DESIGNERS YASMINE GHONIEM + KATY SVALBE

Travel informs the work of up-and-coming design duo Yasmine Ghoniem and Katy Svalbe as much as it does their life. They are sisters - half-sisters, in fact - who formed the firm Amber Road Design in April 2013, bringing with them skills and experience in the areas of interior design and landscape architecture, respectively. Their story is an interesting one, and begins with their parents. They have the same mother, but different fathers. Yasmine was born in Kuwait, and has lived there and in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Dubai, as well as America, where she attended university and worked in the interior design industry. On her return to Australia, she reconnected with Katy, who had been living and working in Madrid for six years. Just before heading to Europe for a month, they shared the rest of their story:

YASMINE GHONIEM, INTERIOR DESIGNER

Which five words best describe you? Animated, passionate, honest, driven, a dreamer.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? After graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design in the States I drove across the country in my very run down red station wagon and landed in Portland, Oregon. I worked with several architectural practices as an illustrator (despite having a BFA in Interior Design) for three years until I got itchy feet and decided I'd go travelling for a year. I did six months of volunteer work in Kenya and Vietnam and loved it, but ran out of money so was forced to make a decision as to where I wanted to plant my seeds. I was at a crossroads when I returned to Sydney in 2007. I had been globetrotting, uprooting and relocating for most of my life, so coming home was like visiting a new country in a way. I worked with a small design studio for 18 months initially and quickly realised I wanted to open my own practice. In 2008, I started working solo until my sister Katy moved back from Madrid in 2011. We worked together on an exciting brief for a project in Shanghai, which reignited our desire to collaborate. In April 2013 we launched Amber Road, finally combining both our disciplines; interior design and landscape architecture; a dream that had been in the making since we were kids.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Perseverance. Stick it out and the goods will come.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Keeping a small business afloat for two years. It's been one hell of a ride so far. It's hard work, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

What’s been your best decision? Taking the plunge into the unknown and working for myself, with Katy.

Who inspires you? Tim Jenison, a Texas-based inventor is my most recent source of inspiration. I just saw that movie Tim's Vermeer, and I gotta say he's one dedicated and focused man.

What are you passionate about? Music, community and more music.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Frida Kahlo, for sure. Or David Bowie, for the living.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Let's just say it has something to do with changing the way we live.

What are you reading? Tracks, Steve Jobs and Grace Coddington - I love bios, and about to start my mate’s book Here come the dogs by Omar Musa.

KATY SVALBE, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Which five words best describe you? Curious, passionate, grateful, thought-full, on-a-mission.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? Post completing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Western Australia, my career commenced working at a large interdisciplinary firm Hassell, Sydney, devising long-term visions for the hectares of parklands surrounding the Sydney Olympic Village at Homebush. Post Hassell, I became one of the founding team of Sydney's most respected landscape firms Aspect Studios, and helped build that once small company from the ground up.

Six years into professional life, itchy feet got the better of me and I spent a year globetrotting; visiting my family, which at that time was spread between Egypt, Europe and the States, absorbing landscape projects I had always wanted to visit, and working in London. It was during this trip that I went to visit my sister, who at the time was finishing off her studies in Savannah, Georgia. Whilst walking around the site, that was to become the focus of her final project, the seed of working together was planted - although it took another 10 years to take root!

Post my year of globetrotting, I returned to Sydney, and picked up where I left off at Aspect Studios, before getting a craving for some more significant life/work experience overseas, which took me to Madrid, Spain. Here I had the opportunity to do both some freelance work as well as work for one of Madrid's largest landscape practices. Projects ranged from designing public spaces and street furniture for a new city that was emerging on the outskirts of the city, just near Madrid airport, the design of the garden rooms associated with the Spanish Ambassdor's quarters in Canberra Australia - who would have dreamt! - to the design and construction of a garden installation in Bilbao, northern Spain.

Six years later, hungry to reunite with family and put my diverse life and professional experience to the test, I came back home to Sydney. At this moment the Amber Road journey commenced.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Trust your instincts, generally your first idea is the right one.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Starting a business with my sister.

What’s been your best decision? Returning home, putting down roots and embracing all this glorious city and country has to offer.

Who inspires you? Michael Reynolds - father of the Earthship movement.

What are you passionate about? Art, design, music, permaculture, all things landscape.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Dead - Hundertwasser. Alive - Mike Patton.

What dream do you still want to fulfil?  Self sufficiency - amongst community.

What are you reading? Getting ready for 10 days in Berlin - Anna Funder's Stasiland.

images courtesy of amber road design and prue ruscoe

designers karen davis & pepa martin

Shibori has been used by the likes of stylists and interior designers Sibella Court, Kerry Phelan and Woods Bagot. It's an Australian company that was set up about six years ago by Karen Davis and Pepa Martin, who met while studying fashion at East Sydney College. In a relatively short period of time they've gone from working on commissions to producing a book - Shibori in the 21st Century (scheduled for October) - and releasing their own range of fabric dyes. They'll also be hosting a series of workshops at the Powerhouse Museum in November.

Which five words best describe you?

