In 2010 I graduated with great pride from University of the Arts, London college of fashion.
With a first class honours degree under my belt and the prestigious title of a Bachelor of Arts from a reputable establishment, little did I know that my venture into the arts world, more specifically that of the fashion and make-up industry, would be in no way rewarded with great fortune or a straight forward path.
Having learnt make-up and prosthetics for TV, film and theatre, I embarked upon a journey that saw me sample both film and stage industries, coming to settle upon fashion and work within premium brands at an expert/specialist level.
With continued development and training at industry level, I enjoyed the prestige of working within such companies as Dior and Chanel, but ultimately was left feeling unfulfilled and in need of taking back ownership of my creativity in order to pursue futher artistic endeavours.
I have never been one to seek vast wealth, fame or fortune, driven instead by a desire to simply be happy and achieve a comfortable state of well-being and comfort.
Ultimately this has influenced the various decisions I have made in the eight years since graduating, largely in part due to my personal history with depression and the acceptance that mental health far outweighs my need for expensive assets, designer gear and the latest technologies obtained through a job that destroys my very soul!
Needless to say, this has not always been entirely straight forward, or in fact possible.
At the end of 2016, my boyfriend – (recently promoted to ‘fiance’), James and I bought our first home together.
In achieving this momentous milestone, my artistic practice took a back seat as I sought solid career progression within the hospitality sector, embarking upon futher study and qualification in management.
To date, I have dropped the devastatingly anti social and long hours of hospitality management in order to better focus my time on artistic pursuits.
With our home now an ongoing, long suffering project; as we struggle to fund the numerous renovations we so desperately desire to make, much of my thought and attention has turned to colour schemes, furniture and decor.
Indeed, recent craft projects have seen me turn my attention to interior accessories, having branched into creating decorative pieces for the home.
It has often been said by others that both James and I share a very unique aesthetic, one recognisable and characteristic of the two of us.
We don’t proclaim to lead terribly exciting lives, but we love to travel about the country, explore the landscape and the country’s rich heritage.
Searching antique centres, craft fairs and markets is usually high on the agenda, especially as James loves to restore and revamp pieces most would regard as junk or just plain random!
We are lucky enough to share for the most part our hobbies and interests in music, style, dining, travel and culture.
An emphasis on the outdoors, nature and the changing seasons has become an increasingly important part of our lives, with foraging and sourcing of ingredients to make herbal remedies in place of traditionally prescribed medicines. (mainly in response to my never ending list of aliements and plight to find cures…)
With autumn now firmly underway, I look forward to embracing the changing season, taking walks in the woods, enjoying cozy evenings in with the company of good friends and family.
It is a time of year that I often feel most creative, inspired to design and make new pieces, adding to my ever growing collection of projects!