Nicole Arnett Phillips

A co-founder of Kātoitoi, a dog mama and a typography lover who allowed us to peek inside her Themes studio.

Can you introduce yourself?

amateur human. 20 years into my career, I have been working

hard to correct that description!

So I would lead by saying; I am a wife, a dog mama, a great cook.

I am passionate about the ocean and our environment. I aspired to be a mermaid when I grew up (and am still working on that goal). I love music, and my professional practice sits at

the intersection of design and language.

What role does creativity play in your life?  

It used to define my life and identity. When my design work was the only creative outlet I had I would work incredibly long hours, and burn myself out. I’d become frustrated when a project didn’t live up to the potential I saw for it – looking back now – I recognise that put an ENORMOUS amount of pressure on my clients. And on myself. I was taking my job too seriously because professional success and the quality of my design outcomes became how I defined my self-worth. So today, I use creativity in the form of artistic practice (outside of the work I do for clients) to help keep me balanced, energised and less of an amateur human!

When did you discover your passion for letters and books? 

My dad worked at the New Zealand Herald, and my aunt worked at Random House. So I was exposed to publishing and print media from a young age. I made my first book (about cats) when I was four. I was an enthusiastic reader and read Oliver Twist when I was five. I have an extensive collection of books (and type). It feels like a life-long trajectory!

What inspires you to stay creative and curious? How do you sustain your creativity?

My self-initiated work always begins with a question – each question sets up an opportunity to learn. And I do think my curiosity and my desire to learn feeds my creativity. But for me, sustaining creativity is very different. Creating really good work takes a lot out of you – it’s depleting. Without balance, it can be

a fast track to burn out.

A farmer improves their soil for a crop to thrive – they water, fertilize, and loosen the dirt before planting anything in the ground. But as designers (and people that earn their living in creative professions), we don’t improve our dirt often enough. We expect ourselves to keep producing great crops of work without investing in our own creative development. So to sustain my creativity, I think like a farmer. I invest in my soil, rather than constantly depleting it. I make personal work (and play) a priority. I allow time for creative experimentation (outside of the constraints of client briefs, timelines and expectations) as a vehicle for my ongoing research and development. Improving my designer dirt makes me a better designer (and healthier human).

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

The most urgent issue to address is climate change and our imbalanced relationship with our environment. I hope to see radical changes in the way we use and manage resources within my lifetime.

Who is the most important woman in your life, and how did

she influence you in your journey as an artist or as a woman? 

I have many influential and important women in my life, so singling out one seems like an insurmountable challenge. But... My mother-in-law TereMoana (Tere), is who I would like to shine a spotlight on here. Tere lost her battle with mental health in 2018. And I think of her and her life experiences every day.

She shapes how I care for myself and my husband. She informs my empathy for other people, and she is one of the catalysts for me striving to find new territory in my work to achieve a better balance in my life.

All of those things greatly inform who I am as a woman. Of course Tere also raised my all-time favourite human (my husband Mike), so I am forever indebted.