The art of parenting while running a design studio: we go BTS at OGRE Studio and Seachange

Running a design studio requires a great deal of dedication, creativity, and time. But what happens when the designers at the helm are also parents? Two studio founders – Steven Walker from Newcastle-based brand and design practice OGRE Studio and Amanda Gaskin from Seachange, based in New Zealand – have a thing or two to say about juggling these two roles, and kindly recount their experiences in navigating their undoubtedly intertwined nature.

The Joy of Parenthood

“Becoming a parent changes absolutely everything, your entire life – whether you like it or not,” Walker tells us. “It’s magic. A blessing and a life-defining thing in itself; but also really, really hard and exhausting.” The sudden shift in priorities, from being “a burning sun at the centre of your universe” to being “an orbiting moon with a very important satellite (or several) in an unknown galaxy,” calls for a significant change in one’s lifestyle and work habits. And in the midst of these adjustments, Walker sees parenthood as part of his creative practice.

Even as things appear to be returning to normal post-pandemic, the presence of uncertainty and global instability, including the cost-of-living crisis and climate collapse, continues to form the backdrop of daily life. This scenario is not just the parents’ reality, but also the only reality their children have known, forming their generational norm.

“But parents, like designers, have to have calm heads and steady hands in this constantly shape-shifting world,” he continues, “and be solution-oriented, positive and driven to make a decent living and be happy with your work and family life.” Walker adds that tackling these challenges has, without question, made him a better designer. “Creative types tend to be more caring of the species,” he notes, “but the experience of having to think long-term – day-in and day-out – about the needs, development, and ambitions of the next generation really sharpens your empathy skills. It teaches you to take nothing for granted and instils an increased sense of urgency about the things that need to change in the world. Designing for brands and projects that positively contribute to changing said world has become an even higher priority for me.”

Parents, like designers, have to have calm heads and steady hands.

“What’s been the biggest joy and reward of parenthood?” We ask Gaskin. “There’s no way for me to respond to this question without veering into sentimentality,” she responds, “but the truth is – children are an unparalleled source of joy in this world. And I don’t mean to suggest that parenthood is a prerequisite for experiencing this joy. Children represent our future, regardless of whether you’re a parent or not. Observing their innocence helps to realign your moral compass and deepen your capacity for empathy.”

Gaskin and her partner Tim Donaldson aim to infuse all their creative endeavours with depth and soul in order to evoke emotion. They enjoy weaving playfulness into their work and even invite their children’s perspectives to ensure that a project’s authenticity and accessibility shines through. “Our daughter adores the We Compost brand we developed a few years ago, while our son’s favourite project is Mama Mexa, an identity we created for a Mexican pop-up restaurant,” Gaskin recalls, “Although he hates Mexican food because he thinks it’s spicy, he steadfastly maintains that it’s our best work.”

The Juggling Act

For Gaskin and Donaldson at Seachange, their creative practice has always coexisted with their journey of parenthood. “We started Seachange when our daughter was two and I was pregnant with our son, so we’ve never known any other way than working with small people around,” Gaskin tells us. This unique situation has allowed them to integrate family life into their work routine. Due to the unpredictable nature of time demands, their efficiency has had to adapt and improve, where the duo learned very quickly that “we have to work around their needs, and therefore need to be as effective and productive as we can, stealing an hour here or a few minutes there – working random hours is all part of it.”

Despite the challenges, they also believe that becoming parents has, without a doubt, enhanced their creativity and resilience. “There’s something incredibly satisfying about being creative while also being extremely tired; the adrenaline kicks in and you just have to push through,” Gaskin explains. “It’s 100% made both Tim and I more resilient than I ever thought possible. Achieving what we have in six years while also raising two kids is not for the faint-hearted or lazy-at-heart.”

There’s something incredibly satisfying about being creative while also being extremely tired.

“Becoming a parent really makes you realise that time is the most valuable resource available to you,” adds Walker. Both founders agree that time management is crucial, and admit that balancing work and family life is a juggling act, often requiring them to work unconventional hours. Here, Walker proposes a new mantra – “if the ‘fake it till you make it’ mantra is useful for people entering the creative industries, then maybe ‘wing it, till you sing it’ could be my offering for creatives becoming parents?!” Likewise, Gaskin admits to ‘winging it’ most of the time, working around the needs of their children, and striving to be as effective and productive as possible.

