A French Internship
Last week a very special textile and graphic design student arrived in Sydney from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, France. Her name is Mary (pronounced Maree) and she will be interning with The Honest Jones for the next four months. Already filling our studio with French cuteness, we are totally smitten!
During the process of arranging her internship I asked her a couple of "get to know you" questions, and I thought you might like to get to know her too...
What drew you towards interning with The Honest Jones studio ?
I discovered The Honest Jones via Instagram, a little by chance. I like to follow the lives of small studios, even more so if they are creative with projects that draw me in.
When I discovered The Honest Jones I was immediately attracted to the pattern projects that mixed textile patterns, photographs, and plants. All that I like!! <3
What really attracted me to want to work with The Honest Jones was the multidisciplinary projects of the design studio, mixing video, with photography and some graphic design projects.
This also reflects the double course of textile and graphics I’m studying. I think it is really important to be able to work with different design fields! And also to work with different creative profiles ;)
I also liked "the transparency” The Honest Jones gives to their projects, we can see the backstage, the pictures on Instagram showing the creative process and not only the final result. That is what I like, I find that it is a beautiful approach.
All that it is thanks to my studies which formed in me to be a conceptor and also a designer.
What is your favourite food ?
I think that my favourites dish favourites is chicken with homemade French fries by, my grandmother! I looooove fish too, as I live near the sea, the culinary speciality of my city is sardines (but I'm not super fan...)
This year, with my flatmate, we cooked Mexican food and did a "Fajitas party "! Hm, so good!
And also, I like make different savoury pies. ;)
Just one thing, I HATE BANANAS since I was 5. Berk!
Which Sydney icon are you most excited to see ?
I don't know a lot of Sydney, but I think like all the tourists, I would like to see the Opera House ;). I would also like to discover more in the city, not only the touristic places, but the smaller places with art galleries, thrift shops, cafes, bookshops and all the secret places! I like walking and discovering the city while strolling ;)
And I want to find the best places to dance all night!
In your opinion, what is your “most productive" time of day?
For me it's the morning! But sometimes during the evening, or the night if I have a lot of inspiration, I can't stop!
Describe your family in five words?
Five words, it's difficult...
Love
Support
Near the sea
Small (family, I have one little sister)
Friend (I consider my friends as my second family !)
Tea or coffee ?
I don't like both...
But lemonade?
Who is your biggest inspiration ?
I don't have only one source of inspiration. Let us say that I appreciate art and minimalist design. I hate when there " is too much ", I would rather " less is more ". I am particularly a fan of Scandinavian design, Swiss design and graphics design from the Netherlands. I also like Japanese graphic design, Japanese typefaces and icons. I really like The Great Wave at Kanagawa by Hokusai :)
I'm also a big fan of spangles and gold colour like on the paintings by Klimt.
I am not a fan of colour generally. I have tried to learn how to like them over the years and seeing them used in projects.
In fact, with my wardrobe, I really appreciate black and white. Especially with graphics, and beautiful patterns. I love patterns, especially creating and mixing them.
Before each project, I'm do inspiration research on different design websites, for example I adore Pinterest. I also like to make mood boards.
I spend hours on Instagram, I find there is an enormous amount of images to select which are very inspiring. I have discovered a lot of design studios, photographers, designers and fashion bloggers on Instagram.
Travel is also a source of my inspiration, I like to stay at home as much as well as leaving for an adventure without knowing what to expect. I have already done two road trips in Portugal with my friends. It was an amazing experience. I am sure that this new Australian adventure will inspire to me just as much.
When you aren't designing what fills your time?
In my head i'm working all the time, ahah.
During my free time, and to change my mind, I practise dance (since I was 5). I am not in the habit to doing nothing, often I get out to walk ;)
Also, I love socks.
MM
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The above film was captured and created from her first wander around Sydney town.
You can see more of Mary's work on her instragram @martymarin