Introducing... Lush Designs!

Meet Marie and Maria, the two lovely ladies behind Lush Designs. We simply can't get enough of their highly unique and alluring illustrations; from carrots to beetroot and foxes to wild pigs, there's even a bush baby thrown in to boot! Lush Designs kindly answered a few of our interview questions (and it's honestly true about the nuns)...

Tell us a bit about yourself... Who are you both, what do you do, and when/how did you start working together?

We met at art college and have worked together ever since, even staggering the production of our four children for convenience. We worked in community arts, the theatre, agit prop performance art, went to pottery classes, had terrible hairstyles. We’re the Morcambe and Wise of applied art.

You have a diverse range of products, from lampshades and tea towels to pillowcases and mugs. Do you have a favourite type of product that you like to design for, and why?

Tea towels are great to design for as they are a vehicle for our whimsical notions.

We have to explain them to tourists! "They are useful for drying dishes and cutlery or your hands – but they are a traditional souvenir and are meant to be displayed.” They stare blankly and explain that in Korea/Japan/Arkansas everyone has dishwashers.

“It’s a tray cloth!” I suggest brightly. This is invariably followed by a successful sale transaction.

We also love to design lampshades. The subtle interplay of opacity and translucency, the glowing of colour makes them a wondrous delight and the fact that it’s a panorama which meets itself coming round makes it an ideal vehicle for a narrative idea. Am I taking this too seriously?

What’s a typical day like for Lush Designs? Do you both work on the same designs, or tackle different subjects individually?

We tackle different areas of the business...

Marie: Maria designs and manages our shop and I tackle the wholesale and online with a bit of designing thrown in. Maria does most of the designing and I am hugely annoying as I have so many opinions on the progress of a design, but I will always defer to Maria on colour as she is usually spot on.

Maria: Marie is very organised and can corral my rogue ideas into work lists which ultimately become products. She tolerates my fanciful enthusiasms and isn’t even slightly annoying. We have a running joke whereby I say, "Marie’s my best friend” and Marie says “But Maria isn’t MY best friend”. I AM her best friend by the way.

Your typographical designs are ace – if you had to choose to only use one font for the rest of your lives, what would it be?

Helvetica of course. But no need because Marie has beautiful handwriting which she learned from nuns.

Pigs, horses, foxes, monkeys and birds; your designs seem to feature a lot of animals! If you were both animals, what would you be?
Marie: Craig (my husband) says I’d be a big white cat and I think Maria would be a chimp as they can see the same colours as humans and they are noisy and curious intelligent and social.

Maria: Yes, Marie would definitely be a white cat. Me, a noisy chimp.

We love your little Loris illustration that you created for a collection of stories to be published by Beautiful Books. Can you tell us a little more about the project?

Entitled Just When, the anthology is inspired by Kipling’s Just So Stories. Tamara Gray has collected contributions from writers including Michael Morpurgo and Hanif Kureishi; profits from book sales go to WildAid and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.

Each story focuses on a different endangered species and the project is designed to draw attention to species that are driven to extinction by the actions of humans, in the hope that it will increase support for the agencies that campaign against the destruction of precious biodiversity.

Your shop in Greenwich Market looks like a wonderful treasure trove; how do you manage to tear yourself away and find time to work in the studio?

Maria: I use the shop as my studio. Its where I do a lot of my drawing. Meeting customers is a great way of stimulating ideas and has been the spawning ground for many a product. I put my drawings up on the wall behind the counter and visitors to the shop can see ideas in progress.

Marie: The studio is great as we are based at Cockpit Arts in Deptford and are surrounded by great designers. It’s a creative hotbed and the friendship and mutual support of fellow artists is amazing.

Do you listen to music whilst you design? If so, what kind of bands/artists do you like the most?

Marie: Sometimes I listen to Absolute 80s and will be enjoying the B-52s or Adam and the Ants but have to switch it off when Bryan Adams comes on. I listen to Radio 4 and today watched Celebrity Masterchef on BBC iPlayer.

Maria: I listen to all kinds of music from Rachel Unthank & The Winterset to N-Dubz. I’m going through a power ballad phase at the moment so I find myself with 'More Than a Feeling' turned up loud and on repeat when there’s no-one around to complain.

What books are you currently on your bedside tables and what are your favourite reads of all time?

Marie: Favourite book – Restoration by Rose Tremain and I've just read The Glass House. About to read The Good Soldier by David Finkel.

