Q&A : Clare Grennan

Clare is one of the founders of Irish Design Shop.

• —Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
  Clare Grennan. I am a designer/maker who creates big and bold jewellery with an emphasis on pattern, form and colour. I share a studio with Laura Caffrey at Irish design shop & studios on Bow Lane east.

  
  —Apart from creating things, what do you do?
  Get into trouble as a result of my loud mouth.

  
  —What first made you want to become an artist?
  I was never any good at anything else.

  
  —Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc
  Generally, I get ideas from magazines and books (shapes, style etc). I will then start sketching ideas and considering materials. A lot of my thought process is involved in the making, it is only then that you figure out if something will work or not.

  
  —Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites
  As a result of working part time in a bookshop, I love art and design books. However, my favourites change all the time! At the moment, im loving the DGV publication ‘desire’, on product design. Gorgeous images and format. ‘100 new designers’ published by Laurence king is a current favourite also. I know it’s not a book, but since getting a box set of the ‘Hands’ series, I have been working my way through all 37 episodes. Each one is fantastic, but I particularly love the Dublin ones.

  
  —In ten years I’d like to be…
  A dog owner, and a full time maker earning a wage!

  
  —How would you describe your style of design?
  Big!

  
  —Do you have another job?
  Yes, I work two days a week in the National Gallery of Ireland bookshop.

  
  —What would you be doing if you weren’t designing?
  No idea! maybe studying Irish birds, in particular migratory ones

  
  —What’s your most treasured handmade possession?
  It would have to be my workbench. Phil Roche, the technician in the NCAD Metals Department made it for me out of scrap steel and wood. I wouldn’t trade it for a fancier model anyday!

  
  —What’s a typical day like for you?
  Each day differs. If it’s a studio day, I’ll kick it off with a pot of coffee and a browse on the net. Then I’ll get cracking on making stuff, I’m loving woodturning at the moment. Currently, I’m making my biggest necklace yet! so I’m doing lots of woodturning. Lunch tends to be a bit of an occasion in the studios, so that takes up at least an hour, combined with coffee and tea breaks, that’s half the day gone! And if the weather is good, we dine outside, we have quite the suntrap on Bow lane. I generally go home between 7 and 9, depending on how motivated/busy I am.

  
  —What’s your favourite day of the week?
  Sunday, I generally take it as a day off. I also love me and Laura’s little outings checking out other makers studios. We tend to make a day of it, have a slap up lunch, that kind of thing

  
  —Are you living your ideal lifestyle right now? If not what is your ideal lifestyle?
  I am with regards doing what I love; I would just like to be doing it full time and making money from it! Being able to go on a couple of holidays a year would also be nice as would owning a dog! So, I guess im a bit of a way off my ideal lifestyle!

  
  —What’s your favourite drink?
  Coffee of the frothy kind. A large cappuccino from Brioche on Aungier street is a definite winner.

  
  —What would be a special treat for you?
  Dinner out with my boyfriend or petting a dog!

  
  —What is your latest obsession?
  Birds, in particular magpies. We have a nest on my road and it sees more action than Copper’s on a Saturday night

  
  —What can’t you live without?
  Friends, family and my work.

  
  —What’s your best selling design/product?
  In the past everything has been a one-off, but I guess my rings have always been popular.

  
  —What’s your usual way of cooking a potato?
  Roasted, with gravy and butter, delicious!

  
  —Your favourite/most interesting supplier?
  The caster, Billy Fitzsimmons on South William Street. He always does a great job, and his studio seems to be from a bygone era, hidden away on the top floor of an old Georgian building.

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