ABOUT TINCH & THE STUDIO

tinch™ is a tiny inch, a pinch, a hunch.
It's fun, it's intuitive, it's idiosyncratic.

"tinch" is the concept unifying the works of designer/maker; Helen Riley-Duddin.

I predominantly work from my private home studio which is now based in North Otago, with regular days in Dunedin city.

tinch™ was Helen's childhood word for an intuitive measurement, and embodies her creative approach...

How it all began
The tinch wallscapes evolved in 2010 during a transition from working professionals to new parents where our space was shared with the delightful chaos of a growing first child (we now have three!). The aim was to design something halfway between art and play for walls in our home; for grownups to apprecitate and littlies too, saving floor space with a contemporary decor aesthetic. The outcome was delightfully addictive and adaptable in arrangement possibilities, the wallscapes make ever-changing scenes.

More recently, the designs are evolving for wider audiences and larger spaces. There's always new designs in the works, and custom orders are most welcome. 

Everything is an original design and concept, and my hands touch every process along the way, with a small team of helpers or local providers, here and there. When you purchase tinch products, you're supporting an independent designer and her family, so thank you!

Background & Education
My background is in Communication Design and Marketing, I have a degree in each from the University of Otago.

Other skills & services

To complement my design practice, I occassionally teach in these areas at tertiary level, through Otago Polytechnic.

As a founding member of Dunedin Designed INC, I help to manage a collective Design Store in Dunedin, Guild -  and curate the pop-up guest designer operation of the store, alongside marketing & communications. 

I'm also commissioned for freelance marketing, communications, 

graphic & strategic design projects and consultations when time permits. Likeminded small creative businesses are my pleasure to assist. 

I consider myself an educated, responsive and intuitive designer. My approach always reflects the influence of existing elements in a design project, from materials to more intangiable details like history or context. The wallscapes upcycle unused or discarded materials by changing their context to appreciate the beauty of their colours and textures - liberating them from their former garments and associations.
 

Inspirations
Three things in particular influence all of my work:

• I grew up on an organic market garden in New Zealand's south island. This instilled an appreciation of all things natural in the simplest forms; colours, textures..

• An intrigue for the challenges of communication design

• Nostalgia for the simple joys, imagination and sense of wonder that is childhood, and the pursuit of a smile...

• Our beautiful 111yr old home in Oamaru is a constant source of inspiration; from the coloured glass windows, to the anaglypta wallpapers from all the decades, and our ever-changing view of the historic Oamaru Harbour and Pacific Ocean.

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Love our home?

Follow on Instagram for occasional snippets from around our home and studio #OurHomeInOamaru 

Love it and you want to visit?
Helen welcomes visitors to the studio, get in touch to make an appointment

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