"I realised there was a market for my work when commercial clients started saying that they liked the texture and I had a good eye for colour… My own shop brand is still a bit of an experiment. I opened it last September selling paintings, cards and face masks with fabric I’d designed myself. Those went down really well, it was so lovely to see photos of people wearing something I’d made.
"My work lends itself to such a wide range of uses, one day it pops up in a newspaper alongside an article, the next it’s on a beer bottle... I like variety, it keeps me on my toes. I enjoy working with lots of different clients, and there’s nothing better than those who are excited to work together and trust what I do. At the moment, I’m working on a set of illustrations and animations for a website, designs for a greetings card company and some new products for my shop.
"I’d love to create illustrated packaging for a beauty company and work on homewares or an ad campaign for a department store... I think people like my work because it’s playful, colourful and doesn’t take itself too seriously. To keep things fresh, I work intuitively, and don’t try to force anything if I’m not feeling particularly creative.
"As a creative, the first few months of the pandemic were rough. I’d just come back from holiday to an inbox full of enquiries, then they all went quiet and I freaked out. Plus I wasn’t eligible for any of the income support schemes because I’d gone freelance only a few months earlier. After the initial panic, things started to slowly pick up, and this year has got off to a flying start. I also opened a shop and focused on making products which kept me going.
"I’ve learnt to work a lot more intuitively with how I’m feeling and be kinder to myself. I’m a lot better at setting realistic expectations and realising that I’m not a machine.
"My notebook and print design for Ootrey came out of a mark making session... I had a bit of time in between jobs, so I set myself a creative challenge with the biggest brush I could find and two paint colours. I made a pattern out of it, mocked it up on a few things and knew it would be a good one to license. A few days later, I received an invitation from Ootrey to collaborate. I’d describe my design bold, painterly and perfect for colour lovers."
Instagram: @taaryn_b