Maria: Just read Restless by William Boyd, and am reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. My favourite book is probably Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov or The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. I also loved Engleby by Sebastian Faulks.

And finally, who does the washing up in your households (and do they dry the dishes with your Lush Designs tea towels)?

Marie: My husband does the washing up as I do the cooking – we always use our tea towels apart from the ones of London Underground map.

Maria: My teenage son Billy and I do the washing up and we always use Lush Designs tea towels.

Fancy finding out a bit more about Marie and Maria? Check out their website and blog (which is incredibly funny and full of super interesting bits and bobs)!

Introducing... Julia Pott

For this month’s blog interview we've spent some time with the delightful artist/illustrator, Julia Pott. Julia’s work, which graces everything from cards, canvas bags and fake (and real) tattoos to uber-cool music videos and heart-wrenching short films, is intriguing and captivating, never failing to provoke an emotional response. Julia's My First Crush animation had us swooning! We were over the moon when Julia agreed to work with us last year on Bake Me, the first tea towel in our ToDryFor range!

Tell us a bit about yourself... Who are you and what do you do?
Hello! I'm Julia Pott and I'm a freelance animator and illustrator.

Have you always wanted to work primarily in animation?
I think deep down it was definitely always the plan. I used to tell people when I was little that I wanted to be a cartoonist for Disney. Sure I was 5 years old and didn't really know what that meant but I said it none the less so it must mean something!

What was the first animated film/cartoon that you remember making you think ‘I want to do that’?
I think it really clicked when I was working on my second project at Kingston. It was just a small 'animatic' project where you had to design your own character and make it move in the context of a story. I think I was really tired that day and just messed around on the lightbox, thinking there was no way the animation was going to work..and it did! And it was so so satisfying to see it moving, I was hooked.

What fun projects are you currently involved with, and which has been your favourite project to date (if you can choose)?
I can't really talk about what I'm working on at the moment, but it's an exciting project! It's definitely hard to say which project was my favourite to work on so far. My First Crush was definitely a memorable experience as it was my first short film, my first real animation really, and I learnt so much from it. The Decemberists was also a rad project, I had so much freedom to create a 16 minute animation for such an amazing album. And I was flown out to LA at the end of it, which isn't bad at all!

We really love the fact that your work personifies animals. If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?
Ha, um...I'd love to be a red panda or a fennec fox..because they're so soft and so cute. But I imagine if I actually WAS an animal, I'd probably be some kind cat. I tend to be a tiny bit closed off, like a cat who won't let you pick them up. I'm also very clumsy and from watching a lot of cats, they tend to be too!

Your work lends itself incredibly well to music videos. What kind of music do you listen to and who would be your favourite band/musician to work with?
Oh thank you! I'm a big music lover, I listen to a lot of Leonard Cohen, Of Montreal, CTFPA, Beach House, Radiohead, Hot Chip, Frightened Rabbit and when I'm feeling a little bit like I need some energy I put on the ridiculous hip hop music. I was actually really lucky and I got to work with one of my favourite bands a few years ago, Of Montreal, but only as an animator not a director, so I think I still hold a desire to make a video for them. Also Beach House would be great, or Metronomy.

New York v London? Coffee v Tea? M&Ms v Smarties? You get the idea... where do you feel more at home?
New York! Tea! M & M's! Ha I guess Tea is a bit of a wild card there. Iced Tea is quite American I suppose! I definitely feel more at home in New York, without a doubt. My mom is from new york and I have a lot of family over here and I really enjoy the way of life over here.

What book are you reading right now (and do you doodle in the margins)?
At the moment I'm reading Kafka's 'Metamorphosis and other stories'. I really love short stories, I draw a lot of inspiration from them about how to structure short films. I'm afraid I'm not a doodler, but I don't take very good care of my books, they always looks very disheveled!

What are your current obsessions? (Ours are car boot sales, wasabi peas and ginger beer...)
Good question! I'm hugely into Jamba Juice at the moment, it's a smoothie chain in the states that does this epically good smoothies that taste slightly like milkshakes. Just today I bought a 40 oz berry shake and dropped it as soon as I got on the train..it was a very embarrassing disaster! I also just started playing tennis again and it's rad, I love it! And one of my new found obsessions is toast with cream cheese and jam on it, can't get enough! It makes it taste like cake!