Karen: Indigo, charcoal, copper, tangerine and turquoise.
Pepa: Olive, ochre, burnt orange, caramel and shiraz.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? We meet at The Fashion Design Studio at East Sydney College and had an instant connection. We started the business in 2005 and began working with prints (both digital and screen), however we kept coming back to hand dyeing. In 2007 we did our first “Life in Style Trade Show”. It was nerve racking because hand dyeing wasn’t in at that time. We were really worried people might think we were crazy hippies. However, the positive response was overwhelming and gave us the confidence to expand the business. Since then we have focused on creating commission pieces working with interior designers and architects on amazing large-scale pieces that give a space a personally of its own. We have been lucky enough to work with some of the most talented and well-known people in the country and our work can be seen anywhere from corporate spaces (Macquarie Bank Head Office) to large venues (The Beresford upstairs) to many smaller places in between. We are both really passionate about shibori and feel it is our duty to spread the word about other amazing people using this medium. With this in mind comes the creation of our book “Shibori in the 21 Century” which includes interviews and showcases the work of others. We were lucky enough to interview Australians Akira Isogawa, India Flint, Barbara Rogers and other international artists like Trine Mauritz Eriksen and Shabd Simon Alexander to name a few. The book will be launched at the end of this year with an exhibition and workshop by some of the artists. It is truly a dream come to fruition.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
Karen: To close your ears to the negative opinions of others. Someone somewhere will think what you are doing is crazy and it probably is, however, that doesn’t mean you won’t succeed. Have faith in your own dreams.
Pepa: Feel the fear and do it anyway!

What’s your proudest career achievement?
Karen: 5-metre high by 3-metres wide dip-dyed curtains for Upstairs at The Beresford Hotel. The deadline was very tight and we had to find new and inventive ways to get the job done. It was very intense but lots of fun.
Pepa: The production and development of our dye range “Dye Da Vida” with Tintex Australia. Dye Da Vida translates to dye gives life, which is how we truly feel, and we hope the dye range inspires other to do the same. This in conjunction with our workshops (one to be held at the Powerhouse in October) is my main passion.

What’s been your best decision?
Karen and Pepa: Starting the business. It has been such an amazing ride with personal growth and creativity. Our days are always full of laughter and things are always made easier when you have someone else to bounce things off.

Who inspires you?
Karen: People who are fearless and follow their dreams.
Pepa: Mother Nature and the simplest of ideas.

What are you passionate about?
Karen: Nothing makes my heart flutter more than a beautiful vintage textile, I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
Pepa: Shibori in nature, a mossy sandstone wall, the imprint left after the rain. Interpreting these textures on cloth.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
Karen: Astro boy - fearless, a bit tragic but with amazing hair.
Pepa: Antoni Gaudi, the grand scale of his art, his organic lines I would just like to pick his brain for a bit.

What dream do you still want to fulfill?
Karen: Finally (finally, finally, finally) seeing the finished product of our book Shibori in the 21st Century. It has been a real labour of love for us (and our very talented and patient designer Steve Clarke).
Pepa: An international exhibition, our second book (a dyeing manual).

What are you reading?
Karen: India Flint’s new book Second Skin.
Pepa: Kafka on the shore.

images courtesy of shibori

designer catherine martin

Catherine Martin is a name synonymous with one of Australia's most successful creative husband-and-wife partnerships. Alongside Baz Luhrmann, for the past 20 years she has created the sets on award-winning films, including Strictly Ballroom and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Catherine won two Oscars for art direction and costume design on Moulin Rouge. She has also won a Tony Award for production design on the opera La Boheme which travelled to Broadway in New York.

But Catherine's design imprint isn't limited to film and theatre. She has also produced a range of wallpapers and rugs. The most recent flooring collection, inspired by the upcoming The Great Gatsby film, is her second collaboration with Designer Rugs.

Which five words best describe you? Passionate, positive, eccentric, determined, shoe-a-holic.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I had just dropped out of art school and was working in the rag trade as a sample hand when I heard a radio ad for a play in Western Sydney celebrating International Youth Year in 1985. I got the job as designer and from there I felt I had found my vocation and became inspired to apply for the design course at NIDA. I met Baz Luhrmann when he came to see an exhibition of our second year work. He had already graduated and had won the directorship of numerous companies in the bicentennial year of Australia and asked Angus Strathie and myself to start designing for him and these companies. Since then, I've been designing for Baz and we now have a company together and two beautiful children.
What's the best lesson you've learnt along the way? Never give up.
What’s your proudest career achievement? My proudest life achievement is having my two beautiful children, Lillian and William. On the career front, it's continuing to enjoy the creative journey with my partner-in-crime, Baz Luhrmann.
What’s been your best decision? To have children and to commit to a creative and life partnership with my husband.
Who inspires you? Everything from walking the streets of New York and seeing the extraordinary panoply of life unfolding around me to reading books and magazines, surfing the web, visiting exhibitions and everyday conversations.
What are you passionate about? My children, my family life, my first morning coffee, inspiring design, shoes, good food, travelling, Paris, photography, art, New York and Ruinart champagne.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Elsa Schiaparelli, William Shakespeare and Albert Einstein
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To own an apartment in Paris.What are you reading? The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt on my iPad kindle.

images courtesy of catherine martin and designer rugs

photographer petrina hicks

After working as a commercial photographer for many years, Sydney-based Petrina Hicks now focuses on her fine art work. She is well-known for her portraits of the model Lauren, pictured second from top, and portraying a tension between beauty and imperfection. Petrina has won several prizes for her work, including the 2008 ABN Amro Emerging Artist Award. She has also exhibited in Germany and Japan, and at the National Gallery of Victoria as well as the Museum of Brisbane. In Sydney she is represented by the Stills Gallery.

