#sparkchamber 060820 — Anja Brunt
From the just what we needed department, with sheer delight, #sparkchamber is so pleased to welcome graphic designer and craftswoman, Anja Brunt. Anja is not a native speaker of English, but in her own words:
I am a graphic designer and craftswoman living in Amsterdam with my husband and two rabbits. I love to be outdoors especially on the Wadden Islands in the north of Holland. And play [bass]clarinet with my Balkan music band. For many years I worked in graphic design companies. Now I am working 8 years freelance which is fitting me very well. More freedom!
Because I use the computer a lot for work, I felt the urge to discover and try new ideas without a computer. Therefore I decided to start the 365 Faces Project. Something simple, just for fun. There are no rules or restrictions. I like materials without any value, crazy objects and rubbish picked up from the street. After completing number 365, I changed the name of the project to the 1001 Faces Project, as I simply did not want to end the project yet. Yesterday [May 17th] I posted number 968. I am almost there ;-)
Besides this project I am always busy doing something with my hands. Creating characters/happy faces from old socks and old blankets. And making collages. I love to look in old magazines for strange things. And use these to make something surrealistic.
My work has been published in different Magazines like Flow in the Netherlands and Frankie in Australia. Also Bis Publishers published my Collage Memory and the book Trashures I made with Tineke Meirink.
Many greetings, Anja
1.] Where do ideas come from?
That’s the good question ;-) Many people are asking me the same.
As a child I had a big imagination. I was fond of playing outside, building tree huts, finding things in nature. My mother was not always happy with it ;-)
Objects and [strange] materials inspire me to make something new out of them, something they were not “intended” for.
For my commissioned work as graphic designer, I usually ask the client a lot of questions before I start. Then I make my own translation of it. It is an interesting process. Some clients have very strong opinions on the way the design should look. Luckily, I can usually convince them to let me do the designing ;-). In the end, this works better for them.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
Creativity is the best way for me to stay happy. It is a little bit simple. But that is how it works for me. These days with Corona I had a lot of doubt why couldn’t do something more meaningful.
But I am not a nurse. So I make little “Happy faces” for people to cheer them up. Follows on Instagram are saying please keep posting because these are my daily visual vitamins. I didn’t know that it works this way.
Nowadays I am busy with animation skills. This is giving so much possibilities. And that’s one of the things you always should do. Start learning something new! No matter what it is. It keeps you sharp. And opens new worlds. Some samples:
A stop motion I made in Summerschool. Exercise for walking figure. Collage stop motion.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
I think I can be all of these, depending on where it’s good for. I start early in the morning with graphic design work. It needs lots of brainstorming and fine tuning. Especially with typography, infographics, and logos. I love detailed work ;-) So you need the be a turtle for that, also the 1001 faces long breath.
With making something out of rubbish I am very quick. I am not patient then. Putting all kind of things together, quickly switching from collages to draw to play objects.
I am extra happy when things come together by coincidence.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
Sometimes immediately! But if in doubt, I will sleep a night over it. Or ask my husband: what do you think of it? His opinion can be really refreshing. Looking at things from another side.
