This week on Instagram, we shared the creative work of designer Hari Milburn. Now based in Bristol, Hari’s work stood out to us as it captures both analogue and digital elements.
In the second of our series working with female designers, we set the brief: To capture the freedom of the outdoors and spirit of adventure.
We caught up with Hari to find out more about her relationship to nature, cycling plans and creative process.
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PP: What are your current favourite, outdoor activities?
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HA: Primarily anything on the bike, bikepacking and often include wild swimming too
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PP: Has your relationship with the outdoors changed since the pandemic?
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HA: As a freelance designer, my work was cut early on in the pandemic. I was training for an ultra marathon in South Africa at the time and with that cancelled, I decided to get a bike to keep me busy and haven’t looked back. In a time that travel was so limited, I was able to go on adventures from my door. Over 10,000miles later in 18 months, I have fallen in love with exploring the outdoors, finding new roads, creating routes and seeking out the incredible smells that pass along the way. The pandemic has been devastating in so many ways but I’m not sure my obsession with the outdoors and travel on my bike would have grown the way it did without the last two years we have had.
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PP: Has your relationship with the outdoors changed over time/ as you have got older?
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HA: I have always prioritised the outdoors, but this has been enhanced as I have got older. I really value the quick lunch loop on the bike to get me away from the desk, or the weekend exploring new routes I didn’t know exist. It has now centred my decision to move to Bristol, even when I currently know very few people there. I want to be amongst a landscape that embraces the outdoors and use that as a basis to meet people.
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PP: What emotions does the concept of being outdoors inspire?
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HA: For me, the outdoors really allows a sense of freedom. The open space, clean air, phones away, all too often can become a rare moment.
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PP: How does being active outdoors change your mood, perspective on life & impact your well being?
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HA: I feel like I am the point where if I don’t get outdoors regularly, my mood and health is greatly effected. Sitting down all day makes my body ache and brain numb. Getting outside clears my head and allows for my imagination to run free without distraction, a perfect time to think of new creative ideas.
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PP: How do you feel after being immersed in nature?
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HA: Nature always makes me feel relaxed, which in the busy life I lead tends to be hard to come by. Even found on those 100+ mile days out on the bike!
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PP: How would you visualise memories of adventures outdoors, alone or with friends?
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HA: Memories for me are often triggered by the senses, especially scent when exposed in nature.
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PP: How would you capture memories of adventures outdoors, alone or with friends?
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HA: Like everyone, I’ll have my phone on me most of the time but find somethings just can’t be captured properly through a photo, yet more in feelings and the experience.
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PP: How did you approach the brief?
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HA: This project to me was about looking at adventure as a journey. Whether that be part of the planning, the route itself, or the people we meet, it’s the path we take that builds our stories and forms our memories and I wanted to create a way to celebrate this.
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PP: What tools/ methods did you work with to create the project?
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HA: With a little side hustle of digitally drawing homes and landscapes, this was my initial go-to but I wanted to use the opportunity to experiment off screen with collages and paint. It was great to allow play to take precedence while focusing on the path in the images I was selecting, using it as a metaphor to explain our journey in nature.
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PP: Did working on this project make you think any differently about getting outside/ or reflect on your relationship with it?
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HA: I felt a real buzz about working on this project, the desire for adventure as I create a concept has been brilliant alongside working on something I’m deeply passionate about.
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PP: Favourite snack/ fuel/ sustenance for the outdoors?
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HA: Sweet potato burritos in the back pockets! Pizza + beer for after
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PP: Any future outdoors adventures planned?
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HA: I have a few ideas of some big adventures on my new gravel bike, but at the same time I don’t like to over plan too much. I prefer to just go with the wind and see what comes up!
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PP: Thanks so much for chatting to us! Where can we follow your work?