And finally, who does the washing up in your household (and do they dry the dishes with your Bake Me tea towel)?
My mom always said that I was supposed to be born a boy because I am quite boy like in nature. I can't cook, and I avoid washing up like the plague! So I do do the washing up because I live alone, but more often than not the plates will have developed a pretty gnarly crust before I get to them. The Bake Me tea towel I have is still wrapped in plastic I'm afraid, I'm too precious about it to use it on my scummy dishes, ha!

If you fancy finding out a bit more about Julia, and to see more of her amazing animations, why not check out her website, blog and etsy shop?!!

Introducing... People Will Always Need Plates

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of... plates (and tea towels)! Thank goodness then, for the existence of design duo, People Will Always Need Plates. Famous for their witty, thoughtful and stylish products depicting iconic landmarks, we recently discovered that their passion for concrete holds no bounds!


Tell us a bit about yourself...
Who are you both and what do you do?
We are Hannah and Robin. Hannah's background is ceramics - an MA in 'pots and bottles' from the RCA. Robin studied industrial design at Brunel, and then went off to play in the glamorous world of branding and exhibition design for many years before being led to the dark side of batch production and collaboration with Hannah. All that consultancy work combined with freelancing has made a good solid ground from which to build People Will...



We set up the company as an antithesis to consultancy work and veer towards exceedingly geeky subject matter that we love, rather than producing design that'll necessarily sell the best. We know this is a luxury and are endlessly appreciative that we've found an audience and customer base as enthusiastic as ourselves.

Which has been your favourite building to work on for People Will Always Need Plates?
Trellick Tower is undoubtedly our bestseller - but also particularly Hannah's favourite. She wrote her dissertation on brutalist architecture as an undergraduate and her enthusiasm for reinforced concrete just keeps on growing. It's an added delight that Trellick is the Marmite of our range - everyone has a strong opinion of it - and we've enjoyed numerous debates with customers about the pros and cons of Trellick and its sister tower in Bow.


You do a lot of bespoke, commissioned PWANP projects for unusual buildings up and down the UK. In the case of Sheffield’s Tinsley Cooling Towers (which have unfortunately since been demolished) do you feel like you’re doing your bit to try and protect and preserve part of England’s heritage (even if it’s only in memory)?

We tend to choose buildings that we love. Unfortunately, these are often much-hated concrete edifices that hold no value in the eyes of the conservator or developer and so they're all too frequently demolished to make way for McMansions and twee mock-Tudor boxes - the English dream. We hope that we raise the profile of brutalist architecture by celebrating it in a similar manner to that of Doulton or Spode's castles and cottages on their Victorian ware.

We've helped Twentieth Century Society by producing ware to be sold by them for fundraising as they actively promote and campaign to save the architecture we most love.

Do you have a favourite architectural style/period? Do you ever find yourself hankering after a bit of Victorian gothic or some medieval masonry?
We do sometimes draw a bit of Victoriana - the V&A nearly sent us blind with all its crenellations and mock-gothic detailing - and Liverpool Cathedral sent Robin slightly mad for a few days! Older architecture does suit our style surprisingly well, it's just that when commissioned it's often modernists that see the value in working with us. As previously mentioned, we're suckers for concrete from the 1960s, though a good dose of Georgian geometry comes in close second.


What other projects are you currently involved with?
We're very busy with commissions for the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice, MARTa in Herford, Germany and new products as part of Hidden Art's Select range this year.

Do you enjoy straying away from your People Will Always Need Plates aesthetic, for example when you worked on products for Habitat?
We still freelance for the big boys now and again. It's refreshing to work on larger scale projects and not have to be wrapped up in the minutiae of production issues and the like. There are lots of other considerations when working for clients and it keeps us firmly grounded and disciplined in what is traditionally the job of the designer. Our current project is top secret for a super dooper client... but until it's launched in Heal's in August we have to keep schtum.


If you weren’t both designers, what do you think you would be doing instead?
Hannah - architect or grubby potter. I cannot let go of my craft-led roots.
Robin - definitely making something in a workshop with big machinery, or international motor racing star.

Town or Country (or seaside)?
Hannah - seaside. Ideally someplace warm enough to take a dip most of the year - and with mountains nearby. Did someone say Big Sur??
Robin - Yeah, San Francisco during the week, somewhere in Cow Hollow maybe, then Big Sur for the weekend.


And, almost relating to the question above, fancy restaurant or Sunday pub lunch (or fish and chips)?
Hannah - fancy restaurant to ensure good tableware. People will always need... a good table setting.
Robin - all of the above, I've never met a food I didn't like.

