoyed by residents leaving Scotland for summer sun.

Gabriella Marcella from RISOTTO Studio is known for her colourful artwork. For Local Heroes, she has created a set of 3 beach towels featuring vibrant tropical motifs.

Design studio Warriors have designed a poster that champions Scottish inventions, discoveries, innovations and design.

July 29, 2016
Local Heroes – Studio Visits pt.1

We’re excited to be involved in Local Heroes, a design exhibition and shop taking place at Edinburgh Airport in August during the Festival. Local Heroes redefines contemporary Scottish design by bringing together Scotland’s leading designers in an exhibition developed specially for Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.

As Future Positive Studio, we’ve been commissioned to document the 9 designers across Scotland taking part in the exhibition. 4 designers and their products – designed exclusively for Local Heroes around the topic of travel – have already been announced and the remaining 5 will be revealed before the exhibition opens on August 1st.

Keep on reading to find out more about the designers and their products and check Local Heroes website for more information on the project:

www.localheroes.design

Edinburgh-based designer Karen Mabon, known for her silk scarves, has designed her first umbrella and sunshade taking inspiration from Scotland’s changeable weather.

Knitwear designer Hilary Grant has designed a lambswool travel blanket by rhythm, mirroring and colour theory and the knitting traditions of Scotland and its neighbouring Nordic countries.

Design studio Tom Pigeon were inspired by the colours of summer to create an exclusive necklace described by them as “a modern souvenir; a bold celebration of our skills, our environment, and of the craftspeople and makers that surround us.”

Glasgow-based Laura Spring has designed a screen printed cosmetics bag highlighting her trademark love for colour, print, pattern and process.

July 17, 2016