In the year I was born my dad was given a little tree seedling. He carried it around in his pocket for a couple of weeks before deciding where to plant it. He decided it should go in the back garden and so it grew into a beautiful red oak tree.

 

Over the years I spent many hours climbing it, swinging from it, sitting under it and all the family photos usually had the tree in them. Although dad is no longer here to admire it, It still grows tall and mighty, far too big for a suburban backgarden.

 

I founded Red Oak Designs in 2014 in honour of the tree and my dad, the chief influence behind my love for art and design. He played “Guess What I’m Drawing” with me from a very young age. (Usually a pipe, thimble or Boo Boo the bear - I nearly always guessed right as they were wonderful sketches.)

 

Watching turned to drawing and I would spend hours perfecting pipes and thimbles to draw just like dad. He put me to work sharpening pencils in his art room at the school where he taught and in return he brought me home old pens, bits of cards and half pots of paint and I became completely absorbed in art.

 

I eventually went on to study illustration and printmaking and graduated with a BA Hons in the UK and a diploma in graphic design in Australia.

 

I currently live in Boddington WA with my husband and lovely boxer dog Pippa and enjoy working from home as a freelance graphic designer.