“Our biggest challenge revolves around the fact that both Tim and I are fully immersed in running our business,” Gaskin reveals. “We easily clock in around 50 hours each week. We don’t have the luxury of one of us taking on more childcare or household responsibilities while the other focuses solely on work. This arrangement is entirely by choice of course; if either of us had wanted to be stay-at-home parents, we could have made it work. However, that lifestyle choice is not something we’ve ever been interested in.” In the grand scheme of things, the couple hopes that this experience will instil a strong work ethic in their children, and demonstrate to them that it’s possible to have a family while also pursuing a rewarding career. “And I know they’re incredibly proud of what we do,” says Gaskin, “I distinctly recall my daughter, Fyfe, once telling someone that we design worms and beer and rubbish trucks, and oddly, I was quite happy with that description. We do work on a diverse range of products and services, so she nailed it really.”

In a way, their children grew up in their studio – from the occasional mealtime to regular post-school visits – which made it a natural part of their routine. “I attribute this lifestyle to the unique setting of New Zealand,” she adds. “With our studio, their school, and our home all within a 3km radius, it’s feasible for us to integrate family life into our work routine,” a dynamic that Gaskin admits might be less feasible in a bustling city like London.

Truthfully speaking, balancing work, childcare, and juggling both never gets any easier, Walker tells us, even as the kids get older (at the time of writing, his children are 10 and 13-years-old). “I have at least 10 post-school clubs (the youngest plays youth football a year up in the under-13 girls’ premier league in the North East, the eldest has rugby, judo, and youth theatre clubs he’s part of) and weekend matches all over the region to drive them to. Every month, I end up racking up about 1,000 miles and spending almost 50 hours driving the car just on these family logistics (including school runs).”

We require designers to be tolerant.

Carving out time outside of business and familial routines is an essential ingredient in maintaining equilibrium. As Walker notes, “when your work is also your obsession and part of who you are, creative parents need to find ways to let off some steam and de-stress” while maintaining emotional discipline to handle the pressures of their lifestyle, which often teeters on the edge of burnout.

“What little free time I occasionally get,” he continues, “I make sure that I see some of my mates, go to the pub, go to some art stuff, and get out and about or go exploring with family.”

The Closing Advice

To help maintain a good mindset in the general day-to-day, Walker emphasises the importance of selecting projects and clients that truly energise and motivate you, making the work process just that bit easier – “Choose life, choose work that really gets you going.” This same thinking applies to the people around you, as fostering caring, understanding relationships with those you work with will always be beneficial for your well-being and overall work-life balance. “Design is a long game – looking after people matters as much as looking after projects.”

In addition, Walker encourages adopting flexible work schedules, especially for working parents. However, he also highlights the importance of identifying when your creative juices are flowing the most and scheduling your most creative tasks during those periods.

Choose life, choose work that really gets you going.

Perhaps most importantly, Walker urges designers to be kind to themselves. “The weight of the world is heavy and can crush you,” he says. “Even when times are good and all is well in the world, being a designer is challenging, add being a parent and global catastrophe to the mix and that’s another filter you’ve got to deal with.” It’s crucial to lighten the load by reaching out to others and sharing your feelings, especially during challenging times.

Finally, he advises designers to celebrate the small victories. In the fast-paced world of design, especially when juggling familial responsibilities, it’s easy to be caught up in the rush of meeting project milestones and become “a bit of a productivity machine.” Celebrate not only the completion of a project, but also the great progress you’ve achieved along the way.

Acknowledging that the parental experience is vastly individual and “a deeply personal and subjective journey,” Gaskin, similarly, advises other passionate creatives that they do not need to sacrifice their career to be a good parent. “There’s something undeniably powerful about children witnessing their parents pursue fulfilling careers,” she explains. “Missing a few bedtime stories or tucking-ins is not the end of the world. As long as your children know they are deeply loved, they’ll thrive.”

“In our experience, raising our kids in a creative environment has been nothing short of transformative for their own creativity,” Gaskin tells us. “Our daughter, for instance, is a prolific drawer. Since she was tiny, she’s been concocting fantastical characters with the most captivating expressions. I do believe she’s this way due to the environment we’ve raised her in, although all our son is interested in is football, so who really knows. Nurture or nature, either way, I believe if you are happy, your kids will be happy too.”