New Designers: Katrina Wilde

Today we are delighted to bring you a designer interview with Katrina Wilde, who graduated from Manchester School of Art and exhibited at New Designers in London this summer.

• When did your interest in design first start and how did that come about?

I think this is a really hard question! I’ve always been interested in art and drawing since I was younger, which is the same for a lot of designers I think. My parents are Jack & Jill of all trades and both have an aptitude for creative-ness, which has always encouraged me to pursue my own creative flair – at home we are surrounded by beautiful objects and fabrics, which creates a really stimulating environment to work in. I’ve always been curious and messy, which are of course two key ingredients to creating interesting things!

I’ve had some really great tutors through college and university. My college tutor was tough but totally knew what she was doing and she introduced me to the likes of Yayoi Kusama, Issey Miyake, Zandra Rhodes (who’s studio we got to visit, which I think conjured up my love for print) to name a few, as well as sending me to some incredible exhibitions.

I don’t think though that I truly understood design/designing properly until about half way through the final year of my degree, when I had a light bulb moment and began to truly enjoy what I was working on. That said, through university there’s been a wealth of support and especially in my final year, I felt my tutor really helped me to flourish and understand my potential as a designer.

• What steps did you take to get to where you are now as a designer?

I went through the school – college – university route, studying Art, then BTEC in Art & Design specializing in Fashion, and then going on to study Textiles in Practice at Manchester School of Art, specializing in Printed Textiles.

In the second year of my degree, I did a semester of studying abroad at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in the Institute of Textiles and Clothing and this without a doubt began to shape how I thought about design and the industry. Whilst my course at home was pretty much totally practice-based, at HKPU I had the opportunity to study the more ‘theoretical’ side of textiles. For example, I took two classes I had to sit exams for – Sustainability in the Textiles and Fashion Industry and Nanotechnology and NanofunctionalTextiles, but the classes were so interesting and I learnt things that I really had no clue about before, which definitely influenced future decision I made about other projects. I can’t recommend studying abroad enough; it was a really exciting and energizing experience. I met some incredible people and saw beautiful things that will go on to inspire me. In the final year of my degree, I entered various competitions and although I didn’t win any, it helped to diversify my portfolio. I went to New York for a week with a small group of other students and tutors, visited studios and made some good connections – it’s really important to network and give everyone the time of day, you never know who you’re chatting to. Also, I exhibited at New Designers in London, which has opened the door to some really great opportunities (like this one!) I felt like in the final year we all pushed really hard – some days were in the studio for 8am until closing at 10pm, and that wasn’t just before a deadline either. We really gave it everything! I’ve done some bits of volunteering and hunting for placements too – I didn’t do any placements during my course but that’s what I’ve planned for this year.

• How would you describe your style?

I’d say it’s quite eclectic and sometimes quirky – I don’t really stick to one style of design, and like the prints that I create to be applicable to different industries and not just restricted to fashion or textiles. In terms of drawing style though, I tend to lean more towards a free and abstracted way of designing, as oppose to creating something really photographic. I think that’s probably because I’m not the most patient person though!

• What kind of designer do you want to be known as?

For me, thoughtfulness and consciousness in design is a big part of what drives me. That could be down to the materials I’m using, or the printing and dyeing methods and processes I’ve chosen. I think that having that kind of awareness about your work is really important – it’s something that creates longevity. I’d like to be known as someone that thinks for the future and not just in the moment.

• What are you currently working on?

This next week, I’m doing an artist residency at the MOSI in Manchester, with a group of 12 female artists and musicians/composers with Brighter Sound and renown composer Anna Meredith. https://www.brightersound.com/anna-meredith-meet-the-artists/

I’ve just returned from Bulgaria, which always inspires me, whether that is the landscapes, the textiles or my grandma, or a mix of it all. I’m working on creating more commercial designs for my portfolio and experimenting with different styles of design and drawing. You can see bits of what I’m currently up to on my Instagram.

• What advice would you give emerging designers wanting to build their portfolios?

Have a range of designs and work in different colours, don’t just have a portfolio full of florals or

geometrics, a mix of stuff is more exciting and intriguing to look at! Show versatility, especially if you want to work in the commercial sector. I love to create look books and mood boards, that kind of visual display aspect has always been important to me.

• What would be your dream design gig?

To be a designer or colour story picker (yes, that’s an actual job there!) for Marimekko. Their designs are completely timeless and contemporary, even though they often work from archival material.

• Looking ahead what are your major goals for the next couple of years?

This year after graduating, I’m looking to get a studio space in the Manchester area to carry on with my practice and freelance work, as well as some different placements to gain some industry experience. I’ve got one lined up next year in Australia for a few months, and a couple of other exciting things in the pipeline too! Ideally, I would like to work in a small design studio where there is an emphasis on hand-drawn designs, but still using digital tools too – I’m still exploring who I am as a designer, and enjoying the process of understand what it is. I’m also interested in the supply chain and the manufacturing side of things, where our products come from, how they’re sourced and that sort of thing, and think that this can be something that I go on to develop towards working in.

• If you were a pattern what kind of a pattern would you be and why?

If I was a pattern… I think I would be a really stylized or abstract floral, filled with simple & small marks, polka dots or lines at a huge scale probably in a mustard, deep burnt salmon pink (is that even a colour?) or in an ecru-y colour. The colour would be minimal but bold, and it wouldn’t be a repeat. Florals are timeless and won’t ever go out of fashion and they always make me feel really jolly. That, or a super futuristic print that changes with my mood (so a lot then…) so that I never have to choose just one!

Katrina is an artist and surface pattern designer, graduated from Manchester School of Art, 2016. She uses a combination of digital and screen print processes and works in a variety of media to create a variety of drawings and styles.