A studio of one built on minimalism
Design and painting are separate practices, but they share the same foundation: reduction, process, and attention to detail.
Brand Design
With over 24 years of experience, I design brand identities for established businesses looking to refine and elevate their visual language. I work directly with my clients, taking on a limited number of projects at a time to ensure focus, consistency, and considered decision-making.
My approach is grounded in simplicity. Brand identities begin in black and white, reduced to their essential elements before colour is introduced with purpose. Every decision is intentional, designed to hold up across time, platforms, and applications.
This is a streamlined, hands-on process with no layers, no excess, no distractions.
Painting
My painting practice exists under the name ©MALLEN, formed from the letters of my full name. The work is abstract interpretation, driven by process rather than perfection. Most paintings begin as digital compositions, designed and resolved on screen before being transferred to canvas.
From there, everything is freehand. Paint is mixed by eye. Lines are intentionally imperfect. I’m interested in the tension between control and release, a process of fails and fixes that leaves room for intuition and response.
If I wanted precision, I could print directly onto canvas. But the work lives in the making. The imperfections are the point.