Studio Visit with Bigkid Design
One of the best things about being part of Team HP, is that no matter where we go in the country, there's always some amazing talent to be found. While I was in Durban recently, I popped in to visit with the lovely Jess from Bigkid Design, and found a space full of colour and contrast, and art both traditional and unconventional.
Isn't that clock just the best thing? After an effusive welcome from the household's exuberant dogs, Jess plied me with tea and made me feel right at home. Seeing her space made it easy to understand the playfulness found in her designs.
I'm incredibly nosy, so after I peppered her with questions, Jess was kind enough to take me through the process of making one of Bigkid's famous Lego bookends; and let me tell you, they are hard work. It's always fascinating to see how the beautiful pieces you see on Hello Pretty get made. (Hint: Usually with a LOT of hard work.)
I'm not going to give away any trade secrets, but making just one of those little guys takes time, patience, and an incredible eye for detail. After turning out my own effort, knowing just what went into making it, I opted to take him home as is to remind me that like everything worth it, you have to put the work in.
Isn't he cute? I've called him Don Quixote, because he looks like he's ready to go tilting at windmills! (And, he's made from jesmonite, which is water resistant - so he'll be just fine in his new home.)
One last thing I snapped before I headed out, at the end of a wonderful afternoon:
This was from a mosaic-ed section outside in the garden. Every tile was handmade. This one was my favourite, from a book by Jeannette Winterson.
"A young girl coming home along a slippery and frayed line of rope missed her footing and fell into the blank space below. There was a cry of horror from everyone who saw it, but the girl did not drop and crack on the ground, she floated."
Snag your very own Bigkid item from their Hello Pretty store, and stay in touch with them on Facebook.
