Andrew enjoys the process of using creative communication as an instrument to effect change, across a range of media, for brand, commercial, cultural and community projects. Against the tide of pursuing an international design style, Andrew is committed to exploring and defining a contemporary Australian approach to communications and creative expression.

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Andrew Ashton
Designer and Director

Ashton was trained as a traditional designer. In over twenty years Ashton’s practice combines the rigors of making design in our recent past, with the push and pull of contemporary communication, traversing communication strategy, conceptual thinking, writing, art direction image making, and craftsmanship. Ashton has a cross discipline approach and actively works in brand, print, digital, environment, product development and public actions.

Highlights

• 1994 Established design studio Nelmes Smith Ashton in Sydney
• 1994 – 1996 developed the ground breaking campaign for the Australian Chamber Orchestra with photographer Greg Barrett
• 1997 celebrated suburban life in a poster series for Australian Graphic Design Association
• 1998 Awarded the coveted Australian Graphic Design Association Pinnacle Award
• 1999 redeveloped the corporate packaging range for fashion retailer Country Road
• 1999 rebranded Computershare Limited worldwide
• 2000 – 2009 evolved Saxton paper brand and rolled out a comprehensive professional and student campaign
• 2002 Awarded a second Australian Graphic Design Association Pinnacle Award
• 2002 appointed creative director of the Australian Graphic Design Association Award in Melbourne
• 2003 developed communications for the Melbourne Chamber Music Competition

• 2003 Established design and communication practice Studio Pip and Co. in Melbourne
• 2004 created paper brand Stephen
• 2004 – developed brand and communications for Jardan Australia
• 2004 developed communications for first State of Design Festival in Victoria
• 2004 devised the Australia’s first design Market ready Made Market (now Melbourne Design Market)
• 2005 Rebranded Chamber Music Australia
• 2005 developed communications for first State of Design Festival in Victoria
• 2005 Alliance Graphique Internationalé membership
• 2006-7 developed communication campaigns for Moonlight Cinema
• 2007-8 developed communication campaigns for Melbourne Fringe Festival
• 2010 developed communications for Australian Institute of Architects – extra/ordinary conference

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Biography

Andrew Ashton, was born in 1969 and spent his childhood in the suburbs of Sydney and country New South Wales in the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1989 he graduated from Randwick Graphic Design School and worked at Sydney based graphic design companies Lam-po-tang & Co and Gallaher + Associates. Ashton was trained in the all of the traditional skills of graphics – layout, type, mock up preparation, photography, illustration and mechanical artwork. Ashton started at the drawing table (with rulers and t-squares, pen and ink, galleys of type, mechanical artwork and fax machine), and in ten short years witnessed and participated in the roll out of the desk top computers, digital graphic equipment,  business software and the rise of marketing services.

In 1994 Ashton formed a design studio and partnership with designer / art director Graeme Smith and entrepeneur Rick Nelmes – Nelmes Smith Ashton (NSA). In ten years that followed NSA produced, experimented, pushed, reinvented and eventually evolved into Precinct Design – an organisation that was purchased by media company – The Photon Group. Atthe peak of Ashton’s involvement in 2001 Precinct had fifty staff, studios in Sydney, Melbourne, and Hong Kong, producing corporate design for government, financial services, corporate services and technology sectors. Precinct design continues to operate today.

In 1999 Ashton relocated to Melbourne to start and head up a new studio and evolve his design practice – a commitment to research, developing content, exploring design practice, philantrophy, education and community works. Highlights include: design event Ready Made Market, sessional teaching at Swinburne University (3 years), design student publication Read Me First, cross discipline design  series forty-eight (8 events), design blogging and writing, design presentations across Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Hong Kong, Beijing and San Francisco.

In 2003 Ashton founded Studio Pip and Co. The studio’s clients have included the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Institute of Architects, Australian Paper, Chamber Music Australia, Computershare, Jardan Australia, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Moonlight Cinema, Robert Horne Paper,  Spicers Paper and rising fashion design Yeojin Bae.

Ashton is a member of the prestigious Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), Switzerland. Ashton’s graphic design work has received industry awards and recognition. He has served on numerous design awards panels in Australia and overseas.

Along with commercial projects, Ashton produces an array of studio publications and products. Ashton volunteers for a range of cultural and industry organisations, periodically teaches design, writes often, takes photographs, follows contemporary Australian art and chases after his young family.

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Our key people

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Sarah Furzer
Designer and Image maker

Works directly with clients, develops projects, directs manufacturing partners, image making, and studio practice.

Click here for more information about Sarah

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Studio interns
Assistant to designers

The studio runs an renowned internship programme running in four to eight week blocks. Our interns are typically design and communication students or recent graduates. The programme has been successfully running for five years and offers invaluable experience for emerging designers.

Our interns work directly with our designers, liaises with client under instruction, assists with image making, and project development.

Meet our latest intern here

Click here for more information about our internships

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