Women Designers You Should Know: Episode 039 – Alex Proba on Persistence: From Pools to Posters and More

Host: Amber Asay
Release Date: April 15, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 039 of Women Designers You Should Know, host Amber Asay delves into the vibrant and multifaceted career of Alex Proba, a renowned artist and designer celebrated for her colorful murals, iconic pool designs, and collaborations with major brands like Nike, Google, Louis Vuitton, and Samsung. This episode, titled "Persistence: From Pools to Posters and More," explores Alex's journey of creativity, resilience, and her unwavering commitment to infusing everyday spaces with joy and color.

Alex Proba's Early Journey and Education

Alex Proba begins by sharing her unconventional path into the creative world. Contrary to her family's medical background, Alex initially pursued dentistry, only to realize her true passion lay elsewhere.

[04:34] Alex Proba: "I actually went to dentistry school before [pursuing design]. It was just because I come from a family of doctors...trying to pursue something more creative was kind of off-limits."

Breaking away from her family's expectations, Alex secretly applied to architecture design school in Hamburg, Germany, signaling the first of many bold pivots in her career.

[05:36] Alex Proba: "Going into something more creative was kind of off limits. Your parents, or mostly my dad, were just like, you need something safe."

This act of defiance fueled her determination to succeed in the creative field, laying the foundation for her persistent nature.

From Designer to Artist: Embracing Multidisciplinary Creativity

Initially trained in interior architecture and graphic design, Alex's diverse educational background enabled her to traverse various design disciplines seamlessly. She holds a graduate degree in product design, specifically contextual design, from the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands, before founding Studio Proba in 2013.

[06:26] Amber Asay: "Do you define yourself by one discipline?"
[06:34] Alex Proba: "At this point in my career, I never even say designer anymore... I just call myself an artist."

Alex emphasizes that her work transcends traditional design labels, viewing everything she creates, whether for clients or personal projects, as art. This perspective has allowed her to maintain a distinctive and recognizable style across various mediums.

The Poster a Day Project: A Diary of Persistence

One of Alex's early defining projects was her Poster a Day series, which she initiated in 2012 while working in-house for a brand. Seeking a creative outlet beyond her daily job, Alex committed to designing and sharing a new poster every day for four years.

[07:13] Alex Proba: "I started doing that and it evolved into like a little diary... of my everyday, like, things I saw or things I ate."

This project served as both a personal diary and a testament to creative consistency. Initially shared with a small circle of friends on Instagram, the project gained traction as blogs like Sight Unseen featured her work, compelling her to continue despite the increasing demands.

[07:36] Alex Proba: "Once they picked it up, other blogs picked it up and people started writing about it. And I think then I was like, damn, I can't stop now."

In its second year, Alex transformed the project by inviting people to submit personal stories, which she then visualized in her posters. This shift deepened the project's impact, allowing her to create meaningful and often poignant pieces based on real-life experiences.

[09:00] Alex Proba: "Most feedback from people that submitted was always pretty positive."

In the fourth year, she focused exclusively on stories about significant women, aligning with the podcast's mission to celebrate women who have shaped the creative world.

Collaborations with Major Brands: Balancing Aesthetics and Commercial Needs

Alex's distinctive style caught the attention of major brands, leading to collaborations with Google, Louis Vuitton, Samsung, and more. Navigating these partnerships required a delicate balance between her artistic vision and the brands' established identities.

[13:33] Amber Asay: "The amount of collaborations you've done is so impressive and you still are able to maintain your distinct recognizable style."

For instance, when Google approached her to design a basketball court, Alex negotiated the use of her favored colors that aligned with both her palette and Google's brand colors.

[14:15] Alex Proba: "I picked the blue and the yellow, because both of those colors I use a lot myself, so it wasn't, like, a crazy thing... it kind of looks like my color palette anyway."

Alex underscores the importance of collaborating with brands that respect and align with her aesthetic and values, occasionally turning down projects that didn't fit her vision.

[16:40] Alex Proba: "I always have to keep the balance between what they need and then trying to keep my work's essence as well."

This selective approach ensures that her work remains authentic and maintains its vibrant, playful essence, even within commercial contexts.

Innovative Pool Designs: Merging Art with Functional Spaces

A standout aspect of Alex's portfolio is her innovative pool designs, which transform ordinary pools into vibrant art pieces. To date, she has completed three indoor painted pools and several outdoor projects, with her latest project launched in December featuring handmade tiles.

