We are delighted to have Plastic Protein back at Norwich Makers Market this year who were generous enough to give up their time and give us an insight into their background and inspirations.
NMM - What do you make/design and what is your background?
I'm a self taught photographer working with analogue & vintage cameras. My background is in music retail which has helped when selling my own products. I use a hybrid of both analogue and digital processes to produce Giclee prints of my work. I also produce hand-primed cards which all have an individual finish and have recently started printing directly onto mountboard which gives a really unique look. All my products are made 'in house' by me. I also produce hand-pressed accessories, my bestsellers being ones featuring vintage maps. I was born in Ipswich and lived there most of my life but having lived in Brighton & Hove for sometime moved back to the East coast where I now live with my wife and three daughters.
I'm a self taught photographer working with analogue & vintage cameras. My background is in music retail which has helped when selling my own products. I use a hybrid of both analogue and digital processes to produce Giclee prints of my work. I also produce hand-primed cards which all have an individual finish and have recently started printing directly onto mountboard which gives a really unique look. All my products are made 'in house' by me. I also produce hand-pressed accessories, my bestsellers being ones featuring vintage maps. I was born in Ipswich and lived there most of my life but having lived in Brighton & Hove for sometime moved back to the East coast where I now live with my wife and three daughters.
NMM - Where are you based and could you describe a typical working day.
I work from my home studio in Saxmundham on the Suffolk coast. It's a great little market town surrounded by an amazing landscape which I feel a strong connection to.
A typical day for me will start with a school run and after that I will usually check emails and straighten up my studio. Dust is my enemy! Scanning alot of film means I need to keep on top of it. I try to get out and shoot film as much as I can but I do spend a lot of time researching projects. This is fascinating but can also be a bit of a draining experience. If I am hit by a burst of inspiration I will spend time writing, which is also something I love to do and have multiple projects on the go. It's great working from home and I can have lunch with my wife and youngest daughter but there are a lot of distractions too. I'll spend the afternoon working on new designs or prints, researching or sourcing something on Ebay! (there is always some new equipment or camera I can't do without). We always have a delicious & vegan-friendly family meal together and in the evening I might do a little more work but then it's time for TV, tea and biscuits.
NMM - How long have you been doing this?
I really got into photography in my late teens and developed this hobby through my twenties, giving me a large stock of images to work from. I have also been writing since my early twenties. I have been self employed for three years now having done my first fair in 2012.
I work from my home studio in Saxmundham on the Suffolk coast. It's a great little market town surrounded by an amazing landscape which I feel a strong connection to.
A typical day for me will start with a school run and after that I will usually check emails and straighten up my studio. Dust is my enemy! Scanning alot of film means I need to keep on top of it. I try to get out and shoot film as much as I can but I do spend a lot of time researching projects. This is fascinating but can also be a bit of a draining experience. If I am hit by a burst of inspiration I will spend time writing, which is also something I love to do and have multiple projects on the go. It's great working from home and I can have lunch with my wife and youngest daughter but there are a lot of distractions too. I'll spend the afternoon working on new designs or prints, researching or sourcing something on Ebay! (there is always some new equipment or camera I can't do without). We always have a delicious & vegan-friendly family meal together and in the evening I might do a little more work but then it's time for TV, tea and biscuits.
NMM - How long have you been doing this?
I really got into photography in my late teens and developed this hobby through my twenties, giving me a large stock of images to work from. I have also been writing since my early twenties. I have been self employed for three years now having done my first fair in 2012.
NMM - What inspires your work?
The landscape is the biggest inspiration for me in my photography, whether it's the straight forward beauty of it or the history embedded in it. I worked in a record store for most of my twenties so music and popular culture is a big influence, although not so noticeable in my photography. Cinema was my first passion and this really educated me in how to frame and compose an image. Architecture, modernism, mid-century design, cities, nature and Japanese culture are all inspiration and influence also.
The landscape is the biggest inspiration for me in my photography, whether it's the straight forward beauty of it or the history embedded in it. I worked in a record store for most of my twenties so music and popular culture is a big influence, although not so noticeable in my photography. Cinema was my first passion and this really educated me in how to frame and compose an image. Architecture, modernism, mid-century design, cities, nature and Japanese culture are all inspiration and influence also.
NMM - Which other designer makers do you admire?
I admire anyone doing it for themselves, people doing what they have a passion for and people who have decided to go it alone and be self-employed. There are so many talented people out there and in this part of the country especially, it's a great place to be. Anyone who has a level of passion and obsession that focuses them I admire as this is something I struggle with.
NMM - What is it you like about trading at Norwich Makers Market?
This will be my third time at the 'Norwich Makers Market' and it's been great in the past. The venue is brilliant and the location is good too. Norwich is such a nice city and there is always a good crowd all day at the market. It's nice to meet up and chat with other stallholders and I feel privileged to be a part of it as there's such a great variety and high quality of goods available. I always go home with a bag of treasures and there is more than I can buy to choose from, and I haven't even mentioned 'Deerly Beloved Bakery' yet. YUM!
I admire anyone doing it for themselves, people doing what they have a passion for and people who have decided to go it alone and be self-employed. There are so many talented people out there and in this part of the country especially, it's a great place to be. Anyone who has a level of passion and obsession that focuses them I admire as this is something I struggle with.
NMM - What is it you like about trading at Norwich Makers Market?
This will be my third time at the 'Norwich Makers Market' and it's been great in the past. The venue is brilliant and the location is good too. Norwich is such a nice city and there is always a good crowd all day at the market. It's nice to meet up and chat with other stallholders and I feel privileged to be a part of it as there's such a great variety and high quality of goods available. I always go home with a bag of treasures and there is more than I can buy to choose from, and I haven't even mentioned 'Deerly Beloved Bakery' yet. YUM!
NMM - Where else do you sell and how can people keep track of your work?
I have stock in a few shops in Ipswich, notably the fabulous 'Loveone' in the Saints area. Recently I worked with 'I Make Fun Stuff' in their pop-up, where I also had some items for sale. 'I Make Fun Stuff' also have a selection available in 'Loveone' and continue to organize markets in Ipswich which I usually have a stall at. I do a few other fairs in the local area such as Snape and 'The Pennoyer Centre'.
You can get in touch via facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Plastic-Protein/
or visit my Etsy shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PlasticProtein
you can also follow me on Instagram - https://instagram.com/kubricks_kids/
I have stock in a few shops in Ipswich, notably the fabulous 'Loveone' in the Saints area. Recently I worked with 'I Make Fun Stuff' in their pop-up, where I also had some items for sale. 'I Make Fun Stuff' also have a selection available in 'Loveone' and continue to organize markets in Ipswich which I usually have a stall at. I do a few other fairs in the local area such as Snape and 'The Pennoyer Centre'.
You can get in touch via facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Plastic-Protein/
or visit my Etsy shop - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PlasticProtein
you can also follow me on Instagram - https://instagram.com/kubricks_kids/
Thanks to Plastic Protein, we can't wait to see the new work in May!