Umbrella Prints are Adelaide-based duo Amy Prior and Carly Schwerdt, designing and printing fresh patterns onto organic cotton and hemp/cotton.
Amy and Carly started working together 6 years ago. “We were just having fun and did not plan to ‘start a business’ together. The business grew a life of its own based on people wanting to buy what we made, printed fabric pieces and sewing kits at that time, and we of course jumped at the opportunity to make a living from our art.”
umbrella prints – trimmings
Up until they met, they had quite different career paths – Carly has always been a graphic designer, but Amy said she has done a heap of different things, all in support of her life in art. “I have worked in some capacity since I was 14, always to financially support my training and development as an artist. I’ve answered phones, worked retail, late night pubs up to my ankles in beer, been a carer, a cleaner – some really messy jobs… every experience made me stronger, a better communicator and gave me the backbone to survive the ups and downs of running my own business.”
It has not been an easy road, but they both agree that “every single frustration, closed door or technical problem we have ever had has burnt at the time but pushed us to a better place.” {although they still complain about the lack of time! It seems that particular frustration never goes away}.
Despite the hardships, their total enthusiasm and joy shines through in abundance. When questioned about what was the best thing that ever happened to them and their business, their response was “Meeting a like minded equal to share the journey with.” They also have been quite overwhelmed at the success of the Umbrella Prints Trimmings competition (definitely worth checking out -it’s been running for a few years now, and some entries are amazing!), and feel completely blessed that some beautiful and lasting friendships have come from collaborative projects.
umbrella prints – perfect circles
umbrella prints – waves
Umbrella Prints work from their studio in Adelaide, which is also a space for children’s art classes (Nest Studio), and they credit their work there as a great source of stimulation and energy for their business. “We are surrounded by art materials for printmaking, painting, drawing, collage etc, gorgeous children’s storybooks and art books, and often of course, children! We haven’t forgotten how to play creatively and know ‘mistakes’ are just opportunities for a new direction. The key to our method is to be open to all of each other’s ideas and experiments with colour, design and pattern. ” Having a great studio to work in also contributes – “It’s a light-filled space full of beautiful things and good vibes.”
“All of our textile designs come from making and rarely ever from ‘let’s sit down and design a fabric’; for example, RockDots came from mucking around printing dots with the rubber at the end of a pencil; Bird in Paradise from a full page texta doodle of Amy’s, and Elephants from Carly’s experiments with circles on the computer. There is of course a knack to knowing what imagery is worth following up and working into a pattern- we can both spot potential instantly and always agree on what we should be giving more attention to.”
umbrella prints – new fabrics sampler
umbrella prints
As a child, Carly said she spent a lot of her childhood in a world of her own imagination. Visits to her art teacher Aunt, and her Grandfather’s house were like visits to wonderland for her, because they were filled with beauty and handmade things.
Amy’s childhood was filled with fascination for the world around her. “I was mesmerised by the interesting details in nature and in objects; with sparkles and colours in rocks and patterns on fish. When I was a sick kid I drew dot patterns on tissues. My mum painted on silk, my sisters were into music, acting and painting. Both parents always talked about quality in clothing and workmanship. We had friends and family who were musicians and actors- it was an environment conducive to mess and art. I was also inspired by Ruth Tuck, and the teachers at her watercolour/craypas classes were always upbeat and completely passionate about colour- no rulers, no pencil outlines first, and no erasers.”
Amy is still a bowerbird. “I enjoy arrangements in art, objects, paintings, words, music …my Pinterest boards pretty much reflect what catches my eye! I am always inspired by the talented people around me and people in general who are crazy in love with their work like David Attenborough, Bjork, Oliver Saks and Leonard Koren. And Carly too, admires those who are completely devoted to their artwork – artists like Margaret Olley, who never stopped painting until she passed away last year at the age of 88.
umbrella prints – studio with pin board
You can find more Umbrella Print fabrics on their site. And check their blog to catch new releases (including their 100% organic “Elephants Love Water” series) and to find out more about the wonderful Trimmings competition.
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With much thanks to Carly and Amy for sharing their words and images here.