Julia's News

My Australia

March 21, 2019

I collaborate with licensees around the world, who turn my artwork into beautiful products. One such licensee is Vevoke, which is an Australian giftware brand and make stylish, natural canvas tote bags and marvellous bone china mugs printed with my illustrations celebrating the diverse and wonderful landscape of Australia and New Zealand. Vevoke's sustainable and stylish giftware is sold by destination boutiques throughout both countries as well as through their new, online shop: Hello Sunday.

Lectures in Leeds!

March 17, 2019

Last week I travelled up to West Yorkshire in order to give a series of lectures to business students at the University of Leeds. I am on the University’s Business School Advisory Board and help to make up a panel of external members who try to ensure that the courses on offer are relevant for students who will become the business leaders and entrepreneurs of the future.

Fabulous Fairtrade Fortnight

March 09, 2019

It’s Fair Trade Fortnight! I’ve been a keen advocate of ethically made products for many years and it is this belief that led to me founding an eco-bag printing business in 2007. I created an eco-ethical business in which I worked with fair trade accredited suppliers in India. They made natural, canvas tote bags for me, which I imported into the UK and then my eco-print factory printed them on a short lead time from our base in the heart of industrial Sheffield.

Howdy Texas!

February 27, 2019

I’ve just flown back and forth across the Atlantic to join my licensee Neil Enterprises at their booth in San Antonio, Texas at CAMEX: a trade show which brings together buyers and vendors for the collegiate sector in the USA.

Birthday Boy Bob

February 22, 2019

Most artists have a muse … I have two. My beautiful cats Bibi and Bobby. Bibi is never far from my side when I am creating my artwork … usually about 60cm, where he sits on a layered, woollen blanket in an antique Indian food bowl. He’s good company.

All The Fish In The Sea

February 13, 2019

I recently took part in a creative, nationwide initiative to raise funds for the Fishermen’s Mission: a charity that supports Britain’s active and retired fishermen and their families. The Fishermen’s Mission reached out to artists and designers across the country and sent us all a wonderful, writhing fish, sculptured out of clay. It was our job to decorate the fish in our own way and true to our creative handwriting.

The fish sat on my table in my studio for about a month before I decided what to do with him. We eyed each other up from time to time, waiting for the right moment to connect.

New York New York

February 09, 2019

I've just spent the last two days at a giftware trade show in New York, working with Team Judge Sampson, my British licensee and manufacturer of sustainable souvenirs and stylish stationery from the factory in Hastings, England.

Viva Las Vegas

January 31, 2019

I've just spent the past 4 days in the equivalent of an airport hanger, showcasing souvenirs, stationery and sustainable accessories, printed with my artwork celebrating America and the wider world.

It's Showtime in Paris

January 19, 2019

Showcasing sustainable souvenirs, stationery and accessories made from my artwork happens throughout the year but kicks off in January and this year in Paris. It's a short flight from my home in Devon, England and so I flew over the Channel to meet and greet customers from around the world and team up with Louisa, the international accounts manager at my British licensee Judge Sampson. Here we are infront of my new, large scale world map, which we launched at the show!

Wonders of the World!

January 17, 2019

At the start of this year I sat down to draw the world! And here it is …

The design was for a large-scale canvas backdrop for the Julia Gash booth operated by my British licensee Judge Sampson at a series of international trade shows. At such events, we meet retail buyers from all over the globe who look at products and the work of directional designers such as me and decide what to bring into their stores.

My Magical Memories From 2018

January 04, 2019

A year closes and with that, it gives me the chance to reflect on some wonderful moments in 2018 that shaped my work and added to my ongoing experience of combining travel and art.

In February I got stranded in Iceland when my plane missed a connection. Ever the explorer I took a bus from the bleak, bitter cold wasteland of a hotel where I had been dumped together with other passengers from the plane, into Reykjavik. A stolen day from a busy trade fair schedule gave me the opportunity to dip my toe into the unique culture of Iceland, make new friends and create a new design ...