For Miriam McWilliam, the real work begins long before anything is designed. “Behind every bright idea is a well-explored path of discovery,” she says, describing a process that is deliberate, investigative and quietly obsessive. “Time put in at the beginning, thoroughly researching a project, asking the right questions, clarifying the key objectives, listening carefully to the core of what makes a brand tick is what it’s all about.” She laughs that, in another life, she might have been a detective. The comparison fits. “Discovery and collaboration inform a clear direction ahead. Without it, a project can feel unfocussed and drift off course.”

That early phase is rigorous. Before quoting a job, she sends clients a detailed brief, then dives “deep, through extensive research, brain-storming, mood boards and conceptual development to find the ideas that stick.” It’s a method shaped by years working with large brands, but refined through a conscious shift away from them. “Being a small business myself, I tend to relate more to small-medium businesses and their journey from having an idea to building something from scratch,” she says. “It excites me seeing their vision become a reality.”

The move towards local clients was as philosophical as it was practical. “It’s more grass roots and intimate being one on one,” she explains. “You can sift out some of the extra noise and opinions that come with bigger studios. Important information can get watered down, rather like Chinese whispers.” Her work now arrives largely through word of mouth, a reflection of community as much as reputation.

Miriam believes identity should never be fixed. “A healthy identity should evolve over time,” she says. “If we’re evolving as individuals, it’s likely our business is evolving too.” There may be a core essence, but it needs checking in on. “Every now and again it’s good to ask: does my business genuinely reflect its intention?” She likens the process to seeing a health professional, an external perspective that helps clarify what’s working and what’s not. “It might lead to a refresh, or something more extensive, but it’s essentially a brand review.”

That sensitivity to story became central when she was commissioned to rebrand the Blackwood Hotel. Walking through the building before renovation, she noticed a poem framed on the wall. “I’m always looking for a story, a strong concept,” she says. “The best brands communicate meaningful stories; being honest and genuine.” The poem, A Haven in the Hills, written by a much-loved local, became the anchor. “With such a rich history, it made sense to draw on the past and bring it into the present.” Today, the line sits enlarged on the wall, echoing the pub’s intention: a place to pause, look out over the forest, and feel briefly held by it.

Her one-on-one approach is embedded even in the studio’s logo. “The ‘OO’ in Studio Mimi Moon represents the relationship between client and designer,” she says. “A full and half crescent moon; balanced, collaborative.” She describes her practice as “slow-cooked and hand-crafted,” rejecting mass production in favour of depth. “The more insight I can gather into a client’s thinking, the better the outcome.”

That ethos has deepened since moving to Blackwood, where she found herself surrounded by makers. “It’s teeming with talented creatives,” she says. The environment nudged her towards clay. Ceramics, she explains, offered “a healthy counterpoint to working on a screen; more earthy, organic, three-dimensional.” The name Slow Rise emerged from a quiet resistance to speed. “When you rush things, the golden nuggets slip through the cracks.” Clay, for her, is “a way to slow down and catch my breath.”

Her home, widely featured, functions as an extension of this thinking. “Creativity doesn’t stop when I close my laptop,” she says. “I’m a collector by nature.” From shells gathered as a child to ceramics made now, the through-line is intention.

Looking ahead, she imagines a studio that blurs boundaries further. “Custom-branded tableware, ceramic artworks for hospitality, collaborations with beauty or perfumery brands,” she says. Longer term, she envisions a gallery and ceramic studio on her property, “a space that celebrates ‘The Art of Wild & Slow’.” It’s a future built deliberately, by hand.

STUDIO MIMI MOON

studiomimimoon.com

STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL
PHOTOS BY KAIYA RAE - CREATING RIPPLES