Making Art more playful
Art of Ping Pong is a small independent company run by myself, Algy, and my partner Caroline. We’re supported by our good friend Marley and a close network of independent makers and doers. We love what we do and it makes us smile to know there are more and more people out there that share in our dream of making art more playful.
We don’t plan to take over the world. It is our desire to make the best products, not the most products – we value quality over quantity. It’s all about innovative ideas, thoughtful well made products and exciting artist and brand collaborations. We are proud of where we’ve got to and how we got here.
Having both worked in the world of graphic design and branding for over 20 years each AoPP gives us an opportunity to explore our own creative outputs. And we’re really enjoying the freedom of seeing where AoPP can go. The duality of art and play is at the heart of our concepts, an open yet defined brief that we’re only just scratching the surface with.
‘Is this going to be how we spend the rest of our working days?’ These were the thoughts Caroline and myself had running around our heads in the summer of 2020. At that time, AoPP was still a side project, juggled with client work and our two children. But during the blurred life of one of the lockdowns, it had begun to whisper in my ear constantly. For both of us, work had always been more than just earning a living. And the pandemic suddenly put a magnifying glass on our lives. And so that summer we took the plunge and made the decision to turn AoPP into a full-time gig.
Since then we’ve been exploring our dream of making art more playful and striving to provide fantastic products and enjoyable service to our customers. But this doesn’t mean global domination. Our business goals sit firmly within our family goals too. We also want to pick up our kids from school, be present in our lives and enjoy the valuable time we have. And of course, play a little ping pong!
Following this dream has given us the utmost respect for anyone who has an idea. Develops it. Designs it. Prototypes it. Builds it. Promotes it. And eventually sells it. It’s harder than we ever imagined! Pursuing a passion project takes a huge amount of belief, perseverance and plain old graft. We’re completely independent and don’t have any corporate backing. No one is telling us what to do. And we wish to maintain this freedom. So we’re proud of where we’ve got to and how we got here. It’s our ambition to become the most spirited Art+Play brand we can be. As part of this journey, we have a strong focus on supporting good causes. And since 2013 we have raised over £30k for charity.
I don’t know where you are on your life journey. But if you’re following your passion and still doing your thing whilst navigating life in a post-Brexit, pandemic world you’re doing great. Believe.