And finally, who does the washing up in your household (and do they dry the dishes with your tea towels)?
Hannah washes (mostly) and drying up is a shared chore - we have lots of Unity Peg tea towels in varying states of decay. We're hankering after some Lush Designs’ Foxes next though as they're a super hit on the mugs in our house with the wee'un.


You should head on over to the People Will Always Need Plates online headquarters, as they are currently having a brutal(ist) 50% off sale on all their remaining Ain't Concrete Great? plates.

Introducing... Snowden Flood

Not only does Snowden Flood have the coolest name of anyone in the entire universe, but she is also one of the best interior accessories designers around. Her vibrant artwork graces mugs, glasses, aprons, cushions, plates, and of course tea towels! We had a chat with the lovely lady herself and she kindly answered a few of our questions...

Tell us a bit about yourself... Who are you and what do you do?
I'm a designer and I design interiors accessories which I manufacture in the UK. I also have another side to my business designing and making bespoke products, accessories and components for interior designers and architects and their high-end projects. I'm a single mother to a pesky young boy so I work from home so that I can alternate my business with the laundry, cooking, Lego building and school runs!

Have you always designed products? If you weren’t a designer, what would you be doing?
My degree and masters were in Fine Art and Sculpture but I was a mature student. I left school at 14 (expelled I'm afraid!) and have done all sorts of jobs. I'm happiest when I'm doing something creative that involves some problem solving!

What’s been your favourite design project and why?
That's a hard one! The two British Museum projects I worked on were very engaging because they were both very different. One, plates and mugs with a stylised design of the central roof rotunda and the other was a set of glassware inspired by Tree of Life patterning from their collections. I've also been involved with various design projects for a palace in the Middle East over the past few years and they are always extremely challenging in terms of the scale and the quality issues.

What other projects are you currently involved with?
I have a couple that I'm working on right now. I'm producing an exclusive range for the Tate Modern to celebrate their 10th anniversary. I'm working on a set of products for the gorgeous Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, a range of mugs for Dorchester Hotels, and then for my other business, a load of embroidered velvet crests for the backs of dining chairs for a banqueting hall. I'm trying to produce a new collection also but I sometimes struggle to find the time for that along with everything else!

We really like your range of sport-related mugs. Do you have a preferred sport?
Thanks! I like them too. Well I hate to watch sport, I like to participate. When I lived in NY I ran lots of races and that evolved into triathlon when I moved back here. Nowadays I don't have enough time for the training because of my son, so I just run and cycle and do a weekly swimming class at crystal palace with a great coach who makes you swim crazy distances doing impossibly difficult strokes like butterfly which I can barely do!


A lot of your work depicts iconic architecture. Do you have a favourite building / style of architecture?
Yes it's true that some of my products depict landmarks. But actually that stems much more from an interest with the history and tradition of heirlooms and souvenirs than from my interest in architecture per se. So my work is really about looking at familiar and sometimes overlooked sights in a way that celebrates them (as opposed to being about my love of urban architecture). But since you've asked here's a little list of some buildings and styles I like: Grand Central station, Brooklyn bridge, little sheds and houses in people’s back yards, ghost towns of the west USA, adobe houses of New Mexico, British Arts & Crafts architecture, Pierre Chareau House of Glass, Chrysler building, this could go on and on!

We read that you collect graphic novels – do you have a favourite?
I read lots of 'real' books too but I do love graphic novels! I don't have a favourite but I love the work of Joann Sfarr, his subject matter is incredibly varied combined with wonderful drawings and a staggering imagination. I like his series The Rabbi's Cat. Other artists I like are Chris Ware (Jimmy Corrigan) Art Spiegelman (Maus), Joe Sacco (Palestine)...

What was the last song/piece of music you listened to?
Well I listen to 6 music when I'm working but I don't always know what I'm listening to because it's just there in the background. I always listen to Guy Garveys finest hour on 6 music because it's the closest to the broad range of things I like. Last song I listened to was by The National because I'm listening to their new album on Spotify while writing this.


Tea and cake vs champagne and nibbles? If you had to choose, which one would you prefer and where?
You know what I'd really like best? A NY brunch with a Bloody Mary! I don't drink much of either champagne or tea but I got hooked on a cocktail brunch on a sunday during my 10 years living in NYC. Huevos rancheros with homefries and my bloody mary and I'll be in heaven :-)

And finally, who does the washing up in your household (and do they dry the dishes with your tea towels)?
I do the washing up with occasional help from my son (he recently begged me to be allowed to wash up - I should have taped it to replay when he is a teenager!). But for the most part, it's really always me. Luckily I have a nice range of tea-towels to brighten up the job eh? I have my Motorway, Beach Huts and Cable Cars tea-towels in my kitchen on rotation.

