To celebrate the launch of my new jewellery collection 'Dreams' I have teamed up with graphic designer Sophie Clemence of Studio Clemence who has created a beautiful abstract art print featuring a number of key elements from the Dreams jewellery collection. I caught up with Sophie to ask her a bit about her eye catching and fun brand:
Q: I noticed you started Studio Clemence during the first lockdown, what was the driving force behind that and how have you seen the business develop in this last year (wow, it really has been almost a year hasn't it!)
A: I’d wanted to set up my own little business designing and selling prints for a while and I got really close to doing it over a year before launching Studio Clemence - I even set up a website and created a series of designs but then ran out of steam before I even got it off the ground as I just didn’t have the time that I wanted to dedicate to it with working full time! So when lockdown came around, I was lucky enough to continue working as a graphic designer from home which meant I was saving almost 3 hours a day commuting into central London so it was a sort of ‘now or never’ moment!
With all the uncertainty and stress that came from the first lockdown, it was such a blessing to have this creative outlet and focus for building up a body of new work and experimenting with different designs and styles for Studio Clemence.
After releasing my first collection of prints, I decided I wanted to tweak some of the existing designs by adding another material or technique that could be applied by hand so that each piece was that little bit more special; and that’s when I started experimenting with gold foil! This was quite a turning point for Studio Clemence, as the gold foil prints were so well received, and my two gold foil OG Lady Garden prints continue to be my best sellers to date!
More recently, I launched my first jewellery collection which was really exciting! I’ve always loved wearing jewellery, and especially during lockdown it felt like such a treat to myself to dress up in my favourite jewels (even if I’m wearing jumpers and joggers most of the time!), I decided to experiment with making my own beaded jewellery back in November. Initially it was just for the fun of it (the best kind of experimenting) and I started making bracelets for friends as Christmas presents. I enjoyed it so much that it escalated from there and I launched the Pastels & Pearls Collection for Studio Clemence at the end of January!
Q: Where do you work from? and whats your favourite thing about the space?
A: I have a little set up in my flat in Hackney for a very modest home studio. I’m lucky enough to live high up in an apartment block with the most beautiful views of London, which I can look out onto from my desk!
It’s so cliche to say but one of my favourite things is watching the sunset every evening, which is a huge source of inspiration for my designs! So many of my prints feature those lovely warm orange and pink tones that you get from an epic sunset.
Q: I can also watch the sunset from my home studio window and I love it too! Your prints have a really bright, joyful and fun feeling to me and that's what originally attracted me to your work - is this deliberate?
A: I’m so glad you think so! When I started designing the first collection of prints for Studio Clemence, it was during the first lockdown which was obviously a scary and unnerving time for many, so this really shaped the direction for my designs. I wanted to create a collection of prints that were happy and uplifting and would bring some colour and character to their surroundings!
At the time of experimenting with the first collection, I was also reading My Little Book of Colour by Karen Haller which I can’t recommend enough for any colour enthusiasts! The book talks a lot about how colour can influence our moods and actions. It was such a turning point for me, as I went from being someone who lived in dark colours and preferred a muted colour scheme, to completely embracing colour both in my own life (my flat and wardrobe soon started filling up with my happiest colours!) and for Studio Clemence designs. I’ve been fascinated with colour psychology ever since, and given the timing of everything, I think everyone was in need of all the positivity they could get, so colour-happy art prints felt like a good way to go.
Q: What is your most popular (best selling) print and why do you think this is?
A: My best seller is also my personal favourite! It’s the pink and orange Lady Garden with the gold foil. The colours in this design are so rich and warm, they look so good against the gold foil. I think it’s also so lovely to design something on screen that I can add to with another material which can be applied by hand. It makes each one that little bit more unique and personal.
Q: Do you have a ritual for when you design/draw?
A: I always have a podcast on the go as it helps me to focus! Desert Island Discs is always my go to when I’m working / designing. A cup of tea on the go during the day and a glass of wine in the evening! I work full-time alongside Studio Clemence, so evenings and weekends are often reserved for Studio Clemence and a lot of the time I find myself burning the midnight oil!
If I’m lacking inspiration, taking myself out for a walk beforehand always helps. Time away from my screen is always when I get my best inspiration or ideas!
Q: You've captured the dreamy feeling of my new collection brilliantly in our collaboration print, was this your first collaboration and how do you feel about teaming up with other artists and small businesses?
A: It was my first collaboration and definitely something I’d like to do more of! Designing solo can be hard at times, with feelings of self doubt or overthinking a design to the point where you can't see the wood for the trees, so it was great to bounce ideas around with Jade who had a great vision for the design!
Q: What's your favourite piece from the Dreams Collection?
A: I love them all but the rise and shine hoop earrings are definitely my favourite! They are just so delicate and I love that you can mix and match the sun and the moon. I bought myself a pair to celebrate and remind me of my first ever collaboration with a small business!
Q: What's in store for the future of Studio Clemence?
A: Colour-happy prints will still remain a focus, as I still have so many ideas for prints that I want to release into the universe but I’d also like to look into new products that could incorporate my existing designs.
I’m also really excited to expand my beaded jewellery collection and explore new styles! I’ve always loved creating things, so it’s been so lovely to be able to create these pieces of jewellery myself by hand and away from a computer screen.
Working on collaborations with small businesses was one of my main goals for 2021, so I’d definitely like to do more of these in the near future!
It's been a pleasure working with Sophie on this collaboration - we hope you love the print as much as we both do! It's available exclusively here on the Pepper You web shop in A5 or A4 sizes.