Which five words best describe you? Depends which day you catch me - today it’s calm, focused, inspired, patient.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I started working as a photography assistant to commercial photographers in Sydney. I did this for 6 years, before working as a commercial photographer myself. I then grew frustrated with this, and started to develop my art practice again, and now this is what my time revolves around.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? "Nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished".

What’s your proudest career achievement? It’s yet to happen.

What’s been your best decision? Destroy and create, create and destroy.

Who inspires you? The list would be infinite, as I’m inspired by everything, in the realm of the arts a few key inspirations have been: Kiki Smith, Cindy Sherman, Michael Borremans, Vermeer.

What are you passionate about? Real food, yoga, non possession – or not being weighed down by ones possessions.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Leonardo Da Vinci

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To have a garden.

What are you reading? Words Without Pictures (a series of texts published by Los Angeles County Museum of Art).

images courtesy of petrina hicks

PHOTOGRAPHER JONATHAN CAMI

Even when you reach a level of success in your career, there can still be much to learn. For Jonathan Cami, it took advice from a fellow photographer to get him inspired all over again. After working for many years on advertising shoots for clients such as Nike, Audi and San Miguel in Barcelona, Jonathan started to feel that photography was becoming a job rather than his passion. So he started retraining his eye, shooting items of interest every day. Jonathan has since left advertising work behind and is now focussing on editorial - and since moving to Australia has been shooting for magazines such as Monocole, Inside Out and Virgin Australia’s Voyeur. Some of the images he shot before leaving Europe, seen above, can be found and purchased via The Incredible Picture Machine.

Which five words best describe you? Well, you can choose between these: short, bearded, bald, tattooed, thin... or stubborn, cheeky, organised, impulsive, funny.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? My career started many, many years ago in Barcelona, assisting an advertising photographer. When I moved overseas I left advertising behind, trying to re-start my career focussing on editorial... still trying to make a career of it.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? My mentor and friend, Damien Laurent, a London-based photographer/director from Blinkk, taught me how to love every bit of photography, how to be passionate about photography again. After many years of working in advertising in Barcelona, photography had become just a job and Damien changed that, made me get my camera every day and shoot everything.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Some art directors send me to a shoot without any other direction than, “Do what you usually do, we love your portraits”. 

What’s been your best decision? To leave Barcelona behind and follow my (now) wife overseas. This decision has brought me an awesome daughter and changed my career totally - much, much less money but much, much more satisfaction.

Who inspires you? Henri Cartier-Bresson or any of the photographers of the Magnum agency.

What are you passionate about? My family, reading books, travelling and taking photos of abandoned cars.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I'm not a mythomaniac, but probably I would have love to have had a conversation with Nestor Almendros.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? For someone to pay me to travel and take photos - and publish them in a book. 

What are you reading? Crónica del Alba, a series of nine novels from Ramón J. Sender. One of the pillars of Spanish literature and a powerful testimony of Spain from the early 20th century until the civil war.

images courtesy of jonathan cami

artist jasper knight

While the achievements of Sydney artist Jasper Knight are many, perhaps the most astonishing thing about him is that he has achieved them at such a young age. He has been a finalist in the Archibald Prize a handful of times, including this year. He has also been shown in the Wynne Prize, and won the Mosman Art Prize in 2008. Jasper established Chalk Horse Gallery in 2007 as a way to support emerging artists. He was born in 1978.

Which five words best describe you? Cold caffeine free diet coke.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? Got my start after school when Bob Carr bought my HSC work for the premier's office and John Aquilina, then minister for education used the image of the work on his Christmas cards.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Manage your own affairs as much as possible. The first show I ever had was a sellout and the gallery went broke and never paid me. Ouch!

What’s your proudest career achievement? Winning the Camden Art Prize for kids in London when I was 8 years old. Richard Branson gave me the prize, a big paints set (and he gave me a piggy back).

What’s been your best decision? To stop making video work and return to painting and sculpture.

Who inspires you? Creative cross discipline types. What about Albert Camus: amazing writer, Nobel Prize winner and more importantly goalkeeper for an Algerian team that were twice North African champions. Needless to say when asked what he preferred: football or theatre he said, easily football.

What are you passionate about? South Sydney Rabbitohs and Arsenal Football Club.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I would have liked to have met Michael Jackson, what an amazingly strange man.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I would love to still write, produce and direct a Hollywood movie. Who wouldn't.

What are you reading? Roger Moore's ghostwritten autobiography My word is my bond.........james......?

images courtesy of jasper knight and chalk horse gallery