To kick off our new blog series Artisan – a space where we celebrate and showcase talented creatives who are inspired by the flowers we sell – we are excited to be collaborating with Emily from Nancybird and it’s your chance to win!
Emily Wright from @nancybirddesign has a background in fine art and has spent 2020 rediscovering her love of painting and has created a beautiful print, inspired from a Vasette arrangement, for the launch of their new homewares collection.
We asked Emily some questions about her work…
Q Tell us about your work. How did you get started?
I started back in 2002, coming out of a Fine Arts Printmaking degree at RMIT. I was doing very low fi, kitchen table screen printing making little purses and selling in local independent stores. I spent a few years making everything myself and working from a little backyard studio. I didn’t know pretty much anything about running a business or the industry so I’ve learnt through my experience or through the people around me. Over the years I slowly brought in staff to help with aspects of the business, and we are now a team of seven excellent people, with our long term makers mainly in India and China.
Q How have flowers inspired you?
Flowers and in particular indigenous florals are a constant inspiration that we draw on in our designs. Nature is the ultimate in colour palettes, form, everything! I’ve been doing more painting lately, so it’s definitely something I keep my eye out for. My phone is full of pictures to refer back to later.
Q What are your favourite flowers or flower memory?
Banksias are a firm favourite, they are beautiful in every stage of their life. My family recently did a road trip up to the Mallee and Murray River region and saw the most beautiful flowering gums in a few towns – bright yellow with dusty grey leaves and flower pods. We worked out they are indigenous to WA – called Eucalyptus woodwardia. So beautiful.
Q Do you have any other projects you would like to mention?
Watch out for our new capsule collection – collaborating with Sydney artist Nicola Woodcock – her oil pastel works of the bushland around her home are just stunning and we are lucky to have worked with her on a beautiful print for our first Spring drop. It’s so good and I’m excited to see it out in the world!
