About me
Tom Abbiss Smith is an award-winning contemporary designer represented by Grand Matter.
He currently lives and works in Norwich, United Kingdom with his partner and his cat; Lemon.
Through both contemporary and traditional techniques such as digital collage, drawing and painting, Tom explores shape and form to produce intuitive abstract designs and illustrations that are frequently applied as surface pattern design to clothing, homeware products, packaging, posters and accessories.
Tom has also recently started to explore the possibilities of his art three-dimensionally on objects such as ceramics and sculptures.
His inspiration comes predominantly from nature, music and urban environments. However, lots of everyday observations are fed into his work.
Some of Tom’s recent commercial clients include Ripcurl, Gorman, Made.com, Modus Magazine, Chobani, Lululemon, Pinterest, Voxi, Häagen-Dazs, Proper Corn, Bandcamp, Slowdown Studio and Royal Botanical Gardens Canada.
If you would like to get in touch about project inquiries or are looking to license a design, please contact my agent Grand Matter at:
hello@grandmatter.com / +44(0)2033 322 582
For general questions, please contact me directly via email or phone at:
My Resume
Education
B.A. First Class (Hons) Illustration.
Norwich University of the Arts, 2013 – 2016.
Awards
AGDA Awards for the 'Print' and 'Design Effectiveness' categories - Finalist 2023.
Design Effectiveness Awards, Soap Smith x Bulletproof - Packaging. Gold Award, 2021.
Pentawards, Soap Smith x Bulletproof - Packaging. Gold Award, 2020.
Printed Village 'Peaches & Cream' Design Competition. 2017.
Creative Review Graduate Pick, Talent Spotting, 2016.
New Designers Best Stand Award, Norwich University of the Arts, VC28, BA Illustration, 2016.
Vice Chancellor’s Commendation (Degree show), 2016.
The New Maynard Gallery (11th Open Exhibition), Under 20 First Prize, 2013.
Selected Exhibitions
New Designers - One Year In, 2018.
'Unprescribed', Moosey Gallery, 2015.
Stew Gallery, Norwich, 2015.
'90 Candles' - Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, 2022.
Book Project International - 'Vegetal', Galerie Anna Tschopp, 2017.
The Playhouse - Solo Exhibition, Norwich, 12th June - 1st July, 2017.
36 Mountains Festival, 2017.
VOXI Launch Event, 2017.
Art At Pan Macmillan, 2017.
The [...] Space, Mission Gallery, Swansea, 2016.
New Designers, Business Design Centre, London, 2016.
'Ligature', St Margarets - Church of Art, Norwich, 2015.
Publications
Interviews/Features
Lectures/Workshops
Norwich University of the Arts, Lecture & Portfolio Reviews, 2023.
Norwich University of the Arts, Interchange - Digital Collage, 2018.
Norwich University of the Arts, Lecture & Visual Language Workshop, 2018.
Norwich University of the Arts, Online Lecture, 2021.