Hello and welcome!

I’ve been a surface pattern designer and illustrator for the past 20 years both in-house and freelance. My work is inspired by nature and botanicals and the passion behind my work is Biophilia, ‘our innate need for nature’, and how it can positively impact on our well-being. The creative process begins with nature photography, which inspires detailed drawings and abstract watercolour painting. Finally a touch of digital experimentation adds a unique contemporary twist.

A little about me and how it all started…

I grew up in rural Shropshire, art and being creative was a huge part of my childhood, I was always lost in sketchbook or busy constructing my latest art project. I studied Textile Design at Birmingham City University, where I specialised in weave, but as I came to the end of course I felt drawn towards print design and back to my love of drawing. I was also very focused on the trend industry following a placement year at Monsoon Accessorize Ltd. I was fascinated by trend development, how they evolved, the pattern recognition, the future predictions and also their conceptual presentation in print and exhibitions for the industry. This insight has continued to be part of my work, not so much following them but being aware of how they evolve and appreciating the bigger picture.

After graduating while living back home in Shropshire, I found my first job as wallpaper designer for a local manufacturer. I designed contract and domestic ranges for in-house collections and clients. It was the perfect fit for my love of constructed textiles and print design as contract wallcoverings are often embossed and combine these elements together. It was also the start of the digital print era for wallpaper, an exciting time to be involved in the technical side of print manufacture.

After a few years I started getting itchy feet and made the big jump to go freelance and started my own brand of art and gifts. I embraced the challenge and creative freedom of designing for a wider range of products and step by step grew my own range of products alongside.

After a few hectic years growing the business, I decided to go back to Birmingham City university to do a Masters in Fashion & Textiles. Doing this part-time over two years, I was able to refocus my creative path and it gave me the opportunity for more creative exploration, something that often gets lost when in you’re in the thick of it running a business. It was at this point I came across the concept of Biophilia and Biophilic Design, I was immediately hooked as it summed up so much of how I felt about nature but couldn’t quite explain.

The Biophilia Collection that followed saw the launch of my silk scarves and luxury textiles. All products are proudly made in the UK in small batches, with carefully selected manufacturers, working as ethically and environmentally friendly as possible.