How it started... (JULY 2023)

Growing up I had always been creative, and it had been an agonising decision as to whether I should go down an academic route at University, or pursue an artistic future. In the end the decision was made for me - I got very sick aged 16 (that's a story for another day), and was battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for my final school years, which sapped my creativity and I fell out of love with art. Completing an academic degree would give me time to continue learning how to work with my body and manage my energy levels, whilst also keeping up with the life stage I felt I should be at.

At University I found the Geography degree thoroughly average - what I enjoyed the most was doing lots of events management internships. I felt maybe that was my way into incorporating an element of creativity into my career.

In 2020, I got the opportunity to move from the UK to Australia with my boyfriend. I was a fresh graduate with a Geography degree, an urge to travel, and an interest in working in the events industry. You don't need me to tell you what happened in March that year. Very suddenly I was living in lockdown, in a new country, on the other side of the world, where we hadn't yet met a soul. Heck - we barely had basic furniture in our apartment. My chances of finding an events job were out the window.

For the first time in my life I had an abundance of time; and after the initial shock, it turned out to be life's greatest blessing.

A few weeks into lockdown, I picked up my boyfriend's iPad, and started to draw. I hadn't drawn in three years. I'd never drawn on an iPad. I fell in love.

It started off with quirky illustrations; koalas drinking tea, patterns of sea shells, in-jokes to send to friends over messenger. Then I got requests from family members. One friend asked if I could draw her dog. With each request, my confidence grew. I was encouraged to upload my designs to Redbubble; a print-on-demand website where people could purchase my designs on products such as mugs and socks. And to my disbelief, I made sales! From there it snowballed...

This takes us up to late 2020.