We chat with Alice Mulleeney, from Melbourne's RMIT, who was named by Motherbird's Jack Mussett as one of the top 16 for 2016 in our TDK Graphic Design Awards, congrats Alice! We hear about making giant crocodiles out of cardboard, crushing on Jonathan Zawada, and why Melbourne is the best city for creatives.
What are your three must-read design books, blogs or podcasts and why?
1. Alain de Botton’s ‘The Architecture of Happiness’ is just about my favourite book of all time – it made me see design, and the world around me, in a totally new way. De Botton manages to somehow convey really complex ideas in a really digestible manner.
2. One of my favourite design blogs is ‘theartistandhismodel’. I always find inspiration there, and its so easy to get caught up in scrolling. They have a great variety from graphics to interiors,and I love looking into creativity from other design areas.
3. I’m currently reading Vivienne Westwood’s eponymous biography and loving it. Her ongoing determination is inspiring, and her impact on more than just fashion, but the design world as a whole, is immense.
What was your plan for graduating and what actually happened?
At the start of 2015, my plan for graduating was to intern until I found a job that was the right fit for me. Luckily, that happened more quickly than I anticipated – I interned at Melbourne graphic design studio Pop & Pac during the 2015 university mid-semester break, and am now working with them as a junior designer.
What is the design landscape like in your city and where do you fit in?
To me, Melbourne is a great place for fostering a passion for design. I find it to be very eclectic and a great mix of unique styles and approaches. I think us Melbournians are pretty lucky to be emerged in the design landscape we have here; I love the galleries, the shops, the events. Melbourne has a great design café and bar culture too – from interiors to graphics, everything is considered and is a design experience in itself.
What are some of your earliest creative memories and what lead you into design?
My earliest design memories are definitely of making – I loved making things by hand. In particular, I remember making this huge cardboard crocodile out of old boxes and paper scraps. I loved being crafty and making things, so design seemed like a natural progression – although now I know that design is more than just cutting out paper triangles to make crocodile scales.
Who are your top five design crushes right now?
I find myself drawn to artists and designers from all areas of the creative landscape – not just graphics designers. I particularly love drawing inspiration from fashion designers by translating these ideas into a more graphic format. My top five art and design crushes are definitely fashion designers Raf Simons, Georgia Currie (of Georgia Alice), Dion Lee, and artists James Turrell and Jonathan Zawada.
Whats on the cards professionally and personally in the next 12 months?
I’m so excited to be working as a designer, constantly evolving and learning new things – so this is super important to me right now. I also want to focus on completing some personal projects – my own little creative outlet. In particular, there’s a book I’ve been wanting to make for a long time now, so it’s about time I got onto that!
Where to find Alice Mulleeney online.
alicemulleeney.com
Instagram: @a_______.m
