Mural Artworks & all change

My poor, neglected blog! I can only apologize...all is well over here, I've had my head down keeping busy and we've since moved to Wilmslow, Cheshire after Lionhead Studios, where my partner worked was closed down. After being entirely stumped having just settled into Farnham quite nicely, thank you, It's luckily turned out to be a change for the better. I'm a firm believer of 'everything happens for a reason', (I have to be!) So now I'm here, enjoying walks in the green Cheshire countryside and the awe-inspiring Peaks, and everything wonderful Manchester on our doorstep has to offer...I want to go to North Wales, I want to go to Yorkshire, I want to go to Cumbria...so much of the North to explore!

I'm still settling in and keen to get back to business! I've been creating and photographing lots of nice new work for my online shop, thinking about Wilmslow Art Trail in October (and Christmas, gulp!) and finally adding the mural work I've done earlier this year to my website. Hook me up if you've any recommendations in the area or if you'd like one of my murals for your very own- I'm dying to do some private commissions for kids bedrooms and cafes and schools and such! 

Until next time, 

S x

p.s. I'm over on Instagram, follow me there for a more regular correspondence! 

Leaving Helsinki commission

I was recently commissioned by a group of friends to paint something to remember Helsinki by, for friends of theirs leaving Finland. I loved working on this and reminded me of my own time living in the city, just over a year ago. This is the perfect travel-sized solution, and will hopefully remind them of happy times spent in Helsinki too!

BBQ HQ spruce up

I spent some time at Weber painting my designs onto the walls on their new Hammersmith showroom. It was great to work with the BBQ gurus, we've had loads of fun get-togethers with their pizza oven bbq attachment with friends and family- recommended! 

This week I'm working away on a personal commission and have more big plans for mural works, I'm thankful everyday to be busy doing what I love!

S x

South Bound

I've been back at Gloucester Services, (part of the Westmorland Family) once again painting the walls of the stunning eco-build - this time for the opening of their South Bound farmshop and kitchen on the M5 between J11a & 12. It's so great to be back! Here's a little of so far...

(Mark Lord Photography)

All previous photos and content ©Stephanie Cole, 2015. (It is not ok to reproduce my designs. If you like them please just get in touch and we can discuss what I can do for you!)

Phew!

Hi all, and a very belated happy new year...! It's been a little hectic over here, and all change over Christmas- will try to make it brief! 

I moved back from Finland to the UK in November, very suddenly as my partner landed a new job in Britain, and I was due to fly back to the UK in the next few days anyway for work- cue ginormous scramble to get as much stuff packed and home as possible! ...No matter how much I try to plan and organize, life always seems to have a spanner chucked in the works, just for fun! Christmas is only my busiest time of year anyway...

Of course, I'm really going to miss Finland and the friends we made there, the place we made our home and where I found what I wanted to do creatively. I learnt a lot about myself in that cold-icey-beautiful place! We'll go back to visit, though I am so pleased to be living in the UK again after two years of flying back and forth. It'll be great for work- I've already got lots for this year planned and am excited I can commit myself to just being in one place and throw myself into everything! 

I'm now happily living in Farnham, which so far seems to be a lovely, creative little place (though we currently have only a couple of pieces of furniture and it's pretty much rained non-stop). If you have any tips and recommendations for living in this part of the world, look me up!

Some other things that happened along the way...
I was over at Gloucester Services again painting murals, this time in the butchers and some finishing touches on the shelves in the petrol station. Not visited there yet? You really must!

I was at home in the Cotswolds, where I herald from originally. I did a couple of stalls, did plenty of my favourite walk down to the post office with Christmas orders, saw lots of family and friends, and ate lots of good food. I love being at home.

I found time to do some stitching and making, something I was very happy about. I plan to do lots more...

Here's to a really great 2015, new home, new adventures! S x

New Christmas cards for 2014

My illustrated Christmas cards are now available in my shop singularly or in packs of six, I hope that you love them! 

Inspired by the winter here in Finland, they're made in the UK with 100% recycled card and come with natural coloured envelopes. They'll join my range of designs which sold out last year...

Followers of mine on Instagram will also have seen I've been dabbling with some new printed fabric to add to the range, which I'll be making up into sweet gifts soon! Like it or not, that time is creeping upon us once again! (In our books, it's the most wonderful time of the year!) 
S x

Project: The A-Z of Gloucestershire at Gloucester Services

I've been back at Westmorland's Gloucester Services on the M5 working on an illustrated A-Z of Gloucestershire for the restaurant area there. They interviewed me last week about the project over on their blog...

How did you begin the design process with the A-Z?

I worked with Westmorland on creating an A-Z of 'their Gloucestershire', including local landmarks, species and charities they work closely alongside. I wanted the designs to be simple but informative so they'd make a real impact from a distance in the services, and not too obvious- conversation starters! My designs start as hand-drawings, which I then place together and visualize on my laptop. The designs are finalized and I've now been busy on site painting them onto the walls of the cafe. Working on a project about home in Gloucestershire was a real pleasure, and cured a little pang of homesickness as I started the design work for it whilst I was still over in Finland!

There's no rest for the wicked, I'm onto the petrol station and butchers over there this week! You can see and hear about the rest of my mural work here. Will keep you posted...

Project: Artwork at the new M5 Gloucester Services

I finally got around to taking some photos of the completed artwork I painted onto the walls of the fantastic new Westmorland's Gloucester Services, situated on the M5. The mural commission saw a gigantic map of the suppliers which stock the services (me included!) across the southwest of the UK, plus the illustrated 'anatomy of an English picnic' in the deli area. I'm going to be going back to complete more areas of the services over the next few weeks, so if you stop by and spot me, do say hello! Will of course keep you posted along the way...

Westmorland's Gloucester Services Illustration project

You would be excused for thinking our UK service stations rather uninspiring, transitional places only good for a quick loo stop, an OK coffee, some greasy non-descript something from a fast food joint to ease the boredom, or relief from the queuing in motorway stand-stills on the way to wherever you're trying to get to. Bear with me. 

If you follow me, you'll already know that I've recently been working with Westmorland on the new Gloucester Services project situated on the M5, which, if you've stopped at their Tebay services further north will know is quite the opposite from the scenario described above. More of a destination than an appropriate stop, the services are farm shop-inspired with isles filled with jars of homemade marinades, chutneys and jams, championing artists and designers from the area, a deli and butchers stocked with local produce and even locally grown bunches of flowers and fresh, hot food from the area served up in the canteen. Just my cup of tea. 

The illustration project has seen me design and paint by hand directly onto the walls of the shop, deli (and soon I'll be doing the butchers, take-away coffee and fuel station area too), creating a large illustrated, chalk board-style map of the south-west of Britain. The map will be covered in colourful vinyl stickers to show a key of the 130+ suppliers within 30 miles of the project, and a further 70 within 50 miles. You can see a few photos of the process below, before I get back in there and take some photos with the building up and running properly (the services open this Wednesday, excuse the boxes and building work happening around me!)

It's been a dream to work on something with values so close to my own, and so satisfying to see come together after working the design on a much smaller scale for some time. I'm a Gloucestershire girl through and through, so flying back from Finland to be involved with this was a real treat, and the perfect antidote to my on-going longing for the west country and all it's glory! You can also pick up my tea towels, aprons, cards and such which will be for sale in the services (along with a good bit of cheese, a local brew and a pie for dinner!) It doesn't come much better than this...