Page 12 - The Digital Cloth - Issue 5

Perth-based surface pattern designer and
illustrator Clare Martin’s philosophy on the
importance of colour is simple: “Colour is
essential”.
Clare is fascinated by the principles of
colour psychology and knows only too well
how colour can affect a person’s mood.
She is drawn to patterns over block
colours, prefers warm hues to cool ones,
and confesses her wardrobe is made up of
every colour of the rainbow.
“My poor boys [sons Finn 16 and Noah 12]
live among a kaleidoscope of patterns in
our home,” she said.
“But, honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other
way; I couldn’t imagine living without
colour and patterns around me. I would
find it too depressing.”
Clare’s love of colour is evident in her
Instagram account, which contains s
amples of her stunning surface pattern
designs. While her posts are bold and
vibrant, her account – which is enjoyed by
nearly 1000 followers – never feels jarring
or overwhelming; it is a cohesive
collection of beautifully curated examples
of how colour can bring to life even the
most mundane items.

Finding beauty in unexpected places
The adjectives you’d choose to describe
Clare’s work – ‘playful’, ‘colourful’ and
‘dynamic’ – are also those you’d use to
describe Clare herself. She brings her
humour and warmth to her collections,
which amuse and intrigue with their
whimsy and charm. With names like ‘
Jellyfish Garden’, ‘Citrus Grove’ and
‘Fortune Cookie’, you get the gist.
Clare’s work portrays a unique
perspective of everyday items. Pens and
pencils become geometric studies, citrus
fruit are presented as a feast of shapes,
and the treasures she finds beachcombing
are inspiration for quirky and lively
designs.
Her inspiration comes primarily from the
natural world; plants, flowers, all
members of the animal kingdom, everyday
items and the things seen when out