This week for a Meet the Makers feature, we meet Bex Parkin. Packed with colour and enchantment, Bex Parkin’s delicate hand-painted designs celebrate the joy and wonder of nature. With pink tigers and giant kaleidoscopic jungle leaves, Bex invites us to the surreal side of the wild. Beautifully intricate, using print, colour and pattern, Bex finds inspiration everywhere, from Persian rugs to Indian textiles. With environment being an important constant in Bex’s life, it’s not surprising that she’s based with her family ‘on a hilltop somewhere in rural Staffordshire’ as she herself describes. Expressing that this scenic dreamland is where she is happiest, it’s clear imagination and fun are key themes across all of Bex’s designs. We recently sat down with Bex to learn more about her life, her inspirations and her working processes.
Can you tell us a little bit about where you grew up and how that may have influenced your work?
I wouldn’t say where I grew up has had any influence on my work but I’ve had a fairly nomadic life so far and haven’t really settled in one place for very long. I’ve lived in London, Staffordshire, Florence and Shropshire to name a few but I’ve done a fair bit of travelling too. Ideally I’d love to live in a cabin in the mountains and create big paintings of animals and jungles all day!
Your work tends to focus on nature and animals. Has this always been your area of focus or was this something that developed over time?
I have always been drawn to nature as a subject matter as this is where I’m the happiest – when I’m not working, I’m hiking or trail running. When I first started illustrating a few years ago I was desperately looking for my ‘style’ but really the best way to find it is to paint those subjects you enjoy the most. The first leopard I painted was a challenge I’d set myself to see if I could do it – it’s one thing to paint it but another to capture a mood or character.
When you start a project do you tend to start with sketches or work digitally?
For me, the process always starts in my black A5 sketchbooks with an HB pencil. I’ve amassed quite a collection now and they’re great to look back on for ideas. Then the design is drawn out onto Langton hot pressed art paper and painted with gouache. The final stage is tidying up and tweaking using Procreate on my iPad. If I’m doing a repeat pattern I sometimes then turn to Photoshop on my PC.
Do you have a favourite artist or designer that has inspired your work?
There are hundreds of artists and designers that I’m drawn to. I find inspiration in a whole range of designers and work, and have a nice collection of reference books to pour over. It can be Persian rugs, Indian textiles, Victorian patterns, vintage botanical prints – I find ideas everywhere. I recently found the large scale floral work of Sarah Graham – amazing!
Browse some of Bex’s personalised stationery designs
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