[21:55] Amber Asay: "How many pools have you done so far?"
[22:19] Alex Proba: "Three only. I did two painted ones and one made out of handmade tiles."

Her approach involves using organic shapes and a limited yet bold color palette to create an underwater mosaic effect. The transition from painted to tiled pools marked a significant evolution, enhancing durability and vibrancy.

[24:22] Amber Asay: "How did you decide for the tiles themselves to be organic shapes instead of just like a square tile?"
[24:30] Alex Proba: "Because my work doesn't really do straight lines mostly. So wherever I don't need a straight line, my work won't have straight lines."

One of her tile pool projects required meticulous craftsmanship, involving over 8,000 hand-glazed tiles cut into custom shapes to achieve the desired organic flow without traditional grout lines.

[27:04] Alex Proba: "Every tile is like hand glazed... a big crazy puzzle of over 8,000 pieces."

This dedication to detail not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also ensures longevity, making her pool designs both beautiful and functional.

Overcoming Challenges: Engineering and Collaboration

Large-scale projects, such as public sculptures and pool installations, present unique challenges. However, Alex leverages her multidisciplinary background in architecture, graphic, and product design to navigate these complexities seamlessly.

[18:20] Alex Proba: "My architecture background definitely helps me in all the larger scale projects."

Collaborating with manufacturers, engineers, and city officials is crucial to bringing her ambitious projects to life. This collaborative spirit alleviates the technical burdens, allowing her to focus on the creative aspects.

[20:15] Alex Proba: "Collaborating with manufacturers and engineers... makes me greater because they helped me make this happen."

Her projects, especially public installations, require adherence to stringent safety and design codes, but Alex views these as opportunities to innovate rather than obstacles.

Persistence in the Face of Rejection and Setbacks

Alex candidly discusses the inevitable setbacks in a creative career, particularly in public art where competition is fierce. Submitting over 100 proposals annually for public art projects, she highlights the importance of resilience and maintaining passion despite frequent rejections.

[30:59] Alex Proba: "Failure is, like, the best part of it because you rethink it... you shouldn't stop. You should just keep going, make it better."

She draws inspiration from renowned artist Yayoi Kusama, who famously stated that even if only one person appreciates her work in a hundred years, she would continue creating.

[35:10] Alex Proba: "Kusama said... if someone guarantees her that in a hundred years there will be one person that will like her work, she will keep creating. So I think that's similar to me."

Alex emphasizes that embracing failure and rejection as integral parts of the creative process fuels her persistence and drives her to continuously improve and innovate.

Designing Her Home: A Canvas for Artistic Expression

Beyond her professional projects, Alex has meticulously designed her own home, turning it into a living canvas that reflects her artistic sensibilities. Purchasing a house with a minimalistic white interior and ample natural light, she transformed each space with deliberate splashes of color and hand-painted murals.

[37:48] Alex Proba: "We bought the house itself and it was kind of like a perfect one because it's a black box and the inside was all white. So it was like kind of the perfect canvas."

From deep reds and browns in private spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms to vibrant furnishings in communal areas, her home showcases her ability to blend functionality with artistic flair.

[38:43] Alex Proba: "I kind of, on purpose added color because I think I would go crazy if my living room will be completely just murals."

This personal project not only serves as a testament to her design prowess but also provides a sanctuary where her creativity can flourish unfettered.

Conclusion: Embracing Joy and Color Through Persistence

Amber Asay wraps up the episode by reflecting on Alex Proba's unwavering persistence and her unique ability to infuse color and joy into every project. Alex's story is a powerful reminder that persistence often manifests in subtle, consistent efforts—whether it's showing up each day, making small creative decisions, or pushing through doubt to brighten the world.

[39:44] Amber Asay: "Persistence isn't always loud. Sometimes it's showing up to your studio each day... pushing past the doubt and putting color back into the world that just feels dull and gray."

Listeners are encouraged to draw inspiration from Alex's journey, embracing persistence in their own creative endeavors and celebrating the vibrant legacies of women designers who continue to shape our world.

Learn More About Alex Proba

• Website: studioproba.com
• Instagram: @lexproba

Join the Conversation

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Thank you for listening to Women Designers You Should Know. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories of women who've shaped the creative world.