MEET THE TALENT: THE INTERIOR STYLIST CLAIRE LARRITT-EVANS
With this pretty picture, showing the work of the extra talented Australian stylist Claire Larritt-Evans I would like to introduce you one of the new series that you will find here on “79 ideas“. They will be called “Meet the talent…” and by the title you can guess that I will meet you with talented people and they will answer few questions about their work and life.
Few weeks ago I posted about the work of Claire and back then I was amazed by her taste and feeling for colours and shapes. And when she agreed to dedicate few minutes of her life for this interview I was screaming from happiness at home. I’m still so excited, because this is my first interview… ever… Thank you Claire for being such a nice person, for the time you dedicated to “79ideas” and our readers. Last but not least, thanks for being such a great source of inspiration.
Claire: Looking back I can see that this was always what I was destined to do, even when I was at University studying Media & Communications – I’d skip class and scour the local Op Shops (thrift stores) for furniture. My bedroom was so full of furniture – not all of it I could use – my mum used to remark that I would one day open a store. (This is perhaps something for me to do later in life, I hope).
Each step I’ve taken in my career has led to me being a stylist. After completing my studies at age 22 I travelled and lived in New York, Vancouver and then spent 2 years living in London. This is where I landed my first full time job working for a large Art Publishing house. When I returned home to Melbourne I worked as an Account Manager in a Design Agency. Working in this creative environment in an account management position, I soon realised that I had a yearning to be creative myself, rather than just manage the creative process.
After working for 2 years in this position I took the bold step and started an online art gallery called One Thousand Words. Working from home I ran a successful business selling artwork online – I was lucky to receive a lot of press coverage in design magazines that I adored, namely Inside Out. It was when I was liaising with stylists lending them my artworks for their shoots that I had ‘lightbulb’ moment, when I thought – “hang on, I’d rather be styling the whole story than just supplying the artwork”.
Each step I’ve taken in my career has led to me being a stylist. After completing my studies at age 22 I travelled and lived in New York, Vancouver and then spent 2 years living in London. This is where I landed my first full time job working for a large Art Publishing house. When I returned home to Melbourne I worked as an Account Manager in a Design Agency. Working in this creative environment in an account management position, I soon realised that I had a yearning to be creative myself, rather than just manage the creative process.
After working for 2 years in this position I took the bold step and started an online art gallery called One Thousand Words. Working from home I ran a successful business selling artwork online – I was lucky to receive a lot of press coverage in design magazines that I adored, namely Inside Out. It was when I was liaising with stylists lending them my artworks for their shoots that I had ‘lightbulb’ moment, when I thought – “hang on, I’d rather be styling the whole story than just supplying the artwork”.
Still feeling creatively starved in what felt like a purely sales role in my One Thousand Words business, I contacted stylists whose work I admired. I really felt drawn the work of Glen Proebstel so he was on the top of my list to contact. I was INCREDIBLY lucky as he accepted my request to come and volunteer my time to assist him on his work at Inside Out. It was here I learnt how much goes into the planning and production of a photoshoot – and after this experience with Glen I was hooked. I knew that this was what I wanted to do. From here, Glen referred me onto Megan Morton who is my design and style hero – I then assisted Megan when she worked in Melbourne.
Eventually I started to create my own work and get my own jobs. It was in fact the time that I was pregnant with my son Alexander my career took shape. Not knowing when I would go back to work after my son was born I threw myself into my work and worked as much as I could until the week before he was born. When Alexander was 5 weeks old I got an amazing opportunity to work on the interior design and styling of Market Lane Coffee in Melbourne. The interior design of Market Lane has been wonderfully received and I every job I have done since has been in some way connected to that particular job. It turned out to be the turning point in my career and shift from working on only editorial campaigns to now designing and styling commercial and residential spaces.
Claire: My eyes are always open, I often find inspiration from walking the streets at home in Melbourne and when on holiday I always have a notepad with me. It may be a colour, texture or even some typography that catches my eye. I catalogue everything I find to be inspiring and have endless folders filed on my computer.
I do read a lot of magazines – Inside Out, World of Interiors, Habitus & Vogue Living are but a few titles I read religiously. Whenever I have the chance I am on the internet, reading blogs, online magazines and just surfing around. One of the things I find is that being so busy so much of my research takes place online. As a Mum I try to divide my time between my work and my family life and so I have to fit a lot into the days I work. I find I don’t much have time to just meander – I would love to have a few hours a week to get out and about and get inspired. The real world is endlessly inspiring, blogs are such a wonderful resource (and I’m very much addicted to them) but it’s truly inspiring to travel and absorb it all in person.
Claire: I structure my week so that I work 3 days. I often work at night after I put my son to bed, so my work days are long. With just 3 working days there is a lot to do when researching, designing concepts, taking meetings and doing site visits when projects are in construction. Over breakfast I read my emails and compose my TO DO list. I am a list junkie. I always have my clipboard on me and re-write my to-do throughout the day, as it clears and fills so quickly. After dropping my son to creche, I will head out on the road, visit clients, source items and do any necessary site checks. I try to have some ‘desk’ time throughout the day, but it never seems to happen as my days generally fill with meetings.
Most days I do some work from my car, checking emails on my phone – with a notepad and all my files on the front seat! I do share a studio with my husband Scott, who runs graphic design business Swear Words. We often work across the same jobs he will do the graphics and I do the interior design, so it’s great to share the same space and work collaboratively with him. I try to stay in verbal contact with clients as much as I can – however given that I do a lot of work at night, I often draft emails at night to send the next morning.
Claire: Glen Probestel is the reason I begun doing what I do. His work is incredibly beautiful, dramatic and for the want of a better word – ‘moody’- Glen often works with the incredibly lovely and talented photographer Sharyn Cairns. As a duo they are completely in sync and they’re wonderful to watch in action, they share a creative vision and it comes to life so calmly and beautifully.
Megan Morton is an amazing woman, she is a Sydney based stylist who took me under her wing. She is inspiring and the reason I never question fitting so much into the one day, this woman is incredibly busy, down to earth and kind. Her work is beautiful and thoughtful – just like her. She is a mentor to me and is always on the end of the phone to offer help and words of encouragement. I feel really blessed to have such a visionary in my life.
I am biased but I love the work my husband does – he has a talent for translating a written brief into a visual solution with his graphic design, his work has a signature look – he is a quiet achiever and I am endlessly inspired by him.
{ photography: tony mott, armelle habib }
Beautiful styling, I'm so impressed!
Love Claire's work and I'm so glad you started this new series =)
Can't wait for the next interview! xoxo
Love her taste and style. the colors and texture are perfect. Especially like the stack of rugs and the red chair. AND that "market lane coffee" counter! Nice interview and very interesting journey!
Good job!
This is such a great new series. Look forward to seeing & reading more!
Great interview… I actually know Claire from her One Thousand Words days when she used to come into Poliform showroom with new prints to put up in the store. And she is absolutely lovely too.! What a small world…
Look forward to the next interview.
So inspiring! I'm glad you started this section. Your blog is great too, i look forward for reading it every morning.
http://justsilviad.blogspot.com
That's an awesome folding chair, the one with the tartan pattern. I've been looking for one alike for a while… does anyone here knows who's the designer/brand behind that jewel? I would be truly grateful! :)