Kriss from Pocket Sandwich Studio

MJ sat down with Kristina Zammit Endrich of Pocket Sandwich Studio to chat about creativity, chaotic notebooks, creative risks, and the stories behind her colourful world of illustrations, textiles, and tiny oddities. From sandwiches to sensory processing, Kriss shares the experiences, inspirations, and experiments that continue to shape her ever-evolving creative practice.

il-lokal: Hi Kriss, may you tell us about your creative background and how you started your creative journey?

Kriss: My mum is an artist and was an art teacher for many years, and my dad is an architect - sometimes it feels like this path was inevitable! I grew up tie-dying T-shirts and learning paper batik in a room packed with every art supply a kid could dream of. Watercolour pencils, lino blocks, putty rubbers, oil pastels, and everything in between - creative experimentation was the blueprint.

il-lokal: How did you choose the name of your brand, Pocket Sandwich Studio?

Kriss: “Sandwich” was actually one of my school nicknames. My surname (Zammit Endrich) was often shortened to Zendrich, which kinda sounds like “sandwich” (especially to a 13-year-old, ha). Plus, my dad often made our school lunches and would send me to school with these gourmet bread creations, because to know me is to know that I am obsessed with bread.

I was listening to that song Pocketful of Sunshine, and all I could think was: a pocket full of sunshine is all well and good, but what I could really go for right now is a pocket full of sandwich, because I am rather hungry and a sandwich would hit THE spot. Then I imagined a pocket with a cute little sandwich in it and how fun it would be to draw, and that was that. Here we are.

il-lokal: As an artist who has tried many different disciplines, what would you say to someone intimidated by trying a new craft or creative discipline?

Kriss: Let this be a reminder to myself as well - the worst that could happen is that you fail. That doesn’t make you a failure. I’ve learned more from the experiments that turned out less than stellar than from the ones I’ve been too afraid to try. Whether you become a pro in that specific medium or not, those explorations will always add richness to your creative practice as a whole.

Oh, and I would also say Reddit is your friend.

il-lokal: What’s the most memorable milestone of your creative journey so far?

Kriss: There are many projects that come to mind, but honestly, I think it was the first time I got over my raging impostor syndrome and submitted illustrations to be considered for the MCOI (Malta Community of Illustrators) annual. I was so intimidated that I think I applied three minutes before the deadline, but I was so proud of myself for putting myself out there.

il-lokal: What do you do or where do you go when you need a creative boost?

Kriss: OUTSIDE. My nervous system is at its most regulated when I’m surrounded by green. Tough in Malta, but those places still exist!

Now, I love a Pinterest doom scroll as much as the next guy, but I’ve been really inspired by a fashion account on Instagram lately, @zeopatra. She challenges herself to look for inspiration anywhere except other people’s outfits - gold-dipped burnt matchsticks, a photo of cracked earth, amphibian eyes. The way she translates colours, shapes, and textures into clothing is so incredible and has opened my eyes to new ways that anything can become a jumping-off point for a design.

il-lokal: How would you describe your aesthetic in designing cards, illustrations, and carpets?

Kriss: I recently described my fashion sense as “comfy circus”, and I think the same could apply here - lots of colour, cute oddities, and snacks always.

il-lokal: Do any of your Pocket Sandwich Studio designs hold a special or personal meaning for you?

Kriss: All my greeting cards tend to hold special meaning, as I usually design them with a specific recipient in mind (my Father’s Day cards are pretty self-explanatory, ha).

I recently did an illustration for a live drawing session of my mum’s tomato sauce recipe. It turned into a postcard, and I love that it’s forever immortalised now - even if she wasn’t overly pleased that I included her secret ingredient!

il-lokal: What are some challenges to your creative process? And how do you overcome these?

Kriss: I hate to fail. Hate it. (So I was definitely talking to myself earlier.) I’m super critical of myself and my work - my therapist and I are working on it.

I also have ADHD and SPD (sensory processing disorder), which went undiagnosed until quite recently. Understanding my brain and learning how to harness my neurodivergent powers for good has been an absolute gamechanger, no question. I’ve been working on rewiring the thought patterns and work processes that my brain needed as an emergency lifejacket for so long, and replacing them with a more sustainable workflow. It’s hard work, but so worth it.

You are worth the time and effort it takes to figure out what you need in order to thrive.

il-lokal: Where do you work? What do you like most about your workspace?

Kriss: My bedroom, a couch, my studio, and a good coffee shop. Not necessarily in that order, but truly, anywhere and everywhere. Some of my best ideas have been scribbled on paper scraps on public transport.

My ADHD makes me not great at being consistent with how I work through an idea (RIP me when I’m trying to remember which random notebook I was scribbling in when I had that fabulous idea for a card). If you’ve seen the inside of my backpack, you’ll know it’s organised chaos out here. But somehow it all miraculously comes together and makes sense to me.

In the studio I’ve been using for my textile work, I put up this two-metre frame with my dad, and let’s just say he was very pleased it found a new home that wasn’t his basement.

il-lokal: What does your support system look like?

Kriss: I’m truly the luckiest person here. My family is amazing, so supportive and so patient.

I know I’ve mentioned my parents already, but one of my sisters is an incredible artist who I can talk shop with for hours. I’m in a singing duo with my youngest sister. My brother-in-law is an architect who loves a good DIY session. And I have two nieces who love nothing more than poring through my bead collection with me.

I also have friends who share in the creative freelancer lifestyle - people who understand the struggles and champion the wins. People who will listen to an endless voice note of me getting excited about a concept and respond in kind. These people are my oasis when the process feels like a trudge through the desert.

I am so grateful for the people around me who just get it. Okay, I’ll stop now because I’m getting emotional.

il-lokal: If you could collaborate with another local artist, designer, or brand, who would it be and why?

Kriss: Ooh, this is a great question. I’m floored every day by the incredible work being made locally. I actually have a bucket list of collaborations right now for a number of dream projects. Stay tuned to see which ones make it off the page and into real life.

il-lokal: What are you working on right now? Do you have any exciting things in progress that you’d like to share?

Kriss: So. Many. Things.

I’m illustrating for a few books that I’m very excited about. I’m thrilled to be part of the Urban Wildlife collective exhibition coming later this year, and this has also opened my (overstimulated) eyes to the wonderful world of risograph printing (shoutout to Michelle Gruppetta).

In terms of PSS, I’m working on expanding my textiles outside of custom work into a few launches, and I’m also doing the same with jewellery. I’m also toying with the idea of launching a paper goods Mail Club as an outlet for all the product ideas living in my Notes app.

il-lokal: Are there any particular products, tools, mediums, or techniques you'd like to explore in the future?

Kriss: Yes. Always.

I have some ideas that involve large-scale ceramic work, and I am desperate to learn how to sew and eventually upholster, so I’d say those two are currently at the top of my hit list!

Shop PSS greeting cards on il-lokal.com

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Interview and photography by MJ Tolu