British Artists turn their talent to gift products and home ware

The rich colours of a painting caught my attention in the Spotted section of Top Drawer trade fair in London earlier this month:  an alluring tiger resting in a jungle of tropical green.

Equally beguiling are illustrations of colourful birds looking back at me.  These are limited edition hand-drawn prints and are available as greeting cards. 

Surrey-based British artist Marianne Glass informed that her exotic designs are not just for stationery but also home accessories, digitally printed on fabrics in the UK that are made into cushion covers.  

Her paintings, which she said are the starting points for her collection of designs, are sold as original art. 

Inspired mostly by the natural world around her, Marianne explained that she was born in the Solomon Islands and was brought up in Hong Kong and the UK.  

With a fine arts degree, Marianne said growing up influenced by different cultures has helped her develop her designs and started her business only a year ago.

The original paintings are sold on her website, along with prints of various bird head designs.

Marianne also produces Alphabet Animal Prints are available in A4 and A3 sizes for framing. These hand-drawn prints are black and white so will go with any interior colour theme.  They are also available as A6 greeting cards.

Marianne is also available for commissioned work and contact details are on her website.

In contrast, artist Kate Thorburn’s designs are delicate and elegantly hand-drawn blue and white botanical flora and fauna, and butterflies and bees.  These demonstrate the artist’s passion for nature, and along with vintage-inspired patterns are illustrated on ceramics produced in Stoke-on-Trent. 

The Yorkshire-based surface pattern designer said she started her brand of ceramics - What Kate Loves - in 2014.  As a keen traveller around the country, Kate’s designs are created originally from sketches inspired from photographs taken, mood boards, nature and illustrated guides. 

The new collection of ceramics in Wild Garden Sketches are both decorative and functional, and Kate is pround that they are British-made. 

“The history of the ceramic industry is really important to me.  I want to keep the tradition of this craft alive by producing timeless and beautiful things of the highest quality from Stoke-on-Trent,” said Kate.

The products and contact details are available on the What Kate Loves website.