I'm very excited to be able to share the work of Freya Art with you today.
I've loved, loved, loved her work for soooo long and did a little feature back in 2012,
you can see that here.
I was super chuffed when she said yes to being part of the etsy interview series, happy days!
Freya Art & Design are a London based design studio and have been producing beautiful, whimsical paper goods, textiles and homewares since 2009.
You'll find art prints, greeting cards, kitchenware, toys, bags, cushions, keepsakes and more on both the website and etsy shop.
So, to find out more about Freya; her loves, background, her passions and interests, read on my friends!
Grab that cuppa and a cheeky biscuit or two, get comfy...
1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your background...
I was born & grew up in Australia, my family still live in the most beautiful house there, on the most beautiful little island.
I built a little studio in a corner of their garden, many years ago and try and escape to it once a year.
I was born into a home surrounded by art and inspiration, my mother is an artist & father a jazz musician and general renaissance man. So luckily my art eduction happened from day one.
As well, the women in our family all seem to have a particular love of literature and poetry, & this was something that was always around, so falling into a career that involved art & the written word, wasn't a conscience choice, it just seemed to happen.
I worked as freelance illustrator for many years and luckily when I began to think about setting up an internet business selling my own work, it was quite a good time to do so. People were really beginning to embrace internet shopping and seeking out something a little bit different.
2. How would you describe your work?
Optimistic and joyful, and sometimes a little wonky.
3. What’s the most rewarding thing about being a designer/illustrator?
I just love when I hear from people, from all over the world, that my work has meant something to them, that is just so, so wonderful. It really is.
And then, as a huge bonus, I get to do what I love everyday, and to be honest, if I had to get a "real" job, I don't know what else i'd be good at!
4. When did you open your etsy shop?
I opened my virtual shutters in 2009 with my Etsy store and then launched my own online retail and wholesale stores this year.
5. What books/ magazines are currently on your coffee table?
We have some beautifully illustrated Scandinavian children's storybooks and lots of piano sheet music (my boyfriend has the musical talent, not me!)
6. You use such lovely phrases and statements in your work…e.g.. ‘Shall we just curl up and stay in’ and ‘Let’s plant grass seeds in all our shoes and paint yellow inside our hats so even when it’s cold and dark we will always feel like we are walking barefoot in the sunshine’
How do you come up with these lovely quotes and do you have some favourites?
Thank you so much.
I find coming up with the little phrases quite easy, they are just the thoughts that are in my head. I try to see the positive side to life as much as possible and surround myself with things that make me happy, that way I can give some of this joy back, I think it's a good cycle to perpetuate.
My favourite is usually the latest one I have been working on as often it has been done with a particular person in mind, but I do have a soft spot for
"Inside us all, patiently waiting, sits a tiny little adventurous bird".
It was one of the first I did and I really believe that phrase to be true.
We have it framed in our house just to remind us,
should we ever become complacent with life.
7. What makes you laugh?
I laugh very easily, so a lot of things keep me smiling.
My family, my lovely boyfriend, general silliness, I really love a good hearty laugh, the kind where you soon can't tell if you're laughing or crying and you probably look like a lunatic (which for me happens often)…and you can't beat the English sense of humour, it's one of the main reasons I stay in England…because it's certainly not for the weather :)
8. What inspires you?
Mother Nature, kindness, a good heart, selflessness, oh there is so much to be inspired by in this world if you open yourself up to being inspired.
9. Can you tell us about a typical day for you?
I start everyday with a BIG breakfast (my absolute favourite meal of the day!), then I cycle into my studio, which is a really lovely cycle ride, through a beautiful park and along the canal (so that always sets me up for a good start to the day).
Then it's mostly catching up on emails (soooo many emails!!), discussing with my assistant what needs to be done that day & what orders need to go out.
Then it's sorting out the orders…and finally if I'm really lucky I get to do a teeny, tiny bit of creating.
Although I try to set aside one day a week where I can just work out new ideas, with no interruptions.
10. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?
It doesn't sound very romantic, but most of my ideas are scribbled down on scraps of paper and shoved in a huge big fat file. I wish I was the type to carry around a lovely little sketch book and doodle lovely little sketches in it, but more often then not an idea will come to me in the least likely place and i'll quickly jot it down on the back of a receipt or whatever is at hand. So I have hundreds of scraps of paper that I will look through if I need a new idea. Nowadays I turn to the computer to complete my designs, especially for working out different colour combinations, which is integral to me, but I still think you can't beat the line work you get from a simple brush or pen.
11. What's your guilty pleasure?
Long sleep-ins on the weekend, when I can sneak them in…and ice-cream…I love ice-cream! (But actually I don't ever feel guilty about indulging in either of these things, they are a basic human right!)
12. What are your top three blogs?
I'm afraid I'm not a big blog reader, mainly because of lack of time, but if I do find time, I like day-dreaming over any lovely interior blog that has lots of lovely photos…I also love Pinterest, I could lose hours of my life on there.
(all above images are copyright of freya art & design)
A big thanks to Freya for taking the time out to be part of the etsy interviews.
You can follow her here...
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