A Life Drawn to Art

Art has always been my passion. I've been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember, and my sketchbook has always been somewhere to collect the things, people and places that catch my eye.

I originally trained in Graphic Design, specialising in Illustration, at Bath Spa University. After graduating, I worked for an art dealer specialising in 17th-century Dutch paintings before moving into the world of interiors at Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. Both experiences gave me a lasting appreciation for beautiful things, thoughtful design and the stories objects can tell.

Coming full circle back to Africa, the continent of my childhood. Drawn by its landscapes, wildlife, colour and energy, I found myself living in Malawi and Kenya, returning to Malawi before heading back to Kenya again. Throughout those years, I continued to draw and paint, taking on commissions in pen and ink and watercolour while filling sketchbooks with the details of everyday life. Africa remains a deep well of inspiration for my work, alongside my love of nature, food, gardens and the unexpected little things that make me smile.

It was while living in Kenya, painting enormous stage sets at my daughters' school, that the idea of creating my own wallpaper designs began to take shape. That idea eventually grew into Whistling Thorn Designs, named after the remarkable Kenyan acacia tree whose thorny branches shelter ants and whose thorny node whistle when the wind blows.

Since settling in Devon, I've continued to create, experiment and learn as I go. What began with wallpaper has grown into a much broader collection of original illustrations, finding their way onto greetings cards, art prints, mugs, tea towels and other lovely things for everyday life. Wallpapers and cushions remain part of the story, too.

Today, my work begins in my Devon studio, with pencil, paintbrush, watercolour and plenty of curiosity. I love the process of turning an idea into an illustration and finding new ways to share it. I'm drawn to colour, character and a little imperfection - work that makes you pause, smile or remember something special.

Whistling Thorn Designs is still a journey of discovery, and I'm excited to see where the next sketchbook takes me.