Today sees the start of a new feature on the blog.
Whether you're a recent graduate looking to get noticed in the surface pattern world, or a freelancer who's been in the industry a while and wants to broaden their client base or just gain additional exposure, I'd love to hear from you!
Whether you're a recent graduate looking to get noticed in the surface pattern world, or a freelancer who's been in the industry a while and wants to broaden their client base or just gain additional exposure, I'd love to hear from you!
'Creative Quarters' will aim to highlight new and existing design talent and will include a little bio and examples of your work.
If you'd like to be featured, please send examples of your work with links to website portfolios, and some info about you and your background, etc... to loveprintstudio@live.com
I have the first of these posts for you today,
and it features Frances Boyd...
Frances knew from a young age that she'd want a career in art of some form or another, and loved to draw as a child. Her Mum and Auntie are both brilliant artists so she was always surrounded by art growing up.
Although she did a Textile Design degree, it wasn't until after University that she really started thinking about getting involved in design using computers, as they were getting used more and more in the design process, so she bought her first apple and hasn't looked back since!
Frances graduated back in 2000 with a BA Hons in Textile Design and was lucky enough to be selected for an internship in a New York Fashion studio straight after.
So, her love for surface pattern began...
After spending time pretending she was Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and The City for three months it was time to go home, and Frances had dreams about starting up a studio in Liverpool with her best friends from University, but then life got in the way and she fell in love and got married.
Twelve years and three boys later, Frances was feeling inspired and eager to get designing again and had really missed the creativity side of her life so it was the perfect time to concentrate on her career.
Frances's best friend Susan, aka The Print Tree, suggested doing a course she had just completed called 'The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design' with Rachael Taylor.
Surface Pattern Design was enjoying a bit of a revival at the time, and it was always one of Frances' favourite pastimes, popping into book shops and stationery stalls to admire the beautiful notebooks and stationery.
So, she enrolled and loved every minute of it!
After the course, Frances decided to freelance part time and was lucky enough to be chosen by Ruth Macalister of Quincy lampshades, to have one of her designs used on a lampshade, which was a sell out!
Last year Frances made the move to go full time as a Surface Patten Designer and has worked with some fab people since. One of her recent clients was Theo Williams of Another Brand.
Frances was then approached by a studio in New York called Arte Flora with whom she exhibited with at Surtex. Working under the studio, and for Nicole the director, Frances gained invaluable experience and learnt so much about the industry.
Living on the beautiful Isle of Man surrounded by coastal scenery and wildlife makes it easy to for Frances to be inspired. Whether it be on walks with her dog and children or rooting through antique and charity shops searching for that little gem or retro fabric.
Pinterest and Instagram are also fab source of inspiration for her too.
Frances has a few exciting projects in the pipeline which she can't wait to share with everyone, but is always looking for new exciting collaborations or projects.
There is so much more she'd love to do...create a fabric line, another stationery collection, homeware, and her design goal would be to work with a publisher to create some illustrations for a children's book.
She dreams of collaborating with a fashion designer and would love nothing more than to see her artwork used as a couture print.
Frances is extremely passionate about what she does, and just loves creating pieces of art that have the versatility to be applied to any type of product.
It's all she's ever wanted to do!
She loves drawing and creating patterns and describes her designs as illustrative with delicate use of detail, with a very strong individual look and great colour!
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I hope you've enjoyed reading a little about Frances,
and seeing a selection of her work.
To get in touch with her, please visit her website here for details
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