Meet the artist: A look into the life of Tom Abbis Smith

We met with Tom, one of our favorite artists, to talk about his inspiration and work process. Tom's approach towards design and art is so refreshing and we just had to dig deeper - don't miss this one!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

My sources of inspiration can come from anywhere - music, nature, even ancient history. I think it's important to be open to your surroundings and draw from what you experience in your day-to-day life. Plus, I've always loved nature and I find myself inspired by things that are happening at the moment.

How would you define your style?

I think I have a style that is intuitive, abstract and experimental. I try to keep an element of childhood playfulness in my designs while also taking risks and 'pushing' boundaries with color and patterns. My work is about creating and telling stories based on what I see around me.

How do you make your art?

I make everything through traditional techniques such as paper collage, texture, and mark-making. Then I scan them and work digitally on photoshop where I create the compositions and apply color, texture, etc. I usually do things in batches: a day making textures, a day cutting collage shapes and then digital sessions.

What is your latest style obsession?

Although it's quite different from my art style, I'm really interested in dark gothic style art like blackwork tattoos, woodblock prints, that sort of vibe! I think it's fascinating and beautiful. The color palette there is quite dark and intense so it's been fun to experiment with this every now and then.

What are your favorite subject to design?

Plants! I know it sounds a bit 'vanilla' but I just love the way they grow and move. I have a few projects that are based around plant life and I'm really interested in diving deeper into this world.

What is ‘home’ for you?

To me, home is a safe place where you can relax, regenerate, and be creative. A place where you can store your books, experiences, and memories. I don't think you can have a creative process without having a space that's dedicated to you and where you can reflect on what's important to you.

How did you give your home your personal touch?

We recently painted an accent wall a lovely olive green color in our living room and paired it with midcentury modern furniture, plants, and ceramic pieces. We're currently going for warmer earthier/pink colors in our bedroom so we're painting all the walls Terracotta/pink. We'll match this vibe with a throw I designed for Slowdown Studio and a rattan corner shelving unit we recently bought. I'm very excited about the final result, actually.

What's your secret to a well designed home?

I think a well-designed home utilizes the space well, fitting furniture in where it's needed but also having breathing areas. I like to have areas in my house where I can sit and think or relax without feeling 'cramped'.

What’s your favorite room?

My favorite area is where the record cabinet is. The cabinet is mid-century modern walnut wood and has my Roland TT99 record player on it, with walnut speakers next to it and a lamp with a shade I designed. Above that on the olive wall is a really lovely abstract print my partner bought me by Antti Kekki. I think it's got a really cozy, inviting feel to it. It feels like a complete area, if that makes sense!

What’s your most favorite art piece at home?

My favorite piece is a design by Jonathan Niclaus which is framed in the Bathroom. It's actually from Wrap Magazine's wrapping paper inserts you get in each issue. Weirdly, by accident, we have matched the color scheme in the design to the walls and general decor colors in our house, so it all fits really nicely together.

How do you decorate your walls?

I think the biggest feature pieces on our walls are the big prints around the house, and the large round gold framed mirror in the living room. We try to keep it filled but not overbearing - that hard to get balance between too much and too little.

What's it like working with Lime & Lou?

It's been really good! A nice, positive, friendly vibes all around. I feel like the design process naturally flowed so I was able to be freely creative and intuitive. The result is some really lovely designs that I'm very proud of and happy to represent.

ABOUT TOM:

Tom Abbis Smith is a contemporary designer based in the United Kingdom. For you and Lime & Lou, he created the Tropical Holiday Peel & Stick Mural, the Africana, Tropicalia and Amazona decorative pillows, and the African Beauty blanket.

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