We don't know about you, but we're now dying to know why Snowden was expelled; we're in awe! If you want to find out a bit more about Snowden, why not pop along to http://www.snowdenflood.com/

Introducing... Lisa Jones Studio

We were in London recently and, quite by chance, met up with the wonderful couple behind Lisa Jones Studio. We are excited to bring you this interview with Lisa and Edward; they are a super-talented duo who never fail to put a smile on our faces with their gorgeous prints, cards and tea towels!


Tell us a bit about Lisa Jones Studio – who are you and how did you get started?
The name’s a bit misleading as I work with my partner, Edward. We met studying Fine Art, but after a time I fancied trying my hand at something more upbeat. Surprisingly he showed an aptitude too! The new wave of illustration hadn't exactly broken and design-conscious stationery was especially thin-on-the-ground. Now, admittedly, the competition is fairly healthy.

You obviously have a love of animals; if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Tough question! While it’s hard not to invest creatures with human attributes or simply use them as metaphor for mood, I guess I feel mostly like a bear. Though there's always the hope it'll be something more kinetic and mischievous tomorrow.


What were the last books that you read and would you recommend them?
I just finished Graham Greene's 'The Ministry of Fear', which was like watching the best Hitchcock film. Before that I read Michael Cunningham's 'A Home at the End of the World', which I'd recommend unequivocally.

Edward's just finished 'The Woodshed' by Rayner Heppenstall, now he's reading a biography of pioneering clown, Joseph Grimaldi. He doesn't want to do either down, but says there are plenty of others he'd recommend first.

Do you prefer cards and stationery as a medium for your designs? How did that side of your work evolve?
Without an agent, a product or the nerve to go touting yourself, greetings are an excellent medium; essentially, you're illustrating an occasion. Cards did help us define our style and gain confidence to move into other areas, but I won't be forsaking them anytime soon. I still thrill to see their pristinely packaged, multicoloured spines displayed and, besides, it’s a thrifty way of procuring hand-printed artworks!


Has it been fun to produce tea towels?
When you produce most things in-house, it's pretty daunting outsourcing; you have to re-calibrate a little. Fair Trade organisations still seem to function more like pro-active charities than regular businesses, so initially it was tough finding a balance between maintaining standards and acting the prima donna. On the flip side, the workload's a joy and I love the way the expanding range is sitting together.


We’re excited about the prospect of Lisa Jones Studio ceramics – are you able to give us any sneak previews/tell us a bit more about what you have in the pipeline?
I'm excited too! It’s taken an age to develop designs that are vaguely reproducible; there are so many variables! On the studio-pottery side, I have two wall-tiles ready to go and a figurine maquette crying-out to be cast. With a far more factory feel, we're also adapting designs for a range of graphic mugs. I only wish I’d done them years ago.

What’s a normal day like at Lisa Jones Studio?
With creativity taking up such a slim percentage of our working day, the remainder's too mundane to describe without itemising packed-lunches or resorting to lies. Usually it's a rotation of mouse-clicking, printing and box packing set to audiobooks, iTunes or DAB. Luckily, for much of the year we get to bookend the day by cycling along the canal, sometimes stopping way too long at the old filter beds on route.


Can you take us through your creative process – where do you find your inspiration?
Hopefully we approach each project with the same sense of fun, though most times the medium is silk-screen, which also requires an element of frugality. Because every colour represents additional reproductive labour, we keep our fingers crossed that the less-is-more mantra still holds sway.

In terms of influence, I'm still enjoying the pattern and texture of mid-20th century ceramics and busy rediscovering a world of wonderfully decorative art I was dumb enough to dismiss as a student.

For inspiration we also have a large selection of tattered old picture books. One of our favourite illustrators was recently in touch over a blog entry we'd made. I was mortified to learn she'd read what we'd written, but equally excited to hear her on the answer-phone.

Your illustrated book ‘I Choose You!’ is amazing – do you have any favourite children’s books from your own childhoods?
Oh, thank you, pleased you like it. It's such a competitive arena, with a host of great talent right now. It's peculiar though, much as I love the classic picture-books and the mania for reissues, those that stick in my mind probably don't score big on the cool-o-meter.

