Jacob Faull, co-founder of Nature Baby, is a familiar face around Grey Lynn and a long-time supporter of Grey Lynn Farmers Market.
Where did you grow up?
In Ōwairaka (Mt Albert). It was my time at Elam Art School that set my creative and thinking compass. I met lots of diverse-minded artists and thinkers there, including my future wife.
What was your creative focus?
I am very interested in ways of looking at things and different ways of interpreting everyday objects and experiences. I was lucky to have the opportunity to curate an exhibition of emerging New Zealand artists at Auckland Museum – as curator and artist I made the furniture that visitors sat on while viewing the art which questioned the nature of institution, object and viewer. It was so successful in challenging the norms that they shut it down after three weeks which then created lots of media attention — it was a real lesson in disruption and the structure of how we see things.
Where did that take you?
London, via India, where we discovered that we were expecting our eldest daughter. That sharpened our focus and got us thinking about how we were going to support our young family.
What did you do?
We set up a stall at Spitalfields Market selling recycled sari cushions that we imported from India. That East End experience was rich in conscious creative energy. It got us thinking about where things come from, how they are consumed, and how they are made. Good design needs to be practical and beautiful, as well has being ethical.
What brought you back to Auckland?
To be close to family with our new baby. We started up Nature Baby inspired by the creative lessons we had picked up on our travels, and we did what we knew as parents of a new baby. We immersed ourselves in the community. I would help at school craft afternoons where I would bring fertilised eggs and an incubator for the class so our city kids could get a taste of the natural world watching chicks hatch and grow. The school ended up adopting them and they become part of their garden.
Has that influenced how you built your business?
Yes, definitely. We design products that are practical and useful, as well as being good for babies and kind to the planet. We recognise that new parents are going through a lot of change so we have built spaces in our newer stores where parents can catch their breath, have a tea, chat to others, feed and let their kids play.
And you championed local West Lynn businesses.
I was the Chair of the Grey Lynn Business Association at the time roadworks put pressure on businesses with restricted access for customers. Tensions were high and my aim was to collaborate the needs and views of the businesses, cyclists and residents with council in a way that might be heard and lead to a more relevant liveable result. It wasn’t easy and I discovered first-hand the intricacies of bringing many voice into the room. However, I’m delighted that West Lynn is now a thriving village with bespoke shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, due to the amazing businesses and people that support us.
Your original store and the market are among those West Lynn treasures.
Indeed! I have been a supporter of the market over the years but, with lots of work travel in recent years, I'd fallen out of the habit of shopping there. Recently, I was reminded how great it is to have a neighbourhood hub where locals can feel they belong. Sitting on the veranda, it’s a real joy to be among people, watch families chatting, kids playing, listening to the local band singing te reo lyrics to a Bob Dylan song, with Jarad from the veggie stall on drums.
How do you know Jarad?
He’s an artist and we’ve met through friends. I would bump into him at Harvest Wholefoods (RIP) and chat food and art. I was talking to him about what he was working on and he mentioned a series of sketches about a parent rabbit looking after a baby rabbit. Out of that came an idea to reward loyal Grey Lynn Farmers Market customers with organic cotton tote bags featuring one of Jarad’s sketches.
How can people get one of the bags?
Grey Lynn Farmers Market is giving them away when people join, or renew, as Friends of the Market (while stocks last). The market is a not-for-profit incorporated society, so it needs members to keep it running. It’s a bit like a club with Sunday markets being the main way members connect. You’ll spot handmade badges on members’ shopping bags, and now you will also notice the limited-edition tote bags over their shoulders.
www.naturebaby.co.nz
www.greylynnfarmersmarket.co.nz
