My Story and more...

I'm Vanessa the artist behind the studio collections. I live in the Highlands of Scotland, The Black Isle. The peninsula is an artist's paradise having a glorious coastline, moorland heath and leafy native woodland. I'm inspired by these surroundings and tend to focus my work on the local fauna and flora. I produce small illustrative work and watercolours directly from nature and then collate these pieces into surface patterns. 

My style prominently combines clean silhouettes with more intricate icons. I love using florals and quirky animals/birds in designs. I also have a love of colour and an ability to capture colour palettes that work within each of my design collections. This has possibly stemmed from hours of mixing ink while producing some of my original screen prints.

With a background in retail, when I design a collection I consider the current trends, fashion and the possible products that the collection may lend itself to. In this way I try to develop the collection so it reflects a contemporary lifestyle while still fitting into the rural ethos of my brand. 

Printing onto products of quality and with good eco-credentials is of importance in my selection process. I use UK based companies for the printing onto recycled or organic materials. I prefer using digital printing methods that use sustainable ink and less water.

My Design Process:

Creating "My Highland Garden" - The Viburnum and Rhododendron Collections:

 

Inspired by the bright array of colour seen in every garden, in the Highlands, around May time - one of my favourite times of year, I set about painting a series of water colour illustrations, capturing the colour and form of the florals. With such an ambush of inspiration it wasn't difficult to combine elements into designs for two collections. The designs were initially printed onto water-repel cushions and cosy throws, with the idea that your outside living space could match your 'Highland Garden'.

Creating the 'Pleasant Pheasant' Collection:

I love Pheasants, in particular the males, with their rich colours and elegant stance but they are also very characterful birds. Needless to say, that is what inspired this collection. I found myself doodling their different poses and also some of the grass and bracken that they tend to favour. The collection was printed on interiors, table linens and settings. It has proved very popular and also ties in with Country Feather collection.