Happy Birthday To The Queen

June 13, 2018

Celebrating a special day for Queen Elizabeth is what got me back drawing again after a 15 year dormancy.  I was trained and worked as a designer for many years but running an eco-bag manufacturing company meant that my creative energies were channelled into being an entrepreneur and building a business: BIDBI aka Bag It Don’t Bin It.

Then in 2012 several of our London based museum retail customers asked me if we had any canvas tote bags that celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  Ever motivated by the promise of a sale I volunteered to create a series of designs based on the Queen.  So I drew several portraits of the Queen, my favourite being one of her taking her beloved corgis for a walk (here's a more recent version)

Walkies sold like hot cakes and I then realised that I needed to create a label for my work and so Talented was born.  Demand for more tote bags printed with imagery of the Queen came from around the world, particularly Japan, where there is a huge fan base for the British Royal Family.  I bought a vintage Coronation mug for my Japanese friend and British Royal expert Mizuho Nishiguchi, which led to a collection based on illustrations of vintage Royal memorabilia printed onto tote bags and purses.

A Royal Wedding followed and with that the opportunity to create a further collection of the newly-weds: Prince William and his wonderful Kate. A baby followed and with that a further collection featuring the Queen’s great grandson George

This year has been a big year for the Queen … a wonderful Royal Wedding, another great grandchild and her 92^nd birthday.  That’s worthy of new collection and so I got drawing all of the Royal couples again and also combined it as one image.  I created a vintage tattoo inspired collection, infused with passion and pride.  A product range featuring the design is sold in airports around the UK as well as the super Selfridges and prints of all of the Royal couples feature on my Art Print Shop.  I hope that I’ve done them justice and portrayed them with a sense of endearment and heartfelt joy.

 

Happy Birthday Queen Liz!

 

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