The Worst Witch's outfit and hairdo figure strongly for me, as does ‘Mrs. Pepperpot'. While Edward affectionately recalls hyper-busy Richard Scarry books or Michael Foreman's 1974 eco-fable, 'Dinosaurs'.

For shear impact though, it has to be 'Where Do Babies Come From?' Edward’s forthright mum would leave a copy hanging around to better educate the neighbourhood kids passing through. A contentious ploy that ended pretty well all-told; I think a number of parents were genuinely relieved!


And finally, who does the washing up in your household (and do the dishes get dried up with your own tea towels)?
On no, rumbled! Edward usually does the washing (in the style of Animal, the Muppet drummer), but neither of us actually dry; we just leave it to air, like bone-idle teens. As unrepentant hoarders, we do have a drawer-full of tea towels, ranging from the vintage to the recent and—purely for the sake of appearance—one each of our own.

For more information why not visit Lisa Jones Studio's website:
www.lisajonesstudio.com

Introducing... Stuart Gardiner

Stuart Gardiner is a graphic design genius. His previous work includes everything from 18th century inspired skateboards(!), numerous album covers, witty Northern tote bags and even an Iron Maiden 757 tour jet!

Here he is (pictured below) with the largest, most amazing dog we've ever seen (more on this later)...

Not content with his awesome Metal graphic designer status, Stuart has gone on to design and produce his own range of fantastic seasonal guide tea towels (as below)!

We wanted to know a bit more about Mr Gardiner and what fuels his magnificent designs. Below is a quick interview with the man himself...

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you approach design; do concrete ideas come in a flash or do you spend hours musing over things?
My work is quite varied so I don’t really have a definitive approach, it all depends on the project really. They usually start with a good think, then scribbles in a sketchbook until an idea is formed. Good ideas are a fickle beast, and can be instantaneous, or have to be sweated out painfully. Sometimes it’s an enjoyable process, other times I tear my hair out, but a deadline usually helps things along.

What’s been your favourite design project to date, and why?
It’d have to be my seasonal fruit & veg tea towel, because it was my first product as an independent designer and not something for a client. I’d only just gone freelance, so for my first consumer product to be so well received and sell well has been really encouraging.

What other projects are you currently involved with?
I’m designing a new look flyer range for Big Chill bars in London and Bristol, and also doing a logo for Ben Fogle who approached me after seeing my website. I’ve got some new products in the pipeline to get finished off too when I get chance.

Do you have any pets? (that makes it sound like a French practical exam, but we really honestly are interested)
At the moment, yes! I’m looking after a friend’s dog for 3 weeks. Ridley Bo Diddley (below) is a one year old golden doodle (a retriever crossed with a poodle) and is a very cute fellow indeed. Quite distracting while I work though (in a good way).

Tea or coffee to get you through the day?
Coffee, then tea, followed by coffee then tea. Lunch in the middle.

If you weren’t a graphic designer, what would you be?
I’d like to have been a musician, or working in music somehow. I play the piano and used to play the drums, but they’re too noisy for a terraced London house unfortunately.

Who’s your favourite superhero, and why?
Superman. I was about 5 and my mum said she was going to take me to the pictures to see Superman. I couldn’t wait even though I was expecting just to see still pictures of Superman. I was properly blown away when I sat through moving images with sound and everything. After that I learned how to draw his logo, which may have been the catalyst that got me into graphic design. Thanks Superman...

What was the last song/piece of music you listened to?
Fuse by Hudson Mohawke.

Your seasonal fruit and vegetables tea towel is a massive hit; how did you come up with the idea (and do you have an allotment yourself)?
I’ve got a degree in information design, so every now then and I have vaguely functional ideas for graphic projects. The whole seasonal eating ethos was getting a lot of press, so I thought it would make sense to do some kind of info-graphic about it, as people these days don’t really know what’s in season and when. At first I thought I’d just do it as a print to hang in kitchens, but then had the idea of printing it on a tea towel, so it would also have a practical purpose too. I don’t have an allotment, but I do grow tomatoes, herbs and various chillis in my back garden.

And finally, who does the washing up in your household (and do they dry the dishes with your tea towels)?
Our dishwasher does most of it, but non-dishwasherable stuff gets dried by me and my wife equally. Yes I do use my tea towels. It’s a good way of testing their durability, which of course is excellent!

For more information why not visit Stuart's website: http://www.stuartgardiner.co.uk/