As an artist/designer, sometimes the only constant is change. It is important to keep trying new things and reinventing yourself, as well as being true to your signature style and continuing to create the things your audience loves - definitely a balancing act!

My work has been known for its signature flat, graphic style for some time - but lately I have been trying to expand on that and create more layered, painterly pieces. Instead of my usual surface pattern designs, over the past several weeks I have been creating some paintings inspired by unusual natural objects and processes. Bright colours and graphic forms are still a mainstay of these new pieces - I’ve been experimenting with gouache paints for the first time which are a great fit for me as they allow me to retain some of that flat, graphic look and feel that I love working with.

Read on for a sneak peek of my new work. I’m thinking of creating some prints or stationery for sale from these... what do you think? If you're interested, sign up to my newsletter and be the first to know when they are available!

We are now a few weeks into 2021, and while it seems largely the same as 2020 so far, the good news is that we can still create and share inspiring new design work while we sit at home and wait for this crisis to pass.

I’m excited to use some of my extra free time during our ongoing (seemingly never-ending?) lockdowns to keep developing new work, and have been experimenting with some new approaches and products, while some are still in my head… watch this space!

Read on for a peek at some pattern collections I’ve been working on over the past few months…

vegetable patch

Lots of people started growing vegetables in their gardens last year while staying at home. This eco-friendly trend will likely stay with us for some time, and it inspired me to create this fun, novelty pattern collection comprised of simplified, graphic vegetable shapes. 

textured foliage

Originally inspired by Autumn leaves gathering on pavements, this lively, textured collection with a sunny colour palette would also be a great fit for summer dresses or activewear. 

conifer garden

Pinecones are one of those ubiquitous yet intriguing natural objects that come in so many different shapes and sizes, and one of my long-standing sources of inspiration. This collection presents a graphic, abstracted take on the humble pinecone.

Click here for more information on purchasing or commissioning pattern designs, or contact me at hello@studio-element.co.uk